Clayton Utz is a leading commercial law firm in Australia. It is considered one of the Big Six commercial law firms.

Legal services

The firm provides legal services in banking and finance, capital markets and securities, competition, compliance, construction and projects, corporate / M&A, environment and planning, insurance, intellectual property, international arbitration, legal technology support, litigation and dispute resolution, native title, product liability, real estate, restructuring and insolvency, taxation, telecommunications, media and technology, and employment/industrial relations law.

International experience

Clayton Utz manages transactions for domestic and international clients from a range of jurisdictions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Japan and India. The firm has many dual-qualified lawyers.

The firm has relationships with firms around the world and is a member of a number of international legal networks, including Lex Mundi and Pacific Rim Advisory Council.

Community involvement

Together with the University of Sydney

University of Sydney

The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...

, Clayton Utz sponsors the Annual International Arbitration Lecture, which is held each year in Sydney.

Over the last eleven years, Clayton Utz has provided more than 250,000 hours of free legal assistance to more than 1,400 community groups and charities, and over 2,000 individuals who could not obtain Legal Aid. In 2006, Clayton Utz appointed a full-time Pro Bono Partner. In 2007, Clayton Utz became a Foundation Signatory to the National Pro Bono Resource Centre's Aspirational Pro Bono Target of 35 hours of pro bono work each year per lawyer.

The firm has developed relationships with over 25 community organisations across Australia. Some of the organisations the firm supports include: World Vision Australia, Clayton Utz Foundation Fellows, Our Place, and Daystar Foundation.

Clayton Utz is a founding member of The Australian Legal Sector Alliance. The Alliance is a new industry-led association with a mission to work collaboratively to promote sustainable practices across the legal sector.

Significant legal work

The firm is known for its work in several high-profile matters including Toll Holdings' takeover of Patrick Corporation, Mayne Group's de-merger, and Tattersall’s historic A$2.17 billion IPO and listing.

Controversies

In 2006 Clayton Utz was investigated by the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions, having been alleged to have engaged in criminal conduct during the course of the 2002 litigation brought by Rolah McCabe. During the course of the trial it was revealed that Clayton Utz ran a "document retention policy" which involved "getting rid of everything that was damaging in a way that would not rebound on the company or the British American Tobacco Group as a whole" http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1816558.htm. This included incriminating documents that outlined the extent of BAT's knowledge of the health effects of smoking. Glenn Eggleton, a former managing partner of the firm, was said to have given evidence that was "potentially perjurious" http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/the-importance-of-being-earnest/2006/12/14/1165685823094.html. An Appeal against the ruling of the Victorian Supreme Court in the matter of McCabe v BATAS was upheld by the Victorian Court of Appeal which exonerated Clayton Utz of any wrong doing in relation to advice given by the firm to BATAS in relation to document management. In 2002 Clayton Utz closed its tobacco claims litigation practice