It's accountants two, lawyers nil.
KPMG Legal yesterday won the right to continue using its name, after a three-month battle with the New Zealand Law Society.
KPMG Legal's troubles began in June, when the NZ Law Society's ethics committee rejected the name, on the grounds that it suggested the firm was a division of the global accountancy firm KPMG.
A multidisciplinary organisation involving lawyers and accountants is banned in New Zealand under the Law Practitioners Act.
But KPMG Legal, which started two years ago, argued that it was a separate partnership from KPMG, although it was associated.
It continued to practise, merging with Kensington Swan in July.
A hearing before the Law Society's board finally settled the issue this week, with a unanimous decision to allow the name to fly.
It follows its earlier permission for Andersen Legal, associated with accountants Arthur Andersen, to use a similar name form.
KPMG Legal chairman Ian Haynes said yesterday that he was pleased to be free to concentrate on positive work, instead of trying to defend the company's name.
He said the name had been recognised worldwide as a separate law firm, and the KPMG Legal network now employed 2200 lawyers globally, in separate partnerships.
The decision effectively clears away any hurdles that might have confronted any of New Zealand's big five accountancy firms looking to adopt a legal arm.
Law firm name allowed
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