Norton Rose Fulbright announces Scott Atkins as its next global chair

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright announced today that Scott Atkins, the firm’s Australia chair, will become the firm’s global chair effective January 1, 2023.

In this leadership role, Scott will help to drive the execution and achievement of the global firm’s strategy and efforts to maintain consistently excellent client service around the world. The firm’s global chair role is an annual appointment. Scott follows London partner Farmida Bi, CBE, who will continue as the firm’s EMEA chair. 

Along with this global chair role, Scott will continue as chair of the firm in Australia, as well as global co-head of the restructuring team and the Australian head of risk advisory.

Gerry Pecht, Norton Rose Fulbright’s global chief executive, said:

“Scott is a true firm citizen who never stops prioritizing what is best for our clients and our people. His impressive history of leadership roles and experience advising business and governments on international matters will be a tremendous support to our global leadership team. I would also like to sincerely thank Farmida for her incredible and selfless contributions as global chair over the past year.”

Scott, who is based in the firm’s Sydney office, said:

“I am honored and humbled to serve in this global role. My focus will be to support the firm’s leadership to implement our strategy; support our clients as they pursue new frontiers, such as the burgeoning commercial space industry; and above all, to continue to deliver our exceptional standards of client service. Norton Rose Fulbright has tremendous potential leading into 2023, and I look forward to helping the firm seize market opportunities for the benefit of our clients.”

Scott will draw on his decades of experience leading international organizations and teams, as well as advising on significant cross-border matters involving complex restructurings, risk management and the design and implementation of new legal frameworks and reconstruction projects in emerging economies.

Across his near-three decades as a lawyer, Scott has become an internationally acclaimed and recognized industry leader in restructuring, regulatory and risk advisory work. His deep industry knowledge and experience allow him to help shape the global policy and regulatory agenda and act on some of the most high-profile matters in the world. He also has a strong focus on developing the firm’s space sector.

Scott is also the president and an inaugural fellow of INSOL International, the globally leading professional association of restructuring professionals; chair of INSOL’s Asian Advisory Council; a member of the International Insolvency Institute; fellow of the Australian Academy of Law; and immediate past president of the Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association.

In his career, Scott has cultivated a deep commitment to capacity building initiatives in emerging markets and developing economies. In Myanmar, he led a team, working alongside the Asian Development Bank and the Union Supreme Court of Myanmar, which drafted a new restructuring and business rescue framework, culminating in the passage of Myanmar’s Insolvency Law in February 2020. This work was transformative in Myanmar’s modernization process, and the legislation now serves as the best practice model for other nations: a focus of Scott’s upcoming December address at the United Nations in Vienna. This pioneering work has also led to similar advisory engagements in Armenia and Bhutan.