DWF has confirmed the expansion of its Australian insurance practice with the addition of 62 professionals from Hall & Wilcox.
This follows an earlier agreement for nine Hall & Wilcox partners to join DWF, announced in November 2024.
The new team, led by insurance litigation specialists Matt Curll and Rachael Arnold, brings a client base that includes global insurers and syndicates operating in the London market.
The majority of the hires commenced on Feb. 3, while others had already transitioned or are set to join later in the month. The team is primarily based in Sydney, with additional members located in Brisbane, Newcastle, and Melbourne.
DWF’s insurance services CEO, Matthew Doughty, said Australia is a key market for the firm’s insurance practice.
“I am delighted to welcome all of our new colleagues in Australia,” he said, adding that the new team – combined with the recent acquisition of claims management business Proclaim – demonstrates DWF’s commitment to strengthening its capabilities for its Australian and global clients.
Matt Dudakov, managing director of DWF in Australia, highlighted the firm’s dramatic growth in recent years.
“These hires add further momentum to our success. We have more than doubled our headcount in the last six months alone as we respond to the needs of our clients and pursue our commitment to driving sustainable growth,” he said.
In a recent statement, Hall & Wilcox acknowledged the departure of the partners and their teams but described the affected group as largely focused on handling claims for London insurance syndicates, which represents a distinct area of practice within the firm.
Graydon Dowd, chief executive partner at Hall & Wilcox, said that the firm practices across many commercial and insurance service lines and sectors – having experienced significant growth and success over the recent years.
“Much of this growth has resulted from partners and teams joining our great firm. It is inevitable that, from time to time, partners will decide to join another firm,” he said.
The firm stated that its ability to serve insurance clients would not be affected by the departures, with Dowd adding: “Our ability to service our insurance clients (across all general, statutory, professional, and specialised lines) will not be impacted, and we are focused on ensuring minimal disruption to our people and clients.”
Alongside its Australian expansion, DWF has announced a series of senior promotions across its international operations.
The firm confirmed 26 senior promotions, including 13 new partners and 13 existing partners advancing to higher positions within the firm’s structure.
As part of its annual promotions cycle, 238 professionals across various business divisions received promotions in January 2025. The insurance sector saw key promotions in Australia, including Hamish Broadbent and Mason Fettell, with additional promotions in London, Manchester, Toronto, Vancouver, and Belfast.
“We are delighted to announce this year’s promotions, celebrating the talent, dedication, and leadership of our people,” said Sir Nigel Knowles, group CEO of DWF. “These achievements are a testament to their hard work and commitment to delivering for our clients. They reflect our confidence in our colleagues’ abilities and our belief in the continued growth of our business. Congratulations to all of those promoted.”
