After graduation, Hodgman was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Tasmania and served as Associate to the Rt Hon. Sir Victor Windeyer of the High Court of Australia from 1962 to 1963. He then worked as a Legal Officer for Hydro Tasmania from 1965 to 1966. He was a Committee Member of the Tasmanian Bar Council from 1969 to 1974, including a period as Vice President from 1972 to 1973. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1984. Throughout his career, Hodgman largely specialised in criminal law, and represented a number of high-profile clients, including Mark "Chopper" Read.
Parliamentary career
Hodgman first entered politics in 1966 as member for the Tasmanian Legislative Council seat of Huon. He held this position until 1974 when he stood down to run for the Federal electorate of Denison. He was unsuccessful, but won the seat at his second attempt at the 1975 election, and held the seat until 1987, when he was defeated by Duncan Kerr from the Australian Labor Party. He served as Minister for the Capital Territory and Minister Assisting the Minister for Industry and Commerce in the Fraser government from 1980 to 1983. In 1992 Hodgman returned to state politics in the lower house electorate of Denison, which he held until defeated in 1998, when the size of parliament was reduced from 35 to 25 members. He regained the position in 2001 after a recount of votes due to the retirement of Ray Groom. In the 2002 state election he retained his seat, at the expense of his colleague and leader Bob Cheek. Hodgman was well known for his strong support for retaining Australia's Constitutional monarchy. He enjoyed wide name-recognition in Hobart; mainly due to his long political career. His wife died in 2003. His son Will Hodgman was elected to the House of Assembly in 2002 from the neighbouring seat of Franklin; Will is the current Premier of Tasmania. After Michael's final election to the House of Assembly in 2006, he was in the partyroom meeting that saw Will elected unopposed as the new Liberal leader. He achieved further fame in 2007 when, during a speech, he rallied fellow party members to give "the Labor party one right up the bracket". On the popular Get This radio show, the team had a featured segment using the soundbite "one right up the bracket", in which callers air their grievances. On 19 November 2009 Hodgman announced he would not be contesting the 2010 state election. In his farewell speech he spoke briefly about his political career including electorates represented, ministerial offices held, opposition to the invasion of East Timor and flooding of Lake Pedder.
