Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has once again been recognised as a leading firm in the 2025 edition of The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, which identifies the top lawyers and law firms in Australia and Singapore.
HFW achieved 13 practice rankings in the guide – including six in Tier 1 or Tier 2 – for a diverse range of areas including arbitration, asset finance, insurance and shipping.
The firm maintained its Tier 1 ranking in Transport: Shipping in Australia, as well as its Tier 1 rankings in Shipping: Foreign Firms and Insurance: Foreign Firms in Singapore.
HFW improved its rankings in Australia in both Dispute Resolution: Arbitration and in Construction Projects & Infrastructure. The firm also achieved a new ranking, being named a ‘Firm to Watch’ in Environment and Planning in Australia.
HFW had two lawyers ranked in the ‘Hall of Fame’ and seven lawyers ranked as ‘Leading Partners’.
Client testimonials in the guide describe HFW as possessing “a passion to find solutions to complex issues”, “a very collaborative approach to commercial issues” and “resilience and commitment to solve client problems”.
Additional client feedback included:
- “HFW has a very professional legal team who provides excellent legal services.”
- “The organisation, attention to detail, unflappable nature of the personnel and more importantly, the professionalism, all this has really shone through for me.”
- “The team has an excellent understanding of our company and the industry generally, and market positions, is readily available and is able to collaborate directly with our inhouse legal and commercial teams to reach positions acceptable to the company and our customers.”
- “HFW have always been on top of requested outcomes with a solid group of skilled and credentialed people.”
- “They are excellent at all stages of litigation.”
HFW’s Australia rankings:
- Transport: Shipping – Tier 1
- Insurance – Tier 2
- Dispute Resolution: Arbitration – Tier 2
- Energy (Transaction & Regulatory) – Tier 4
- Labour and Employment – Tier 4
- Dispute Resolution: Litigation – Tier 5
- Infrastructure Projects and Construction – Tier 5
- Environment & Planning – Firm to Watch
HFW’s Singapore rankings:
- Insurance: Foreign Firms – Tier 1
- Shipping: Foreign Firms – Tier 1
- Asset Finance: Foreign Firms – Tier 2
- Energy: Foreign Firms – Tier 3
- International Arbitration – Tier 4
‘Hall of Fame’ Lawyers:
- Maurice Thompson – Transport: Shipping, Australia
- Gavin Vallely – Transport: Shipping, Australia
Leading Partners:
Toby Stephens – Shipping: Foreign Firms, Singapore
Ruth Dawes – Environment & Planning, Australia
John Forrester – Asset Finance: Foreign Firms, Singapore; and Shipping: Foreign Firms, Singapore
Richard Jowett – Insurance, Australia
Brendan McCashin – Insurance, Australia
Chris Metcalf – Shipping: Foreign Firms, Singapore
Kate Seaton – Insurance, Singapore
