New Docklands law firm ASKY opens with community focus and global outlook

Docklands has welcomed a new legal practice to the precinct, with ASKY International Lawyers opening its doors and positioning itself as a firm focused on accessibility, multicultural understanding and long-term community connection.

Founded by principals Sumitra Yerramilli and Rajiv Dalal, ASKY says it was created with a clear vision: to make legal services more approachable, transparent and effective for the people who need them.

The firm’s founders say the idea grew from years of working with clients from diverse backgrounds and seeing just how overwhelming the legal system can feel for individuals and families facing major life decisions, disputes or uncertainty.

“ASKY Lawyers was founded with a clear vision, to make legal services more approachable, transparent and effective,” the firm said.

“We recognised that many people feel overwhelmed by the legal system, and we wanted to create a firm that bridges that gap, offering not only strong legal expertise but also clarity, empathy and practical guidance.”

“At our core, we believe justice should be accessible to everyone, regardless of background or circumstance.”

The decision to base the new office in Docklands was a deliberate one.

According to the firm, the precinct’s diversity, connectivity and growing professional profile made it a natural home for a modern legal practice with both local ambitions and an international outlook.

“Docklands stood out to us as a vibrant, growing and diverse community,” the principals said.

Its energy, connectivity and forward-looking character made it a natural home for a modern law firm like ours.

The location also happens to be a practical midpoint for the firm’s two principals, with Ms Yerramilli based in Melbourne’s south-east and Mr Dalal in the northern suburbs.

But ASKY says the choice of Docklands is about more than convenience. The firm sees the area as a place where it can build meaningful ties with residents, local businesses and the broader multicultural community while remaining well-positioned within Melbourne’s professional landscape.

“Our ambition is to build a firm that is both locally grounded and globally connected,” the firm said.

That international perspective is also central to ASKY’s identity.

The principals say their Indian heritage and wider global experience have helped shape the way they practise, particularly in understanding that legal issues often intersect with family, culture and personal identity.

That, they say, allows them to offer advice that is not only legally sound, but also culturally sensitive and tailored to the realities of each client’s circumstances.

For a city such as Melbourne, where many clients may have family, business or legal issues that cross borders, that kind of perspective can be especially valuable.

ASKY says it hopes to become known not just as a legal practice, but as a trusted and approachable part of the Docklands community.

“We hope to build genuine, long-term relationships based on trust, respect and accessibility,” the firm said.

“We want to be seen not just as legal practitioners, but as approachable members of the community who are here to support individuals, families and local businesses.”

The firm has also flagged an interest in local collaborations, events and educational initiatives as it settles into the precinct, saying it hopes to contribute to Docklands in ways that go beyond legal services alone.

Success, the principals say, will be measured not only by growth, but by impact: the trust they earn, the outcomes they achieve and the difference they make in clients’ lives.

The story has also been supported locally by John Dall’Amico, Alexandra Rodrigues (pictured above) and the team from CBD Facilities Management, a building management company with a strong footprint in Docklands, who helped bring ASKY’s story to Docklands News and conducted the interview for publication.

For ASKY, that kind of support is fitting. The firm says it wants its practice to reflect the people and communities it serves.

“At ASKY, we don’t just practise law,” the principals said. “We partner with people and stand with them through life’s important moments.”

askylaw.com •