Australian Business Lawyers (ABL) has  been acquired by a wholly owned subsidiary of the NSW Business Chamber, with the deal expected to be complete by the end of the month.

Under the new arrangement, ABL will be known as Australian Business Lawyers and Consultants. The chamber and ABL have had a long standing relationship and it is expected the purchase will lead to numerous benefits for both parties.

“The advantages that will result from the acquisition, are that a closer working relationship will enable each organisation to better achieve their goals,” said Tim Capelin, managing partner, ABL. “The acquisition will bring with it an increase of available capital to the firm which will be used to improve service delivery to clients and members. There will also be coordinated delivery of related services provided by Australian Business Lawyers and the Chamber,” said Capelin.

Capelin and John Stanton will continue as senior practitioners after the acquisition and continue to manage the practice during the transition.

ABL recently lost one of its most senior lawyers, workplace safety expert Siobhan Flores-Walsh who joined Norton Rose Australia as special counsel. Flores-Walsh has more than 20 years experience in the OHSS field, and has previously worked for top tier law firms, and Shell Oil and the ABC, where she was the industrial relations manager, television.