Pinsent Masons to launch Vario in Australia

16 Mar 2017 | 01:29 pm | 1 min. read

International law firm Pinsent Masons has announced plans to launch its flexible legal resourcing hub, Vario, in Australia later this year.

Australia will be Vario's first operational base outside the UK and its launch is expected to mark the first step in a programme of targeted international expansion.

Vario has begun an executive search for a senior leadership team to lead the launch and development of its business in Australia.

The announcement comes following a period of rapid expansion in the UK. Since launch in 2012 Vario has grown to offer clients access to over 300 high quality, freelance legal professionals. It saw an increase in revenues of over 40% on the prior year in FY15/16.

Vario's entry into the Australian market is expected to complement and enhance Pinsent Masons in Australia, which has also been subject to rapid growth in the two years since launch and now comprises 8 partners and twenty lawyers.

Matt Kay, Director of Vario, says:

“Pinsent Masons was in the vanguard of firms to launch this type of flexible resourcing service and we believe we have established a market-leading position in the UK as a result of our platform, client base and the access to talent those two features unlock. We are now embarking on an ambitious plan to scale internationally and bring the best of the flexible model to a number of international hubs. We are actively recruiting in Australia and are keen to hear from senior practitioners with experience of recruitment to help us establish and grow our business.”

David Rennick, Head of Pinsent Masons in Australia, says:

"We are delighted to be bringing Vario to Australia. We see significant client demand for flexible resourcing when it is wedded to the quality assurance that comes from working with a Pinsent Masons business. Flexible resourcing will be a key part both of servicing clients in Australia, and giving our own business more flexibility to scale up and down in response to major projects without inflating fixed costs. We recognise that we are a challenger brand in Australia and a key part of our strategy is to bring the best of the disruptive innovation from legal markets around the world to Australia."