Juan Martinez a ‘Force of Nature’

Described by the firm he lead as a giant of the Australian legal profession, the shock death of Juan Martinez has left HWL Ebsworth mourning the passing of a legal leader who rose from poverty to achieve inestimable recognition.

The Australian Financial Review said Martinez, who died of a suspected heart attack at the age of 64, was a ‘force of nature’ and someone who was feisty, fun and innovative, building the firm he lead into a no-frills operation that esdchewed the traditionial billing structure for law firms, charging fixed rates and a healthy bottom line.

With a penchant for disruption and unsettling the established legal and business establishment, Juan Martinez built HWLE from a one-office firm with 40 people into a major, mid-market legal leader boasting a range of business and government clients attracted to the firm’s no-nonsense approach.

The fixed rates deal, at $500 an hour, was under half what many corporate firms charged and it was typical of the innovative approach he took – taking no prisoners in an often combative approach to building his legal business.

Controversy, Too

His reign was not without controversy. Martinez’s insistence on meritocracy and accountability ensured that only the best and brightest were welcomed into the fold, while underperformers were swiftly shown the door.

He experienced a failed IPO and also faced off in court against partners, some of which related to the IPO, as well as working through a highly damaging hacking attack from Russian hackers and a fight with the  The Australian Financial Review.

The AFR report that Adelaide-based M&A partner Jamie Restas considered a coup against him following the IPO debacle, but he was endorsed with a further term at the top of the firm for another three years.

Born in Madrid, Spain, Martinez immigrated to Australia at a young age, where he confronted the hardships of poverty and adversity. These early experiences shaped his resilient spirit and instilled in him a tenacity that would define his remarkable career.

Under Martinez’s leadership, HWL Ebsworth emerged as a formidable contender in the legal market, defying conventional norms and challenging the status quo.

Building The Firm

The AFR report that by 2012, HWLE had 143 partners and was the eighth-largest law firm in Australia and by 2015, it took over the top spot on the Financial Review Law Partnership Survey from Clayton Utz – with 196 partners.

He said he had found the firm’s sweet spot with its fixed-rate deal.

“We could grow to 300 to 350 partners or perhaps even higher, and we will stay true to our model while our profit margin remains sustainably strong,” Martinez said in 2017.

With a keen understanding of the evolving needs of clients, Martinez pioneered a business model with the firm that characterized by transparency, efficiency, and accessibility.

Notwithstanding his role as a demanding taskmaster, Martinez’s charismatic leadership style and boundless energy endeared him to both colleagues and clients alike.

His magnetic personality and unwavering commitment to excellence inspired loyalty and admiration and the law firm template he established continues to make its indelible mark upon Australia’s legal scene.

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