NEWS: Russell Kennedy elevates 19 in latest promotion cycle, including three to Principal taking the partnership to 50

Russell Kennedy elevates 19 in latest promotion cycle, including three to Principal taking the partnership to 50

National law firm Russell Kennedy has elevated 19 to senior ranks in its latest promotion cycle, including three to principal and two to special counsel. A full list of internal promotions is set out below.

These promotions are in addition to the recent announcement of the lateral growth of the Planning and Environment team.

The new Principals are: 

Elizabeth Flanagan
Elizabeth, based in Melbourne, works predominantly for Local Government clients in prosecutions and enforcement in the Magistrates’ Court, the Building Appeals Board and VCAT.

Kate Littlewood
Kate is in the Corporate and Commercial team, based in Sydney. Kate’s primary areas of focus are mergers and acquisitions, business structuring (including succession), renewable energy and commercial contracts. Kate also practices in relation to other corporate-commercial advisory matters including in relation to consumer law, intellectual property, and corporate governance.

Mandi Xu
Mandi is in the Workplace Relations, Employment and Safety team based in Sydney. She has extensive experience advising multinational and Australian businesses and public sector employers on contentious and non-contentious matters covering all areas of employment law and workplace relations.

Women now represent 52 percent of principals, up from 28 per cent when the firm’s first gender equality strategy was released in 2017.

These appointments bring the partnership to 50, with lateral hires James Lofting and David Vochheimer set to join the firm later in July taking Principal numbers to 52, with a 50/50 gender split.

“Congratulations to Elizabeth, Kate and Mandi, it is great to see our people excel in their careers and developing into firm leaders. These promotions not only celebrate the individual achievements of these outstanding lawyers, but also reinforce our unwavering commitment to investing in people so they can reach their full potential,” said Managing Director, Paul Gleeson.

Paul also said “These figures also demonstrate the firm’s commitment to gender equity and are indicative of the hard work being done across the firm”.

Russell Kennedy it remains dedicated to attracting and retaining top talent, continues to expand its reach and enhance its capabilities. The firm's focus on high performance, innovation, connectivity, and professional development ensures its lawyers are equipped with the skills and resources needed to address complex legal challenges for clients, both now and into the future.

All promotions are effective from 1 July 2024.

Promotion to Principal 

Promotion from Senior Associate to Special Counsel

Promotion from Associate to Senior Associate

Promotion from Lawyer to Associate

About Russell Kennedy

Russell Kennedy is a forward-thinking national law firm, delivering exceptional legal solutions and providing market-leading advice across our sectors of focus. In operation for more than 120 years, we have over 300 people across offices in Melbourne and Sydney. We pride ourselves on the strong, lasting relationships we build with our clients and our people and are committed to creating positive and meaningful change within our community.

Contact Catriona McGregor on 03 9609 1680 or at cmcgregor@rk.com.au for more information.