Draft:Johnson Winter Slattery
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| Headquarters | Sydney, Australia |
|---|---|
| No. of offices | 6 (2024)[1] |
| No. of employees | 430+ (2024)[2] |
| Major practice areas | Corporate and commercial |
| Key people | Jeremy Davis (Managing Partner) Aldo Nicotra (Chairman) |
| Date founded | 1993 |
| Founder |
|
| Company type | Partnership |
| Website | www.jws.com.au |
Johnson Winter Slattery (JWS) is an independent Australian commercial law firm. With offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Canberra,[3] the firm has 87 partners and over 250 lawyers, business development, finance, HR and IT professionals.[4][5][6]
History[edit]
Johnson Winter Slattery was established in 1993 as a boutique commercial law firm in Adelaide by Tony Johnson, Nigel Winter and Peter Slattery.[7] The firm began with nine partners and 20 staff.[7] Five of those partners joined from Finlaysons.[8]
JWS expanded interstate in 2004 when it opened its Sydney office.[9] Within seven years, the firm opened additional offices in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.[10] In 2022, JWS opened its office in Canberra.[11]
Following the retirement of Peter Slattery in June 2021, Jeremy Davis was appointed Managing Partner.[12]
Practice areas[edit]
JWS has expertise across a range of practice areas:[13]
- Competition/antitrust
- Corporate
- Corporate crime & investigations
- Dispute resolution
- Employment
- Energy & resources
- Environment & planning
- Finance
- Foreign investment
- Funds management
- Intellectual property & IT
- Media
- Private equity & venture capital
- Projects, infrastructure & construction
- Real estate
- Regulatory
- Restructuring & insolvency
- Tax
Clients[edit]
JWS is engaged by Australian and international corporations, investment funds and government agencies as legal counsel on transactions and disputes throughout Australia and surrounding regions. Its major clients include Qantas, Rio Tinto, Potentia Capital, Santos, TPG Telecom, Liverpool Partners, Microsoft, Origin Energy, ACCC and Unilever.[14][9]
In 2022-2023, JWS recorded A$9.4m in government legal work, ranking it among the top 10 law firms in Australia.[15]
Notable cases and transactions[edit]
The firm has advised on the following matters:
- Represented Dow Jones & Co in defamation proceedings brought by Joseph Gutnick (2002).[16]
- Acted for Unilever on its acquisition of Weis Frozen Foods (2017).[17]
- Advised the State of South Australia on the world’s first grid-connected 100MW battery project, Hornsdale Power Reserve, and expansion to 150MW (2017-2020).[18]
- Obtained ACCC informal clearance for PepsiCo's US$3.2 billion acquisition of SodaStream (2018).[19]
- Helped secure ACCC approval for the proposed acquisition of Ruralco by Nutrien in a deal worth A$469m (2019).[20]
- Advised Base Resources on the Toliara Mineral Sands Project in Madagascar (2019).[21]
- Represented Michelle Guthrie in Federal Court litigation against the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for unfair dismissal and related parliamentary inquiries (2019).[22]
- Advised Carlton & United Breweries on its acquisition of Balter Brewing Company (2019).[23]
- Represented Lighthouse Corporation in proceedings against the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste regarding a US$328M oil contract dispute (2019).[24]
- Assisted AB InBev on its Hong Kong IPO and the sale of the group’s Australian business to Asahi (2019-2020).[25]
- Advised Microsoft on its acquisition of Clipchamp (2021).[26]
- Represented Google in defamation proceedings brought by criminal lawyer, George Defteros (2022).[27]
- Represented PwC (formerly PPB Advisory) in its capacity as liquidator of Gunns Group in the case of Bryant & Ors v Badenoch Integrated Logging Pty Ltd (2023).[28]
- Acted for Potentia Capital on its successful contested A$530m takeover bid for Nitro Software (2023).[29]
- Advised the sellers of DAOU Vineyards on its proposed A$1.6 billion sale to Treasury Wine Estates (2023).[30]
Pro bono[edit]
JWS supports community initiatives and not-for-profit organisations across Australia through pro bono legal work, charitable donations and sponsorships.
