Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Corrs Chambers Westgarth (often referred to as Corrs) is an Australian commercial law firm founded in 1841. Corrs has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Port Moresby.

Corrs' clients include national and international corporations, governments, banks and financial sponsors.

History
Corrs Chambers Westgarth has its roots in the pre-gold rush days of Melbourne, dating back to when law firm Whiting and Byrne was formed in 1841. In 1883, Norton Smith Westgarth and Sanders was established in Sydney, followed two years later by Brisbane’s Chambers McNab and Co.

These three firms are the foundations of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, which was formed in 1991 by the merger of Corrs Australian Solicitors, Westgarth Middletons (Sydney) and Chambers McNab Tully and Wilson (Brisbane and Gold Coast). Corrs Australian Solicitors was formed two years earlier (initially with the name Corrs) via the merger of Corrs Pavey Whiting and Byrne, Adelaide’s Mollison Litchfield and Perth’s Keall Brinsden (founded in 1910).

Practice
In 2023, Corrs was named the Most Innovative Law Firm Headquartered in Asia-Pacific by the Financial Times. In 2022, the firm was named Australian Law Firm of the year by Chambers Asia Pacific & Greater China Region. That same year the firm was also named Law Firm of the Year, 2022 for Corporate Law by Best Lawyers, Australia. In 2021, the firm was named Law Firm of the Year and Commercial Team of the Year at the Australian Law Awards.

Corrs has undertaken pro bono and volunteer work, including advising Aboriginal man and artist, Harold Thomas, the owner of the copyright in the Australian Aboriginal Flag, on the deal to assign copyright in the Flag to the Commonwealth Government. The firm also acted on behalf of Mr Noel Zihabamwe, an Australian human rights activist, in relation to the enforced disappearance of his two brothers in Rwanda.

Corrs is recognised for its depth of expertise across sectors including:


 * Energy & Resources
 * Technology, Media & Telecommunications
 * Financial Services
 * Investment Funds & Private Equity
 * Life Sciences
 * Consumer & Retail
 * Transport & Logistics
 * Real Estate
 * Construction & Infrastructure
 * Food & Agribusiness
 * Government
 * Health & Aged Care
 * Industrials & Manufacturing

Significant matters and deals

 * Advised Coca-Cola European Partners on its acquisition of Coca-Cola Amatil, valued at A$11.1 billion
 * Advised TPG Telecom on all aspects of the ten-year network sharing agreement with Telstra
 * Advised Tritium on its A$1.2 billion merger with Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation II and subsequent listing on the Nasdaq
 * Advised BGH Capital on the establishment of Australia’s largest private equity fund
 * Advised Anchorage Capital Partners on the acquisition of iconic Australian department store David Jones
 * Advised the Rinehart family’s company in relation to multiple claims being brought by two family members and two commercial third parties, worth more than A$10 billion

Corrs Alumni
The following list includes people who have worked or consulted for Corrs Chambers Westgarth:


 * The Justice Michael Barker, former Federal Court Judge of Australia.
 * Andrew Bassat, CEO and Co-Founder of SEEK.
 * John Dahlsen, former Director of ANZ Bank.
 * John Denton AO, Secretary General and Board Member of the International Chamber of Commerce, and former diplomat.
 * Liz Ellis, former Captain of the Australian national netball team.
 * David Flavell, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary PepsiCo
 * Peter Grey, Independent Non-Executive Chairman of MLC Life Insurance, former CEO of the Australian Trade Commission and former Ambassador to Japan.
 * Kim Hargrave, Supreme Court Judge of Victoria.
 * Joe Hockey, Australia’s former Ambassador to the United States of America (2016-2020), and former Treasurer of Australia (2013-2015).
 * Michael Lee, Federal Court Judge, and former Director of the Bell Shakespeare Company.
 * Rod McGeoch, CEO of the Sydney Olympics 2000 bid, Director of Ramsay Health Care, Non-Executive Chairman of Chubb Insurance and Former president of the Law Society of New South Wales.
 * Derek Volker retired senior Australian public servant
 * Allan Myers, renowned Australian QC (current), Chancellor of Melbourne University, and currently ranked on the Australian Financial Review Rich List.
 * Geoff Raby, former Ambassador to China.
 * Justice Iain Ros, President of the Fair Work Commission, and Federal Court Judge of Australia.
 * John Storey, former Chancellor of the University of Queensland, former Chairman of Suncorp and Tabcorp.
 * Bernard Teague, former Supreme Court Judge of Victoria