Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has bolstered its corporate restructuring, insolvency and commercial litigation practice with the hire of a team led by partners Paul Buitendag and Rena Solomonidis in Melbourne.
Paul and Rena, who have joined HFW from Johnson Winter Slattery where Paul was previously the National Practice Group Head of Dispute Resolution, have acted in several of Australia’s largest corporate collapses. They specialise in large scale complex multi-jurisdictional insolvencies, corporate restructuring, regulatory investigations and commercial disputes as well as the prosecution and defence of class actions, and frequently partner with litigation funders.
Their clients include liquidators, administrators, banks, creditors, ASX listed companies as well as senior board executives, who they advise on all aspects of restructuring and insolvency including deeds of company arrangements, schemes of arrangement and safe harbour as well as in complex commercial disputes.
Gavin Vallely, Managing Partner, HFW Australia:
“I am delighted to welcome Paul, Rena and the team to the firm.
“Paul has over 30 years’ experience and is widely recognised as being one of Australia’s preeminent insolvency and commercial litigation practitioners, having advised on several of the country’s largest corporate collapses. He is also renowned for pioneering litigation funding in Australia, including the introduction of ATE insurance as an alternative form of security for costs in litigation funding agreements.
“Rena is recognised as a leading practitioner in commercial litigation, corporate insolvency and restructuring, as well as in prosecuting and defending class actions. She has been involved in a number of Australia’s high profile commercial claims, insolvency disputes and class actions.
“Paul and Rena have been working together as a team for more than 16 years. They have advised on some of Australia’s most complex corporate insolvencies and have worked with funders in the USA, UK and Australia in significant disputes. At HFW, they will work closely with our existing restructuring and insolvency and litigation funding teams in Australia and globally to further enhance our client offering in these sectors.”
Paul Buitendag, HFW Partner:
“HFW is the right firm for our practice for many reasons, most notably the strength of its international network and long history in London, which continues to be an important centre not only for litigation funders, but also for brokers and insurers who are developing innovative, insurance-backed litigation funding products. Rena and I are looking forward to working with our new colleagues at HFW and the firm’s clients both in Australia and across the global network.”
Rena Solomonidis, HFW Partner:
“I am excited to be joining HFW which has ambitious growth plans in Australia and globally. The firm’s international reach provides an extra dimension to support our practice at a time of increasing insolvency activity in Australia that regularly involves assets, investors and alternative lenders in offshore locations. HFW’s extensive experience in the international tracing of assets will be highly relevant to several of our clients.”
HFW has been reported as the fastest-growing law firm in Australia over the last 12 months by the Australian Financial Review, and has now added twelve partners across its offices in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney since the beginning of FY24, including a major corporate, projects, and regulatory team from MinterEllison, and an aerospace, shipping, energy and litigation funding team from Clyde & Co. HFW’s Australia revenue grew by a third in FY24.
This latest hire also continues a period of expansion of HFW across its international network that has made it one of the fastest-growing law firms in the market. HFW has now added more than 35 new partners and teams across its international network since FY23– including hires in Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Paris, Perth, Piraeus, Riyadh, Singapore, and Sydney. The firm also launched an office in Shenzhen to support its clients in China’s Greater Bay Area.
HFW has more than 30 partners and 130 lawyers across its offices in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, and more than 60 partners and 250 lawyers in its Asia Pacific offices.
