HWLE Lawyers today confirmed Kris Hopkins as Chief Executive Officer to lead the firm.

Chief Executive Partner Russell Mailler and Kris Hopkins have worked in close partnership to guide the firm through a period of transition following the sudden passing of Juan Martinez in March 2024.

With HWLE now well-positioned for its next phase, and with Russell Mailler recently retiring from the firm, the Board has confirmed Kris as Chief Executive Officer.

HWLE is delivering its strongest period of growth in more than a decade, driven by significant investment in its people, client relationships and technology. The firm remains focused on both client and employee engagement as it continues to realise its full potential.

“Reflecting the firm’s strength and momentum, HWLE will transition to a single CEO model, with Kris Hopkins continuing as Chief Executive Officer,” Chair Jamie Restas said.

“Kris has played an important role in leading the firm and has been part of management for the past 15 years, and this appointment represents a natural progression in alignment with our current position, our focus on sustained success, as well as our future ambitions.

Kris will be supported by a bolstered leadership team including Brendan Earle as Senior Partner, a Chief Marketing Officer, General Counsel, and Head of Digital Intelligence, accelerating further investment in key areas of the firm such as risk governance, client engagement, and employee experience. The firm will also shortly be launching their Employee Value Proposition to the market.

Kris Hopkins said he was energised by the opportunity ahead and confident in the firm’s trajectory, building on the strong foundations established in recent years.

“We have demonstrated that consistent high-quality client delivery is built on an authentic, transparent culture that creates an environment of sustained success,” he said.

“I am looking forward to working with the Board, our leadership team, and with our people to unlock our potential as we enter this exciting era for the firm.”

The new arrangements came into effect on 20 April 2026.

Note to Editors:

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

The firm comprises 1,987, staff including 279 Partners, 1,246 other legal staff and 462 support staff across offices in nine locations – Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Melbourne, Hobart, Norwest (Northwest Sydney), Perth and Sydney.

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

HWLE 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:

Sally Bariol, Public Relations Specialist (02) 9138 2308 or sbariol@hwle.com.au

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