Australian Boutique Law Firm of the Year 2022
Lawyers Weekly, 2022
Our key practice areas
01
Disputes & Litigation
Managing complex, high-stakes, multi-party disputes and litigation, Australia wide and in all Court jurisdictions.
02
Insurance Policy Holder Disputes
Unparalleled expertise to level the playing field between you and the insurance companies.
03
Media & Defamation
Balancing sensitivity and tenacity in the negotiation and resolution of reputational and defamation matters.
04
Building & Construction Litigation
Leading expertise in domestic and commercial property and building matters & litigation.
05
Family Law
Committed to addressing your needs with empathy, determination, and passion.
01
Disputes & Litigation
Handling disputes on behalf of a diverse client base, Australia wide and in all court jurisdictions.
We specialise in commercial litigation, insurance litigation and media & defamation law.
02
Insurance Policy Holder Disputes
We bring unparalleled expertise to level the playing field between you and the insurance companies.
Our mission is to ensure that you, as a policy holder, receive the payout you are contractually entitled to.
03
Media & Defamation
Specialised defamation and media law experience successfully representing a diverse client base.
We provide top-tier client outcomes without the big firm costs.
04
Building & Construction Litigation
Leading expertise in domestic and commercial property and building matters & litigation.
05
Family Law
A dynamic approach to family law practice, providing empathetic, pragmatic and strategic advice to clients in all areas of family and relationship law.
We are focussed on achieving the best possible outcome for clients taking into consideration their specific needs and objectives.
What does E-lit mean?
Our firm name ‘E-lit’ is inspired by our ethos, underpinned by the following core pillars:
Expert Litigation – offering deep expertise in our field.
Empowering Litigation – offering legal services that empower those we represent.
Electronic Litigation – fully integrated and automated firm with superior efficiency with e-litigation.
Expert
We have deep expertise and are subject matter leaders in our field with over 60 years combined experience. We think beyond the law and are not constrained to only the resources within our firm. We collaborate and partner with likeminded stakeholders, service providers and our network of experts to offer our clients access to an array of multi-disciplinary advisors in order to deliver bespoke and integrated services. Our firm offers our clients regular and bespoke legal updates and webinars/seminars so that they are regularly informed about changes and updates in the law.
Empowering
We empower those we represent. From the very outset, we sit down with our clients to present a digital Elit Scenario Plan which sets out the various stages expected throughout the specific transaction and/or litigation cycle from pre-litigation case management to trial stage. As part of this process, we evaluate and explain the possible scenarios of each stage. Most importantly, we work with our clients from the outset to clearly identify what they want to achieve and articulate their ultimate purpose and objective.
Electronic
Gone are the days where clients should have to wait for their lawyer to provide information which should be accessible instantaneously. Our firm has designed a bespoke suite of electronic solutions which creates a dynamic and progressive environment where our clients are part of the team and journey rather than removed from it. We provide 24/7 web-enabled access to the Elit Client Portal, directly connecting our clients to their file and all relevant documents and information. Our eDiscovery and eTrial Management systems enables key stakeholders including barristers, advisors and service providers the ability to collaborate and work seamlessly with evidence in preparation for hearings and trials, increasing efficiency and reducing costs leading up to and during the course of court hearings and trials.
Our awards
Litigation Team of the Year 2025 - Finalist
Insurance Team of the Year 2025 - Finalist
Litigator of the Year 2025 - Finalist
Managing Partner of the Year - Winner
Law Firm Leader of the Year <100 employees - Winner
Boutique Firm of the Year - Winner
Our key benefits
Elit Cube
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Empowering
We empower those we represent. From the very outset, we sit down with our clients to present a digital Elit Scenario Plan which sets out the various stages expected throughout the specific transaction and/or litigation cycle from pre-litigation case management to trial stage. As part of this process, we evaluate and explain the possible scenarios of each stage. Most importantly, we work with our clients from the outset to clearly identify what they want to achieve and articulate their ultimate purpose and objective.
