b'Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks formedIn the 1980s Arthur Robinson & Co continued to dominatewould provide a surge capacity and give clients access to mining and project finance work. This brought a steady streaman unrivalled depth of specialist skills. Arthur Robinson of new business and the loyalty of longstanding clients,& Hedderwicks was formed on 1 August 1984, bringing including CRA (now Rio Tinto), BHP, Western Mining Corporationtogether 30 partners, 45 lawyers and 120 support staff. and Ford Australia. Michael Robinson was managing partner of the firm at the time. He was admired for his drive, contagiousThe merger was successful and the integration seamless. enthusiasm and forward-thinking attitude. Defending BHP from a takeover bid by Robert HolmesCourt in 1986, for example, was a project of such scale and intensity Hedderwick Fookes & Alston was highly regarded for itsthat neither firm could have undertaken it on its own. commercial litigation and industrial law work. The senior partners sat on the boards of some of Australias leadingArthur Robinson & Hedderwicks quickly gained a strong companies and, since the Second World War, the practicereputation for takeover work. Within a few years, it had counted among its clients Shell Australia, Australianplayed a lead role in significant mergers including Australian Consolidated Industries, Australian Newsprint Mills andPaper Manufacturers and Mayne Nickless, Cadbury-Schweppes Cadbury-Schweppes. and Allens Confectionery, CRA and Hamersley, and Humes and Australian Consolidated Industries. The two Melbourne firms shared a natural affinity; they had compatible client bases, a similar culture, and the partnersThis was the first merger of two major law firms in knew and respected each other. The idea of merging theMelbourne. Many more would follow.firms was first raised during the Second World War and again in the late 1970s, but discussions were brought to a head inIn December 1984, International Financial Law Review the 1980s when other firms began knocking on the door ofnoted, Australian law firms are on the move, merging, Hedderwick Fookes & Alston. associating, federating, going interstate and overseas. The principle seems to be bigger is better, national is best. Those Arthur Robinson & Co and Hedderwick Fookes & Alstonwho have not yet taken the plunge are certain to be talking saw the competitive advantages a merger would bring.about it.Increasingly complex and resource-intensive corporate transactions had placed their teams under intense pressure when large transactions or disputes coincided. A merger 172'