Martijn Wilder Wins Lawyers Weekly "Box Breaker" Icon Award

Sydney, Australia, 12 August 2010 – Martijn Wilder, Partner and Head of Baker & McKenzie's Global Environmental Markets practice, has been awarded e.law Asia Pacific "Box Breaker of the Year" Award at the Lawyers Weekly Icon Awards ceremony in Sydney on Thursday 5 August 2010. The Icon Awards recognise excellence, innovation and leadership within the Australian legal profession. The "Box Breaker" Award recognises Mr. Wilder’s work in practising law "outside the box," in contributing to innovation in client service delivery, and in building specialist teams. The "Box Breaker" Award was shared with John Ridgeway, Managing Partner at Pacific Legal Network.

The judges of the Award recognised Mr. Wilder’s pioneering contribution to building a top-class legal practice in the climate change area. In a field traditionally absent of law and major lawyers, he has built a unique and world-renowned reputation where innovation is driven by the emergence of new needs, not simply existing and unmet ones. The judges said, "The law and lawyers are traditionally seen as reactive more than proactive, followers more than leaders. Martijn and Baker & McKenzie have shown the reverse can be true." Yet the judges believed that Mr. Wilder’s biggest contribution to innovation in the profession may well be inspiring a whole new generation of "box breakers."

Ilona Millar, Senior Associate in the Environmental Markets Group, collected the Award on Mr. Wilder’s behalf at the ceremony at the Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art. Robert Arnold, Partner and Regional Co-ordinator of the Firm's Asia Pacific Intellectual Property Practice Group was a finalist in the e.law Asia Pacific "Practice Manager of the Year" Icon Award. Arjuna Dibley from Australian National University and a student who had worked with Baker & McKenzie in the Firm's summer clerk programme, was "Highly Commended" in The College of Law "Law Student of the Year" Icon Award.

Chris Freeland, National Managing Partner, commended Mr. Wilder, Mr. Arnold and Mr. Dibley on the recognition they received at the Awards. "We are delighted that Baker & McKenzie provides the opportunity for the development of innovation and excellence at all stages of legal practice. Martijn's role in developing policies and laws to help us adapt to the effects of climate change, and as a proponent for the role of the law in meeting overwhelming challenges, has been recognised in this Icon Award.

"Robert Arnold's work in leading our Asia Pacific Intellectual Property Group and co-ordinating innovative client-service projects such as our Global IP Manager software system demonstrates the entrepreneurship and innovation which is nurtured in our Firm. It is also fantastic to see one of our summer clerks, Arjuna Dibley, who worked also with Martijn Wilder in the Environmental Markets Practice Group here in Sydney, receive recognition for the very interesting work he has undertaken so early in his legal career."