Norton Rose Fulbright promotes four talented lawyers to the partnership in Australia

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright announced today that Josh Henderson, Jack Pembroke-Birss, Adam Smith, and Luke van Grieken will be promoted to partner from July 1 this year.

The four lawyers advise in the areas of dispute resolution, construction and engineering, tax, intellectual property, class action, regulatory and investigation. The promotions follow the elevation of three women to the partnership on January 1, 2019 – Claire Forster (competition), Lisa Koch (project finance) and Paulina Moncrieff (insurance) – making the firm’s overall 2019 promotions 43 per cent female. 

Josh Henderson

Josh will be appointed a dispute resolution partner in Brisbane. His practice focuses on mining and infrastructure, regulatory, real estate and technology disputes. He is collaborative, organised and strategic in his approach to disputes. These skills enable him to assist his clients to identify the core legal and commercial issues in order to effectively manage and resolve disputes.

Josh is currently acting in a proceedings commenced by Qantas against its facilities maintenance provider, Jones Lang LaSalle. 

Jack Pembroke-Birss

Jack will be appointed a dispute resolution partner in Sydney. He has more than 13 years’ experience in large and complex commercial disputes, class actions, regulatory investigations, and shareholder and joint venture disputes. He also is a leader of the firm’s aged care practice advising clients on a wide range of regulatory and compliance issues in the aged care industry.

Jack acts for corporate and government clients predominantly in the financial services industry, including defending class actions and assisting with regulatory investigations, civil enforcement action and implementation of law reforms. He is also an Adjunct Lecturer at The University of Sydney Law School teaching in the areas of contract, commercial, property and consumer law, and is a reporter for the Council of Law Reporting for NSW.

Adam Smith

Adam will be appointed a tax partner in Melbourne.  He has a particular focus on income tax, GST and stamp duty, and guides his clients through the complex tax implications of mergers and acquisitions, IPOs, divestments, group restructures, financing arrangements, property transactions and wealth management.  Adam’s clients are in industries such as banking and finance, infrastructure, property, insurance, telecommunications and retail.  He has particular experience advising on the tax and duty implications of major corporate transactions, including a $1 billion commercial and residential development in Melbourne, and the Australian aspects of a $4 billion merger between two of the world’s largest book publishers.  

Adam is a prominent Australian tax underwriting specialist.  He has advised insurers on hundreds of warranty and indemnity insurance deals.  He is valued by W&I insurance clients for his strong technical capabilities and commercial approach, along with his unrivalled understanding of the underwriting process and the concerns of underwriters.  

Luke van Grieken

Luke will be appointed a construction and engineering partner in Melbourne. He focuses on energy and engineering projects, major infrastructure and commercial and residential developments, and acts for owners, developers, contractors, suppliers, banks, investors and government clients. Luke has extensive experience advising clients on energy projects in Australia and Asia, including wind, solar, biogas, hydro and thermal power projects.  He also frequently advises developers and contractors on commercial, residential and other property developments in Australia.  He has also advised government clients on defence, road, hospital and social infrastructure projects.  

Luke has particular expertise in the drafting, analysis, negotiation and delivery of a broad range of contract models including EPC, PPP, D&C, ECI, O&M and supply contracts.  His experience includes providing advice on commercial, construction and engineering issues pre- and post-contract execution, drafting tender documents and contracts, analysing and drafting technical documents and specifications on energy, engineering and infrastructure projects.  Luke also holds a Bachelor of Engineering.

Norton Rose Fulbright managing partner in Australia Wayne Spanner commented:

“The promotion of Josh, Jack, Adam and Luke to the partnership is a recognition of the excellence in client service they have been able to bring over many years across our dispute resolution and corporate practice groups. Each of these candidates is thoroughly deserving of his appointment and will bring additional capability to our Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney offices, our national team and globally.”

This year’s seven partner promotions have coincided with six lateral partner appointments spanning Canberra, Sydney and Perth.