We understand that you’re probably sick of reading about it - we’re certainly sick of writing about it – so unless something explosive happens, we’ll make this our final post about the Clayton Utz partnership defections to Allen & Overy.
This post clarifies further the Clayton Utz machinations giving rise to the defections. We have extracted some excellent info from the AFR 12/2, shedding light on how former Clutz Banking & Finance head partner Grant Fuzi was the protagonist in the Clutz partnership defections:
It is Mr Fuzi’s history with Clayton Utz, and his long-time association with Mr Trahair, a fellow Australian, that was instrumental in facilitating A&O’s bold and sudden arrival here. As one partner said about Mr Fuzi this week: “The mistake we made was taking him on again.”
Mr Fuzi and Mr Trahair were poached by A&O in 2001, with Fuzi stationed in Hong Kong where according to the AFR he:
learned the ins and outs of A&O’s Asia practice.
Several years later, Fuzi returned to Australia and to his old firm Clayton Utz. In 2005, speaking of Clutz’s absence in Asia, Mr Fagan told AFR that the firm:
did not see the client demand nor the business case for opening an office in Asia.
The AFR considers that this is a view that may have sat at odds with those who had tasted the global law firm life in Asia.
The AFR went onto note last Friday that:
Mr Fuzi resigned in December, after the announcement of Mr Fagan’s retirement, after a nine-year stint, from the role of chief executive in November. Mr Fuzi was a strong contender to replace Fagan, but lacked the numbers in the partnership vote.
“…obviously if I had been made chief executive partner I would not have left.
Fuzi would not have left if made CEP and, apparently, some of the defecting partners may not have left if Clayton Utz had an bigger Asian presence. If you Fuz snooze on these global opportunities, evidently you lose…
So now we know who, what, when, how and why. That’s a wrap on certainly the biggest Australian legal story of 2010.
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One of the papers reported that Clayton Utz will be opening up a Hong Kong office. So much for their Fly-In, Fly-Out model. Perhaps Fuzi was right?