Kain Lawyers is delighted to announce seven promotions across the firm including the promotion of Josh Lee to Director. Josh is an integral member of the firm’s Transaction Disputes team and is a highly accomplished dispute resolution specialist with extensive experience in managing complex transaction, commercial, corporate and construction disputes. Josh also advises clients on all aspects of construction and supply contracts from preparation through to negotiation and contract administration.

Commenting on his elevation to Director, Josh said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Kain Lawyers team and clients over the last five years. I am extremely grateful for the varied opportunities that have helped me develop personally and professionally. The firm has experienced incredible growth since I commenced and I’m particularly excited to be a part of its continued success with a team of focused, committed and driven individuals.”

“Our firm’s pragmatic, commercial and solutions focused approach to dispute resolution resonates with our clients who are looking for expert advice and practical problem solving in the disputes context. I look forward to continuing to build out the firm’s Transactions Dispute resolution offering for the benefit of our clients across a wide range of industries.”

Josh was recognised as ‘One to Watch’ in Construction and Infrastructure Law in the Best Lawyers 2024 and 2025 editions. He was also listed in Doyle’s Guide as a ‘National Rising Star’ in Litigation in 2021 and as a ‘Rising Star’ in South Australia in Commercial Litigation and Insolvency in 2023.

Kain Lawyers Managing Director, Michael Garry, said:  “Josh consistently demonstrates exceptional strategic insight and has established a proven track record in delivering outstanding outcomes for clients. This well-deserved promotion reflects Josh‘s strengths as a dispute resolution and construction practitioner and the significant contribution that he will continue to make to our clients and the firm.”

In addition to the promotion of Josh Lee, the firm is thrilled to announce six promotions across Kain Lawyer’s Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide offices, with Taylor Moore promoted to Associate Director, and Emily Stollznow, Gemma Kerin, Cameron Robinson, Lachlan Smith and Dan Wood all advancing to Associate.

The promotions will take effect from 1^st of July, 2025.

Kain Lawyers have further strengthened their Board with the appointment of Tony O’Malley as an independent Non-Executive Director, bringing extensive global experience in business transformation and growth.

With over 25 years in senior leadership roles, Tony has worked across multiple countries and business models, including as Managing Partner of King & Wood Mallesons and as the leader of PwC’s Global Legal Network.

A respected leader known for his energy, commercial acumen, and ability to build strong teams, Tony has played a pivotal role in reshaping business strategies, negotiating complex deals, and driving structural change.

His achievements include leading a global strategy refresh at PwC that returned the legal network to double-digit growth; playing a key role at Mallesons in the regional combination with King & Wood, and leading a multidisciplinary team advising Telstra on its strategic options for creating a separate InfraCo business.

Kain Lawyers Non-Executive Chair, Mark Booth and Managing Director, Michael Garry, welcomed Tony to the Board, commenting that his appointment will further consolidate the firm’s strategic leadership as it expands its national presence.

“Tony’s expertise will support our commitment to delivering the specialised insights and market knowledge that sets us apart, ensuring we continue to attract leading transactional clients and legal talent. We look forward to the leadership and strategic vision he will no doubt bring,” Michael said.

This follows the recent announcement of Michael Garry taking on the role of Managing Director from founder John Kain, who is taking a sabbatical and will return later this year as Executive Chair.

The Kain Lawyers Board members are Mark Booth (Non-Executive Chair), Fiona Pak-Poy (Independent Non-Executive Director), Tony O’Malley (Non-Executive Director), Michael Garry (Kain Lawyers Managing Director), John Kain (Executive Director) and Gerry Cawson (Executive Director).

In the first of a two-part series with Australasian Lawyer, Michael Garry discusses the leadership transition process that began two years ago, the three pillars Kain Lawyers is founded on, and the most important thing he learned about leadership from his predecessor John Kain.

In part two, Michael talks about the firm’s strategy for the next five years and the legacy he hopes to leave in this leadership role.

Read more here:

Australasian Lawyer Part 1

Australasian Lawyer Part 2

Private capital is continuing to play a major role in shaping Australia’s mid-market, particularly in sectors that are aligned with long-term economic and social priorities such as infrastructure, healthcare, and housing. 

In an article published around the country yesterday, Kain Lawyers’ Managing Director-elect, Michael Garry, observes the firm is seeing increasing activity from private equity and private credit investors. Michael also notes that as private market assets have grown 160% over the past decade, the legal and strategic complexities of these transactions are increasing, especially amid rising regulatory scrutiny.

Read more about the trends driving mid-market M&A here.

#TransactionSpecialists #KainLawyersSydney #KainLawyersMelbourne #KainLawyersAdelaide

Kain Lawyers is excited to announce the appointment of Michael Garry as Managing Director from 1 May 2025. Michael will assume the role from founder John Kain in a leadership transition that has been planned for the past two years. As we approach the conclusion of the financial year, John Kain will take a well-earned sabbatical and return later this year as Executive Chair.

