Here's what you need to know about Australia's leading law firm.
The Firm
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF)—soon to be HSF Kramer—is arguably Australia’s top law firm.
The firm was formed through a merger between Freehills in Australia and Silver Circle firm Herbert Smith in the UK. And it’s a merger that’s widely considered one of the biggest success stories in corporate law.
HSF boasts:
450+ partners
2,600+ lawyers
24 offices globally
That's across Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and the Middle East.
The firm is a leader in high-stakes litigation and complex M&A deals.
$105k
Graduate
$281k
Senior lawyers
$5m
Partner
Its History
Here’s how HSF came to be:
Early Days
Freehills’ earliest predecessors include Clark & Meek in Melbourne, Parker & Parker in Perth and BA Freehill in Sydney. The firm became a single national partnership in 2000.
Herbert Smith LLP was founded in 1882 in London.
The Merger
In 2012, HSF was formed when Herbert Smith (UK) merged with Freehills (Australia), creating a truly international firm with a single profit pool from day one.
Growth and Expansion
HSF has expanded its footprint significantly, opening a New York and Seoul offices in 2013.
The firm reported record global revenue in 2024, rising 10.1% to hit £1.3bn, with its Australian arm up by 15%
2025 Merger
In 2025, HSF is set to merge with US firm Kramer Levin, creating a top 20 law firm expected to hit over US$2bn in revenue.
What HSF does
Here are some of the firm’s areas of expertise + recent highlights.
Dispute Resolution
Known for its global litigation and arbitration strength.
Advised JLT (a Marsh subsidiary) in a landmark insurance class action, securing a complete dismissal of all claims in the NSW Supreme Court.
Advised Citi in a landmark criminal cartel prosecution, which was abandoned by the Australian Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions after more than 3 years.
Corporate and M&A
Top player in M&A, frequently working on Australia’s mega-mergers.
Advised Chemist Warehouse on its $34bn merger with Sigma Healthcare, securing ACCC clearance and facilitating the ASX reverse listing in one of Australia’s largest transactions.
Advised Barrenjoey and Morgan Stanley as joint lead managers on Guzman y Gomez’s $2.2bn ASX IPO.
Advised The Weir Group on its $1.35bn acquisition of mining software provider Micromine.
Energy, Resources and Infrastructure
Strong energy, mining and oil and gas credentials. Also highly regarded for its work on large-scale infrastructure projects.
Advised Synergy on the development of the 105MW King Rocks Wind Farm, supporting renewable energy expansion in WA.
Advised Marinus Link on the procurement of their major subsea and land cable for the Marinus Link interconnector between North West Tasmania and the Latrobe Valley.
(We got you – we keep this section updated regularly)
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The numbers
Graduate Programs
Here's a breakdown of HSF’s grad and clerk programs:
Graduate Program
Graduates: HSF takes ~99 graduates each year.
Ranking: HSF ranked 8th in Prosple’s Top 100 Graduate Employer Rankings.
Program: HSF graduates undergo an 18-month rotation program.
Clerkship Program
Clerkship: HSF recruits approximately ~165 clerks each year.
The Competition
HSF’s competitors include other top Australian law firms as well as global players:
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