Introducing Mills Oakley

Introducing Mills Oakley
MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | BRISBANE | CANBERRA | PERTH
Welcome
Welcome to Mills Oakley. This profile is designed
to introduce you to the services we offer and the
commitment we bring to working with each client.
Mills Oakley represents companies at every stage
of development, from entrepreneurial start-ups
to national corporations. Over the years we have
nurtured many clients through their growth into
major industry players.
Feedback has told us that one of the attributes
clients value about Mills Oakley is that we represent
a genuine alternative to top-tier firms: large
enough to offer the skills and resources needed
to respond to the most complex legal needs but
small enough to be nimble and efficient.
We understand that the practice of law is about
excellent technical skills but it is also about people.
While visiting any Mills Oakley office, you will
observe the care and regard that our partners
and staff have for each other. We emphasise a
cohesive culture because it flows through into
quality service for clients.
In 2014, Mills Oakley celebrated 150 years of legal
practice, having been founded in Melbourne in
1864. We have come a long way since then, but
some things haven’t changed.
2
We remain characterised by a tenacious dedication
to our clients and a belief in the power of quality
legal advice to help people and companies achieve
their goals.
I invite you to experience for yourself why Mills
Oakley holds the loyalty of clients and the respect
of peers.
John Nerurker
Chief Executive Officer
Introduction
Mills Oakley is a leading national law firm, with
offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra
and Perth. We have consistently been ranked
by independent media surveys, including those
conducted by The Australian and The Australian
Financial Review, as Australia’s fastest growing
law firm, as benchmarked against other leading
corporate law firms.
With over 75 partners and more than 500 staff,
we offer strong expertise in all key commercial
practice areas including corporate advisory,
property, commercial disputes and insolvency,
insurance, tax, financial services, workplace
relations, construction, and technology, media
and telecommunications.
As evidence of this, our volume of work with
ASX200 clients has been steadily increasing over
the last five years, with work flows doubling year
on year in some cases.
Recently opened offices in Canberra and Perth
demonstrate not only our commitment to clients,
but also the trust that our clients place in Mills
Oakley as a preferred legal service provider.
We have no doubt that our comprehensive
expertise, in conjunction with our national reach,
will allow us to provide the best service to you and
your company.
Mills Oakley’s key clients include Telstra,
Leighton Holdings, Lend Lease, Wesfarmers,
Macquarie Group, Suncorp, and Stockland.
We assist leading corporates to
move parts of their legal work
from higher cost firms with
significant fee savings and no
diminution of work quality.
3
Enduring Relationships
Our goal is to form client relationships that will
flourish over many years. To achieve this, we draw
on our technical expertise and service ethos to
bring fresh perspectives to business issues.
In a mature, highly competitive legal market,
exceptional client service is no longer a competitive
advantage; it’s a pre-requisite.
Recognising this, all Mills Oakley partners and staff
are trained in service skills as part of our Service
360 program. We have also invested heavily in
client-focused technology to create efficiencies
for clients that will re-define expectations.
Our Culture
Our reputation for efficiently delivering highquality legal services is our most valued asset.
Guided by a team-oriented philosophy, we
prioritise regular communication to ensure
we understand your objectives and can easily
accommodate changing needs.
Perhaps the most important thing is the way we do
business. We value our work environment where
diversity is embraced and people are treated
with mutual respect and dignity. We believe this
is reflected in the quality of our work and in the
productive relationships we maintain with our
clients.
Mills Oakley is a proud member of Diversity
Council Australia, an independent, not-for-profit
workplace diversity adviser to businesses in
Australia. Through this connection we strive to
foster and promote an inclusive culture for all
with equal access to opportunities and growth
throughout our firm.
4
Top Tier Alumni
More than half of our partners either commenced
their careers in top-tier firms or were laterally
hired directly from top-tier competitors, and
this growth strategy has been highly successful.
We combine this expertise with leaner operating
costs, enabling Mills Oakley to service clients at
rates that are typically 20-25 per cent below toptier fees.
Every partner in our law firm is dedicated to
understanding your business. Whatever your
industry, we bring a high level of legal expertise
and acumen to your commercial issues.
Our partners have a diverse range of legal
backgrounds that enable us to deliver advice
and solutions for a wide range of sector
specialisations. We focus on timely and efficient
advice delivered by individual legal experts,
while leveraging the collective support of the
Mills Oakley network.
Social
Responsibility
Social responsibility is part of the fabric of Mills
Oakley. We believe in not just acting in the best
interests of our clients, but in the interests of the
broader community as well. We also believe in
giving back to the communities in which we live
and work.
