No. of offices 10 No. of employees 1000 + Number of employees 1,016 Company type Partnership | No. of lawyers 700 + Headquarters Melbourne Founded 1890 Number of offices 10 | |
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Major practice areas Full service commercial law firm Key people Juan Martinez (Managing Partner) Revenue AU$200 million (2013/14) | ||
HWL Ebsworth is a commercial law firm that operates throughout Australia. After numerous mergers and a dramatic expansion over the past decade the firm has come to be considered one of Australia's leading national law firms.
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HWL Ebsworth was recently ranked as the largest legal partnership in Australia by the Australian Financial Review (23 June 2016).
With 200+ partners, and over 1000 staff in total across offices in Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Norwest (North West Sydney), Perth and Sydney, HWL Ebsworth offers clients strength and expertise in the areas of Banking & Financial Services, Building & Construction, Corporate & Commercial, Insurance, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Planning & Environment, Government, Real Estate & Projects, Transport and Workplace Relations & Safety.
HWL Ebsworth operates a different business model to other leading national law practices, and this allows us to offer top tier practitioners at rates which are significantly lower than those of our competitors. A fundamental principle on which our model is built, however, is that the quality and timeliness of advice provided is not negatively impacted by our desire to offer clients exceptional value.
History
HWL Ebsworth traces its foundation back to the 1890s. Throughout the second half of the 20th Century the firm was known as Ebsworth and Ebsworth prior to merging with Home Wilkinson Lowry in 2008.
Over the past decade HWL Ebsworth has expanded dramatically with the firm's growth exceeding most other law firms in the Australian market.
In 2011 HWL Ebsworth opened its new office in Canberra, one of the largest law offices located in the Australian Capital Territory. In 2013 the firm expanded into Western Australia by merging with Downings Legal. Downings Legal was one of Western Australia's oldest law firms. In 2014 HWL Ebsworth merged with leading Adelaide commercial law firm Kelly & Co. Kelly & Co had one of Australia's top ranked litigation practices that now forms part of HWL Ebsworth.
In December 2014 it was revealed that HWL Ebsworth would take over two additional Australian law firms. In January 2015 South Australian firm Lawson Smith Lawyers merged into the HWL Ebsworth Adelaide Office adding 6 new partners to the firm. In February 2015 the leading full service Northern Territory law firm Cridlands MB became HWL Ebsworth's two new Northern Territory offices, located in Darwin and Alice Springs. Cridlands MB was the largest law firm in the Northern Territory prior to merging with HWL Ebsworth.
In August 2016, HWL Ebsworth opens its 10th office after it acquired the Tasmanian office of Australian law firm Hunt & Hunt. The new Hobart office completed HWL Ebsworth's national footprint, making it the only commercial law firm to have offices in every State and Territory across Australia.
It is anticipated by the firm's management and commentators that HWL Ebsworth will continue to pursue its aggressive growth strategy over the short to medium term.
Practice areas
HWL Ebsworth is a full service commercial law firm and the firm accordingly participates in all major commercial law practice areas. A substantial amount of the firm's work includes Insurance, Banking and Financial Services, Construction, Capital Markets, Corporate and Commercial, Energy and Resources, Government, Insolvency, Intellectual Property, Litigation and Dispute Resolution and Transport.
In the past the firm was renowned as Australia's leading insurance law firm, while also being a market leader in maritime law. The firm has continued to be ranked top tier in these areas, while also developing leading Native Title and general commercial and corporate law practices.