About Hunt & Hunt
Genuine People. Practical Solutions.
Hunt & Hunt is a national Australian law firm with deep Melbourne roots and more than a century of continuous service. Clients come to us when they want practical, defensible solutions that work outside the boardroom as well as inside it. We advise government, insurers, developers, utilities, banks, SMEs, not-for-profits and private clients across Australia, and we do it with a simple promise: genuine people delivering practical solutions.
Our footprint is both local and national. Melbourne is home to Hunt & Hunt (Victoria) Pty Ltd, incorporated in 2016. Through the Hunt & Hunt Legal Group, we work seamlessly with colleagues in Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin and Perth, and through Interlaw, we coordinate matters with trusted firms in more than 150 cities worldwide.
In practical terms, that means a Victorian council can draw on native title expertise informed by our Darwin team and colleagues across Australia; a Queensland insurer can brief into a Victorian test case with confidence; and a Melbourne corporate can close a cross-border deal without losing momentum.
We keep our structure lean so decision-makers can talk directly to decision-makers. Principals stay hands-on. Teams are built to the matter, not the other way around. You will know who is doing the work, what it costs, and when it will be done. It’s law that respects your time.
A century of local roots, national reach
Our Melbourne story begins in 1912, when Herbert Martin and his nephew John McDonald Martin founded Martin & Martin in Melbourne’s legal precinct. From its earliest days, the firm focused on property conveyancing, insurance law and council advisory work — the practical commercial law that underpinned a growing Federation-era city.
In 1989, Martin & Martin merged with Sydney-based Hunt & Hunt, a firm established in 1929 by brothers Hector and Edward Hunt. The merger united Melbourne’s century-old civic heritage with Hunt & Hunt’s national commercial strength, creating a genuinely mid-tier firm built on local knowledge and national capability.
Over the following decades, Hunt & Hunt expanded north and west — merging with Elston & Gilchrist in Darwin and Cooper Grace & Ward in Brisbane, and partnering with Perth’s Culshaw Miller Lawyers. Today, the group operates nationwide through locally governed entities, anchored by Melbourne leadership and connected via the Interlaw international network.
Our heritage explains why we still carry deep expertise in property, superannuation, governance, insurance and local government — the DNA of a Federation-era family firm that evolved into one of Australia’s most trusted national practices.
Culture & values
Law works best when it works for people. Our culture is built on clarity, accountability and respect — for clients, colleagues and communities. We call it genuine people, practical solutions, and we try to earn that line every day.
- Client-centred problem-solving: We translate risk and options into usable decisions. We resist jargon, say what we think, and commit to a course of action you can back in public.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion: Our teams reflect the communities we serve, supported by gender-equality targets, cultural-safety training and accessible recruitment.
- Flexibility and wellbeing: Hybrid working, ergonomic spaces and realistic deadlines help our lawyers deliver sharper outcomes.
- Pro bono and community contribution: We support charities, councils and regional projects, guided by our Reconciliation Action Plan and environmental partnerships.
- Continuous learning: Mentoring, CPD and leadership programs keep our lawyers current on legislative reform, privacy and cyber, workplace change, insurance law and legal tech.
Leadership and service areas
Our practice is led by experienced Principals who combine technical depth with genuine industry insight. Many are recognised in independent, peer-reviewed directories such as Best Lawyers Australia and Doyle’s Guide, and hold appointments to many local government and other legal services panels for major corporates. They remain closely involved in each matter, ensuring advice is robust, strategically sound and commercially practical.
Broadly, our service areas are:
- Asia Advisory
- Banking & Finance
- Compulsory Acquisition
- Corporate & Commercial Law
- Employment Law
- Government & Public Law
- Insolvency
- Insurance Law
- Intellectual Property & Trade Marks
- Litigation
- Private Clients, including Wills & Estates and Family Law
- Property & Development
Working with us
Clients choose Hunt & Hunt for clear advice, responsive teams and predictable value.
- Scoping & Pricing: Scope, deliverables and cost are agreed up-front — fixed, staged or blended.
- Access & Communication: Principals stay involved. You get agreed regular file status updates or access to live dashboards.
- Technology & Security: Secure portals, e-signatures and structured data rooms reduce risk and admin load.
- Governance & Risk: Matters are documented like logic trees, not diaries, making board and insurer reporting easy.
Careers
A career with Hunt & Hunt offers hands-on experience, real mentoring and work-life balance within a respected national mid-tier.
- For graduates and clerks: Rotations across practice areas, live matter work, client exposure and community legal centre involvement build judgment early.
- For lateral hires: Bring your practice and ideas — we’ll back you with national infrastructure, flexible working and transparent resourcing.
- Professional development: Focused CPD and leadership programs sharpen the tools that matter: persuasive writing, negotiation, privacy, cyber, advocacy and legal tech.
Community & recognition
We measure community contribution by usefulness.
From pro-bono support for charities and councils to regional planning and environmental partnerships, our aim is to create tangible impact.
Recognition matters only if it reflects client outcomes. Hunt & Hunt lawyers are regularly listed in Best Lawyers Australia and Doyle’s Guide, and hold positions on major government and insurer panels. The value isn’t the badge — it’s the confirmation that our advice lands where it should: on time, on budget, and in language a board can adopt.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Hunt & Hunt is a national mid-tier Australian law firm with a focus on commercial, government and insurance law. Our core practice areas include planning and environment, local government, insurance and risk, employment and workplace, commercial disputes, property, and corporate law
We operate nationally, with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin and Perth, and through our Interlaw affiliation we can coordinate matters with trusted firms in more than 150 cities worldwide
We’re built for accessibility and action — decision-makers talk directly to decision-makers. Principals stay hands-on, and our teams are shaped around each matter. Clients know who’s doing the work, what it costs, and when it will be done. It’s law that respects your time
Hunt & Hunt traces its Melbourne heritage to 1912, when Martin & Martin was founded. In 1989, the firm merged with Sydney-based Hunt & Hunt (established 1929), creating one of Australia’s first true national mid-tier law firms
Our clients include government departments and agencies, local councils, corporate entities, SMEs, family-owned businesses, insurers, utilities, developers, banks and financial institutions, not-for-profit organisations, and individuals. We are known for advising on major institutional projects as well as complex private matters requiring sound commercial judgement and disciplined strategic execution.
We call it genuine people, practical solutions. Our culture is grounded in clarity, accountability, and respect. We promote diversity, hybrid working, mentoring, and wellbeing — because healthy professionals make better decisions
Yes. Our lawyers contribute pro bono hours to charities, councils, and regional initiatives. Our Reconciliation Action Plan guides work with First Nations organisations, and we back environmental partnerships that deliver measurable outcomes.
Yes. Our lawyers and practice groups regularly appear in Best Lawyers Australia and Doyle’s Guide, and we hold positions on state and local government legal panels across Australia
We use secure client portals, e-signatures, and structured data rooms to manage sensitive documents. All communications and workflows maintain full audit trails for governance and regulatory compliance.
We agree on scope and pricing up-front — fixed, staged or blended. Clients can choose a model that fits their needs, and any changes to scope or cost are discussed before they occur
Visit our Contact page for direct phone and email details for each office, or use our online enquiry form to connect with the relevant team. We aim to respond within one business day.