About Moray & Agnew
Moray & Agnew is a national law firm of over 600 people, including 94 partners. We serve our clients Australia-wide from offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Newcastle and Perth.
Built on a solid history in insurance law, client demand in the last decade has guided our growth into commercial dispute resolution, construction and infrastructure, corporate, property and workplace legal services. The management of our firm is focused on practice groups, rather than office location, thereby providing our clients with truly integrated legal services.
We pride ourselves on the breadth and diversity of our long established client base, at the same time recognising that our clients have their own specific needs. Our collaborative approach and delivering on our commitment to understanding our clients specific interests inspires close, trusted relationships. Our clients rely on our capability, but they value our distinctive personality and progressive culture. We know that if our people reach their potential, then our business does too.
With the use of our sophisticated technology, our clients value our objective data which they use to measure our performance as well as assisting them to monitor outcomes and compare results.
Moray & Agnew is committed to being a responsible and sustainable business. We understand and accept the responsibilities we have to our people, our clients, our community and our environment.
Case Study
Detention Centre managers
In one of Australia’s longest and most complex injury trials we acted for the former managers of immigration detention centres. The…
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Our origins
The practice began in 1948 as Sydney H Moray & Co, and acquired its present name in 1969 when it was purchased by Brian Agnew. Brian retired in 2010 and Michael Pitt is now the firm’s Chairman.
L to R: Michael Pitt, Sydney H Moray, Brian Agnew.
Interstate expansion commences
Our Brisbane and Canberra offices opened in 2000 and 2003 respectively, as we recognised the need to expand to service our national insurers.
Becoming an east-coast firm
Following a merger with Connery & Partners, our Melbourne office opened in January 2004, with further expansion in 2006 when most of the insurance practice of Herbert Geer joined us.
Establishing a regional presence in NSW
We opened our Newcastle office in February 2006, when the majority of partners and staff from Hunt & Hunt joined us. In 2007, we added another 11 lawyers when we merged with boutique construction firm, Dutton Lawyers.
Becoming a national firm
Through the successful acquisition of an established insurance team in February 2011 we opened our Perth office and subsequently expanded it in March 2012 with the addition of four lawyers. Perth fulfilled the firm’s strategy of Australia-wide coverage.
Corporate responsibility is inherent in our culture
Since our origins, we have taken seriously our responsibility as a corporate citizen. Our commitment is extensive and includes positive community initiatives such as ‘Lawyers Encouraging and Assisting Promising Students’ (LEAPS) program, which we have supported since 2006.
The firm’s Chairman
Michael Pitt became a partner in 1971 after completing his articles with Sydney H Moray. He has worked exclusively in insurance law throughout his career and in 2003, assumed the management position as Chairman and National Managing Partner. A confident strategic leader, Michael was instrumental in leading the rapid expansion of the firm beyond Sydney to include five other offices across the east and west coasts of Australia. In 2018, Michael retired from the partnership but remains as Chairman.
Brian Agnew
Brian's entrepreneurial spirit led him beyond law to the winemaking industry when he acquired Audrey Wilkinson vineyard. Brian’s founding vision was to create a law firm that allows all to achieve the fullest extent of their potential, based on merit. This vision continues to be a key part of Moray & Agnew’s values today.
The firm's National Managing Partner
Geoff Connellan became a partner in 1988 after joining Moray & Agnew as a lawyer in 1982. He is one of the firm’s most experienced insurance litigation lawyers having worked exclusively in insurance law throughout his career. In 2018, Geoff became the firm’s National Managing Partner.
Specialist insurer-focused firm Moray & Agnew ‘stands out for its outstanding value for money’. Areas of expertise include construction insurance, defending life and disability insurance claims and professional indemnity disputes. Sydney-based Geoffrey Connellan heads the sizeable team. Stephen Harris and Peter McCarthy are ‘very knowledgeable and approachable’.
Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2016