The Victorian Liberal candidate for an ultra-marginal seat is in a legal fight with his own law firm, accused by his partners of bullying staff and using business resources to further his political ambitions.
Grant Hutchinson – who has denied the allegations against him – was preselected for the seat of Croydon in Melbourne’s east last month. It is one of the Liberals’ most marginal electorates, with a gap of only 1.2%, and the fate of such outer suburban seats will be vital to the Coalition at the November 2026 election.
It can be revealed that nearly six months before his preselection, Hutchinson and his wife won a supreme court injunction against a bid to remove them from Hutchinson Legal, which is run “as a form of Christian ministry”, according to documents provided by the court to Guardian Australia.
That case triggered a counterclaim from current and former partners, who say the Hutchinsons should be terminated from the firm because of alleged breaches of the partnership agreement, including by “engaging in another profession”.
They have accused him of several incidents of bullying – including allegedly threatening and detaining one of his lawyers – along with using the firm, its staff and a defamation case for political activities.
In court documents – filed before his preselection – it is claimed his conduct caused six people to leave the practice. One of those was a female lawyer who it is alleged made a complaint against Hutchinson, and has allegedly been off work for several months because of a workplace injury. In court documents Hutchinson denies the claims.
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Hutchinson is also accused of loudly striking an office window to get the lawyer’s attention, rudely gesturing, and then using offensive and crass language towards her in October last year. Hutchinson says the pair had an interaction but otherwise denies the claim.
According to the counterclaim, during a meeting with the lawyer in January, Hutchinson questioned her about a complaint she made about the firm’s workload and his “availability”.
At that meeting, he allegedly “intimidated and threatened” her, deprived her of her liberty and “freedom to move”, and caused her to become fearful and distressed, according to court documents, which do not provide any further detail.
Hutchinson denies this, saying only that the pair met and discussed the complaint.
In court documents, Hutchinson agrees that an internal complaint about that meeting was subsequently filed by the lawyer – who left work in March after filing a WorkCover application – but denies its accuracy or that there was a legitimate basis for it.
‘Political activity’ denied
The counterclaim against Hutchinson makes accusations about his involvement with the Liberal party, with nine alleged examples since 2013 outlined. These are described as “engaging in another profession”, in breach of the partnership agreement.
He is also accused of starting a defamation case in 2021 that was related to his political activity, but Hutchinson denies this.
Hutchinson is alleged to have carried on “the political activity” by using the practice to meet people, using his work email, and using his personal assistant and other staff. He is also alleged to have been absent during work hours to “carry on the political activity”.
In court documents, Hutchinson does not admit he held the positions or engaged in the political activities outlined in the claim, and says they were not a “profession”. He also denies any of the firm’s resources were used in this way.
Hutchinson and Con Nottas, the firm’s managing partner who is also one of the partners involved in the legal dispute, were both contacted for comment.
According to an order made by Justice Richard Attiwill last month, mediation in the matter must be completed by 20 March 2026, ahead of a directions hearing on 27 March.
Guardian Australia understands the Liberal party was aware of the case prior to Hutchinson’s preselection, although a spokesperson declined to confirm this.
“We cannot comment on matters before the court,” the party spokesperson said.
The current MP for Croydon, David Hodgett, is retiring. Hutchinson was formally endorsed by the party in late November.
Before his preselection, the Liberal party executive extended the preselection period to allow more candidates to come forward in four seats.
Croydon was considered “winnable” by Labor, with some party members encouraged by the results in the overlapping federal seat of Deakin, which they unexpectedly won in May.
