Dispute Resolution | Asia-Pacific

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 is increasingly prominent in resources sector disputes with environmental or climate change-related aspects.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer's vast practice covers the fullest range of disciplines and is much appreciated by clients for combining great regional depth with an integrated global capability. The firm acts for both foreign and domestic household-name clients on the most complex and high-profile commercial litigation and regulatory investigations and is widely regarded as a market leader in the class action space. It is further noted for the full integration of its arbitration capability with the firm's international offering in the region and for the increasing use of alternative legal services and legal project management teams to augment and streamline the representation of clients across Australia. It readily draws upon expertise from across the firm to provide crisis management support in emergencies.

King & Wood Mallesons' comprehensive, deeply resourced offering has niche strengths in such areas as financial services regulation, construction and infrastructure disputes, corporate investigations, Royal Commissions and other official inquiries and public liability issues and incorporates both experienced international arbitration expertise and a strong class action capability. The firm is also noted for its impressive capabilities in defending clients in emerging litigation sectors, including gaming and gambling, social media and cybercrime. It is regularly sought after as an adviser to public sector clients and maintains a strong focus upon the prevention or out-of-court settlement of disputes wherever consonant with client objectives.

Ashurst maintains a deep bench offering leading international corporate and government clients global reach and expertise across key industry sectors, with noted strengths in the handling of construction, energy and resources, and financial services disputes. In addition to having a comprehensive commercial litigation capability, it is active on both domestic and international arbitration, prominent in the class action sphere and in disputes concerning road and rail infrastructure, and sought after to advise on both domestic and international regulatory investigations.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth offers a substantial independent practice that is notably active in the class action and arbitration spheres. It additionally offers respected capabilities in the areas of contentious energy and resources issues, healthcare-related cases and corporate investigations. The team is also regularly involved in data security and product liability matters. It draws praise for its lawyers' technical abilities and commercial judgement, as well as its commitment to client education through seminars and events.

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. 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.

MinterEllison maintains a large disputes practice with a broad national and international footprint, a substantial cross-jurisdictional offering for the Asia-Pacific region and a depth of resources to cover all major business sectors. Its signature strengths include the handling of shareholder class actions, regulatory investigations and prosecutions, and disputes relating to infrastructure for an impressive range of corporate and government clients. The team is frequently seen on high-profile financial services-related disputes and on matters subject to domestic or international arbitration.

The A&O Shearman team has in-depth knowledge of international disputes with a focus on superior court litigation, international arbitration and contentious regulatory issues. The team is regularly instructed by blue-chip players in the energy and financial services industries and is acknowledged as a go-to practice for bet-the-company matters. The team is further singled out for global reach and a particular strength in the handling of energy and resources-related disputes in Western Australia, including those involving arbitration. It is additionally active on white-collar issues and the representation of individual executives.

Baker McKenzie maintains a well-resourced, highly experienced dispute resolution group, acknowledged for its financial services, restructuring and insolvency, and technology-related expertise. The team attracts attention for its involvement in prominent class actions and for the representation of individuals or companies facing regulatory inquiry or prosecution, bringing to the latter work valuable experience of having acted both for and against regulatory bodies. It is also active on behalf of both customers and suppliers engaged in disputes arising in the IT and telecommunications sectors and for healthcare and consumer goods sector clients. The firm is well placed to handle cross-border litigation, particularly in the construction and resources spheres.

Clifford Chance is well regarded for its representation of a blue-chip domestic and international clientele in complex arbitration and litigation mandates. 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. It is also significantly active in the handling of cases involving auditing and financial reporting issues.

Johnson Winter Slattery operates an independent team, offering public and private sector clients nationwide coverage of contentious corporate matters. It also maintains a close focus on competition, construction, energy and resources, insolvency and regulatory issues. It is prominent on large-scale class action mandates, particularly those involving third-party funders, acting for both applicants and defendants. The team is further noted for its handling of matters involving questions of directors' and officers' liability. The firm is valued for its ability to draw upon the resources of the wider firm.

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. It is further noted for its ability to advise on Australian matters affected by the provisions of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan combines a boutique Australian offering with full connection to a global practice specialising in the resolution of high-end, complex disputes. It maintains its own advocacy capability and is well-known for the defence of corporations and their directors and officers in such areas as contractual disputes and product liability. The team is acknowledged as a significant player in the class action space, where distinct defendant and plaintiff-side representation is available. It is also noted for its handling of disputes, in the energy and resources sector.

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.

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. 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.

Norton Rose Fulbright offers a notably deep bench and a global cross-border capability, attracting blue-chip domestic and international clients. Its strengths include the representation of energy and resources companies, healthcare companies and financial services providers, and the handling of strategic disputes, including class actions and regulatory and other official investigations. The team is frequently instructed by such regulatory bodies as ASIC and the ACCC. It maintains a noted profile in the international arbitration sphere and is expanding its offering where contentious international trade issues are concerned.

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. The firm is regularly involved in significant Queensland matters, 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.

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.

McCullough Robertson fields a respected Brisbane-headquartered disputes practice, offering coverage of contentious issues across Australia's East Coast. The team is traditionally renowned for its handling of energy and resources and IT matters and is also prominently active on agriculture and transport-related issues. The team is also well regarded for its representation of government clients at State and Commonwealth level. It also advises on interactions with regulatory bodies such as ASIC and the ACCC. It is often instructed by international law firms on matters with significant Australian aspects and has significantly developed its arbitration capability through the creation of an international arbitration group.

Colin Biggers & Paisley maintains a comprehensive practice with partners based in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. The team is active on a range of disputes, investigations and class actions, and is frequently retained by individuals and companies from sectors including healthcare, insurance and construction. It offers experience acting for large, well-known companies on employment disputes, including class actions.

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.

The Gadens disputes team operates from offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It offers extensive experience in representing companies and individual executives from the financial services industry. Additionally, it provides expertise in assisting corporate regulators in investigations and in responding to public investigations. The law firm's frequent clients come from industries including financial services, real estate, agribusiness and manufacturing.

The Piper Alderman disputes practice focuses significantly on the class action sphere. The team regularly collaborates with prominent third-party funders to represent plaintiff shareholders or consumers in cases arising from a variety of business and industry sectors. It also acts on other funded litigation mandates, including matters in the areas of construction, insolvency, intellectual property and treaty enforcement. The team is particularly noted for its handling of audit and insolvency-related cases.

Thomson Geer maintains a diverse practice, offering expertise in arbitration, commercial disputes and regulatory advice before federal, national and international courts. Its international arbitration practice represents commercial and government clients in energy-related disputes and in the enforcement of arbitral awards. The litigation department has a strong class action practice, with notable expertise in securities, consumer and shareholder class action defence for clients in the manufacturing, real estate and energy sectors. The team also advises on criminal proceedings, defamation cases and audit and tax disputes. It is recognised for its growing capabilities in advising on regulatory investigations and government-related enquiries through its Canberra office.