The Brief:
Wotton Kearney promoted 9 lawyers to partner in 2026, meaning the newly promoted partners make up just over 10% of its total partnership. Allens follows at 9.47%.
When it comes to overall partnership growth, Gilbert + Tobin leads the top-tiers with +9.6% growth, while Mallesons and MinterEllison are the only two shrinking.
New data reveals which firms are opening the door to partnership, and which ones are shutting it.
Partner Promotions
We looked at the 2026 partner promotion rounds across Australia’s top 20 firms by partnership size.
Here’s how they stack up.
Wotton Kearney takes the top spot. It’s a smaller partnership at 89, but it promoted 9 lawyers to its partnership — that means the promoted partners make up just over 10% of its total partnership.
Allens isn’t far behind at 9.47%, and it’s doing it at scale. Its 16 promotions are the single biggest promotion round of any firm on the list. Allens also posted the biggest year-on-year jump, up 8 promotions from 2025.
At the other end, the picture is bleaker. Corrs Chambers Westgarth posted the biggest fall of any firm, dropping from 13 promotions in 2025 to just 4 this year, a swing of -9. Hall & Wilcox wasn’t far off, down 8 promotions, from 11 to just 3.
Size doesn’t guarantee opportunity. HWLE has the largest partnership on the list at 280, but only 6 promotions this year — 2.14% of its partnership.
Law Firm | Partnership Size | 2026 Promos | % of Partnership | 2025 Promos | 25-26 Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wotton Kearney | 89 | 9 | 10.11% | 5 | +4 |
Allens | 169 | 16 | 9.47% | 8 | +8 |
Lander & Rogers | 122 | 10 | 8.20% | 10 | - |
Clayton Utz | 183 | 12 | 6.56% | 11 | +1 |
Moray & Agnew | 129 | 8 | 6.20% | 7 | +1 |
Johnson Winter Slattery | 88 | 5 | 5.68% | 4 | +1 |
HSF Kramer | 177 | 10 | 5.65% | 8 | +2 |
Gilbert + Tobin | 126 | 7 | 5.56% | 3 | +4 |
Norton Rose Fulbright | 110 | 6 | 5.45% | 2 | +4 |
Mallesons | 192 | 9 | 4.69% | 4 | +5 |
Ashurst | 196 | 9 | 4.59% | 3 | +6 |
Gadens | 121 | 4 | 3.31% | 6 | -2 |
Mills Oakley | 191 | 6 | 3.14% | 4 | +2 |
Maddocks | 98 | 3 | 3.06% | 3 | - |
MinterEllison | 239 | 7 | 2.93% | 12 | -5 |
Corrs Chambers Westgarth | 149 | 4 | 2.68% | 13 | -9 |
Sparke Helmore | 125 | 3 | 2.40% | 7 | -4 |
HWLE | 280 | 6 | 2.14% | 6 | - |
Hall & Wilcox | 156 | 3 | 1.92% | 11 | -8 |
Thomsons/Faculti | 160 | 3 | 1.88% | 3 | - |
Source: Law Firm Promotion Announcements / Australian Financial Review
Partnership Growth
Promotions are one thing. Overall partnership growth is another.
The AFR Law Partnership Survey for H1 2026 shows the 12-month partnership growth at Australia’s top 20 firms by partnership size. Some firms are scaling up fast, while others are going backwards.
Wotton Kearney tops this list too. It’s the fastest-growing partnership, at +18.7% over 12 months. Sparke Helmore is close behind. The national firm grew its partnership by +16.8%, despite cutting promotions by 4 as compared to last year.
Law Firm | Partners | 12-Month Growth |
|---|---|---|
Wotton Kearney | 89 | +18.7% |
Sparke Helmore | 125 | +16.8% |
Lander & Rogers | 122 | +10.9% |
Mills Oakley | 191 | +10.4% |
Gadens | 121 | +10.0% |
Gilbert + Tobin | 126 | +9.6% |
Moray & Agnew | 129 | +7.5% |
Johnson Winter Slattery | 88 | +7.3% |
Allens | 169 | +5.0% |
Thomsons/Faculti | 160 | +2.6% |
Corrs Chambers Westgarth | 149 | +2.1% |
Hall & Wilcox | 156 | +2.0% |
Ashurst | 196 | +1.6% |
Maddocks | 98 | +1.0% |
Clayton Utz | 183 | +0.5% |
HWLE | 280 | +0.4% |
HSF Kramer | 177 | 0.0% |
Norton Rose Fulbright | 110 | -1.8% |
Mallesons | 192 | -3.5% |
MinterEllison | 239 | -3.6% |
Source: Australian Financial Review
Due to their smaller partnership size, smaller firms naturally sit higher on this list. Stripping it back to just the top-tier firms, here’s how they rank:
Firm | Partners | 12-Month Growth |
|---|---|---|
Gilbert + Tobin | 126 | +9.6% |
Allens | 169 | +5.0% |
Corrs Chambers Westgarth | 149 | +2.1% |
Ashurst | 196 | +1.6% |
Clayton Utz | 183 | +0.5% |
HSF Kramer | 177 | 0.0% |
Mallesons | 192 | -3.5% |
MinterEllison | 239 | -3.6% |
Gilbert + Tobin leads the top-tier pack at +9.6%, well clear of Allens in second on +5.0%.
Meanwhile, MinterEllison and Mallesons are the only two top-tiers going backwards, down -3.6% and -3.5% respectively. Mallesons still lifted its promotion count by 5 this year, meaning its partnership shrank even as it promoted more lawyers.
HSF Kramer posted flat growth at 0.0%, holding steady despite a wave of exits following its merger with Kramer Levin.