PwC sets sights on Aussie growth

The legal services division of global professional services firm PwC is growing its Australian operation.
PwC Australia has added five new senior partners to its Legal Services offering, bringing its headcount to 12 partners and 60 lawyers across the country.
The new hires include four in Melbourne: Ashley Poke (corporate), Tiffany Barton (corporate), Cameron Whittfield (TMT), Damian McNair (energy, mining, telecoms, transport); together with corporate lawyer James Delesclefs in Sydney.
PwC Legal Services leader Tony O’Malley says that “the time is right” to strengthen the firm’s team after 18 months in Australia.
The firm has also recently hired directors in key practice areas: Michael O’Neill (M&A); Charlie Grover and Suzanne Matthews (energy, projects & infrastructure); Anne Ellison (real estate); and Samantha James (corporate & commercial).
 
Singapore’s place in international arbitration confirmed by ICC
The International Chamber of Commerce has confirmed that Singapore is the number one seat of ICC arbitration in Asia. The city state is also the fourth most chosen seat globally.
In 2015, 6 per cent of all new ICC cases named Singapore as the seat of arbitration with the number of Singaporean parties remaining constant over the last 12 months while the number of foreign parties choosing Singapore as a seat for arbitration is on the rise.
In over 71 per cent of all new Singapore seated arbitrations filed in 2015, one or more of the parties was not Singaporean and a non-Singaporean arbitrator was appointed in almost half of these cases.
 
International firm recognised by Asian-Pacific American Employer Awards
Reed Smith has been named as one of the best employers of Asian and Asian-Pacific Americans. The recognition came from the Asian-Pacific American Employer Awards held in New York and presented by the Asian Society. 
The awards acknowledge growth, development and advancement of APAC employees in Fortune 500 companies.