The Awards highlight law firms, in-house teams and outstanding individuals in a number of categories relating to the Business of Law and Legal Expertise and is regarded as the best researched recognition in the market, celebrating the most innovative legal work across the region.
The firm received the following accolades:
- Highly Commended for Legal Expertise: Creating a New Standard – partners Jini Lee and Daniel Lau led the team that advised CHMT Peaceful Development Asia Property Ltd in the acquisition of one of Hong Kong's most iconic buildings, The Center. The purchase price had the record for being the most expensive single office tower in the world.
- Highly Commended for Rule of Law and Access to Justice – the firm's Pro Bono team, led by global head of pro bono and partner Sarah Morton-Ramwell, has been instrumental in the development and expansion of the Law Reform Project. The Project sees Ashurst work with other law firms, in-house lawyers, university students, policy officers and front line service lawyers in Community Legal Centres to enable widespread advocacy support across Australia.
- Commended for Legal Expertise: Enabling Business Growth – Ashurst partner Simon Brown and Oentoeng Suria & Partners (OSP) partner Ratih (Ipop) Nawangsari led the team advising PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Persero) (Inalum) on the acquisition of the Grasberg mine, located in Papua, Indonesia. Grasberg is the world's largest gold mine and second largest copper mine.
- Commended for Legal Expertise: Creating a New Standard - partners Richard Guit and Chris Redden led the Ashurst team advising Phoenix Energy on all aspects of the development and project financing of Australia's first large scale waste-to-energy project, the Kwinana waste to energy project. Richard Guit was also commended as an individual for his work on the project.
- Commended for Business of Law: Innovation in Diversity and Inclusion – the firm's Diversity and Inclusion team developed the Committed to Change program, which places partners in a leadership role in our diversity initiatives. C2C partners commit to a range of responsibilities, including reverse mentoring relationships.
- Global managing partner Paul Jenkins was recognised as one of the Top 10 legal innovators in Asia Pacific 2019, and the firm was ranked fifth Most Innovative Law Firm 2019 (International).
