GV Lawyers has a rich history in the Australian Legal Community with the first chapter starting when George Boultbee, a legal clerk from Tasmania stepped off the SS Innimincka in Fremantle in 1897. Working as a clerk he was admitted to the Supreme Court in 1898 and by 1901 had his own practice operating out of Fremantle.

Frederick Godfrey immigrated to Australia from Britain with his mother in 1912 [and as we understand he had dreams to become a farmer]. With some advice to the contrary he ended up joining Mr Boultbee as a clerk. After a fairly extensive apprentice he was admitted to the bar in 1921 and in 1923 the firm became Boultbee & Godfrey.

By 1935 John Virtue [who was later appointed to the Supreme Court and knighted] joined the firm and it became Boultbee Godfrey Virtue.

The firm continued to practice as Boultbee Godfrey Virtue until 1968 when it became known as Godfrey Virtue & Co.