Gilbert + Tobin

Gilbert + Tobin
HeadquartersSydney, Australia
OfficesSydney, Melbourne, Perth
No. of attorneys500+ lawyers
No. of employees1000+ employees
Major practice areasArtificial Intelligence, Banking and Finance, Corporate Advisory, Competition Consumer and Market Regulation, Climate Change and Sustainability, Disputes and Investigations, Intellectual Property, Pro Bono, Real Estate, and Technology and Digital.
Key peopleDanny Gilbert (Chairman)
Sam Nickless (CEO)
Date founded1988
Company typePartnership
Websitewww.gtlaw.com.au

Gilbert + Tobin is a commercial law firm in Australia with more than 118 partners and 1,100 employees working across its Sydney, Melbourne and Perth offices. The firm specialises in transactions, disputes and regulation.

History

The firm has grown significantly since its founding in 1988 to become a top tier law firm in Australia.

In 2025, the pro bono team includes two partners and four lawyers who are solely dedicated to pro bono matters.

In 2001, the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law was founded at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. It functions as a research centre specialising in constitutional and administrative law, Indigenous legal issues and human rights.

In 2022, Danny Gilbert stepped down from Managing Partner after 33 years. Sam Nickless became Chief Executive Officer. Danny remains with the firm and focuses on partner engagement, culture and future strategy.

In 2023, Gilbert + Tobin advocated for the voice referendum to alter the Constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia and establish a Voice to Parliament. Danny Gilbert was co-chair of Yes23 and is currently Co-Chair and Director of Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition.

Pro bono and community engagement

Pro bono practice

Gilbert + Tobin has maintained a dedicated pro bono practice since 1996 and was the first Australian law firm to appoint a full-time in-house pro bono lawyer. The practice focuses on providing legal assistance in matters involving First Nations peoples, people with disability, refugees and asylum seekers, and human rights. The firm is a founding signatory to the Australian Pro Bono Centre's National Pro Bono Target.

Sustainability

Gilbert + Tobin has undertaken environmental sustainability initiatives since the late 2010s. In 2018, the firm announced it had become carbon neutral across its Australian offices, and in 2019 it became the second Australian law firm to achieve certification under the Australian Government's National Carbon Offset Standard (now Climate Active). The firm subsequently began reporting its greenhouse gas emissions through CDP and has been recognised through the CitySwitch program for initiatives to reduce emissions and transition to renewable electricity.

Diversity and inclusion

Gilbert + Tobin is a founding signatory to the Law Council of Australia's Equitable Briefing Policy and has been recognised by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality.

Notable cases and transactions

Alumni

References

  1. ↑ Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers. "Who We Are". www.gtlaw.com.au.
  2. ↑ Pelly, Michael (23 March 2022). "Danny Gilbert stepping down as managing partner". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
  3. ↑ Henning, Laurel (22 July 2024). "Danny Gilbert on how he built Gilbert + Tobin to become a top-tier law firm". Capital Brief. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  4. ↑ "Home | Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law". www.gtcentre.unsw.edu.au. Archived from the original on 26 July 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "Danny Gilbert stepping down as managing partner". Australian Financial Review. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  6. ↑ "Gilbert + Tobin founder promises 'space' for new leaders". Australian Financial Review. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  7. ↑ "Staff, clients 'need to understand importance of Voice'". Australian Financial Review. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  8. ↑ Allam, Lorena; Butler, Josh (19 February 2023). "Voice referendum: who's behind the yes and no campaigns and how do they plan to convince Australia?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Levett, Simon (15 June 2022). "Pro bono services are part of our culture, says Gilbert + Tobin". www.lawyersweekly.com.au. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  10. ↑ untitled
  11. ↑ Macdonald, Anthony (20 October 2025). "Justice Black's MAC attack should cut the bulldust". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  12. ↑ McDuling, John (20 February 2026). "Euconomics 101". Capital Brief. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  13. ↑ Doraisamy</a>, <a href='/authors/jerome-doraisamy' title='PLG_CONTENT_AUTHORLIST_TITLE_VIEW_AUTHOR'>Jerome; Doraisamy, Jerome (17 June 2025). "G+T's reflections on 'Australia's most important' IPO in recent years". www.lawyersweekly.com.au. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  14. ↑ Stefano, Mark Di; Riordan, Primrose (20 June 2024). "Who's who in the Guzman y Gomez fiesta". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  15. ↑ "Chemist Warehouse deal will make Sigma stock a global attraction". Australian Financial Review. 10 December 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  16. ↑ Harris, Gilbert + Tobin-Richard; Harrison, Kate; Floro, Andrew; Platford, Colleen; Cass-Gotttieb, Gina; Whiting, Janet; MacPherson, Daniel; Eberl, Dominic (6 February 2019). "Final Report of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry". Lexology. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  17. ↑ Editor, Katie WalshLegal Affairs (23 November 2017). "The Gilbert + Tobin lawyers with royal commission insights: are banks next?". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 18 August 2025. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)