Committed to delivering the highest calibre of legal service to our community
Engrained in the Baw Baw community for over 40 years
The story of Wakefield Lawyers begins with Anthony Vogrig, who became aPartner at O’Halloran Davis, Moe, in the mid 1980s. That firm expanded, and Anthony later opened a Warragul office.
Anthony became well known for his work as a generalist lawyer focusing onproperty law, commercial law and business law. That firm continued to grow, and in 2000 purchased the business of Baw Baw Conveyancing.
Sabina Wakefield joined the firm as a Partner in 2003. Prior to that, Sabina had been working as a solicitor in a different firm in Warragul for many years.Another firm was also purchased around that time, Dunn Strachan & Hardie inWarragul.
Being based in West Gippsland there was an evident need for legal services to be offered in both the Warragul and Drouin townships. In 2003, the firm opened an office in Drouin at the professional suites on Princes Way.
In 2006, the O’Halloran Davis partnership decided to continue independently, the Warragul and Drouin office separate from its Moe office. Anthony and Sabina continued working in theWarragul and Drouin offices as managing partners, and from that time the firm was renamed: Wakefield & Vogrig Lawyers.
In 2009, the firm’s Warragul office moved from 38 Queen Street to a bigger premises at 54 Albert Street, where it continues to operate today. In 2012 the firm’s Drouin office moved to its current location at 5 Bank Place, Drouin.
Now a team of 30 professionals across two offices
In 2015, Kylie Boote joined the partnership after practicing within the firm as a lawyer for 12 years, and the firm renamed to Wakefield Vogrig &Boote Lawyers.
In 2019, Tessa Hoogerbrugge joined the partnership after practicing within the firm as a lawyer for 2 years.
In 2020, Scott MacDonald joined the partnership after practicing within the firm as a lawyer for 3 years.
At that same time in 2020, Anthony Vogrig and Sabina Wakefield stepped back from the role as Partners, and moved into consulting roles to support and mentor the current Partners being Kylie Boote, Tessa Hoogerbrugge and ScottMacDonald.
Over the next few years, Anthony and Sabina each retired from the firm. Both continue to be proud of the business that they built, and keep in touch with the Partners and staff regularly. In late 2024, the firm has had a re-brand to become Wakefield Lawyers.Nothing else changes, just a simplified and modernised name that will see the firm through many decades to come. The Partners and staff all continue to be driven to provide theGippsland community with a high level of legal service, and to guide them in their legal transactions. This high level of service continues to lead to growth in the business, and it now employs around thirty staff.
The team at Wakefield Lawyers all share a common purpose: Wakefield Lawyers are here to support the Gippsland community when they need it most. This means many things.They are constantly striving to provide legal advice at the highest level, and they prioritise being personable and compassionate to their clients. With this firmly in mind, growth will inevitably continue. So, this is just the beginning of our story, and we look forward to looking after you as part of it!
