I had the good fortune of working with Ian in a variety of capacities over a period of six years. Ian impressed me with his diligence and his commitment to find the right outcome for his client or the organisation with whom he was working. One of his strengths was looking at a matter not only from a legal and compliance perspective, but also in terms of nuts-and-bolts implementation, while always keeping in mind the commercial perspective. He was always prepared to ask the tough questions and say the things that needed to be said. Ian was a pleasure to work with.

It has been my pleasure to work with Ian McDermott in his role as Head of Legal and Compliance for Australian Unity Personal Financial Services (AUPFS) for over 2 years. During this time Ian made a significant contribution to the business through a period of dynamic change. In particular, Ian’s diligent and tireless application of his extensive experience and knowledge of Financial Services Law enabled PFS to successfully navigate and operationally implement the substantial changes resulting from the FoFA reforms. In addition, Ian’s acumen, attention to detail and personal integrity in all dealings enabled me to have confidence in his counsel. This was evident through his objective support in the development of policy and practical implementation of compliance regimes for the Investment Research function of AUPFS.

Having worked with Ian both as a colleague and a client I can personally vouch for Ian’s professional, personal and practical approach to his work. His many years of experience in organisations of differing sizes and points of focus have ultimately added to his real-world practical understanding and good sense of humour. His ability to bring a sound knowledge base and intelligence but also a sense of commerciality, which is often sorely lacking in the industry, is what sets Ian apart and will lead to his continued success.

Ian is the best financial services lawyer in the country.

Ian is one of the best financial services lawyers I have worked with.