A unique national Australian commercial law firm
“Holding Redlich is the only Australian law firm likely
to be simultaneously acting for an investment bank in a $200 million
corporate acquisition, advising an industry superannuation fund on
governance issues and amendments to its trust documents, negotiating
gas supply agreements for a major capital city, acting in all aspects
of a $500 million commercial property development, representing a
refugee in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on a pro bono basis,
defending an international accounting firm in a Supreme Court
negligence case, and negotiating a television deal for one of
Australia’s leading comic performers.” Chris Lovell, National Managing Partner, Holding Redlich.
Holding
Redlich has a unique personality which distinguishes us from other law
firms. It is a personality based on a strong commitment to ethical
behaviour, trust, respect for the individual, a strong sense of our
obligation to society, excellence in everything we do, and a resolve to
work as partners with our clients.
Founded over 30 years ago
as lawyers for the labour movement and its members, we have developed
and grown into a leading national Australian commercial law firm with
offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Four aspects of what we do and how we do it differentiate us from other law firms.
Breadth of client base
First,
there is the breadth of our client base - from large corporations to
trade unions; from major government departments to small companies;
from large superannuation funds to individual employees.
And then
there are the artists, writers, film makers, actors and politicians,
including a former prime minister, who proudly call Holding Redlich
their lawyers.
Specialisation
Second,
there is our specialisation. We focus on seven industries - property,
construction and infrastructure, media and entertainment, information
technology, technology and biotechnology, superannuation, and energy
and resources. In superannuation, we have a strong commitment to
industry, public sector and self-managed funds.
By concentrating
on these industries, we have acquired a considerable depth of knowledge
of how they operate and the challenges they face.
This
industry focus gives us the unique ability to provide our clients with
every type of service they require. Our commitment is to add value to
our clients’ businesses by providing advice and services that are
practical, perceptive and cost-effective.
Our people
The
third feature of Holding Redlich’s personality is our caring and
supportive work environment. For many years and well before it became
fashionable, we have encouraged our people to achieve a realistic
balance between work and life.
We have always encouraged our
partners and staff to contribute to the community by accepting
positions of responsibility in community and arts organisations. A
number of our lawyers serve on, or have served on, boards and
committees of government, statutory, arts and community bodies.
A
workplace of equality and respect for the individual is also a high
priority. We have run an enlightened and generous maternity leave
program for many years, making the firm a leader in this field. In
2006, our Parenting Partner program won the Outstanding
Initiative/Result for the Advancement of Women Award from the federal
government’s Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency.
Another
initiative is the Holding Redlich Social Justice Fund (a sub-fund of
the Melbourne Community Foundation) to which staff make monthly
contributions from their salaries. Our firm matches these
contributions dollar for dollar. The Fund is managed by a committee of
our staff (rather than by our partners).
Current projects of
the Fund include assisting disadvantaged adolescents in Sydney,
refugees from Africa to gain traineeships and apprenticeships in
Melbourne, and homeless young people in Brisbane.
Social justice
And
fourth, there is our belief that law firms have a role in society which
extends beyond providing legal services and generating fees. Through
provision of pro bono legal services and other support we seek to
contribute to the creation of a better, fairer society.
We have
strong relationships with the Public Interest Law Clearing Houses in
Sydney and Melbourne, the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre, the
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, the Environmental Defenders’ Office
and the Arts Law Centre from which we accept referrals for pro bono
assistance for individuals and not-for-profit community organisations.
Sponsorships
include the Monash University Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, and
the University of Melbourne Centre for Labour Relations Law, the
Darebin Community Legal Centre, as well as eight universities.
COMMERCIAL PRACTICE
The
strategic solutions we devise for our commercial clients are based on a
sound knowledge of the industries they operate in, the business and
commercial context and specialist knowledge of all relevant
legislation.
Another factor in our continuing success in the
commercial sector is that we forge close partnerships with our clients
based on trust, while devoting considerable time and effort to ensure
that quality permeates everything we do.
Further, our dedication to personalised service helps us to maintain a leadership position in our chosen areas of practice.
The commercial areas in which we have extensive experience and significant depth of expertise include:
Practical business-oriented advice is the cornerstone of our
commercial practice. We focus on the issues, ensuring genuine cost
efficiency by using only those resources that are critical to success.
The
ability to view each deal, contract and negotiation from multiple
perspectives, leading to the design and implementation of innovative
solutions, is a hallmark of our service.
Administrative law
We have a thorough understanding of administrative law and regulatory issues relevant to the public and private sectors.
Commercial dispute resolution
We
aim to minimise the disruption that a dispute causes while achieving
the best possible commercial outcome. We also recognise that
litigation can be enormously expensive and look for solutions that will
produce the optimum result at a reasonable cost.
Construction and infrastructure
We
provide a wide range of construction and infrastructure services for
all types of projects including engineering, facilities management,
operation and maintenance, joint venture and consortium participation,
financing, leasing, alliancing, PPPs and corporate work, as well as the
effective management and resolution of disputes.
