White & Case on being a firm for APAC — not just Australia
With the influence of US firms in Australia on the rise, White & Case partners Brendan Quinn and Tim Sackar discuss US capital’s impact and their Asia-Pacific focused strategy.
It’s been just under a decade since US white-shoe law firm White & Case set up shop in Australia. However, the firm has always maintained an Asia-Pacific, rather than a strictly Australian, focus, according to Brendan Quinn, head of project finance for the region.
“Probably 50% of my practice is now in Asia," Quinn said.
Describing Australia as “a legal market with a lot of lawyers,” Quinn said that White & Case has concentrated on serving offshore clients, particularly those with a US capital focus.
The growing influence of US law firms in Australia has been underscored by recent high-profile mergers, including Herbert Smith Freehills’ combination with New York-based Kramer Levin last week and Allen & Overy’s merger with Shearman & Sterling to form A&O Shearman. Against this backdrop, Capital Brief sat down with White & Case partners Brendan Quinn and Timothy Sackar to discuss the shifting dynamics of the market.
Both Quinn and Sackar agree that US capital remains important to Australia and will continue to play a pivotal role, regardless of who is in the White House.
