Matthew McLennan
Partner
Sydney
Matthew.McLennan@aar.com.au
View CV
Litigation Partner Matthew McLennan was seconded from Allens Arthur Robinson's Sydney office to the London office of international 'best friend', UK law firm Slaughter & May, in 2002 and returned to the Sydney office October 2004.
Matthew says he observed many similarities between the two firms, despite the large geographical distance between them.
'While London is a much larger legal market than any market in Australia and boasts a vast number of transactions with a value seen only occasionally in Australia, the style of practice and the nature of the market are very similar,' he says.
'In litigation, the key differences are that the sums involved tend to be larger and the transactions tend to involve more jurisdictions.'
Matthew practises in commercial litigation. Nearly all of the transactions he works on are international, which means negotiating across jurisdictions. His work has so far taken him to Paris, Madrid, Kenya, and the United States.
'You need to understand, or at least be aware of, different substantive legal rules,' he says.
'You also need to be aware of, and adapt to, different cultural styles of doing business and dealing with legal problems. Teamwork among lawyers from different jurisdictions is also important.'
Adjusting to living and working in a different country has meant Matthew has also had to negotiate cultural differences, both within and outside work.
'In many respects, life moves at a more civilised pace in London than in Sydney,' he says. 'People start work later and take longer lunches.
'On the other hand, London is a more bustling place than Sydney ? it may not be faster but it is busier. The traffic is quite heavy at any hour of the day, more people are on the streets and popular sites like Trafalgar Square are always crowded. The city does not have quiet times and spaces as Sydney does.'
Matthew believes the secondment was invaluable for his professional development and recommends it to other young lawyers, 'provided you are ready and willing for major disruption to your personal and professional lives.'
'The main benefit has been the exposure to a different professional environment, in a different firm and different culture,' he says. 'But it's also been a lot of fun!'
Matthew's career began at the then Allen Allen & Hemsley in 1998, after studying arts/law at the University of Sydney.
He spent his first year in the commercial department, then moved to litigation.
'I enjoy the competitive nature of litigation: the fact that your opponent is waiting to capitalise on any mistakes you make and the fact that you can win or lose in dramatic fashion,' he says.
'I also enjoy the fact-finding involved and the unfolding of the story behind the dispute.'
During his time at Allens, Matthew has enjoyed the collegial atmosphere, the opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss problems with colleagues, the relative freedom over how he works, and the intellectual stimulation.
