# Ashurst Australia

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Australian branch of international law firm Ashurst LLP

Ashurst LLP Headquarters Sydney, Australia No. of offices 32 No. of lawyers 1,700+ No. of employees 3,500+ Major practice areas General practice Key people Karen Davies (Chairman) Paul Jenkins (Global Chief Executive Officer) Date founded 1822 (1841, Melbourne) Company type LLP Website www.ashurst.com

**Ashurst Australia** is the [Australian](/source/Australia) branch of [Ashurst LLP](/source/Ashurst_LLP), an international [commercial law](/source/Commercial_law) firm. The Australian headquarters of Ashurst are in [Sydney](/source/Sydney).

Prior to its acquisition by Ashurst, the Australian firm was named **Blake Dawson**,[1] one of the *[Big Six](/source/Big_Six_(law_firms))* leading Australian [law firms](/source/Law_firms).[2]

## History

### Australian predecessor

Blake Dawson was founded in 1841. Its founder, [James Hunter Ross](/source/James_Hunter_Ross), emigrated from Scotland to set up practice in [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne) on the corner of [Bourke](/source/Bourke_Street) and [William Streets](/source/William_Street%2C_Melbourne). In 1865 its founder died, and the firm was renamed to Blake & Riggall in 1874. In 1881 a firm later to be known as Waldron & Dawson was founded on [Pitt Street](/source/Pitt_Street) in [Sydney](/source/Sydney).[3]

In 2007 the firm was rebranded to Blake Dawson.[4]

### Acquisition

In September 2011, it was announced that the firm would combine its Asian business with that of British law firm [Ashurst](/source/Ashurst_(law_firm)) and be re-branded as Ashurst across all offices on 1 March 2012, followed by a full financial merger of the two firms on 1 November 2013.[5][6] The table below summarises the merger of the two firms.[7]

Ashurst LLP Blake Dawson Number of partners 230 192 Number of lawyers 900+ 820+ Number of offices 16 11 Revenue (2011) A$462 million + A$380 million +

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-merritt1_1-0)** Merritt, Chris (27 September 2011). ["Blake Dawson plans UK alliance to go for growth"](http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mergers-acquisitions/blake-dawson-plans-uk-alliance-to-go-for-growth/story-fn91vdzj-1226147339729). *The Australian*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SMH2007_2-0)** Kenneth Nguyen (22 May 2007), [*Stags in Slater & Gordon share some class action - a 40% win*](http://newsstore.smh.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&docID=SMH070522FA4V74C1A9G) (The Sydney Morning Herald), John Fairfax Holdings Limited., p. 21, Though Slater & Gordon is a well-known law firm, its market capitalisation of $151 million would be dwarfed if any of Australia's "big six" law firms - Allens Arthur Robinson, Blake Dawson Waldron, Clayton Utz, Freehills, Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Minter Ellison - decided to float.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [The making of a national firm: Blake Dawson](http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/features/8540-the-making-of-a-national-firm-blake-dawson) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170203013448/http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/features/8540-the-making-of-a-national-firm-blake-dawson) 3 February 2017 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) Retrieved 25 January 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-lw_4-0)** ["Blake Dawson changes its stripes"](http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/articles/Blake-Dawson-changes-its-stripes_z136778.htm).{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Blake Dawson (2011). [Ashurst and Blake Dawson announce Asia business combination and future merger plans](http://www.blakedawson.com/Templates/News/x_news_content_page.aspx?id=63781). Retrieved 26 September 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [*Ashurst's partners vote for full financial integration*](http://www.ashurst.com/media-item.aspx?id_Content=9601). Ashurst, 26 September 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Ashurst & Blakes confirm merger"](http://au.legalbusinessonline.com/news/ashurst-and-blakes-confirm-merger/107346). Au.legalbusinessonline.com. Retrieved 22 October 2012.

## External links

- [Ashurst website](http://www.ashurst.com/)

v t e Big Six Australian law firms Allens Ashurst Australia Clayton Utz Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Mallesons MinterEllison

Authority control databases ISNI

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