Best Lawyers in Australia - 2025 edition

We are delighted to announce that eight of our principal lawyers Seva Surmei, Daniel Jenkinson, David Meegan, Glenn Davis, Leo Walsh, Paul Dugan, Peter Varacalli and Tom Dachs have been included in the 2025 edition of the Best Lawyers in Australia. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

Lawyers on the Best Lawyers in Australia list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are nominated and reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo a detailed authentication process by Best Lawyers.

It’s great to see this highly skilled and dedicated group of lawyers recognised for their continued efforts in going above and beyond for our clients.

Read on for more about our award-winning lawyers or visit our Best Lawyers profile here.

Seva has been awarded “Best Lawyers in Australia” 2025 for her work in Franchise Law. Seva has also recently been recognised for the prestigious “Lawyer of the Year” award for Franchise Law in Adelaide in 2022 and 2024.

Seva is a principal in the firm’s transactions practice.

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.

Seva also has extensive experience in property transactions including preparing and advising clients in relation to contracts for the sale and purchase of land, due diligence and commercial leases.

Congratulations Seva!

Check out Seva's Best Lawyers profile here.

Daniel has been awarded "Best Lawyers in Australia" 2025 for his work in Commercial Law, Corporate Law and Superannuation Law. Daniel has been recognised by Best Lawyers since 2020.

Daniel leads the firm’s transactions practice.

He acts on mergers & acquisitions, corporate and commercial matters for a broad range of business clients, ranging from SMEs to some of the largest businesses in South Australia. He works across a variety of industry sectors, including financial services, property, energy and resources and manufacturing.

Daniel regularly leads projects involving:

• share, asset, business and property sales and purchases;
• corporate structuring and the establishment and governance of joint venture structures;
• due diligence investigations;
• infrastructure delivery and funding agreements for major projects;
• outsourcing, distribution and other contractual arrangements.

Congratulations Daniel!

Check out Daniel's Best Lawyers profile here.

David has been awarded “Best Lawyers in Australia” 2025 for his work in Litigation and Trusts and Estates. David was also recognised for his work in these areas last year.

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” 2025 for his work in Commercial Law, Energy Law, Litigation, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Oil and Gas Law. 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.

Congratulations Glenn!

Check out Glenn's Best Lawyers profile here.

Leo has been awarded "Best Lawyers in Australia" 2025 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.

Congratulations Leo!

Check out Leo's Best Lawyers profile here.

Paul has been awarded “Best Lawyers in Australia” 2025 for his work in Labour and Employment Law, Litigation and Occupational Health and Safety Law. Paul is being recognised for the first time this year in the 2025 edition of the Best Lawyers in Australia.

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

Paul has particular expertise in:

• all aspects of industrial relations and workplace law, and work health and safety;
• privacy, data and cyber/information security and response;
• risk management advice and the investigation and resolution of corporate and commercial issues and disputes;
• advice and representation of clients in competition and consumer law matters; and
• insolvency matters.

Paul is a key member of the Cyber Alliance Group – a collaboration between DMAW Lawyers, Comunet and Digital Trace Australia to provide comprehensive cyber security advice and services to business.

In addition to his experience in private practice, Paul has provided in-house advice and worked as a senior lawyer with ASIC. He is able to draw upon this experience in developing strategies to assist clients.

Congratulations Paul!

Check out Paul's Best Lawyers profile here.

Peter has been awarded “Best Lawyers in Australia” 2025 for his work in Real Property Law. Peter has been recognised by Best Lawyers since 2020.

Peter is a principal in the firm’s transactions practice.

Peter 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.

Congratulations Peter!

Check out Peter's Best Lawyers profile here.

Tom has been awarded "Best Lawyers in Australia" 2025 for his work in Construction/Infrastructure Law and Litigation. Tom was also recognised for his work in Litigation last year.

Tom is a principal in 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.

Congratulations Tom!

Check out Tom's Best Lawyers profile here.

Experts in corporate, transactions and disputes, our lawyers have extensive experience in and understanding of the sectors in which they work. Our dedicated team works collaboratively to create opportunities and achieve timely, precise outcomes with a sharp commercial focus. We add value, solve problems and deliver results.

Find out more about our expert team of corporate, transactions and disputes lawyers here.