Jones Day

Global law firm Jones Day will open a Perth office in April this year with plans to focus attention on project disputes in the state's growing energy sector.

SPECIAL REPORT: Law firms are having to adapt as more businesses build in-house legal teams and squeeze billing rates.

Former Norton Rose Fullbright partner Simon Bellas has joined global law firm Jones Day as a partner at the firm’s recently opened Perth office.

Former Ashurst partner Paul Riethmuller has started at global law firm Jones Day as a partner in its projects and infrastructure practice in Perth.

Most of the big law firms in Perth have shrunk in size over the past year, with Ashurst experiencing the biggest drop in staff, while only a couple of smaller firms have achieved significant growth, research by Business News has found.

SPECIAL REPORT: A flurry of deals over the past fortnight, including four acquisitions by international companies expanding in Western Australia and the year's largest capital raising, has added life to a flat corporate finance market. 

The state government has muscled up for the renewal of legal battles over the $1.7 billion Bell Group dispute, appointing a US law firm that promotes itself as being tougher and scarier than its peers to handle the matter.

The Insurance Commission of Western Australia increased spending on the Bell Group litigation to $9.6 million last financial year, while also revealing in its annual report it has applied to the Supreme Court for a single trial to cover all related matters.

WA Super has made two executive promotions. General manager, client services Paul Owen has been elevated to chief operating officer, while head of advice Quyen Truong has joined the executive team as general manager, advice and distribution.

Our weekly appointments wrap includes Michael Lundberg, Clare Pope, Amanda Cox, Wieland Meyer, Catherine Milliner, Charlie Bass, Jennifer Halton and Michael Chan.

Our weekly appointments wrap includes Tania Cheng, Byron Watson, Michele Villa, Stephen Edwell, Stephen Unerkov, Debra Osborn, Pierce McMahon, Reece McMahon, Adam Rompotis, Marcus Solomon and Kerry McCurdy.

Our weekly appointments wrap includes Emma Scotney, Alan Rees, Julie Keene, Rob Bransby, Katie Mead and Pip Close.

Our weekly appointments wrap includes Scott Cole, Rick Post, Nick Houtby, Julie Dunmore, Sergio Castro, Sanjana Senthilkumar, Daniel Chaney, Helen De Brito and Graham Hill.