Our firm is a signatory to the National Pro Bono
Resource Centre’s Aspirational Target of 35 hours
of pro bono work per lawyer per year and we have
provided pro-bono expertise to the Salvos Legal
humanitarian law firm since its inception. Our two
firms collaborate to provide a free telephone legal
advice service for disadvantaged persons who live
in remote areas or are otherwise unable to attend
a community legal centre.
All our lawyers are encouraged to use their skills
for community value, leading to a number of
affiliations with legal support groups.
Our commitment to the wider community has led
to the development of the firm’s green protocols.
In turn, we have reduced our carbon footprint by
relocating all our offices to buildings that boast
five star energy efficiency ratings.
5
Our Awards
Our achievements as a firm have received
recognition by several independent industry
commentators:
• In 2012, Mills Oakley was a Finalist in the BRW
Client Choice Awards as Best Firm Rated by
the Professional Services Sector.
• In 2016, Mills Oakley was named the nation’s
fastest growing law firm by lawyer recruitment
in The Australian partnership survey.
• In 2011 and 2012, Mills Oakley was named one
of the nation’s top five fastest growing law
firms by the Australian Financial Review Legal
sector partner survey.
• In 2014 and 2015, Mills Oakley was named
the nation’s fastest growing firm in both The
Australian Financial Review and The Australian
partnership surveys.
• In 2015, Mills Oakley was named the nation’s
fastest growing law firm by Australasian Lawyer
magazine.
• In 2013, Mills Oakley was named the nation’s
fastest growing law firm by Australasian Legal
Business magazine.
• In 2015, Mills Oakley was a finalist in the
Australian Law Awards for Law Firm of the
Year.
• In 2013 and 2015, Mills Oakley was a finalist
in the Law Institute of Victoria awards as Law
Firm of the Year.
6
• In 2008 and 2010, Mills Oakley was named
Melbourne Law Firm of the Year at the ALB
Law Awards.
Global Connections
We recognise that as business becomes more
global, your requirements may cross national or
international borders. Through our International
Committee, we have forged connections with
leading law firms in a number of key overseas
jurisdictions to better serve our clients’ interests.
Signalling our belief that cross-border legal work
need not remain solely in the domain of a handful
of top-tier firms, we afford our clients access to
our network of distinguished international law
firms.
Our Teams
Banking & Finance
Building, Construction &
Infrastructure
Charity & Not-for-Profit
Commercial Disputes &
Insolvency
Corporate Advisory
Family Law
Financial Services
Franchising
Government &
Administrative Law
Intellectual Property
Insurance
Mortgage Recovery
Planning & Environment
Private Advisory
Projects & Infrastructure
Property
Strata
Technology, Media &
Telecommunications
Toxic Torts
Wills, Probate &
Estate Planning
Workplace Relations,
Employment & Safety
7
Banking & Finance
Our Banking & Finance lawyers have worked on
some of the leading banking and capital markets
transactions in the Australasian, Asian, North
American and European markets, and a number
of those transactions have won industry awards or
were the first transactions of their type, including
Australia’s largest ever Kangaroo Covered Bond
issue. Our Sydney-based Banking & Finance
partner has been named a leading lawyer by the
IFLR on multiple occasions.
Building, Construction
& Infrastructure (BCI)
We have one of the largest BCI teams in the midmarket and our client base covers a broad range
of principals, major contractors, developers and
consultants in both the public and private sectors.
We have advised on iconic CBD developments
such as Sydney’s 60 Martin Place and landmark
resources and infrastructure projects such as the
Gold Coast Light Rail and Whitehaven’s open cut
coal mine at Maules Creek, NSW.
8
Charity & Not-for-Profit
(NFP)
Our NFP team has a genuine understanding of
the NFP sector and the increasingly complex
legislative issues surrounding the establishment
and operation of NFPs. Complemented by the
resources and expertise of a full service national
firm, we provide a genuine “one stop shop” for
NFPs.
Our dedicated team provides education, advice
and specialist legal counsel to some of Australia’s
leading NFP organisations and our expertise
includes the establishment and governance of
NFPs, mergers and complicated bequest matters.
Such is our firm’s standing in the NFP sector, that
our partners hold several directorships at NFP
entities.
Commercial Disputes
& Insolvency
With nearly 50 lawyers, our disputes team has
the depth to resolve commercial disputes at all
levels and in any sector or industry. We emphasise
timely, cost-effective results but are also known
for our capacity to handle complex and lengthy
litigation, as evidenced by our recent role acting
on Australia’s longest running group proceeding
in the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Our insolvency and restructuring practice has
been rated by clients in various surveys as a
market leader and we are also highly regarded
for our expertise in debt recovery and securities
enforcement.
