Allens operates across the full breadth of market leading bribery, fraud, improper financial conduct and anti-money laundering work, handling a range of disputes, compliance, and risk obligation related issues. The Melbourne team is home to practice co-head Rachel Nicolson, an expert in bribery and corruption issues, as well as Guy Foster who has an illustrious track record in advising on both public inquiries and internal investigations. Co-head Peter Haig counts counter-terrorism financing and anti-money laundering among his key areas of expertise, while Sydney based co-head Chris Kerrigan  is well-versed in matters concerning investigations launched by AFP, AUSTRAC and AER, in addition to the UK’s SFO. Alexandra Mason is an authority on Ch 7 Corporation Act and ASIC Act offences.

Herbert Smith Freehills maintains a stellar track record in bribery, corruption, fraud, whistleblowing, modern slavery and cybercrimes matters. The team, which is predominantly active in the TMT, financial services, banking, energy, professional services and government sectors, is co-led by Leon Chung and Jacqueline Wootton. Chung regularly assists with internal investigations involving insider trading and misconduct, while Wootton frequently represents clients in prosecutions for breach of criminal misleading and deceptive conduct. Andrew Eastwood  is regularly involved in proceedings commenced by the ACCC and ASIC, and Elizabeth Macknay is an expert within the mining and resources industries. Christine Wong is forging a prominent reputation for handling regulatory investigations and actions stemming from the AFP, ASIC, ACCC, ICAA and Royal Commissions.

Ashurst leverages its vast international network to assist clients with a broad range of national and international regulatory and enforcement matters. The team acts for a diverse client base of corporates, financial institutions, government bodies and senior executives, is active in industries such as mining, construction, energy, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. The corporate crime practice is led by Sydney-based Rani John whose far-reaching expertise includes bribery of public officials, market manipulation, criminal cartels and ASIC investigations; whilst Nicholas Mavrakis serves as a key port of call for financial services-related proceedings.

Clayton Utz is known for handling a varied array of mandates, from white-collar, enforcement, regulatory and corporate investigations through to anti-bribery and corruption proceedings and risk management issues. In Sydney, Tobin Meagher‘s primary areas of focus are fraud and bribery matters, in addition to acting in proceedings before the ACCC, AFP and ASIC; Meagher leads the team alongside the Perth-based David Benson, who garners acclaim for his work within the energy and resources industries. Further key fields of activity for the group include the financial services, pharmaceutical and the government sectors.

Highly regarded for its experience in prominent public inquiries, Corrs Chambers Westgarth is active on an array of corporate enforcement, insider trading, anti-bribery, corruption and anti-money laundering mandates. The practice also handles numerous internal investigations involving ESG, whistleblowing and misconduct. The practice is headed from Melbourne by Abigail Gill, an expert within the mining and financial services industries.

Excelling in both compliance and contentious mandates, Allen & Overy LLP acts on the full array of anti-bribery and corruption mandates, demonstrating a distinct ability for matters overlapping with US and Hong Kong authorities. Former practice head Jason Gray has since left the firm.

Arnold Bloch Leibler, which is adept before ASIC, ACCC, ATO and AFP investigations, assists clients accused of corruption, insider trading, fund misappropriation and misleading or deceptive conduct, among other matters. Melbourne-based practice head, Leon Zwier, fronts the practice.

Baker McKenzie supports a broad range of clients on investigation, enforcement and risk management matters, both domestic and multijurisdictional. Based in Sydney, Georgie Farrant leads the practice, leveraging a track record in anti-money laundering, bribery, corruption, risk assessment, fraud, whistleblowing and insider trading affairs.

Dentons leverages its expansive international footprint to support on local and global enforcement and investigation matters. The team, which has recently noted an uptick in data privacy, modern slavery, corporate governance and greenwashing allegations related instructions is led from Sydney by Ben Allen.

The team at DLA Piper is noted for its vast knowledge of matters relating to inquiries and investigations, in addition to prosecutions under the Corporations Act and anti-money laundering issues. Natalie Caton leads the team from Brisbane, and is known for her longstanding expertise in bribery and corruption, modern slavery, and counter terrorism financing law, while Melbourne’s John Fogarty is noted for acting in data breaches and Royal Commissions. Matthew Spain left the practice to join Clayton Utz  in May 2023.

Gilbert + Tobin draws together lawyers with notable litigation, regulatory, tax, corporate and competition expertise. The team is headed by Richard Harris, a name well-versed in investigations, regulatory enforcements and related litigation, and operates across matters including corruption, anti-bribery, corporate misconduct, anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing.

Johnson Winter Slattery is home to far-reaching expertise spanning money laundering, regulatory criminal investigations/prosecutions, whistle-blower complaints, and trade sanctions advice. Practice head Robert Wyld  has handled matters throughout Asia, the Middle East and the Americas throughout his 30-year career; his team is especially knowledgeable of internal investigations within the construction, energy, resources, health, procurement, aviation and defence sectors.

Active on bribery, fraud, compliance, investigation and insider trading litigation mandates, Minter Ellison is routinely active before ASIC and ACCC, among other federal and state agencies. James Beaton, based in Sydney, is an expert in corruption, anti-bribery, governance and compliance matters, in addition to matters pertinent to the Corporations Act.

The Australian offices of Norton Rose Fulbright supports clients on cross-border and domestic investigations throughout Asia, the US, UK and Europe. The team is led by Abigail McGregor in Melbourne who has recently been instructed on corruption conduct and risk management, anti-bribery and whistleblowing mandates. Elsewhere, in Sydney, the team recently welcomed Sonja Marsic who joined from the Australian Government and has a track record in anti-money laundering, misconduct allegation and international sanctions affairs.

Primarily based in Sydney, the practice group at Clifford Chance handles mandates involving enforcement agencies, displaying broad expertise in advising on post-settlement remedial actions, crisis management and proceeds of crime matters.  Angela Pearsall is particularly adept at acting for accounting firms in financial reporting litigation. Dividing her time between Hong Kong and Sydney, Donna Wacker frequently handles investigations into cryptocurrency trading platforms and rate-fixing. Since publication, former practice co-head Tim Grave departed in February 2024.

At Clyde & Co LLP, the team leverages extensive knowledge of internal and regulatory investigations in addition to and civil and criminal prosecutions and risk assessment work. The team is co-led by Sydney-based Avryl Lattin, a sanctions, money laundering, fraud, bribery and corruption expert, alongside Jehan-Philippe Wood who works from Perth and specialises in corporate governance affairs, regulatory and professional investigations, compliance programs and human rights issues in the business context.

Headed by Edwina Kwan, King & Wood Mallesons is acclaimed for its assistance to clients regarding issues including employee conduct investigations and whistle-blower affairs, and assists clients investigated by bodies such as ASIC and the AFP. In addition, the group is increasingly active on sanction, money laundering, fraud, terrorism financing and tax evasion instructions.