Corrs Chambers Westgarth assisted in establishing the “Ellis defence”, which helped insulate the Catholic Church against abuse claims. Now it is parting ways with its longstanding, lucrative client.
For almost 60 years, the Catholic Church delivered millions of dollars in fees to Corrs Chambers Westgarth. The top-tier law firm provided legal advice to embattled archdioceses across Australia as they became engulfed in clerical abuse scandals and accusations of cover-ups.
“We will be working with the clients affected by this decision to ensure the orderly transition of such matters to new legal advisers. In particular, the firm is committed to ensuring that we protect the interests of our clients,” a Corrs spokesman said.they thought the decision to end the long association with the church was prompted by the need to protect the firm’s reputation.
The decision to cut ties with the church has also raised questions about the future of prominent partner Richard Leder, who served articles at the firm in 1988, and has worked on behalf of the Catholic Church for 30 years.but several friends and associates confirmed he was considering his options and had already received interest from other firms.
“Richard Leder is still a partner at Corrs Chambers Westgarth and we have great respect for him and his team. We are working through the transition process,” a spokeswoman for the archdiocese said. Under the scheme, payments were capped at $50,000, later raised to $75,000, but it required victims to sign a deed of settlement that waived their right to take civil action against the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.