Corporate Advisory
Our 30 lawyer team is one of the largest corporate
advisory teams in the mid-market, advising a
diverse range of SMEs, large corporates and state
and federal government agencies. While we run
matters across all aspects of commercial law, we
are particularly well known for M&A expertise on
deals up to AU$300 million.
Industry sectors in which we have particular
knowledge include energy and resources,
aged care, intellectual property, technology
and telecommunications, financial services,
manufacturing and distressed asset sales.
9
Family Law
Our Accredited Specialists are recognised experts
in their field and offer a practical approach to
resolving family law issues, whether they involve
children or property matters. We are also qualified
mediators working to resolve family law disputes
through negotiation. Participants are encouraged
to make decisions that are of mutual benefit, as
part of a process that resolves most disputes
in a way that avoids the stress and expense of
litigation.
In addition to advising on the more common
types of family law matters, we have over 50
years’ experience advising international clients
who have family law matters in Australia.
Our lawyers are regularly called
on to share their knowledge
in lectures and seminars
at institutions such
as the University
of NSW and the
College of
Law.
10
Financial Services
Our Financial Services team is a dedicated, fullservice practice covering advisory, transactional,
disputed and regulatory matters. The team is
one of the few financial services teams with a
dedicated disputes capability and some of our
partners have lengthy experience working inhouse with ASIC, ensuring superior regulatory
expertise. Superannuation and insurance, funds
management, financial planning, governance,
financial services and credit licensing, and antimoney laundering and privacy are some of the
areas in which we regularly advise clients.
Franchising
We advise a wide range of clients on franchising
matters, from ‘start ups’ to some of Australia’s
best known networks. Our team includes specific
expertise in competition law, intellectual property
(including
patent
attorneys),
commercial
litigation, retail leasing, employment law, and
international trade and distribution. Our breadth
of expertise means that we are ideally placed to
advise on issues relating to the establishment and
maintenance of a franchised network.
Government &
Administrative Law
We are a prequalified service provider in all
categories of the Commonwealth Government’s
Legal Services Multi-Use List, providing advice
and litigation services to major government
departments and agencies on all aspects of public
administrative law. We regularly conduct merits
and judicial review proceedings in Commonwealth
tribunals and courts and have acted in over 10,000
judicial review proceedings. Our team has worked
on some of the nation’s highest profile Royal
Commissions and judicial inquiries.
Intellectual Property
Our team of intellectual property specialists
handles all aspects of the intellectual property life
cycle, including advising on contentious matters.
We assist our clients to identify, register and
commercialise their intellectual property assets
and enforce their rights. Our expertise includes
trademarks, designs and patents, social media,
eCommerce and domain names, copyright, anticounterfeiting, privacy, FOI and advertising,
marketing and corporate re-branding.
Insurance
We advise claims management providers,
insurers, brokers and government agencies across
all the major lines of insurance. Our practice
includes market-leading experts in areas such
as public and product liability, property damage,
professional indemnity, workers compensation,
marine insurance and home warranty. Some of our
most notable cases have set precedents on how
insurance law is applied.
Our clients include some of Australia’s leading
insurers and associated companies such as
Suncorp, Allianz, QBE, Zurich, IAG, Lumley, Chubb,
Jardine Lloyd Thompson, NTI, Calliden, NSW Self
Insurance Corporation and Liberty.
Mortgage Recovery
Our mortgage recovery specialists have extensive
experience in the mortgage recovery and security
enforcement sector, ensuring we offer an indepth understanding of the mortgage industry
and strong relationships with key industry
players, including mortgage insurers, consumer
representative bodies, industry regulators, the
Courts and enforcement officers.
11
Planning &
Environment
Our planning & environment team has acted
for numerous ASX100-listed corporates and
international resources companies, and counts
some of Australia’s largest local government
authorities among its clients. The team practises
exclusively in the planning and environment
space and provides a full range of services,
including dispute resolution and contested court
proceedings. We operate across a number of
industry sectors, including major projects, energy
and resources, and local government.
Projects &
Infrastructure
Our national team advises across the full range
of energy and infrastructure projects including
PPPs, renewable energy, oil and gas, transport,
water and social infrastructure projects. Our team
advises on the suite of agreements in this space
including Project Agreements, EPC, D&C, O&M,
Tolling Agreements, Offtake Agreements, Facility
Agreements, Security Documentation and all
ancillary project and finance documentation.
