Allens (law firm)
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| Major practice areas | corporate and commercial |
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| Key people | Richard Spurio (Managing Partner) Fiona Crosbie (Chairman of Partners) |
| Date founded | 1822 |
| Company type | Partnership |
| Website | www.allens.com.au |
Allens is an international commercial law firm that operates in the Asia-Pacific region. It is one of what was known as the big six Australian law firms. Its alumni include a former Australian Prime Minister, High and Supreme Court justices, a former President of the World Bank, and ASX/200 C-suite executives.
Allens is one of the largest law firms in the Asia Pacific region, with almost 130 partners and more than 1200 personnel. Since 1 May 2012, Allens has operated in association with Magic Circle law firm Linklaters, giving Allens access to Linklaters' global network of offices. Allens also comprises a separate patent attorney firm, Allens Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys, which is closely integrated with the law firm's intellectual property group.
Allens' origins can be traced to the Sydney firm that became Allen Allen & Hemsley, which had been in existence since 1822, making Allens Australia's longest continuous legal partnership. Former Managing Partner Sir Norman Cowper is credited with developing Allens into one of Asia's leading law firms
By the early 1920s Allens had gained a reputation as Australia's establishment firm, largely because of its high profile and wealthy clients. During the 1970s the firm acted for the Australian Bankers' Association in relation to the Whitlam Labour Government loans scandal. Allens had previously acted for the Australian banks in the famous Bank Nationalisation Case, retaining Garfield Barwick QC as lead counsel.
Allens has client relationships stretching back over decades and, in the case of Westpac, over 160 years. In the early years of large firm legal practice in Australia Allens was also able to cement relationships with other leading Australian businesses, including with Sir Frank Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings, later continuing the relationship with his son, Kerry Packer's Nine Network Holdings. Allens is also known to act for 55 of the world's top 100 companies by market capitalisation, including for News Corporation in Australia.
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