Established in 2019 and led by two partners,[31] the firm is a signatory to the National Pro Bono Target, committing to an average of 35 hours of pro bono work per lawyer, per year.[32][33] Since 2020, JWS has exceeded this target.[34] In 2022, it averaged 43 pro bono hours per lawyer.[35]
Organisations they support and provide pro bono services to include:
- Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
- Art Gallery of Western Australia
- Australian Museums and Galleries Association
- Australian Science Media Centre
- Photobiomics Research Institute
- Royal Institution of Australia
- Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre
- WEHI.[36]
JWS is a signatory to Reconciliation Australia's Reflect RAP, indicating the firm's commitment to fostering an inclusive culture for First Nations People.[33]
Secondments[edit]
The firm has ongoing secondments with a number of community legal centres, including the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Marrickville Legal Centre, the Human Rights Law Centre and Oxfam Australia.[37][38][39][40]
Sponsorships[edit]
Since 2014, JWS has been a Major Partner and the official legal partner of the Australian Chamber Orchestra.[41]
Associations[edit]
International bodies of which the firm’s lawyers are members include the International Bar Association,[42] International Trademark Association,[43] International Fiscal Association,[44] International Wine Law Association,[45] Women’s White Collar Defense Association,[46] and the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators.[47]
Recognition[edit]
Awards[edit]
Recent awards won by JWS include:
- Technology, Media and Telecom M&A Legal Adviser of the Year - Mergermarket M&A Awards Australia (2023).[48]
- Energy Law - Best Lawyers Law Firm of the Year (2023).[49]
- Oil and Gas Law - Best Lawyers Law Firm of the Year (2022).[50]
- Best Law & Related Services Firm (A$50-$200m revenue) - Beaton's Client Choice Awards (2021).[51]
- Dispute Resolution Team of the Year - Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards (2020).[52]
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Rankings[edit]
JWS is recognised in national and international directories. The Chambers Asia Pacific (2024) rankings recognise 34 practitioners across 18 practice areas.[53]
The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2023) lists nine partners as "Leading Individuals", with two partners in the "Hall of Fame".[5]
84 practitioners were named in the 2025 Best Lawyers in Australia, including nine "Lawyer of the Year" award recipients and seven "Ones to Watch". Nationally, JWS was ranked as Tier 1 in Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Energy Law and Oil & Gas Law.[54]
Offices[edit]
The firm has offices in the following cities:
Sydney (Quay Quarter Tower - Headquarters)
Melbourne (Collins Place)
Adelaide (211 Victoria Square)
Perth (Central Park (skyscraper))
Brisbane (One One One Eagle Street)
Canberra (5 Constitution Avenue)
References[edit]
- ^ "Contact us". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "WGEA Gender Pay Gap Reporting: JWS Employer Statement – February 2024". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ "Contact us". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ "About us". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ a b "Johnson Winter Slattery > The Legal 500 Rankings". The Legal 500. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ Shanahan, Maxim (2023-11-30). "Australia's largest law firms slow partner appointments". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ a b Kennedy, Alex (1993-09-10). "Sharpening the lawyer's pencil". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ Ackland, Richard (1993-12-23). "Allens suffers an attack of 'boutiquism'". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ a b Nickless, Rachel (2008-04-18). "JWS sees benefits in staying south". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ "The making of a national firm: Johnson Winter & Slattery". Lawyers Weekly. 2011-06-02. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ "Johnson Winter & Slattery Hires MinterEllison Duo for Canberra Office Launch". Law.com International. 2022-08-03. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ Neilson, Naomi (2020-06-30). "National firm appoints next managing partner". Lawyers Weekly. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ "Services". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ "Johnson Winter Slattery". Global Legal Insights. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ Mizen, Ronald (2023-08-02). "Gilbert + Tobin, DLA Piper defy slump in law firm taxpayer work". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
- ^ "Media & entertainment". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
