Bartier Perry and Logie-Smith Lanyon have forged a new alliance to better serve a growing client base.
The Sydney and Melbourne-based commercial firms have today launched the Australasian Legal Alliance (ALA).
Logie-Smith Lanyon Managing Partner Andrew Logie-Smith said having already worked together informally on a number of matters both firms had identified shared values and a complementary culture.
That led to discussions on a more formal partnership to best meet growing client demand. He said an alliance model was the favoured option as it gave clients more choice.
“We’ve seen a lot of consolidation in the legal market in recent years but I’m not convinced simply changing the stationery necessarily changes much for the clients.
The ALA though provides clients with the option of how their needs can best be met on specific matters, be it through single matter management via the ALA or working individually with either firm.”
He said an important aspect of the ALA was also about providing both firms’ people with increased opportunities.
“I think we have both traditionally done a good job of attracting highly experienced partners but the ALA will also expose our younger lawyers in particular to even more opportunities to work on a range of diverse matters and transactions.”
Bartier Perry CEO Riana Steyn said the firms shared a parallel approach to client service.
“Both firms are seeing an increasing range of private, Government and listed clients come to us given the consistent access they get to experienced partners, as opposed to having matters pushed down a leverage funnel,” she said.
“In the last 18 months Bartier Perry have managed that growth through a number of lateral and internal partner appointments so we see the ALA as another important step in meeting our clients’ needs.
While neither firm’s practice has traditionally been constrained by geography we also see distinct advantages in offering clients a broader pool of expertise to service increasingly complex transactions throughout the region,” she said.
