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There is a growing trend towards foreign law firms entering the Australian market. Clifford Chance Australia’s recent three-way tie-up with two local boutiques has given it 14 partners in offices in Perth and Sydney, and a significant practice focusing on domestic M&A and inbound investment.

Allen & Overy LLP and Norton Rose Australia continue to gain traction in the market, particularly in the banking and finance space, although each with a slightly different focus; the former concentrating on high-end financial work and the latter seeking to access the wider Asian market. In 2011, DLA Phillips Fox formally integrated with the global DLA Piper LLP network to create DLA Piper Australia.

Sidley Austin, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Sullivan & Cromwell operate in a niche as US counsel on high-value capital raisings and corporate transactions. More often than not, these firms act in conjunction with domestic firms as co-counsel.

Other foreign firms operating in the jurisdiction include Baker & McKenzie, Jones Day, Kennedys, Holman Fenwick Willan, MMLC Group and Buse Heberer Fromm.

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