Double-partner hire grows Allens' environment and planning team

One of the new partners is the former Sydney chief of a global firm

Double-partner hire grows Allens' environment and planning team
Allens has expanded its planning and environment team with the hire of two partners from rival firms.

Felicity Rourke and Jillian Button have started with the firm. Rourke returned to the firm from Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF), where she was its Sydney office’s chief, while Button was a partner at Corrs Chambers Westgarth.

Rourke is an expert in both front-end and back-end environment and planning law work. She advises clients on major projects, including commercial, retail, residential, retirement, and industrial developments.

Based in Sydney, Rourke is also the vice president of the New South Wales Environmental and Planning Law Association. She was formerly with Allens Arthur Robinson, which she left in 2007 for NRF.

Based in Melbourne, Button has particular focus on property development, water and waste issues, and infrastructure planning with her environment and planning practice. She joined Corrs from MinterEllison in 2016.

“Given our very strong pipeline of work on government projects, major infrastructure opportunities and a range of development opportunities, increasing our ‘Environment & Planning’ team's depth and breadth made good business sense,” said partner Emma Warren, who heads the firm’s environment and planning team. “Clients really value specialised advice on complex planning matters.”


Felicity Rourke


Jillian Button


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