Expert
We have deep expertise and are subject matter leaders in our field with over 60 years combined experience. Our firm offers our clients regular and bespoke legal updates and webinars/seminars so that they are regularly informed about changes and updates in the law. Additionally, we think beyond the law and are not constrained to only the resources within our firm. We collaborate and partner with likeminded stakeholders, service providers and our network of experts to offer our clients access to an array of multi-disciplinary advisors in order to deliver bespoke and integrated services.
Electronic
Gone are the days where clients should be waiting for their lawyer to provide them with information which should be accessible instantaneously. In direct response, our firm has designed a bespoke suite of electronic solutions which creates a dynamic and progressive environment where clients are part of the team and journey rather than removed from it. We provide our clients with 24/7 web-enabled access to the Elit Client Portal, directly connecting them to their file and all relevant documents and information. Our eDiscovery and eTrial Management systems enables key stakeholders including barristers, advisors and service providers the ability to collaborate and work seamlessly with evidence in preparation for hearings and trials, increasing efficiency and reducing costs leading up to and during the course of court hearings and trials.
What does E-lit mean?
Our firm name ‘E-lit’ is inspired by our ethos, underpinned by the following core pillars:
Expert Litigation – offering deep expertise in our field.
Empowering Litigation – offering legal services that empower those we represent.
Electronic Litigation – fully integrated and automated firm with superior efficiency with e-litigation.
Expert
We have deep expertise and are subject matter leaders in our field with over 60 years combined experience. We think beyond the law and are not constrained to only the resources within our firm. We collaborate and partner with likeminded stakeholders, service providers and our network of experts to offer our clients access to an array of multi-disciplinary advisors in order to deliver bespoke and integrated services. Our firm offers our clients regular and bespoke legal updates and webinars/seminars so that they are regularly informed about changes and updates in the law.
Empowering
We empower those we represent. From the very outset, we sit down with our clients to present a digital Elit Scenario Plan which sets out the various stages expected throughout the specific transaction and/or litigation cycle from pre-litigation case management to trial stage. As part of this process, we evaluate and explain the possible scenarios of each stage. Most importantly, we work with our clients from the outset to clearly identify what they want to achieve and articulate their ultimate purpose and objective.
Electronic
Gone are the days where clients should have to wait for their lawyer to provide information which should be accessible instantaneously. Our firm has designed a bespoke suite of electronic solutions which creates a dynamic and progressive environment where our clients are part of the team and journey rather than removed from it. We provide 24/7 web-enabled access to the Elit Client Portal, directly connecting our clients to their file and all relevant documents and information. Our eDiscovery and eTrial Management systems enables key stakeholders including barristers, advisors and service providers the ability to collaborate and work seamlessly with evidence in preparation for hearings and trials, increasing efficiency and reducing costs leading up to and during the course of court hearings and trials.
About us
Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell was founded in November 2020 by award-winning litigator Danielle Snell and industry veteran Robert McGirr. Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, our firm disrupts the traditional law firm model by offering an innovative and progressive delivery model to provide a truly authentic and transparent client experience.
Our firm was named Winner: Boutique Law Firm of the Year at the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards in 2022. We were also named by Australasian Lawyer as one of Australia’s Fastest Growing Firms.
In 2023, at the Australasian Law Awards, Danielle Snell emerged as the winner in the category of ‘Law Firm Leader of the Year (<200 employees).’
Danielle Snell
CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER
Danielle is an award-winning litigator who has worked at several top tier law firms and on many high stakes and high-profile cases.
She has a passion for promoting Diversity, Inclusion & Equality in the sector and for challenging the traditional law firm model in order to provide a more transparent and authentic legal service to clients.
Robert McGirr
CO-FOUNDER AND PARTNER
Rob, an industry veteran, was admitted to practice in 1978 and became one of the Victoria’s first Accredited Commercial Litigation Specialists in 1993.
Rob has over 40 years experience in the legal industry as a Senior Partner responsible for commercial litigation and insurance legal teams.
Aggie Vlahos
PARTNER
Aggie is an astute and sensitive lawyer with a diverse legal skill set, enabling her to support clients across various legal issues during a dispute.
Her clients greatly appreciate her vast and complementary knowledge spanning family law, corporate and commercial agreements, Wills, estates, and probate as well as workplace and employment disputes.
Jason Chew
Partner
Jason is a seasoned commercial litigator with extensive experience gained from working in leading national and international law firms.
