Insurance law firm Moray & Agnew has opened a formal office in Hobart after existing clients with operations in Tasmania sought more localised legal support in the state, bringing its national network to eight locations.
Several clients the firm already acts for have a growing presence in Tasmania and had been seeking on-the-ground assistance there. Moray & Agnew said it had been handling work in the Tasmanian market for a number of years before committing to a fixed office, making the formalisation of that presence a continuation of existing activity rather than an entry into new territory. National managing partner Ian Denham said the decision followed directly from where the firm’s work was already headed. “Tasmania represents a natural extension of our existing work and relationships, and we are confident it will strengthen both our client offering and our national footprint,” Denham said. The firm said the Tasmanian practice will draw on personnel and processes already in place across its other offices, with the aim of maintaining a consistent standard of service nationally.
The Hobart opening is the latest in a sequence of interstate and regional office launches stretching back to 2000, when the firm established its Brisbane presence. Canberra came in 2003, Melbourne in 2004, and Newcastle in 2006 to provide a regional New South Wales base. Perth opened in 2011, and Cairns was added in 2022 to support clients with interests in north and far north Queensland. The firm employs more than 800 people, including more than 120 partners, across those eight offices.
Insurance remains Moray & Agnew’s primary practice area, covering commercial lines such as financial lines, professional indemnity, public and product liability, and life insurance, as well as statutory lines including workers compensation and compulsory third party. The firm traces its origins to a Sydney insurance practice established in 1948, and has since expanded into commercial dispute resolution, construction, corporate law, government work, property, and employment law. Bill Papastergiadis OAM serves as chairman of the national executive.
The Hobart office opening coincides with the firm’s latest appearance in the 2027 edition of Best Lawyer’s Best Law Firms – Australia, where it received 43 rankings across 15 areas of law, including a National Tier 1 position in Insurance Law and National Tier 2 positions in Litigation and Real Property Law. Insurance Law Tier 1 rankings at the regional level were recorded in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, and Perth.
