HWL Ebsworth chief Juan Martinez dead at 64
Mr Martinez took over as a managing partner in 1998, when the firm had one office in Melbourne and was known as Home Wilkinson Lowry. It merged with a Sydney commercial firm Ebsworth & Ebsworth in 2008, and continued to grow through mergers and acquisitions and lateral hires.
It now employs about 1250 people and 285 partners – more than any other firm in the Financial Review’s law partnership survey.
HWLE chief strategy officer Russell Mailler said Mr Martinez was “an inestimable leader” and “a giant of the Australian legal profession”.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with Juan’s family, friends and colleagues as they process this devastating news,” Mr Mailler said. Mr Martinez had three children.
The firm did not release any information on the time or cause of death, other than to say it was “related to a medical issue”. The Financial Review understands it was due to a heart attack that occurred late on Monday night.
A statement issued by the firm said Mr Williams would work with Mr Mailler and chief operating officer Kris Hopkins “to ensure the firm continues to meet the needs of its clients and to support the firm’s team members through this difficult time”.
Mr Mailler said HWLE had “a strong and stable leadership team”.
“We have been planning for Juan’s eventual retirement for at least three years,” he said.
“We are devastated by the loss of Juan, but there is no crisis, and we will honour Juan’s legacy by ensuring that the firm continues its extraordinary success into the future.”
Mr Martinez was a dynamic leader who enjoyed baiting the more prestigious national firms about their fees, costs and elaborate offices.
He told the Financial Review in 2018 that the firm did “business in a vastly different way to our big brothers in the industry”.
“There is no hierarchy. The understanding of that around here is very acute. There is no sooky-la-la going on. You might be disappointed, but you don’t sook about it. You say ‘what do I have to do to achieve that?’,” he said.
HWLE suffered a damaging cyberattack in April 2023, when Russia-linked hackers known as Black Cat infiltrated the firm’s computer systems.
Sixty-two federal government agencies had data stolen in the hack, along with an unknown number of businesses – including the big four banks – and state governments.
HWLE refused to pay a ransom of $7 million and took out an injunction against anyone who revealed the stolen information.
Mr Mailler said in September there were “ongoing issues” with the breach, but it was “business as usual” with most clients.
