Skip to content

Ranking tables

Asia-Pacific Australia Dispute Resolution

Dispute Resolution chapters focus on litigation and alternative dispute resolution proceedings. The work covers the full course of a dispute, such as pre-trial negotiations, documentation and preparation for trial, summary judgment applications, trial, appeals and enforcement proceedings. This section also covers white-collar crime, including government investigations. Expertise in alternative dispute resolution, involving non-court mediation and arbitration, may be ranked in separate tables where the market is sufficiently developed. Practice areas such as Insurance, Construction, IP and Media may also contain litigators who are experts in their field in markets that are sufficiently specialised. In some jurisdictions in the region, where the legal profession is not fused, we feature separate ranking tables for barristers and solicitors. In jurisdictions where the legal profession is fused, but there is sufficient distinction between lawyers practising in the style of barristers, and lawyers practising in the style of solicitors, we have sought to make this distinction clear by again having separate ranking tables.

Rankings overview for Departments

1
Band 1
  1. Allens
    Allens 12 Years Ranked
  2. Herbert Smith Freehills
2
Band 2
  1. Corrs Chambers Westgarth
    Corrs Chambers Westgarth 12 Years Ranked
  2. Gilbert + Tobin
    Gilbert + Tobin 12 Years Ranked
  3. Arnold Bloch Leibler
  4. Ashurst
  5. Clayton Utz
  6. King & Wood Mallesons
3
Band 3
  1. Clifford Chance
    Clifford Chance 12 Years Ranked
  2. Jones Day
    Jones Day 10 Years Ranked
  3. Allen & Overy LLP
  4. Baker McKenzie
  5. Johnson Winter Slattery
  6. MinterEllison
  7. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
4
Band 4
  1. DLA Piper Australia
    DLA Piper Australia 10 Years Ranked
  2. Norton Rose Fulbright
6
Band 6
  1. Dentons
    Dentons 6 Years Ranked
  2. Maddocks
  3. Webb Henderson

