Today, 31 March 2026, marks the official launch of Mallesons as a fully independent, top-tier Australian law firm operating in Australia and Singapore, effectively unwinding the 14-year Swiss verein partnership with China’s King & Wood that created King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) in March 2012.
The split was first announced on 9 December 2025 (KWM is Dead, said the AFR) in a joint statement from the Chinese and Australian partnerships.
From today, the Australian and Singapore offices trade exclusively as Mallesons, while the Greater China, Hong Kong and remaining international offices operate as King & Wood. Hong Kong remains with the Chinese side.
All client matters continue on a business-as-usual basis; joint files will be managed seamlessly, and the two firms have committed to future non-exclusive collaboration where it benefits clients.
Why the Split Happened
Officially, both sides cited “different strategic horizons” and the natural evolution of each firm’s priorities in a dramatically changed global legal market.
The 2012 merger — one of the most ambitious East-West combinations ever attempted — was built on the promise of a seamless Asia-Pacific powerhouse bridging Chinese capital outbound and Australian resources/infrastructure expertise.
Structured as a Swiss verein, the partnerships remained financially and operationally distinct while sharing the KWM brand. That structure ultimately made the demerger relatively clean given there is no financial integration, no messy asset splits, and no need for a full dissolution.
By late 2025, however, the original rationale had eroded. Geopolitical tensions between China and the West, coupled with heightened client sensitivity around perceived China exposure, made the integrated brand a drag on the Australian firm’s ability to win referrals from US and UK clients. Australian partners reportedly described years of “strategic drift” and a “slow boat to nowhere.”
The Australian side increasingly wanted the agility to partner broadly with global elite firms rather than being tied to a single China platform. The Chinese side, meanwhile, sought to double down on its own international expansion strategy.
The decision was mutual, amicable, and executed swiftly once the strategic misalignment became clear. Australian leadership, led by Chief Executive Partner Renae Lattey (pictured) and Chair David Friedlander, drove the process to conclusion,as announced in the firm’s media statement.
Mallesons leadership quotes (today’s media release) Chief Executive Partner Renae Lattey: “All business is facing unprecedented disruption and uncertainty. We’re here to be the firm they trust most with their future…”
Chair David Friedlander: “We are grateful for the past 14 years in partnership with King & Wood… This is an exciting new chapter… with a new strategic focus as an independent firm that offers agility and ingenuity when it matters most.”
