K&L Gates finalises Australian tie-up

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

K&L Gates finalises Australian tie-up

K&L Gates has become the latest law firm to seal a deal with an Australian firm

The US firm is to merge with Middletons on January 1. The addition of Middletons’ 300 lawyers and four Australian offices will give the combined firm more than 2,000 lawyers in 46 offices.

K&L Gates says that part of the attraction of the deal was the rapid growth in investment in Australia from businesses in the region. Much of Australia’s inbound investment hails from Greater China, where K&L Gates has offices in Hong Kong and China.

US investors are also active in Australia, where their direct investment has topped $500 billion since 2005. The US firm said that the merger would allow the new firm to “brand itself as the legal solution for both inbound and outbound legal requirements involving Australia and the US”.

K&L Gates ranked in tier 3 for trade mark prosecution work by north-east US firms in this year’s Managing IP survey. Middletons ranked in tier 3 for both trade mark prosecution and contentious work in Australia and in tier 2 for copyright.

In recent years Australian-bound planes have carried plenty of foreign lawyers in search of a law firm tie-up, eager to service clients in a strong economy that has been largely unscathed by the global financial crisis.

Deals have included tie-ups between Herbert Smith and Freehills; Ashurst and Blake Dawson; China’s King & Wood and Mallesons; Norton Rose and Deacons; and Linklaters and Allens Arthur Robinson.





more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Microsoft allegedly uses the HEVC technology in a range of products and offers an extension as an add-on
A group of five lawyers who joined Cleary Gottlieb say they want to help expand the firm’s IP litigation practice
As we build up to another busy year for the IP STARS rankings and our Managing IP Awards, we assess some of the major IP firms and trends in Germany
Florina Firaru discusses making new connections, the art of flower arranging, and the biggest misconception about IP
The firm, which appointed three IP partners from A&O Shearman, wants to develop a tier one practice in Europe
The England and Wales appeals court handed down its judgment just seven working days after hearing the trademark dispute involving pharma company Merck
A host of law firms from across Europe and beyond helped bring the streaming technology dispute to a close
Hugues Derème, director general of the Benelux IP Office, unveils his vision for the region, how to improve IP awareness, and use of AI
A copyright win for AI firm Anthropic and a new executive order against law firm Jenner & Block were also among the top talking points this week
A principal at Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner explains how AI tools, including DeepIP, can position the firm to help clients
Gift this article