Corporate
We
advise public, private and high net worth entities on all aspects of
corporate law in acquisitions, mergers, restructures, public and
private fundraising, private equity, and venture capital with the aim
of achieving commercial and effective strategic outcomes.
Employment and industrial relations
Our
employment and industrial relations group aims to protect and enforce
the rights of employers and employees with emphasis on mutually
beneficial long term outcomes.
Energy and resources
We
have a growing practice in energy and resources including in respect of
transmission pipelines, pricing and competition issues, energy trading,
hard rock mining, coal seam gas, petroleum exploration, clean coal, and
renewable energy, including solar and wind.
Franchising
Our
franchising team offers objective legal advice to franchisors and
master franchisees, through our understanding of the issues involved in
establishing and maintaining an effective franchising network.
Information technology
Our
expertise in information technology includes advice on the acquisition
and disposal of companies and businesses, product development,
procurement, outsourcing, e-commerce, trade practices, regulatory
compliance and privacy.
Insolvency
We have created
a team of experienced legal advisers with specialist skills in close to
15 business areas to provide a seamless insolvency service to clients.
Intellectual property
Always with the aim of
improving the competitiveness of our clients, our intellectual property
team advises on domain names, designs, licensing, copyright, trade
marks, patents and trade practices, as well as brand protection.
Media and entertainment
We
provide high level services in all aspects of film, television, media,
broadcasting, advertising and marketing. We won the award for Media
and Entertainment Law Firm of the Year at the 2005 Australian Law
Awards.
Occupational health and safety
We act for
principals, developers, contractors, managers and consultants in both
the public and private sectors. Our clients range from major
institutions and government entities to specialist consultants and
subcontractors.
Planning and environment
We
provide advice on all aspects of planning, the environment and
contaminated land issues to town planners, planning consultants,
government departments and agencies, local authorities, developers and
construction companies.
Privacy
We provide advice
to advertising and media clients and companies in other industries on
privacy legislation, audits and compliance, privacy statements and
responses to complaints about breaches.
Property and projects
We offer clients an expert, comprehensive national service in all
aspects of the acquisition, financing, development, management, sale
and lease of commercial property in all market sectors.
Superannuation and financial services
We
advise many industry, public sector and corporate superannuation funds
on all issues relating to superannuation, including compliance and
governance and public offer documents. We also offer a Self-Managed
Superannuation Fund Service to planners, lawyers and other
professionals who establish and manage their own or other people's
funds. We advise a number of major funds on their investment
structures and their Australian and international investments.
Trade practices
In
addition to running compliance programs we advise on and litigate the
restrictive trade practices and consumer protection provisions of the
Trade Practices Act.
PRIVATE PRACTICE
Our
private client practice covers the following areas: conveyancing,
employment, family, personal injury and estate planning including wills
and probate. In Melbourne, we also have a substantial personal injury
and transport accident practice.
Many of our lawyers are accredited specialists in these areas.
Our
origins in the labour movement and our commitment to the protection of
rights underpin the values and culture that characterise all our
services to our private clients.
PUBLIC INTEREST
Consistent
with our values, our partners and staff dedicate time and funds to
strengthen our community through support for human rights, social
justice and the arts. We contribute to the community through:
- provision of pro bono legal services to individuals and community groups
- direct financial support to organisations promoting human rights and social justice
- Support for established and emerging arts organisations with sponsorship or pro bono legal services.
The arts Linked to our extensive media and entertainment
practice, Holding Redlich is a strong supporter of a number of
established and emerging arts groups through sponsorship or the
provision of pro bono legal advice.
Our partners and staff
regularly lecture on legal areas impacting on the arts and film. We
accept requests for assistance and referrals from the Arts Law Centre
Human
rights Holding Redlich has acted in a number of major public interest
cases. The Stolen Generations litigation and the action taken to free
the asylum seekers on the 'Tampa' are examples in past years where we
acted to preserve or enhance individuals' rights.
The firm is
currently representing traditional Aboriginal land owners and the
Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation in a constitutional challenge to the
Commonwealth’s intervention into NT Aboriginal communities.
We
have assisted individual clients on a pro bono basis in numerous
matters, including refugee and immigration appeals; employees and
consumers suffering discrimination on grounds of race, disability or
gender; victims of inappropriate or predatory credit provision;
Aboriginal organisations and individuals in heritage, contractual and
property-relayed matters.
We also advise a number of community
organisations in a wide range of matters, including establishment
issues, trusts, tax issues, employment, defamation, dispute resolution
and contracts.
The firm sponsors the Distinguished Visiting
Fellow Program for the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash
University and provides placement for students undertaking the Centre’s
Advanced Professional Practice (Human Rights) undergraduate subject.
Contact details
Chris Lovell, National Managing Partner
Email:
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Phone +61 (0)3 9321 9999
Lou Farinotti, Managing Partner, Melbourne
Email:
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Phone +61 (0)3 9321 9999
Ian Robertson, Managing Partner, Sydney
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Phone +61 (0)2 8083 0388
Michael Byrom, Managing Partner, Brisbane
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Phone +61 (0)7 3135 0500
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