Trade in Australia with Blake Morgan connections

Important Partnerships

UK organisations looking to do business, or expand their existing business interests, in Australia, or Australian organisations/firms/corporations looking to do the same here in the UK, will need to align themselves with partners that can provide effective and seamless advice in both jurisdictions in order to maximise the opportunities for growth and mitigate any potential risks.

Blake Morgan has a long-standing relationship with like-minded Australian law firm, Piper Alderman. The established partnership developed through both firms’ membership of the TAGLaw network, enables seamless specialist advice in connection with UK/Australian matters.

Blake Morgan Partner Jill Bainbridge, said:

Piper Alderman Partner Simon Venus, said: “While the finer detail of the FTA is still to be seen, we are working with clients who are positioning themselves for the benefits. Australian businesses (particularly commodity and FMCG producers) have focused on the UK consumer market to fill a void lost from tariff hikes imposed by China.

“On the in-bound front, Australia is welcoming of foreign investment and so we see ourselves uniquely positioned as a familiar place for UK businesses to access our consumers and to base themselves and reach out into Asian markets.  In the reverse, the UK provides an excellent platform to reach European markets.

“Our relationship with Blake Morgan is important to us as we look to offer seamless cross-border legal services for our respective clients.”

Piper Alderman’s longstanding client, Accolade Wines (owners of Hardy’s, Echo Falls, Kumala and most recently, Lambrini) is specifically mentioned in the International Trade summary of key benefits (the full document can be found here). Their products, along with other Australian favourites such as Jacob’s Creek, Tim Tams and Vegemite, will be sold at a cheaper price due to the deal, expected to save households collectively up to £34 million a year.

Caroline Thompson-Hill, Managing Director – Europe, Accolade Wines said: “The UK is Australia’s fifth-largest trading partner and in 2019, UK businesses traded £18.1 billion in goods and services with Australia.

“Securing a mutually beneficial deal between the UK and Australia will offer consumers even greater choice of Australian wines – from full-bodied reds to a range of fruity whites.

“The removal of tariffs on Australian wine, signalled in the recent Agreement in Principle is a central part of freer trade. Accolade Wines looks forward to the final agreement in the coming months and to working with partners to support the work of the UK joining the multilateral CPTPP in the months ahead.”

Looking to the future

As well as partnerships with Australian law firms, Blake Morgan has established ties with firms across the world and in many of the key marketplaces that form the CPTPP including:

• Australia (Piper Alderman)
• New Zealand (Meredith Connell)
• Canada (Blaney McMurtry)
• Chile (Guerrero Olivos)
• Japan (South Toranomon Law Offices)
• Mexico (Kuri Brena, Sanchez Ugarte and Aznar)
• Peru (DHC – De Bracamonte, Haaker & Castellares Abogados)
• Singapore (Sim Mong Teck & Partners)
• Viet Nam (Rissin & Vecchi)

The important step that the UK is taking, potentially toward membership of the CPTPP alliance in the future, could open up the golden gates, pending the neutralisation of some key issues likely to be sticking points (such as data privacy and the European Patents Convention). As founding members of the TAGLaw network, Blake Morgan can provide specialist legal support to international businesses looking to trade in the UK, or local clients hoping to expand in to other markets.

If you’d like to speak to one of our experts about any issues with conducting business in Australia or the UK, please get in touch.