PERTH: The Board of AF Legal Group Ltd announced its expansion to Western Australia with the opening of a new office in Perth via the recruitment of a new lateral hire.

The Perth office will open in November 2020 and be AFL’s fifth office to open this calendar year following successful openings in Canberra (ACT), Maroochydore and Caloundra (Queensland’s Sunshine Coast) and Adelaide (South Australia).

Over 2.6 million people live in Western Australia with 2 million of those living in Perth. The latest annual review of the Family Court of Western Australia reported a 19% increase in divorce applications in the 12 month period ending December 2019.

In addition, the Family Courts in Western Australia finalised the highest number of final orders in its history during 2019.

Executive Chairman Grant Dearlove commented, “The opening of our Perth office is significant on two fronts. Firstly, we have completed our strategic objectives for 2020 as AFL now serves Australian’s in every major mainland capital city. Secondly, we have achieved what no other law firm has in Australia’s legal history. We are the first and only specialist national family law firm,” said Grant Dearlove.

AFL continues to assess organic, lateral hire and acquisition growth opportunities and will update the market as and when these opportunities progress.