Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Corrs Chambers Westgarth (often referred to as Corrs) is an Australian commercial law firm[3][4] founded in 1841.[5] Corrs has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Port Moresby.[6][7]

Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Headquarters50 Bridge Street
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia[1]
No. of offices5
No. of lawyers600+
Major practice areasCommercial law
Key people
  • Gavin MacLaren, Senior Partner and CEO[2]
  • Stephen Price, Chairman[2]
Date founded1841
Company typePartnership
Websitewww.corrs.com.au

Corrs' clients include national and international corporations, governments, banks and financial sponsors.[8]

History

Corrs Chambers Westgarth has its roots in the pre-gold rush days of Melbourne, dating back to when law firm Whiting and Byrne was formed in 1841.[9] In 1883, Norton Smith Westgarth and Sanders was established in Sydney, followed two years later by Brisbane’s Chambers McNab and Co.[5]

These three firms are the foundations of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, which was formed in 1991 by the merger of Corrs Australian Solicitors, Westgarth Middletons (Sydney) and Chambers McNab Tully and Wilson (Brisbane and Gold Coast). Corrs Australian Solicitors was formed two years earlier (initially with the name Corrs) via the merger of Corrs Pavey Whiting and Byrne, Adelaide’s Mollison Litchfield and Perth’s Keall Brinsden (founded in 1910).[5]

Practice

In 2023, Corrs was named the Most Innovative Law Firm Headquartered in Asia-Pacific by the Financial Times.[10] In 2022, the firm was named Australian Law Firm of the year by Chambers Asia Pacific & Greater China Region.[11] That same year the firm was also named Law Firm of the Year, 2022 for Corporate Law by Best Lawyers, Australia.[12] In 2021, the firm was named Law Firm of the Year and Commercial Team of the Year at the Australian Law Awards.[13]

Corrs has undertaken pro bono and volunteer work, including advising Aboriginal man and artist, Harold Thomas, the owner of the copyright in the Australian Aboriginal Flag, on the deal to assign copyright in the Flag to the Commonwealth Government.[14] The firm also acted on behalf of Mr Noel Zihabamwe, an Australian human rights activist, in relation to the enforced disappearance of his two brothers in Rwanda.[15]

Corrs has significant expertise across a number of sectors such as:[16]

  • Energy & Resources
  • Technology, Media & Telecommunications
  • Financial Services
  • Investment Funds & Private Equity
  • Life Sciences
  • Consumer & Retail
  • Transport & Logistics
  • Real Estate
  • Construction & Infrastructure
  • Food & Agribusiness
  • Government
  • Health & Aged Care
  • Industrials & Manufacturing

Corrs Alumni

The following list includes people who have worked or consulted for Corrs Chambers Westgarth:

  • The Hon Justice Michael Barker, former Federal Court Judge of Australia.
  • Andrew Bassat, CEO and Co-Founder of Seek Limited.
  • John Dahlsen, former Director of ANZ Bank.
  • John Denton AO, Secretary General and Board Member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and former diplomat.[17]
  • Liz Ellis AO, former Captain of the Australian Diamonds Netball Team.[18]
  • David Flavell,[19] Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary PepsiCo Inc
  • Peter Grey, Independent Non-Executive Chairman of MLC Life Insurance, former CEO of the Australian Trade Commission and former Ambassador to Japan.
  • The Hon Justice Kim Hargrave, Supreme Court Judge of Victoria.
  • The Hon Joe Hockey, Australia’s former Ambassador to the United States of America (2016-2020), and former Treasurer of Australia (2013-2015).[20]
  • The Hon Justice Michael Lee, Federal Court Judge, and former Director of the Bell Shakespeare Company.
  • Rod McGeoch, CEO of the Sydney Olympics 2000 Bid, Director of Ramsay Health Care Limited, Non-Executive Chairman of Chubb Insurance Australia and Former President of the Law Society of NSW.
  • Derek Volker AO, retired senior Australian public servant
  • Allan Myers AC, renowned Australian QC (current), Chancellor of Melbourne University, and currently ranked on the Australian Financial Review Rich List.[21]
  • Dr Geoff Raby AO, former Ambassador to China.[22]
  • The Hon Justice Iain Ross AO, President of the Fair Work Commission, and Federal Court Judge of Australia.
  • John Storey, former Chancellor of The University of Queensland, former Chairman of Suncorp Group Limited and Tabcorp Holdings Limited.
  • Bernie Teague AO, former Supreme Court Judge of Victoria

References
  1. Company Overview of Corrs Chambers Westgarth
  2. "Australia's Corrs Chambers Westgarth Reappoints Managing Partner for Seven Years". Law.com International. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  3. The Legal 500 (2021). "Legal market overview in Australia | Law firm and lawyer rankings from The Legal 500 Asia Pacific guide". www.legal500.com. Retrieved 7 May 2021. Generally, the 'Big Six' firms – Allens [partnered with] Linklaters, Herbert Smith Freehills, Ashurst, King & Wood Mallesons, Clayton Utz, and Minter Ellison [...] Other major firms: Corrs Chambers Westgarth and Gilbert + Tobin have also had solid years, [...] across the Asia-Pacific region.
  4. Chambers and Partners. "Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Asia-Pacific | Chambers Profiles". chambers.com. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  5. Lawyers Weekly (3 March 2012). "The making of a national firm: Corrs Chambers Westgarth". www.lawyersweekly.com.au. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  6. "Contact Us » Corrs Chambers Westgarth". www.corrs.com.au. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  7. "PNG expansion a development play for Corrs Chambers Westgarth". Australian Financial Review. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  8. The Legal 500 (2021). "Corrs Chambers Westgarth > Sydney > Australia | The Legal 500 law firm profiles". www.legal500.com. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  9. Weekly, Lawyers; Reporter (3 March 2012). "The making of a national firm: Corrs Chambers Westgarth". www.lawyersweekly.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  10. "Asia-Pacific Innovative Lawyers Awards 2023: the winners". Financial Times. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  11. "Chambers Asia Pacific & Greater China Region Awards 2022". Chambers Asia-Pacific. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  12. Best Lawyers (14 April 2021). "Announcing the 2022 Best Lawyers in Australia". www.bestlawyers.com. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  13. "2021 Winners and Finalists". www.lawyersweekly.com.au. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  14. AusPBC. "Australian Pro Bono Centre | Story 2: Copyright in the Aboriginal Flag". Australian Pro Bono Centre. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  15. Bourke, Latika (20 June 2022). "Disappearances 'show Rwanda unfit to host Commonwealth summit'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  16. "Corrs Chambers Westgarth". Chambers and Partners. Chambers and Partners. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  17. "3 things we've learned about John W.H. Denton AO". ICC - International Chamber of Commerce. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  18. "Former Diamonds netball captain Liz Ellis AO on her journey to the boardroom - AICD". www.aicd.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  19. Flavell, David. "David Flavell - GC Powerlist". Legal 500. Legal 500. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  20. "Welcome home, Joe Hockey". Australian Financial Review. 16 October 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  21. "Australia's richest lawyer". Australian Financial Review. 20 May 2004. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  22. Weekly, Lawyers; Reporter (3 March 2012). "Corrs snaps up outgoing ambassador to China". www.lawyersweekly.com.au. Retrieved 29 June 2022.


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