Big Six (law firms)

The term ''Big Six'' law firms referred, prior to 2012, to the six largest - by lawyer head count - Australian law firms. In 2012, four merged or formed association relationships with firms from other countries (the United Kingdom for three of them, China for one of them).

Since the 2012 changes, and due to the expansion of other competing law firms, the Australian legal landscape is increasingly characterised by the concept of top tier law firms. The top tier law firms are Allens, Ashurst, Clayton Utz, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Gilbert + Tobin, Herbert Smith Freehills, King & Wood Mallesons, and MinterEllison.

Big Six firms

Prior to 2012, the following firms were generally seen as composing the Big Six (listed alphabetically):
* Allens Arthur Robinson (now Allens, which operates in association with Linklaters LLP)
* Blake Dawson (now part of British-based multinational firm Ashurst LLP)
* Clayton Utz
* Freehills (now part of Herbert Smith Freehills)
* Mallesons Stephen Jaques (now part of King & Wood Mallesons)
* MinterEllison

In 2012, three of these firms merged with overseas firms, and one other began operating in association with an overseas firm.

Following these major changes in the Australian legal scene, the ''Big Six'' term is less used, and ''top-tier law firms'' is now the descriptor more favoured for the largest, most profitable, law firms in Australia.

Historical size and rankings

The majority of the six firms were among the 100 largest law firms globally. In terms of revenue these were:

Several of these predecessor firms have also been leading firms in the Asia-Pacific region generally. In 2007, Allens Arthur Robinson, Clayton Utz, Freehills, and Mallesons Stephen Jaques were the top five firms in the Asia Pacific region in mergers and acquisitions transactions, ranking above Magic Circle firm Linklaters.

The Business Review Weekly (BRW) listed these firms in its ''Top 500 Private Companies'' tables based on gross income:
In the 2011/2012 Australian financial year, the law firms with the highest revenue were as follows:

Until its closure, ''BRW'' awarded its '' Client Choice Awards'' in the ''Best law firm, revenue over $200 million'' category to a law firm that delivers the best client service. In 2012 that firm was King & Wood Mallesons.

In 2013 the finalists for the award were (listed alphabetically):

* Ashurst Australia
* Herbert Smith Freehills
* King & Wood Mallesons
* Norton Rose

The Australian Financial Review took over as the media partner for the Client Choice Awards after it acquired BRW.

Developments in Australian legal landscape

From 1 March 2012, ''Blake Dawson'' traded as ''Ashurst Australia''"Blake Dawson Services Pty Ltd" (entry in database) i
''Company360''
, Dun & Bradstreet (Australia) Pty Ltd., accessed 2 March 2012; "Ashurst (formerly Blake Dawson Services) is a collaboration between former Australian commercial law firm Blake Dawson, and global firm Ashurst. Effective 1 March 2012, ''Blake Dawson'' will re-brand as ''Ashurst''; a full financial merger is planned for 2014." until a full financial merger with Ashurst LLP on 1 November 2013; the full merger took place six months ahead of schedule.

''Mallesons Stephen Jaques'' is currently trading as ''King & Wood Mallesons'', after a merger and reorganisation with Chinese firm ''King & Wood'', which has resulted in a Swiss association-structured association among what was the Australian and UK practice of Mallesons Stephen Jaques, a fully merged, combined Hong Kong practice, and a fully merged, combined mainland China practice consisting mainly of the existing King & Wood practice.Chris Merritt, "Big three not worried by new arrivals", ''The Australian'', 24 February 2012 (All-round First edition), p 33; "THREE big national law firms have shrugged off the arrival of giant international competitors and have entrenched their position as the unchallenged home of the nation's elite lawyers. The lead of the big three over their international rivals has been identified by Chambers and Partners in the latest edition of its authoritative guide to the profession, Chambers Asia-Pacific. The guide shows that those practice groups that operate at an elite, or 'band one', level are concentrated in three firms: Freehills, Allens Arthur Robinson and Mallesons Stephen Jaques. ... From next week, Mallesons will enter a Swiss-style verein with China's King & Wood and become King & Wood Mallesons; Freehills is in the first stages of talks about a link with global giant Herbert Smith; and fourth-ranked Blake Dawson will next week adopt the name of its international alliance partner, Ashurst." In 2013, ''King & Wood Mallesons'' further merged with London-headquartered '' Silver Circle'' law firm '' SJ Berwin'', although that practice ceased operations in 2017.

''Allens Arthur Robinson'' changed its name to '' Allens'' on 1 May 2012, and began to operate in association with the ''Magic Circle'' firm ''Linklaters''. The association arrangements will see the firms operate with joint ventures in some parts of Asia, Allens practices merging into Linklaters practices in other parts, and the two firms operating jointly on certain matters.

''Freehills'' merged with London-headquartered ''Silver Circle'' law firm Herbert Smith, effective from 1 October 2012. The full financial merger created a single, global firm called ''Herbert Smith Freehills''.

Top tier law firms in Australia

, the top tier law firms in Australia are (listed alphabetically):
* Allens
* Ashurst
*Clayton Utz
*Corrs Chambers Westgarth
*Gilbert + Tobin
*Herbert Smith Freehills
*King & Wood Mallesons
*MinterEllison

Resemblance to Magic Circle and Silver Circle firms in UK

The Magic Circle is an informal term for UK-headquartered law firms with the largest revenues, the most international work and which consistently outperform the rest of the UK market on profitability. The Silver Circle is an informal term for perceived elite corporate law firms headquartered in the United Kingdom that are the main competitors for the magic circle.

The London-headquartered Magic Circle firms with operations in Australia, Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy, are not considered to be part of the same group as the Australian top tier law firms.

Following the mergers and association arrangements announced in 2012 and 2013, Freehills and Blake Dawson have become parts of UK-headquartered Silver Circle firms, while Allens is now in an association arrangement with a Magic Circle law firm.

See also

* Silver Circle (law)
* Big Five law firms (South Africa)
* Red Circle (law)
*Big Four law firms (Japan)

References

{{Big Six Australian law firms

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