All Departments profiles

1
Band 1
  1. Allens
    1
    Allens
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 1 | 12 Years Ranked
    Allens maintains a substantial bench, backed, through the Linklaters alliance, by a global cross-border capability. The team is especially known for its representation of blue-chip financial services, resources and hi-tech industry multinationals, and government clients, and is prominent on significant international arbitration and class action mandates. The team is especially active advising on inquiries and investigations initiated by Australia's regulatory authorities, particularly those involving alleged misconduct in the financial services and energy sectors, and increasingly prominent in resources sector disputes with environmental or climate change-related aspects. Key clients include Westpac, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Aware Super.
  2. Herbert Smith Freehills
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 1
2
Band 2
  1. Corrs Chambers Westgarth
    2
    Corrs Chambers Westgarth
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 2 | 12 Years Ranked
    Corrs Chambers Westgarth offers a substantial independent practice that is notably active in the class action and arbitration spheres and renowned for particularly high levels of client service. It additionally offers respected capabilities in the areas of contentious energy and resources issues, healthcare-related cases and corporate investigations, and is also regularly involved in data security and product liability matters. The team draws praise for its lawyers' technical abilities and commercial judgement, as well as its commitment to client education through seminars and events. Key clients include EY, Hancock Prospecting and Santos.
  2. Gilbert + Tobin
    2
    Gilbert + Tobin
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 2 | 12 Years Ranked
    Gilbert + Tobin maintains a well-resourced, independent practice, acting for an extensive domestic and international clientele including leading players in the banking, resources and telecommunications industries. It is active on class actions and other multiparty litigation, regulatory investigations and other official inquiries, including the growing number of Royal Commissions, where it is noted for advising both government bodies and the organisations being examined. The team is regularly visible on restructuring and insolvency-related mandates and those involving alleged breaches of directors' duties. It is noted for strategic insight and rapid, proactive issue assessment, often enhanced by the labour-saving use of technology. Notable clients include the Commonwealth Government, Cargill and Westpac.
  3. Arnold Bloch Leibler
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 2
  4. Ashurst
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 2
  5. Clayton Utz
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 2
  6. King & Wood Mallesons
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 2
3
Band 3
  1. Clifford Chance
    3
    Clifford Chance
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 3 | 12 Years Ranked
    Clifford Chance is well regarded for its representation of a blue-chip domestic and international clientele in complex arbitration and litigation mandates, notably including class actions and matters of high reputational significance. The team is frequently engaged for prominent energy and resources, investment treaty arbitration, multiple class action and cross-border regulatory investigation work, and highly prized for its closely integrated global network and swift redeployment of appropriate expertise between offices. It is also significantly active in the handling of cases involving auditing and financial reporting issues.
  2. Jones Day
    3
    Jones Day
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 3 | 10 Years Ranked
    The Jones Day team is the respected Australian arm of a global dispute resolution offering, attracting particular notice for its handling of high-stakes, cross-border disputes for prominent multinationals. It is also noted in the class action defence sphere, on regulatory investigations and inquiries and on disputes concerning energy and resources or major construction projects. The team operates additionally in the insolvency and taxation-related disputes spaces and is regularly active on behalf of individual executives and further noted for its ability to advise on Australian matters affected by the provisions of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Key clients include Aurizon, Nuix and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.
  3. Allen & Overy LLP
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 3
  4. Baker McKenzie
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 3
  5. Johnson Winter Slattery
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 3
  6. MinterEllison
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 3
  7. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 3
4
Band 4
  1. DLA Piper Australia
    4
    DLA Piper Australia
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 4 | 10 Years Ranked
    DLA Piper's substantial team is highly appreciated for its membership of a global practice with a readily accessible dispute resolution capability in every office and prominence on regional matters with multi-jurisdictional dimensions. It is active on behalf of leading international corporates in the management of complex contentious issues in the banking, energy and resources, and infrastructure spaces, and significantly developing its profile in the international arbitration, class action and regulatory arenas. Notable clients include Hyundai Rotem, Domino's Pizza Enterprises and Suez Water.
  2. Norton Rose Fulbright
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 4
5
Band 5
  1. Cooper Grace Ward
    5
    Cooper Grace Ward
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 5 | 7 Years Ranked
    Cooper Grace Ward maintains a respected Brisbane disputes practice, active on behalf of several of Australia's leading companies across a broad range of disputes, generally involving a significant Queensland connection, though the group is also experienced in the handling of superior court litigation in both New South Wales and Victoria. In addition to mandates affecting major players in the consumer goods, financial services and property industries, the team is increasingly active on behalf of high net worth and other publicly prominent individuals, and often also of their associated family trusts. It is also well known for advising clients on their interaction with official commissions of inquiry. Notable clients include Golden Vision Retail, RACQ and Southern Oil.
  2. Hall & Wilcox
    5
    Hall & Wilcox
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 5 | 5 Years Ranked
    Hall & Wilcox offers a well-resourced disputes practice, maintaining offices in every mainland state or territory and offering comprehensive coverage of litigation, alternative dispute resolution and inquiry-related requirements. In addition to handling complex and high-stakes commercial disputes, it is particularly active on behalf of clients from the construction, real estate and telecommunications sectors, and on insolvency-related matters. It is also experienced in the handling of class action mandates and in the representation of individual executives and entrepreneurs. Notable clients include Focus Financial Partners, PwC and Transport for Victoria.
  3. K&L Gates
    5
    K&L Gates
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 5 | 6 Years Ranked
    K&L Gates' disputes team is the Australian arm of a global practice and operates from offices on the East Coast and in Perth. It is experienced in both litigation and a variety of alternative dispute resolution disciplines and acknowledged for its expanding sector coverage, good regional connections and mid-market appeal. Well equipped to handle large, complex, cross-jurisdictional disputes, the team is notably active on mandates generated by the rise of shareholder activism in Australia and similarly prominent in the consumer class action space. It is also well placed to advise in connection with ASIC investigations, Royal Commissions and other regulatory inquiries. Notable clients include Cricket Australia, Dyldam Developments and James Hardie.
  4. Jackson McDonald
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 5
  5. McCullough Robertson
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 5
6
Band 6
  1. Dentons
    6
    Dentons
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 6 | 6 Years Ranked
    Dentons fields a substantial team with a broad national footprint, backed by the resources of a worldwide litigation network. It is notably active on mandates in the financial services and real estate spheres, on shareholder disputes and insolvency-related litigation, and in class actions. Its regional cross-border capability is particularly strong where dealings between Australia and Papua New Guinea are concerned. Key clients include QBE, Mortgageport Management and Westpac.
  2. Maddocks
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 6
  3. Webb Henderson
    Dispute Resolution
    2023 | Band 6