12
Private Advisory
We provide expert legal, taxation and advisory
services to the owners of private and family
businesses, from start-ups, high net worth
individuals and family groups to some of Australia’s
largest private businesses. Matters on which we
assist clients include family business succession,
selling or acquiring a business, raising capital, coownership issues, asset protection, and estate
planning.
Our partners are respected experts in their
fields. Mills Oakley was one of the first Australian
commercial law firms to launch a private advisory
offering and the team has more than 50 years’
combined experience. They regularly present at
industry tax discussion groups, superannuation
conferences, and other business events.
Property
We provide a comprehensive range of propertyrelated legal services for local and overseas
developers, investors, owners, landlords, tenants,
property funds and governments. We are proud
to name twelve of Australia’s largest 20 residential
and commercial developers as Mills Oakley
clients. With partners and teams who operate in
all Australian states and territories, we are one of
Australia’s largest and most experienced property
law practices.
Strata
We provide services in respect of strata and
community developments across all Australian
jurisdictions. As a national firm, we are able to
provide legal services and advice over a broad
spectrum of areas that clients in the strata sector
require.
We act for all stakeholders, from developers,
builders and parties involved in the development
stage, through to strata managers, owners’
corporations and lot owners in existing strata
schemes.
Technology, Media
& Telecommunications
Our team of experienced lawyers provide expert
advice on the most complex commercial and
transactional matters relating to the IT and
communications sectors.
We have extensive
experience in drafting, negotiating and advising
on commercial agreements, and have advised on
some of the largest IT transactions in Australia.
We act for a number of suppliers and customers
in relation to IT and communications supply
and use, IT outsourcing, offshoring, internet and
e-commerce issues, data protection, intellectual
property, consumer protection, privacy and
contract management issues. We are proud to
say that Telstra has been a major client for many
years. Our experience also extends to advising on
commercial agreements and issues across a range
of other industry sectors, such as healthcare,
transport, insurance, manufacturing, media,
government, and banking and financial services.
13
Toxic Torts
Our Toxic Torts team has more than 50 years
combined experience in defending complex claims
under common law and statutory liability schemes.
We have a particular expertise in common law
claims relating to product, public and occupier’s
liability and personal injury claims including toxic
torts, catastrophic claims, property damage and
remediation claims. We are regarded as a market
leader for our expertise in the area of dust diseases
litigation and have conducted many key Australian
cases both at trial and appellate levels. We also
provides clients with risk management advice and
a strategic and commercial approach to
the management of litigation.
Workplace Relations,
Employment & Safety
We advise on the full range of industrial relations
and workplace relations matters, from routine
employment matters through to complex and
bespoke workplace issues, as well as occupational
health and safety matters. We act for a diverse
range of employers, including ASX100 listed
companies, government agencies and SMEs.
We also have deep experience advising employers
on proceedings and investigations conducted
by regulatory bodies. In this area we have been
retained by employers in relation to Royal
Commissions and proceedings or investigations
conducted by ICAC, ASIC, WorkCover and the
Australian Federal Police.
Wills, Probate & Estate
Planning
We provide a complete range of services relating
to estate planning, from standard “husband/wife”
wills to complex testamentary trust wills. Our Wills
and Probate team assists in the administration of
deceased estates, ranging from small to large and
complex estates, and trust administrations.
14
15
MELBOURNE
Level 6, 530 Collins Street
MELBOURNE VIC 3000
PO Box 453, Collins St West
Melbourne VIC 8007
T: 61 3 9670 9111
F: 61 3 9605 0933
DX 558 Melbourne
SYDNEY
Level 12, 400 George Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
PO Box H316
Australia Square NSW 1215
T: 61 2 8289 5800
F: 61 2 9247 1315
DX 13025 Sydney Market Street
BRISBANE
Level 14, 145 Ann Street
BRISBANE QLD 4000
PO Box 12608, George Street
Brisbane QLD 4003
T: 61 7 3228 0400
F: 61 7 3012 8777
DX 40160 Brisbane Uptown
CANBERRA
Level 9, 121 Marcus Clarke Street
CANBERRA ACT 2601
GPO Box 724
Canberra ACT 2601
T: +61 2 6196 5200
F: +61 2 6196 5298
DX 5666 Canberra
PERTH
Level 2, 225 St Georges Terrace
PERTH WA 6000
PO Box 5784
St Georges Tce WA 6831
T: 61 3 9670 9111
F: 61 3 9605 0933
DX 95 Perth WA