Deal Team of the Year and Dealmaker of the Year were among the 12 prestigious awards won by Mallesons Stephen Jaques at the recent ALB Deals of the Year Awards, staged by Australasian Legal Business magazine.

With a total of 67 nominations (nearly a third more than its nearest competitor), leading to its 12 wins, Mallesons’ dominance of the keynote deals of the year was recognised by ALB.

Executive Editor of ALB Magazines, Stephen Mulrenan said: “Mallesons Stephen Jaques’ role as prime counsel coordinating the Westfield Group merger in 2004 helped the law firm to collect what turned out to be an unassailable 12 trophies…”.

The Awards acknowledge those involved in the biggest, most complex, broad and innovative deals of 2004 and, according to ALB’s Regional Managing Editor, George Walmsley, “provide a dedicated platform for recognition of legal work in the Australasian region that over the last year or so has reached a dazzling level of sophistication.”

The breadth of Mallesons’ capability was recognised with nominations and wins across all areas of commercial practice. The firm’s Award wins were as follows:

• Australian Deal of the Year (Westfield Group merger)
• Deal Team of the Year (Westfield Group merger)
• Commercial Property Deal of the Year (Westfield Group merger)
• Construction Deal of the Year (Mitcham-Frankston Freeway project)
• Infrastructure Deal of the Year (Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline Acquisition – Epic West)
• Energy & Resources Deal of the Year (BHP Billiton Iron Ore JV)
• Technology Deal of the Year (Ingram Micro Acquisition of Tech Pacific)
• Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year (Zinifex IPO/Pasminco Group restructure)
• Debt (and Equity-linked) Deal of the Year (Sydney Airport Refinancing)
• Equity Deal of the Year (Shearwater – Establishment of DUET and subsequent JV)
• M&A Deal of the Year (Westfield Group merger)
• Dealmaker of the Year (David Friedlander)

Commenting on the firm’s Deal Team of the Year win, Mallesons’ lead partner on the Westfield transaction, Michael Herring, said: “Winning this award is particularly gratifying. It recognises the teamwork of several partners and lawyers and also the close spirit of cooperation between Mallesons and Westfield that delivered a highly complex deal within a very tight timeframe.”

Winner of the Australian Dealmaker of the Year, partner David Friedlander said: “I am proud to have been nominated in the company of such well-respected and incredibly hardworking lawyers. However this is very much a team award.”

Mallesons’ performance in the ALB Awards follows its recent success in being ranked as IFLR’s Regional Law Firm of the Year and FinanceAsia’s Best Financial Law Firm for 2004.