Magic Circle firm appoints first-ever country managing partner

A broad management revamp at a top firm includes new managing partners for Sydney and Perth

Magic Circle firm appoints first-ever country managing partner
In a broad revamp of its senior leadership ranks in the country, Clifford Chance has appointed Richard Gordon as its first country managing partner in Australia.

In the role, Gordon will oversee the UK Magic Circle firm’s national operations. He has also been appointed Sydney managing partner, succeeding Diana Chang. Gordon, who specialises in finance, joined Clifford Chance in 2015 after 11 years as partner at Allens.

In Perth, Paul Lingard has been appointed managing partner, replacing Paul Vinci. Lingard, an expert in energy and resources, joined the international firm in 2014 after 12 years as partner at Mallesons Stephen Jaques, now King & Wood Mallesons.

Clifford Chance also announced that senior partner Jon Carson is retiring. Carson, who’s known for his energy and resources work and who was appointed senior partner in 2015, joined the firm when Clifford Chance acquired Cochrane Lishman Carson Luscombe in 2011.

Clifford Chance has more than 70 lawyers in Australia, with the firm involved in recent major deals advising clients like Mondelēz International on its recent $460m sale of Vegemite and other brands, Shell on its $250m sale of its Australian aviation unit, and the international financing syndicate that funded the $1.14bn acquisition of Glencore’s GRail business in NSW.

The firm has more than 450 lawyers in the Asia Pacific region working out of offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Perth, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. In Indonesia, the firm operates an association with Linda Widyati & Partners.


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