HFW’s Gavin Vallely on how Australia’s fastest-growing law firm stays nimble
The managing partner for Australia is trying to double revenue by 2026. In a vigorous talent market, he wants to create a place people actually want to work.
Global law firm HFW was among the first international shops to enter Australia, establishing a Melbourne office in 2006 with a team of 9 lawyers.
Nearly twenty years later, Australia managing partner Gavin Vallely now leads 130 lawyers and 33 partners. The firm is the fastest growing in the country, and Vallely is focused on expanding its construction and commercial litigation practices as HFW aims to double its local business in terms of revenue. This target was set in 2021, with implementation beginning in earnest in 2022 following Covid-related disruptions.
To sustain this level of growth, Vallely’s primary challenge is competition for talent, which he says has “increased significantly and therefore increased employment costs.”
"The challenge for any law firm is to create a work environment where people see a future, career pathways, a good culture and a positive work environment generally", Vallely told Capital Brief in an interview for our The Firm series.
