History
1915
On the 21st of January 1915 Walter Dwyer and John Patrick “JP” Durack enter into partnership and form Dwyer and Durack.
1916
JP Durack takes a leave of absence to complete military service. At this time, William Henry Dunphy joins the partnership and Dwyer Durack becomes known as Dwyer Durack & Dunphy.
1920 - 1940
1926
Walter Dwyer retires from Dwyer Durack & Dunphy. He was known in practice as “a good for the underdog”. At this time, Walter Dwyer was appointed as the first President of the Arbitration Court of Western Australia.
1933
William Dunphy’s son, Edward Arthur Dunphy becomes a partner of Dwyer Durack & Dunphy. He remains in partnership until 1945.
1941 - 1950
1943
JP Durack is appointed President of the Law Society of Western Australia. He remains in this role until 1945.
1945
William Dunphy retires. Shortly prior to his retirement, William’s other son, John, joins the firm. John remained a partner until he passed away at his desk in 1973, aged 66.
1949
Walter Dwyer was knighted for his services to law.
1950
Walter Dwyer passed away. The offices of Dwyer Durack & Dunphy closed their doors for a day as a mark of respect.
1951 - 1980
1954
JP Durack and his son (and former partner) Peter Durack QC appear before the High Court of Australia in Masters v Cameron (1954) 91 CLR 353. The case became a leading authority on contract law. Peter Durack would go on to serve as the Commonwealth Attorney General.
1972
JP Durack continued to practice at Dwyer Durack until 1972. He became known as “Roaring Jack”.
1915 - 1980
Apart from a short interruption when the premises were rebuilt, from 1915 until the early 1980’s, Dwyer Durack operated from 33 Barrack Street, Perth.
1980 - 1990
Dwyer Durack relocated to the St Martins complex of buildings on the corner of Barrack Street and St Georges Terrace. Dwyer Durack continues to operate out of the St Martins complex today.
With no partner having the surname of Dwyer, Durack or Dunphy, the then partnership decided to return to the firm’s original name, Dwyer Durack.
1991 - 2000
1997
Dwyer Durack became part of a national federation of law firms trading under the name “Gadens”. Although Dwyer Durack was encouraged by its federation partners to change its name to Gadens Lawyers, it declined to do so. Instead, the same partners practised law as a partnership under the dual business names “Gadens Lawyers” and “Dwyer Durack”. Partners of the time who were practising predominantly in the areas of corporate and commercial litigation used the Gadens letterhead. Those partners who practiced in areas of people’s law, such as criminal, personal injury, family law, wills and probate used the Dwyer Durack letterhead.
2001 - 2005
2001
The corporate and commercial lawyers who had been largely using the Gadens letterhead left the partnership to establish an independent law firm “Gadens”.
Maree van der Kwast joins Dwyer Durack as a member of the firms General Litigation Department.
2005
Maree van der Kwast is appointed as a Partner of Dwyer Durack. Since this time, Maree has been the Head of the Wills, Probate & Estates Department.
2006
On the 1st of July 2006 Dwyers Legal Pty Ltd was incorporated.
At this time, the existing partners of Dwyer Durack became Directors of Dwyers Legal Pty Ltd which continued to trade as Dwyer Durack. Since this time, Dwyer Durack has continued to concentrate on the provision of legal services in the traditional people’s law area of family law, personal injury, criminal law, wills, probate and estates.
2007 - 2010
2007
Sharon Norris joins Dwyer Durack’s Wills, Probate & Estates Department.
2008
Daniel Gill joins Dwyer Durack’s Wills, Probate & Estates Department.
2010
Peter Fraser joins Dwyer Durack as a member of the firm’s General Litigation Department.
Leanne Shepherd joins Dwyer Durack as a member of the firm’s Liquor Licensing Department.
2011 - 2015
2011
Peter Fraser is appointed as a Director of Dwyer Durack. At this time, Peter is appointed as the Head of the firm’s Criminal Law and Liquor Licensing Departments.
2015
Maree van der Kwast is accredited by the National Mediator Accreditation System as a Mediator.
Lucie Ingram joins Dwyer Durack’s General Litigation Department. She now practices predominantly in the area of Personal Injuries.
2016 - 2020
2016
Peter Fraser is appointed as the Managing Director of Dwyer Durack.
2017
Emily Pickering is admitted to the Supreme Court of Western Australia. She now practices in Liquor Licensing and General Litigation.
2018
Daniel Gill is appointed Co-Head of Dwyer Durack's Wills, Probate & Estates Department.
2019
Simon French is appointed to the Family Court of Western Australia as a Registrar.
2020
Anna Christiansen joins Dwyer Durack's Wills, Probate & Estates Department
Chad Heslop joins Dwyer Durack's Family Law Department as Head of Department
2021 - 2025
2022
Daniel Gill is appointed a Director of Dwyer Durack
Amrit Kaur joins Dwyer Durack's Familly Law Department
Chad Heslop is appointed a Director of Dwyer Durack
Bill Hu joins Dwyer Durack's Wills, Probate & Estates Department