Listed law firm Shine Lawyers, operating successfully in Australia and New Zealand, are looking again at entering the UK market, as well as attracting UK lawyers to their home markets Down Under.

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Shine have more than 1,000 staff working from 60 offices in Australia and New Zealand, said it is monitoring the UK market and ‘carefully considering’ a number of opportunities in this country.

Shinewas expected a decade ago to follow its domestic rival Slater and Gordon to the UK, but despite repeated speculation about mergers or office openings, the move never happened, according to a report in the UK Law Society Gazette.

Chief legal officer Lisa Flynn hinted that this situation may change if the chance came about to expand. ‘The UK jurisdiction is one that we have always been interested in. It is a common law jurisdiction and has a much larger population,’ said Shine’s Chief legal officer Lisa Flynn.

‘This could provide the synergy and opportunity for us to enter the UK at some stage. However – it is critical that we make the best strategic decisions for the firm, at the right time. We will continue to learn as much as we can about this jurisdiction before making any further plans in this respect.’

In the meantime, however, difficulties in finding domestic talent has prompted Shine to cast the net to the UK looking for lawyers to move to Australia and New Zealand.

Flynn said that post-pandemic people may be reflecting on their lives and seeking a change, and the firm thinks it can capitalise on that with a direct pitch to UK lawyers to emigrate.

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‘We thought we’d tap into a different talent pool to solve the problem, mindful of the desire of many UK lawyers to make the move abroad, off the back of much reform in their jurisdiction. The lawyers we have recruited from the UK have added to the richness of our team. It has exposed our people to UK legal practices and how things work in that jurisdiction. It is always a bonus when we expand our knowledge bases to ensure we best serve our clients with a global mindset.’