Andrew Tragardh

Managing Partner

Andrew Tragardh is Duxton Hill’s founder and Managing Partner. He is a highly regarded and experienced litigator with particular expertise in complex disputes involving dishonesty, fraud and asset recovery, and has substantial experience defending companies and individuals facing allegations of criminal and quasi-criminal conduct.

He began his career as a commercial litigation solicitor with Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks (now Allens), before joining Madgwicks Lawyers, where he gained extensive insolvency experience in matters arising from the collapse of the Pyramid Building Society. A secondment in London with Network Security Management Ltd, a private commercial fraud investigation firm, gave him hands-on experience of international asset tracing and fraud litigation, working alongside investigators and external lawyers.

On his return to Australia in 1997, Andrew quickly forged a reputation representing organisations and individuals affected by fraud and misconduct. In 1998 he became the first lawyer to complete the Certified Fraud Investigators Course conducted by the Victoria Police Major Fraud Squad in partnership with La Trobe University. Soon after, he acted in the Metropolitan Ambulance Service Royal Commission (2000–2001), successfully representing a client ultimately exonerated of all allegations.

After more than a decade as a solicitor, Andrew signed the Victorian Bar Roll and practised for almost fourteen years as a leading barrister in fraud, asset recovery and white collar crime defence. Recognised by peers and the courts as go-to counsel in complex commercial fraud, he was regularly briefed in urgent applications for freezing and search orders, with courtroom work spanning Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

Selected experience

• Acting for Dual Australia in the recovery of $17 million following an employee fraud.
• Successfully defending an AWB Ltd executive against ASIC allegations relating to the UN Oil-for-Food Programme.
• Appearing in the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission and the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.
• Australia’s first cryptocurrency freezing and search orders (February 2019).

Recognition

• Listed in Best Lawyers (Australia) annually since 2019.
• Ranked in the “Preeminent” category of Doyle’s Guide 2025 for White Collar Crime, Corporate Crime & Regulatory Investigations Lawyers, one of only four lawyers nationally.