He advises and represents clients across a broad spectrum of commercial disputes, with a particular focus on complex multi-party building and construction claims and third-party property damage matters.
Jason is known by his clients and peers for his pragmatic and cost-effective approach.
Danielle Snell
CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER
Danielle Snell is an award winning lawyer, specialising in Commercial Litigation, Policyholder Insurance Cases and Defamation & Media Law.
Robert McGirr
CO-FOUNDER & PARTNER
Rob, an industry veteran, was admitted to practice in 1978 and became one of the Victoria’s first Accredited Commercial Litigation Specialists in 1993.
Aggie Vlahos
PARTNER
Aggie is an astute and sensitive lawyer with a diverse legal skill set, enabling her to support clients across various legal issues during a dispute.
Her clients greatly appreciate her vast and complementary knowledge spanning family law, corporate and commercial agreements, Wills, estates, and probate as well as workplace and employment disputes.
Our specialty expertise
Solving Legal Conflicts
Since founding Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell, Danielle and Robert have become the ‘go to’ lawyers for other legal professionals who encounter conflict issues and are highly regarded as a trusted pair of hands.
Legal Case Reviews
With highly regarded reputations in the industry for creative solutions to complex issues, Danielle Snell and Robert McGirr are often sought out as a fresh pair of eyes, someone new to examine and critique a dispute or legal case.
Our latest news
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"Danielle guided us through the entire process with confidence and transparency, ensuring we always felt informed and supported."
Insurance Law
Plaintiff
We had an outstanding experience working with Danielle. From the very beginning, she demonstrated exceptional professionalism, clear communication, and a genuine understanding of our situation. She guided us through the entire process with confidence and transparency, ensuring we always felt informed and supported.
What truly stood out was her ability to achieve a fast resolution while securing the exact outcome we were hoping for. Her expertise and strategic approach made a stressful situation significantly easier to manage.
Equally impressive was Danielle’s compassion and friendliness. She took the time to listen, showed real empathy, and made us feel like more than just another case. We always felt valued and reassured
"
"Danielle kept me well-informed and involved, ensuring I was aware of all my options throughout the legal process"
Insurance Law
Plaintiff
Danielle Snell and the Elit Lawyers team acted for me on a high value insurance claim after insurers denied me all cover after my aircraft was damaged during the filming of a Hollywood movie. Given that insurers denied me all cover and offered to pay zero, with Danielle and team’s guidance, I issued proceedings in the Supreme Court of Victoria – Insurance List against the insurers involved. Danielle kept me well-informed and involved, ensuring I was aware of all my options throughout the legal process.
This was a stressful period for me, but I always felt confident and supported . I was happy to resolve the case prior to trial which involved a pay-out by the insurers. I felt confident to take on the insurers with the representation and support of Elit Lawyers and it proved to be the right move as I was ultimately paid out under my policy which was very different to the insurer’s original decision to pay me nothing.
"
"Within days, the podcast episode was removed and I was also given an apology, undertaking and some payment towards my legal costs"
Defamation – CEO
Plaintiff
I highly recommend Danielle and her team to anyone needing to fight defamation matters, they achieve results! I was defamed on a podcast which was published on various forums. The Elit team prepared detailed Concerns Notices to the original publisher and also to the podcast operator and other forums the podcast was published on. Within days, the podcast episode was removed and I was also given an apology, undertaking and some payment towards my legal costs. Thank you to the Elit team for helping me with this personal matter.
– CEO
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"On advice from Danielle and Mark, I sued the insurer in the Federal Court Insurance List and a settlement was reached within a couple of months!"
Insurance Law
Plaintiff
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"Aggie kept me well informed at every step and her supportive and approachable manner made a very stressful period in my life far easier to navigate."
Family Law – Property
Plaintiff
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"I was grateful for Aggie’s expert advice, patience, and support during my family law court case"
Family Law
Plaintiff
Aggie acted for me in relation to my litigated family law matter – during an intense and difficult time in my life. I was grateful for Aggie’s expert advice, patience, and support during my family law court case which we were able to resolve positively at mediation. I would strongly recommend Aggie and her team to anybody needing legal assistance with their family law matter.