DSA expansion takes a rural shift

Dynamic Melbourne law firm DSA Law is set to partner with historic Ballarat firm Nevett Wilkinson Frawley in a strategic alliance that will bridge the gap between the two cities.

Four years of expansion and consolidation of their place in the Melbourne legal fraternity has DSA Law knocking on the door of the ‘next step’ in its evolution.

Part of that future now includes a strategic alliance with Ballarat law firm Nevett Wilkinson Frawley, a firm with over 100 years’ history and broad access to the greater Ballarat and Western District regions.

Newly appointed CEO of DSA Law, Litsa Pillios, says “we weren’t looking for your cliché ‘city firm takeover’. Instead, we’re sending our very talented partner, Ben Franklin, to become part of the NWF team. Ben will integrate with the local community and create a service pipeline of great value between the Ballarat and Melbourne offices using his in depth understanding of what DSA Law can do where needed, as well as adding his wide ranging skillset to NWF’s resources. This effort will be supported by fly-in, fly-out support from DSA Law’s senior staff as and when the specialised needs arise. We see Ballarat and the surrounding districts as an area experiencing economic growth and as a regional success story. We see it as a long-term investment.”

Having appointed a CEO to start the 2020 year, and taken on a second level of their building at 180 Queen Street, DSA’s three founding partners, Joseph Alesci, Joseph Di Mauro and Kimble Stynes, have their focus fixed on a bright future.

“From the outside, nothing will change. The NWF brand is iconic and synonymous with the Greater Ballarat and Western Districts Region. Ben will be running NWF with the assistance of Frank and Rhonda. In addition, he will have all the support he needs from DSA in Melbourne, but the firms will maintain distinct and separate identities. At the same time, the alliance with NWF adds a lot to our firm’s dynamic with its history and experience, so the intellectual property sharing works both ways.”

Frank and Rhonda will be welcoming Ben on 30 March 2020.

Ben Franklin (click here for his profile), is delighted with the opportunity. “I’m really looking forward to it. I ‘cut my teeth’ as a rural lawyer in Shepparton before refining my skills in the CBD over the past six years. The opportunity to bring a unique skillset and legal offering to Ballarat’s ever-growing business community is exciting. What’s more, we can now say to clients whose work requires a Melbourne presence that we have people on the ground down there we can not only trust but whom are on call and ready to provide a country-style service.”

With his wife and two young sons, the ‘tree change’ is an added bonus. “It’s hard to explain to a nearly 3-year-old that you spend at least an hour in traffic/on a train every day and that’s why you haven’t seen him for a couple of days. Our job as lawyers requires a lot of commitment but I’m really looking forward to finding more of a balance.”

Ms Pillios confirms this is not just an exciting year for Mr Franklin either. “With my appointment, this new strategic partnership, expansion into Level 1 and a couple of other developments in the works, 2020 is going to be a big year for DSA and there’s no doubting we’re on a mission.”

For further information or comment, please contact DSA Law’s CEO Litsa Pilios on (03) 8595 9580.