Best Lawyers in Australia - 2024 edition

We are delighted to announce that eight of our principal lawyers, Seva Surmei, Daniel Jenkinson, David Meegan, Glenn Davis, Justin Sharman, Leo Walsh, Peter Varacalli and Tom Dachs have been included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in Australia.

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as a definitive guide to legal excellence.

Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in Australia list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to ensure they are in current practice and in good standing.

As a firm, we strive to go above and beyond for our clients and are thrilled to see our team members recognised for their nimble, pragmatic and deeply commercial approach to providing legal services.

Special mention to Seva Surmei who has been recognised by Best Lawyers as the 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” for Franchise Law in the Adelaide area - an excellent achievement!

Read on for more about our award-winning lawyers or tap the link below to visit our Best Lawyers profile.

Seva has been recognised by Best Lawyers as the 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” for Franchise Law in the Adelaide area. Seva was also recognised as the 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” for Franchise law in the Adelaide area.

Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honoured as the “Lawyer of the Year,” making this a significant and coveted accolade.

Seva is a principal in our transactions team.

A significant aspect of Seva’s practice is in franchising, licensing and distribution.

In particular, acting for major franchisors in the establishment, development and operation of franchise systems including providing advice in respect of compliance with the Franchising Code of Conduct.

Congratulations Seva!

Check out Seva's Best Lawyers profile here.

Daniel has been awarded "Best Lawyers in Australia" 2024 for his work in Superannuation Law, Commercial Law and Corporate Law. Daniel has been recognised by Best Lawyers since 2020.

Daniel leads the firm’s transactions practice.

He acts on public and private mergers & acquisitions, corporate advisory, strategic and commercial matters for a broad range of business clients, ranging from SMEs to some of the largest businesses in South Australia.

Daniel works across a variety of industry sectors, including financial services, property, construction, energy and resources and manufacturing.

Congratulations Daniel!

Check out Daniel's Best Lawyers profile here.

David has been awarded “Best Lawyers in Australia” 2024 for his work in Litigation and Trusts and Estates. David is being recognised for the first time in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers.

David is a principal in the firm’s disputes practice.

David also heads our hospitality practice, dealing with liquor licensing, gaming and property and other transactional issues in that sector.

As a dispute resolution practitioner David has acted for a wide variety of clients, large and small, across a broad range of commercial dispute matters and various jurisdictions, in South Australia and interstate.

Congratulations David!

Check out David’s Best Lawyers profile here.

Glenn has been awarded “Best Lawyers in Australia” 2024 for his work in Oil and Gas Law, Commercial Law, Corporate Law, Energy Law and Litigation. Glenn has been recognised by Best Lawyers since 2014.

Glenn is a principal in the firm’s corporate practice.

Glenn provides advice to public and private entities throughout Australia on a full range of corporate and business law issues. This includes capital raisings, listings, mergers by acquisition and schemes of arrangement, ASIC, ASX and legislative compliance, capital reductions and other securities issues and transactions.

He acts for large and medium sized corporates, both listed and unlisted, providing advice on a full range of business issues.

He also works extensively in resolving corporate and business disputes in all States. He has successfully resolved a wide range of corporate and commercial disputes throughout Australia.

Glenn’s expertise and experience now sees him in the role of director on a number of public and private companies.

Check out Glenn's Best Lawyers profile here.

Justin has been awarded “Best Lawyers in Australia” 2024 for his work in Litigation. Justin is being recognised for the first time in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers.

Justin is a principal in our disputes team.

Justin has worked on a wide variety of disputes for corporate clients, ranging from small debt recoveries and enforcement of judgments to large corporate disputes and insolvency litigations.

Justin frequently advises clients with respect to:

• commercial disputes including those arising out of the sale of shares, businesses and property, lease disputes, franchising (for franchisors and franchisees) and construction disputes;
• regulatory compliance, including trade practices, consumer law and professional standards;
• insolvencies and bankruptcies;
• monetary recoveries (including in an insolvency context).

Check out Justin’s Best Lawyers profile here.

Leo has been awarded "Best Lawyers in Australia" 2024 for his work in Alternative Dispute Resolution and Litigation. Leo has been recognised by Best Lawyers since 2017.

Leo is a principal in the firm’s disputes practice.

Leo acts for and advises clients with an emphasis on finding solutions in complex and contested situations. He has experience and practises extensively in most areas of commercial dispute resolution particularly in contractual and related business disputes, recoveries, trade practices, construction, franchising and corporate law. He has been involved in a number of the most significant actions in South Australia.

Check out Leo's Best Lawyers profile here.

Peter has been awarded “Best Lawyers in Australia” 2024 for his work in Real Property Law. Peter has been recognised by Best Lawyers since 2020.

Peter is a principal in our transactions team and is a specialist in real estate, construction and infrastructure law. He regularly leads projects involving:

• capital acquisitions and disposals of land;
• front end construction matters;
• real estate developments (including front end planning matters);
• real estate and construction financing; and
• leasing.

Check out Peter’s Best Lawyers profile here.

Tom has been awarded "Best Lawyers in Australia" 2024 for his work in Litigation. Tom is being recognised for the first time in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers.

Tom is a principal within the firm’s disputes practice.

Tom joined DMAW Lawyers in April 2007 as a senior associate, following previous roles at Clifford Chance in London and Hicksons Lawyers in Sydney where he acted in major litigation matters.

Tom specialises in commercial disputes. He has acted in a full spectrum of complex commercial litigation, construction, superannuation, transport and trade matters.

Tom's experience includes advising and representing a variety of clients, ranging from ASX listed companies, international and larger private entities, through to smaller entities, families and individuals.

Check out Tom’s Best Lawyers profile here.