HWL Ebsworth Lawyers is pleased to announce the acquisition of leading Adelaide-based firm Botten Levinson Lawyers, effective 1 August 2025.

The move marks a significant milestone in HWL Ebsworth’s renewed growth journey and reinforces its commitment to expanding its footprint and specialist capabilities across Australia.

The integration will see the majority of Botten Levinson Lawyers welcomed into the HWL Ebsworth team, providing continuity for clients and strengthening the firm’s presence in South Australia.

“We are delighted to welcome such a well-regarded team which will add to our existing pre-eminent environmental and planning capability across Australia,” HWL Ebsworth’s Chief Executive Partner Russell Mailler said.

“This move brings together the market-leading expertise of Botten Levinson Lawyers with our existing full-service capability, creating even greater breadth of service for our clients in South Australia” HWL Ebsworth’s Chair of Partners Jamie Restas said. “We look forward to introducing our new team members to our existing clients in the coming months.”

Principal at Botten Levinson Lawyers James Levinson noted that this is an exciting chapter for both teams.

“Joining HWL Ebsworth will provide our clients with access to a national network of specialists and a broader suite of legal services, while allowing us to continue to deliver the high-calibre advice we’re known for in South Australia,” he said.

Four of Botten Levinson Lawyers’ six Principals – James Levinson, Ali Field, Rosie Jervis and Pip Metljak – will be joining HWL, bringing deep expertise and strong client relationships across the environment and planning space. Two Principals have made a personal decision not to transition with the team.

“We were hopeful all six principals would join us in transitioning to HWL Ebsworth,” James Levinson added. “While two have chosen a different path for their own personal reasons, we wish them success for the future.”

The addition of Botten Levinson Lawyers builds on HWL Ebsworth’s strategy to grow in key markets and practice areas, and reflects a strong outlook for the firm.

“This is another step towards our ultimate goal of further enhancing our offering to clients on a full range of exceptional services across all areas of law, regardless of where they’re operating in the country,” Russell Mailler said.

Note to Editors:

HWL Ebsworth is the largest legal partnership in Australia according to the most recent partnership surveys published by the Australian Financial Review.

The firm comprises 1,780, staff including 279 Partners, 1,102 other legal staff and 399 support staff across offices in nine locations – Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Melbourne, Hobart, Norwest (Northwest Sydney), Perth and Sydney.

HWL Ebsworth is an independent, nationally integrated, full service commercial law firm, providing tailored and commercially oriented legal services.

HWL Ebsworth operates a different business model to the other leading national law practices, and this allows us to offer unrivalled value for money without compromising quality and service. Our low ratio of solicitors to partners ensures that our clients receive optimal access to partner resources for all matters.

For further information, please contact:

Russell Mailler, Chief Executive Partner (03) 8644 3569 or rmailler@hwle.com.au

Angelique Kear, Head of Marketing (02) 9334 8541 or akear@hwle.com.au