General Information

Year founded: 2004
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
Logo for Kain Lawyers

Overview

Content is provided by the firm.

Kain Lawyers are transaction specialists. Operating in all Australian jurisdictions, Kain Lawyers is regularly ranked as one of the most active firms in Australia’s mid-market.

Kain advises private equity, venture capital, private credit and property & real asset fund managers, founders, and corporates. Our expertise spans Private and Public M&A, Equity Capital Markets, Debt Capital Markets, Investment Funds, Property & Real Asset Transactions, Capital Structuring, and Transaction Disputes.

With a singular focus on transactions, hands-on directors, top tier expertise and pragmatic and commercial advice, we deliver superior outcomes for our clients.

Rankings

Kain Lawyers is nationally ranked in 2 practice areas and regionally awarded in 12 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

National Rankings

Tier 2
Tier 2 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 3
Tier 3 for Commercial Law

Regional Rankings

Adelaide
Tier 1 for Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Tier 1 for Commercial Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Equity Capital Markets Law
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Rankings

National Rankings

Tier 2
Tier 2 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 3
Tier 3 for Commercial Law

Regional Rankings

Adelaide
Tier 1 for Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Tier 1 for Commercial Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Equity Capital Markets Law
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 1 for Private Equity Law
Tier 1 for Venture Capital Law
Tier 1 for Wealth Management / Succession Planning Practice
Tier 2 for Corporate / Governance Practice
Tier 2 for Litigation
Tier 2 for Trusts and Estates
Sydney
Tier 1 for Private Equity Law
Tier 1 for Water Law
Tier 2 for Commercial Law
Tier 2 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 2 for Venture Capital Law
Tier 3 for Corporate Law

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.
  • Agriculture and Rural Affairs
  • Corporate Law
  • Debt Capital Markets Law
  • Equity Capital Markets Law
  • Funds Management
  • Investment Law
  • Litigation
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Private Equity Law
  • Real Property Law
  • Venture Capital Law

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Australia

Kain Lawyers has 11 lawyers recognized for individual performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in Australia. By receiving this Best Lawyers recognition from their peers for their professional excellence, these lawyers made Kain Lawyers eligible for evaluation for Best Law Firms rankings. For almost two decades, Best Lawyers has awarded these singular accolades, making them the foundation of our Best Law Firms awards. Read more about our Best Lawyers process here.
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Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
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Awards

Awards are self-reported by firms and are not verified by the Best Law Firms rankings.
  • Refinitiv 2023 - Kain Lawyers ranked fourth in both Australian M&A Small-Cap and Australian M&A Mid-Market Legal Advisory Review. 
  • Australian Law Awards - Finalist in Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards, Transactions Team of The Year 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019 and 2018.
  • Legal 500 - Leading Corporate M&A Firm (Asia Pacific) 2024, 2023 and 2022. 
  • Best Lawyers - 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015.
  • Doyles - First Tier Corporate M&A Firm 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015.

Main Location

Office Locations

Management and Personnel

Director
Brian Vuong
Director
Sarah Chia
Director
Tim Hall
Founder and Managing Director
John Kain
Associate Director
Stefan Harris
Associate Director
Nicholas Cardone
Associate Director
Stuart Jackson

Contacts

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