She worked at HWL Ebsworth, Clayton Utz, Carina Ford Immigration Lawyers
Moray & Agnew has announced the appointment of Sarah Thompson – who has acted for Commonwealth agencies and handled government and administrative law matters, with a focus on complex judicial and merits reviews – as a partner in its government team in Melbourne.
“Sarah has a track record advising Commonwealth clients on high‑stakes litigation and review matters,” said Ian Denham, national managing partner, in a media release. “Her appointment further strengthens our government capability nationally.”
“We look forward to Sarah’s valuable contribution as we continue to grow our public law expertise in Melbourne, Sydney and nationally,” said Bill Papastergiadis, Melbourne managing partner.
“I’m excited to join Moray & Agnew’s highly regarded government practice and look forward to further building the firm’s government practice,” Thompson added.
According to the firm, Thompson has also dealt with disability, child support, freedom of information, and immigration matters, becoming an accredited immigration law specialist in 2016.
Moray & Agnew noted that she has regularly appeared as a solicitor advocate before the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, the Federal Court of Australia, and the Administrative Review Tribunal.
“The firm’s national platform and growing depth across administrative law will allow me to deliver even greater value services to public sector clients,” Thompson said in the firm’s media release.
Before Thompson’s appointment, in late 2025, the firm’s government team added Max Gao as a partner and Tegan Weir and Marian Morton as special counsel.
Thompson’s LinkedIn page and her profile on Moray & Agnew’s website provided more information regarding her professional experience and educational qualifications.
At HWL Ebsworth Lawyers in Melbourne, she served as a partner from December 2021 to December 2025 and as special counsel from June 2020 to December 2021.
Thompson has also worked as a managing associate at Carina Ford Immigration Lawyers in Newport from 2014–20, as a senior lawyer at Clayton Utz from 2007–13, and as a senior legal officer at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship from 2002–07.
In her government and administrative law practice, she has managed high-volume litigation for Commonwealth government clients and held in-house and external advisory positions at the Department of Home Affairs.
Within the immigration law arena, Thompson has delivered training to clients and presented at the Law Council of Australia’s Immigration Law Conference.
Her experience also encompasses alternative dispute resolution and coronial inquests. She is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria.
In 2001, Thompson received her LLB and BA in international relations from Deakin University.
