Legal Firms Merge

Newcastle Herald

Monday September 1, 2008

GR

WELL-KNOWN Newcastle lawyer Pauline Tregenza is on the move.

But Pauline won't be going too far, just across Hunter street in fact, to join Hunt and Hunt.

Pauline sees the move as an opportunity to further enhance her capacity to provide a full range of legal services to her growing client base in Newcastle and the Hunter region. The merger will also allow her clients access to enhanced legal services across Australia through the Hunt and Hunt network.

In a letter to her current Platinum Legal clients she said: "It is the access to the wider resources which I believe will enable me to build on the services already provided to you and access a wider range of skills to you both personally and in your business".

Tregenza Forbes & Associates was established in December 2003 as a small boutique firm providing legal and business support services to small- and medium-size businesses. In April this year the firm underwent a name change to Platinum Legal.

The merger with Hunt and Hunt is scheduled to take place at the end of the month.

SWIMWEAR ONLINE CARLA Swimwear and Leisurewear opens its third store today, online.

Helen Nicola from Carla's expects to gain a large percentage of its online shopping customer base from Hunter centres such as Maitland, Singleton, Cessnock, Scone and Kurri Kurri. They also expect business on the carlaswimwear.com.au site from Sydney and the Central Coast.

Net Perceptions were charged with the web page design with a brief to make it easy to navigate and include as many images and as much detail as possible.

The online package has added a fresh dimension to Carla's sales options, after almost 70 years in business on the Hunter, with shops at The Junction and Charlestown.

SUPER SERVICE AUSCOAL Super, the Newcastle-based $5 billion industry super fund for coalmining and related industries, has been recognised for its personal and responsive customer service in the 2008 BRW ANZ Private Business Awards.

One of four finalists in the Excellence in Customer Service category, AUSCOAL Super drew on its long history of quality staff, products and service to win the award.

The fund, which employs a team of more than 70 Newcastle and Central Coast people, also drew on independent research which gave the fund a member satisfaction score of 7.94 out of 10, the highest seen by Melbourne-based research company Forethought Research.

Fund membership has grown by 10% in the past year.

CEO Bruce Watson said: "We're offering scaleable, commission-free financial advice, from answering a single question to a full financial plan, that allows members to get the right advice at the right time, regardless of their age or account balance".

NEW ALLIANCE THE Greater Building Society and Allianz Australia Insurance have signed a five-year contract to distribute general insurance products to Greater members.

From today, Allianz is the sole supplier of home and contents, motor and CTP, consumer credit, travel and boat insurance products being distributed by the Greater.

Greater's business alliance manager, Steve Goverd, said having a single provider would bring administration benefits to keep premiums down, as well as strengthening the already high service levels for customers.

General manager corporate affairs at Allianz Australia Nicholas Scofield said: "Instead of juggling relationships with several insurers, members can enjoy quick and easy access to the full Allianz product suite".

LEGAL WINNERLAW firm Freehills has won two awards, Most Successful Private Business and Excellence in Community Practices, at the inaugural BRW ANZ Private Business Awards.

The new awards initiative seeks to reward and recognise private companies excelling in their chosen fields.

Freehills CEO and managing partner Gavin Bell said the awards were a reflection of the firm's talented lawyers and quality clients. They highlighted a robust and successful year of working on many landmark deals and transactions.

Some recent examples include:

? advising Coles Group on its $20 billion acquisition by Wesfarmers

? acting for Bupa Australia on its $2.41 billion merge with MBF

? advising National Hire Group on its successful $2.9 billion scheme of arrangement with the Carlyle Group to acquire Coates Hire Limited

? advising Singapore Power and Babcock & Brown on the consortium's $7.9 billion acquisition of Alinta.

The biz

'Were in a much tougher

environment going into the

2009 financial year than we

were last year. But were

active managers of our business

and you wont find us

sitting on our hands.'

-Justin Ryan, ALESCO Corporation CEO,

who addressed 70 Hunter investors and

shareholders, in Newcastle on Thursday.

ALESCO employs more than 200 people

in the Hunter.

DIARY DATES

? Tomorrow: Australian Hotels Association Newcastle & Hunter sub-branch, Annual Charity Ball to aid The Nicholas Trust and HMRI, Concert Hall, City Hall

? Friday: Property Council of Australia Hunter chapter lunch, Residential Development Council executive director Caryn Kakas, "Housing Affordability", noon to 2pm, Newcastle City Hall.

? September 12: The Herald Business Breakfast at the Beach, guest speaker Commsec Advisory chief equities economist Craig James, "Navigating the Minefield", Cooks Hill Surf Life Saving Club, Bar Beach.

? September 19: Westpac Rescue Helicopter Ball, Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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