- ^ Dolor, Sol (2017-10-20). "JWS acts as Unilever gobbles up Australian ice cream maker". Australasian Lawyer. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ Dolor, Sol (2020-01-22). "JWS confirms work on pioneering financing for record-setting energy project". Australasian Lawyer. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
- ^ "Review 2019" (PDF). Johnson Winter Slattery. June 2019. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ "Ruralco enters into Scheme Implementation Deed" (PDF). Ruralco Holdings Limited. 2019-02-27. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
- ^ "Toliara Mineral Sands Project, Madagascar". Mining Technology. 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
- ^ "Michelle Guthrie back on ABC board agenda". The Australian. 2019-02-01. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ Doraisamy, Jerome (2019-12-13). "Brewery giant advised on acquisition of craft beer business". Lawyers Weekly. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
- ^ Dolor, Sol (2019-05-18). "JWS foils Timor-Leste's bid to dismiss US$328m case". Australasian Lawyer. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
- ^ Dolor, Sol (2019-08-06). "Four firms work as Japanese company gulps down Australia's largest beer brewer". Australasian Lawyer. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
- ^ So, Jacqueline (2021-10-05). "JWS helps Microsoft acquire Brisbane startup". Australasian Lawyer. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ Cameronne, Cindy (2022-08-17). "In defamation victory, High Court finds Google not a publisher". Lawyerly. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
- ^ Pelly, Michael (2023-02-12). "High Court insolvency ruling to stop 'unfair' creditor claims". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
- ^ Carcano, Sonia (2023-03-30). "Potentia Capital's A$530 Million Takeover Bid for Nitro Software Limited". Global Legal Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ Niesche, Christopher (2023-11-08). "Johnson Winter Slattery, Sheppard Mullin Advise on $1B Vineyard Sale". Law.com International. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ Australian Pro Bono Centre (December 2021). "Pro Bono Voco" (PDF). Australian Pro Bono Centre. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
- ^ "Target Signatories (for Solicitors and Barristers)". Australian Pro Bono Centre. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
- ^ a b "Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan" (PDF). Johnson Winter Slattery. October 2022. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ Croft, Lauren (2021-11-11). "How this firm grew its pro bono practice by 300%". Lawyers Weekly. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ Shanahan, Maxim (2023-11-09). "HWL, Maddocks among law firms named and shamed for pro bono failures". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- ^ "Community & arts". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
- ^ "Secondments and clinics". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- ^ "PIAC Annual Report 2022" (PDF). Public Interest Advocacy Centre. 2022-11-14. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
- ^ Feik, Nick (July 2023). "Whistle while we work". The Monthly. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
- ^ "Annual Report 2022" (PDF). Oxfam Australia. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Johnson Winter Slattery". Australian Chamber Orchestra. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ "Robert Johnston". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Christine Ecob". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Richard Gelski". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Chrystal Dare". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Kirsten Scott". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Alexandra Neovius". Johnson Winter Slattery. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "JWS named Mergermarket 2023 Technology, Media and Telecom M&A Legal Adviser of the Year". Johnson Winter Slattery. October 2023. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ "Announcing The Best Lawyers in Australia 2023". Best Lawyers. 2022-04-20. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ "Announcing the 2022 Best Lawyers in Australia". Best Lawyers. 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ "2021 Client Choice Awards Winners". Client Choice Awards. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ "2020 Winners and Finalists". Lawyers Weekly. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
- ^ "Johnson Winter Slattery, Asia-Pacific 2024". Chambers and Partners. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
- ^ "Presenting The Best Lawyers in Australia™ 2025". Best Lawyers. 2024-04-17. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Firm's rankings: Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific; Legal 500 Australia; IFLR1000; ITR World Tax.