IPH Australian Patent Trending Down, page-9

These firms have relied on their reputations for decades, which were built on the partners and their extensive experience. The problem is that all of the good partners are leaving these firms, and a large part of what is left can be a bit sub-standard.

Just looking at Griffith Hack, described on IPH's website as "of Australia’s largest filers of patents and trade marks", 3 experienced partners have just left the firm to set up Integrated IP (https://iip.com.au/our-people/), and a few years back 4 experienced partners left to set up BOSH IP (https://bosh-ip.com/). This is a 100 year old firm that was at the top for decades, and is experiencing an epic brain drain.

Add onto all of that the fact that patent filings in Australia have basically been flat for years, I don't actually understand where growth can ever come from (other than buying up your competition, which is probably just overpaying your ex-partners a second time to buy their new firm that took all of your customers).

DYOR, but hard to invest somewhere that people don't really want to work.