Michael is widely recognised as one of the country’s leading transaction lawyers and has been instrumental in the firm’s expansion since joining in 2015.  With record-breaking growth over the last five years, Kain Lawyers has trebled in size, with its Sydney and Melbourne offices now home to more than 40% of the 75-person strong Kain team, and 60% of the firm’s revenue. During this time, the firm has advised on more than 300 deals worth more than $11 billion.

As a senior Director with the firm, Michael has held key management and strategy roles. His experience and extensive client network have shaped his clear vision for the business and have been central in establishing the firm’s reputation as Transaction Specialists in the Australian market.

Michael Garry, Kain Lawyers Managing Director elect, commented:

“It is an honour to be called upon to lead the firm through its next phase. I’m genuinely excited about the opportunities ahead as we strengthen our position as mid-market transaction specialists. We have assembled a fantastic team, have a compelling vision, and are seeing the benefits of a focused strategy. Australia’s mid-market investment landscape will be dynamic over the coming years, particularly with the increased depth of private capital driving transactions and growing demand for quality legal services.”

“I look forward to working alongside our talented people to shape a firm that continues to deliver a compelling and truly distinctive experience for both our clients and our team,” said Michael.

For 21 years, John Kain’s relentless passion and astute understanding of market trends have successfully led the firm through several key transitions to establish Kain Lawyers as Australia’s mid-market transactions specialist.

The firm will retain John’s insights in the role of Executive Chair, as he continues to support the firm’s growth with clients and stakeholders in Sydney and other key markets. Following two years of planning, the transition lays the foundation for the firm’s next decade of growth.

In this feature interview with Australasian Lawyer, Kain Lawyers Director James Tannock shares how he didn’t plan on becoming a lawyer, but curiosity and good advice led him to corporate law.

James discusses what he enjoys most about his work—the balance of collaboration and deep focus—and the values that are shaping his career, from the Kain Lawyers commitment to community impact to the importance of mental health in the profession.

He also offers some insights into the firm’s culture, the innovative learning programs at Kain Academy, and the blend of high-level transactional work with a supportive, people-first environment. And he reflects on taking time off to be the primary carer for his daughter and the advancements in legal tech that excite him.

Read the two-part interview in Australasian Lawyer — Part one and Part two.

Kain Lawyers has further expanded its national presence with the appointment of James Tannock as Director in the firm’s Sydney office.  James’ appointment is the sixth senior appointment in the past twelve months and further adds to the transactional expertise across Kain Lawyers’ three offices.

James has extensive domestic and international experience advising on complex M&A and equity structuring transactions across a diverse range of industries, including health, technology, financial services, and property. His expertise covers cross-border and domestic M&A, equity and acquisition structuring, shareholder and partnership arrangements (including management equity plans), capital raising, equity investments, and general corporate advisory.

Notably, James represented MA Financial in its $225 million acquisition of the D’Albora Marina Portfolio from Balmain Corporation, advising on related fund and structuring matters, including Balmain’s reinvestment as a cornerstone investor in the newly established MA Marina Fund.

Kain Lawyers Managing Director, John Kain, said James’ exceptional skillset further enhances the firm’s pre-eminent position in Australian mid-market transactions.

“We are proud to welcome James to our national team of 70 professionals.  His experience in Australian and offshore markets will add further depth to our growing Private Equity practice.  Our singular focus on mid-market transactions continues to set us apart in the market and allow us to attract lawyers of James’ calibre.”

James began his legal career at Gilbert + Tobin in Sydney before working for six years in London in the M&A and private equity teams of US firms Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Winston & Strawn. He was most recently a Partner in the Sydney M&A team at Hamilton Locke.

James will join Kain Lawyers Sydney-based Directors David Mitchell, Nick Slack and Brendan Wykes.

Read more about James’ appointment in the Australasian Lawyer and Lawyers Weekly.

In this interview with Australasian Lawyer, Kain Lawyers Director Nick Brown reflects on the insights he’s gained from his time at PwC and how working with non-lawyers has deepened his understanding of the role legal advice plays in decision-making.

Nick shares his top lessons from leading PwC’s legal business, including the importance of collaboration with other disciplines, staying relevant to clients, and balancing team dynamics during periods of growth. He also highlights what the legal profession can learn from sports organisations in managing workload intensity and shares his vision for the future of Kain Lawyers.

Read the full article in Australasian Lawyer here.

Kain Lawyers Managing Director, John Kain recently sat down with Laurel Henning from Capital Brief to discuss the appeal of mid-market transactions and the challenges new merger laws present for public companies in competitive bidding. Kain Lawyers’ specialist transactions focus means the team always has their finger on the pulse when it comes to trends in both public and private markets. #transactionspecialists

Read the Capital Brief article here.

Kain Lawyers Managing Director, John Kain sat down with Juliette Saly at ausbiz to discuss the impact of increased regulation on the Australian M&A market. Kain Lawyers’ specialist transactions focus means the team always has their finger on the pulse when it comes to trends in both public and private markets. #transactionspecialists