Freehills' unparalleled reputation for delivering the best commercial legal advice has been developed over more than 150 years.
The firm has grown consistently from its beginnings in 1852 to become one of the largest and most respected law firms in Australia and South-East Asia.
Freehills was one of the first Australian law firms to establish a national partnership, and now has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane. It was also one of the first to establish an Asian practice. We have an office in Singapore and associated offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta.
The timeline highlights key dates in Freehills' development, from a number of small practices located in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane to one of Australia's major corporate and commercial legal firms.
Timeline
1852
Frederick George Moule joins firm of Clark & Meek in Melbourne.
1853
Clark & Meek changes name to Clarke & Moule.
1868
Stephen Henry Parker opens a legal practice in Perth, Australia.
1871
Bernard Austin Freehill opens a legal practice in Sydney, Australia.
1896
John Nicholson establishes a legal practice in Perth , Australia
1947
Sydney office changes name to Freehill Hollingdale & Page. The Sydney office's post-war growth commences under senior partner Brian Page, who takes Freehill Hollingdale & Page into corporate and commercial practice both within Australia and internationally.
1979
Muir Williams Nicholson & Co, Perth, signs agreement with Freehill Hollingdale & Page, Sydney, instigating Australia's first national law partnership.
1980
Freehill Hollingdale & Page, Canberra, Australia, is established as part of the Sydney partnership.
1984
National partnership is extended with offices in Sydney, Melbourne (Moules), Perth and Canberra. Perth office changes name to Freehill Hollingdale & Page, Perth.
1986
Melbourne office changes its name to Freehill Hollingdale & Page, Melbourne.
1988
Freehills Patent Attorneys partnership established.
1989
Brisbane firm joins the national Freehill Hollingdale & Page group.
1990-96
London office operated to meet client needs and demands.
1991
Brisbane firm changes its name to Freehill Hollingdale & Page, Brisbane and joins the Sydney partnership.
1993
Correspondent office in Jakarta established with Soemadipradja & Taher.
1994
Freehill Hollingdale & Page becomes the first Australian law firm to be licensed by the Vietnamese Government to operate representative offices in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
1997
Freehill Hollingdale & Page, Perth office merges with Parker & Parker, retaining the name Freehill Hollingdale & Page, Perth.
2000
Freehills Patent Attorneys merges with Carter Smith & Beadle to form Freehills Carter Smith Beadle.
2000
On 1 July 2000, Freehill Hollingdale & Page officially changes its name to Freehills and becomes a single national legal partnership.
2004
On 1 November Freehills Carter Smith Beadle officially changed its name to Freehills Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys.
