Allens is an international commercial law firm that operates in the Asia-Pacific region. The firm is one of the largest in the Asia-Pacific region and has many high-profile political, judicial and corporate alumni. Operations Allens has 149 partners and 1,200 personnel. Since 1 May 2012, the firm has operated in association with Linklaters, one of the law firms in the UK referred to as the "Magic Circle". Allens also comprises a separate patent attorney firm, Allens Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys. In January 2018, Allens had offices in Brisbane, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Melbourne, Perth, Port Moresby, Singapore and Sydney. Through its integrated alliance with Linklaters, Allens' network extends to offices in Abu Dhabi, Africa, Belgium, Brazil, China, Dubai, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latin America, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States. Clients Allens has client relationships stretching back over decades and, in the case of Westpac, over 160 years. In the early years of large firm legal practice in Australia, Allens was also able to cement relationships with other leading Australian businesses, including with Sir Frank Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings, later continuing the relationship with his son, Kerry Packer's Nine Network Holdings. Allens is also known to act for 55 of the world's top 100 companies by market capitalisation, including for News Corporation in Australia. History Origins One of Allens' predecessor firms is Allen Allen & Hemsley, founded in 1822 by George Allen. This makes Allens the longest continuous legal partnership in Australia. The other major predecessor firm of Allens is Arthur Robinson & Co., which began trading in Melbourne, Victoria on 11 May 1914, just prior to the outbreak of World War I. 20th century By the early 1920s Allens had gained a reputation as Australia's preeminent law firm for establishment interests, with many high-profile and wealthy clients. The firm acted for the Australian banks in the Bank Nationalisation Case, and for the Australian Bankers' Association in relation to the Whitlam Labour Government loans scandal. Former Managing Partner Sir Norman Lethbridge Cowper is credited with developing Allens into one of Asia's leading law firms. In 1984, Arthur Robinson & Co. merged with Hedderwick Fookes & Alston to form Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks. 21st century Allens Arthur Robinson was formed on 1 July 2001 by merger of the Melbourne-headquartered Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks (ARH) and Sydney-headquartered