b"Robert Little arrives in Moreton BayThe Irish Potato Famine of the mid-1840s caused starvation,Little soon became indispensable to those buying or selling disease, and the death of over one million people. Robertproperty in the area, and he became a prominent member Little, like many of his countrymen, left the conditions inof the community. Allen & Son began acting as Littles Ireland to seek a better future in the Australian colonies. town agent, filing court documents and undertaking title He was twenty-three years old and hoped to make use ofsearches in Sydney on his behalf. In 1850 the Moreton Bay his recent accreditation as a solicitor.branch of the Bank of New South Wales opened, and the bank quickly became Littles main client. Little arrived in Sydney in June 1846, bringing with hima letter of introduction to the Bank of New South WalesIn 1857 the New South Wales judicial system was extended from his family banker in Ireland. The bank introduced to Moreton Bay. Little was appointed the first crown solicitor Little to George Allen and his eldest son, Wigram (whofor civil and criminal causes. As official work was minimal in would shortly complete his legal training). The Allen'sthe early days of the court, Little was allowed to maintain assisted Little with his admission as a solicitor in New his private practice. For a few years he worked in partnership South Wales and a friendship developed between Little with William Rawlins under the name Little & Rawlins. and Wigram. Their firms would merge 150 years later.By 1860 demand for Littles work had grown to a point that George and Wigram knew Sydney was well served byhe decided to partner with Eyles Browne, a solicitor who lawyers and suggested Little head north to pursue hishad practised in Sydney and Newcastle before moving to ambitions. As official solicitor to the Bank of New SouthBrisbane. The practice became known as Little & Browne. Wales, George knew of the banks plans to open its first branch outside Sydney in Moreton Bay (now Brisbane). HeIn 1879 Heinrich Rthning was invited to join the knew the bank branch would generate considerable legalpartnership and the firms name became Little Browne work and also advance the towns prospects. & Rthning. Rthning had joined the firm as an articled clerk, and his influence and ability were soon clear. The Originally established as a secondary penal colony for somepressures of Littles role as crown solicitor eventually forced of the most hardened convicts, Moreton Bay was opened tohim to retire from private practice. At the same time, free settlers in 1842. In 1846 when Little arrived, MoretonBrowne became ill, leaving Rthning to manage one of Bay had a population of 1,599 colonists and 2,000 localQueenslands most successful legal practices.Indigenous people. Men significantly outnumbered women. Over the next twenty-five years the town became a thriving metropolis and the population grew to over 125,000.36"