ANZ news

Described as an English badge, the select few UK firms considered part of the so-called ‘magic circle’, have the found that the term isn’t quite the stamp of approval in Hong Kong as it is in London. Stephen Mulrenan finds out why.

Vanuatu, a group of 80 inhabited islands situated in the southwest Pacific - three and a half hours east of Australia and one hour west of Fiji - has been making a name for itself as a financial centre and tax haven for offshore financial services. Thin Lei Win lists the advantages of incorporating in Vanuatu.

The Australian Government's US$3.2bn (A$5.58bn) divestment of the Kingsford Smith Airport (Sydney Airport) to the Southern Cross Airports consortium was the largest announced transaction in 2002

Why go in-house?
In-house roles are attracting senior private practitioners with increasing frequency. But the job description is often a lot broader from that found in a law firm. We discover what lured our Top 25

Allens Arthur Robinson partner Tim LEstrange and Freehills partner John OSullivan have been appointed to the top legal roles at the ANZ and Commonwealth banks respectively.

Lawyers in the country's biggest companies are feeling the squeeze. Budgets are under scrutiny, work is being tightly managed, and legal teams are being stretched. Lauren Scott goes in-house at Australia's top ASX-listed companies to find out how legal counsel are meeting the challenge

In the June issue of ALB, we reviewed the legal spending habits of Asia's largest 25 companies. Here we examine where that spend is going and what measures firms are taking to lure more of it

On the back of our ASX100 in-house counsel feature, Stephen Mulrenan looks at where some of Asia-Pacific's biggest legal spenders are putting that spend - and what firms are doing to get it

Elizabeth Rinckes suggests ways that legal counsel can more effectively manage their external advisers

Firms engaged in energy and resources work are facing both challenges and fine prospects. Here is the sector lowdown

Blake Dawson Waldron and Gilbert + Tobin have advised on Wesfarmers' $375m acquisition of Lumley Insurance Group's Australian and New Zealand operations - creating a new Wesfarmers insurance division.

Graduates of the University of New South Wales law school will have the chance to rekindle old ties at the Hyde Park Barracks this Thursday, 8 November.

KLegal has lost the services of its head of intellectual property in New Zealand.

Sport's commercial side is coming increasingly to the fore. And with a growing number of events with big dollars attached, legal issues are no longer on the sideline

Blake Dawson Waldron has acted as Australian legal adviser on the largest ever trans-Tasman deal - ANZs A$4.9bn acquisition of The National Bank of New Zealand from Lloyds TSB and related A$3.6bn capital raising.

Competition is fierce among New Zealand law firms and there is talk of a shake out. But the local firms are finding new ways to increase their market share - and are more than holding their own

Latest news briefs from around the country

Iraq and SARS ensured that very few prospective project financings matured in 2003. But not to be discouraged, practitioners are looking forward to a brighter future. Stephen Mulrenan reports

Allens Arthur Robinson has topped the legal adviser rankings for Australian and New Zealand M&A in 2003, edging out rivals Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Clayton Utz.

Allens Arthur Robinson has topped the legal adviser rankings for Australian and New Zealand M&A in 2003, edging out rivals Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Clayton Utz.