Bird & Bird's Australian chief on difficult decisions, AI expansion, and a defence industry pivot
The global firm’s managing partner, Shane Barber, reflects on a decade in Australia, where it has built niches in intellectual property, communications and defence.
Truman Hoyle's 2014 merger with global law firm Bird & Bird took the then 60-person Australian firm to the international stage, and brought Bird & Bird to Australia in the midst of a local legal gold rush.
Speaking to Capital Brief in an exclusive interview marking the firm's ten year anniversary, Shane Barber, the firm's managing partner and Australian head, said having key focus areas has been a key to long-term success.
That doesn't mean those focus areas have stayed the same. While Bird & Bird in Australia has a clear IP and communications focus, its recent expansion into aeronautics and defence is profiting from government priorities and a desire by state governments to replace the now-departed automotive industry.
The following transcript has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
Shane, you're marking Bird & Bird's tenth anniversary in Australia. Why did the global firm want to set up shop here?
