Executive staff of Clyde & Co. in Australia grows

By elevating Rebecca Kelly to the position of Australian managing partner, the global legal company Clyde & Co. has strengthened its leadership contingent in Australia.

More than 20 years ago, Kelly (pictured) was a leading and defending investigator in investigations across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. His specialty is regulatory disputes and investigations.

Kelly has extensive experience representing international corporations in arbitration and high-stakes litigation matters involving many jurisdictions. Consulting with customers, she ensures they meet their compliance duties with laws pertaining to anti-corruption or bribery, anti-money laundering, sanctions, and anti-boycott. Furthermore, she represents clients in cases where regulatory enforcement is being pursued.

Before this, Kelly oversaw the Middle East’s litigation and regulatory efforts at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. She also served as the managing partner for the Dubai branch of the business.

The latest managing partner to join Clyde & Co. in Australia

Kelly, who is now headquartered in the Middle East, is a partner at Clyde & Co. and spearheads the firm’s worldwide Regulatory & Investigations group. In 2024, she will go back to Australia and be located in Brisbane as the managing partner.

Taking on a senior position at Clyde & Co., an Australian legal practice, is “an exciting time,” Kelly said. Whereas competition is fierce and the need for high-quality legal services has never been greater, the present economic and geopolitical climate offers both obstacles and enormous development potential across all industries. Clients are confronted with a diverse array of risks as they strive to expand their operations both locally and worldwide. Our sector-focused approach positions us to assist them effectively. I am excited to collaborate with our incredible Australian workforce and contribute to the ongoing development of our company’s portfolio.

Clyde & Co.’s associate and head of the APAC board in Hong Kong, Simon McConnell, said that the firm’s growth into Australia is reflected in Kelly’s hiring.

We aim to provide industry-leading litigation, regulatory, and corporate and commercial services to clients in Australia over the next five years, a market where we have huge aspirations. “Rebecca is ideally placed to lead the firm in Australia on our growth path,” McConnell said. “Our expertise in insurance, construction, energy, trading, and marine is just the beginning. We aim to provide clients with a fully rounded offering, including regulatory and investigative services.”