Boutique Canberra law firm beats global rivals for $20M in work
Allygroup earned $20 million in federal contracts, growing 49.5% and outpacing Ashurst and Gadens.
Boutique law firm Allygroup won more federal legal work than global giants by ditching the conventional billable-hours model. Based in Griffith, Allygroup earned $20 million in contracts from federal agencies in 2026.
Founder Joanne Rees switched to project-based fees in 2007. She charges for outcomes and budgets instead of charging clients in six-minute units.
The firm now has about 80 staff across 20 government agencies. Its largest client is Services Australia.
Rees said the shift helped the firm win government contracts that required in-house work on sensitive records. She also noted the firm has a strong commitment to pro bono work with Canberra community organisations.
They work in suicide prevention, science coordination, and mental health.
- $20 million in 2026
- Federal contracts
- 49.5% over three years
- Growth rate
- About 80 staff across 20 agencies
- Workforce reach
- 2007
- Model launch
Why it mattersHow you charge for services matters. This can win major contracts and beat established multinationals.
AustraliaAustralian government agencies are shifting legal work to smaller, local firms with innovative business models rather than traditional global law firms.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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