Australia's Sparke Helmore Launches Consulting Arm With Former PwC Partner
Former Big Four accounting firm partner Jonathan Doy will head Sparke Helmore Consulting, which focuses on tax advisory and strategic business consulting to complement the Australian firm's core legal services.
March 28, 2019 at 01:11 PM
3 minute read
Sydney, Australia. Photo: MagSpace/Shutterstock.com.
Australian firm Sparke Helmore Lawyers has launched a consulting arm, the latest law firm to provide non-legal corporate advisory services.
The consulting business, called Sparke Helmore Consulting Pty Ltd., will initially focus on tax advisory and strategic business consulting to complement the firm's core legal services, before growing into other services. The consultancy will not provide financial or investment advice, which requires an Australian financial services licence.
Sparke Helmore Consulting will be led by chief executive officer Jonathan Doy, who is based in Sydney. Doy joined the firm as a corporate and consulting principal in 2018 from accounting firm Crowe Horwath Australasia, where he was a senior partner and expanded the Sydney operation's indirect tax practice.
Previously, Doy worked at Big Four accounting firms PwC as a senior partner and EY as a principal, specialising in tax.
"Sparke Helmore Consulting is an exciting addition to our business and will open up many opportunities for our clients to work with us on a full-service capacity," Phillip Salem, the firm's national managing partner, said in a statement.
The number of consulting businesses launched by law firms has been on the rise. The founding partners of Hogan Lovells' Australian offices, husband-and-wife team Tim and Nicky Lester, left the firm recently to launch a broader corporate advisory firm that does more than just provide legal advice to clients.
Hogan Lovells itself launched a consulting business in the U.K., also with an ex-PwC hire, in 2017, focusing on its U.K.-based financial services clients.
Major firms in Australia also have non-legal corporate advisory services. Herbert Smith Freehills has an association with specialist tax advisory firm Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills; MinterEllison acquired an information technology consulting firm; and Corrs Chambers Westgarth has a multidisciplinary cybersecurity team.
Outside of Australia, other major law firms have started consulting businesses. Just last year, DLA Piper launched a media- and tech-focused consulting business based in London; Allen & Overy opened a regulatory consultancy focused on financial institution clients; Holman Fenwick Willan started a consulting venture focused on the Middle East, Asia and Australia; and top Singaporean firm Allen & Gledhill launched a regulatory and compliance consultancy.
Related Stories:
DLA Piper launches media and tech-focused consulting business
Allen & Overy launches new consulting business with JPMorgan hire
Singapore's Allen & Gledhill Launches Compliance Consultancy With JPMorgan Hire
Into the unknown – the law firms dipping their toes into the consultancy market
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