b'Meanwhile in MelbourneAs would-be miners descended on the goldfields ofdelightful to see many other gentlemen of his professionBallarat and Bendigo, Melbourne experienced an influxendeavour to imitate his agreeable suavitas in mode a little. of businesspeople eager to establish themselves. ManyBefore long he needed an engrossing clerk to hand write the were lawyers, including Kenric Brodribb, who arrived ingrowing volume of detailed legal documents.Melbourne from his home in Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania) in 1852. For a short time, Brodribb partnered with Hugh Chambers (known as the sporting lawyer for his involvement in Brodribbs father, William Brodribb, had been a solicitorhorse racing), before teaming up with Thomas Crisp in 1857 in London before being sentenced to seven yearsto establish Brodribb & Crisp. In 1859 they were joined by transportation for administering an unlawful oath. WhenRobert Lewis, who had come to Melbourne to try his luck on he arrived in Sydney in 1817, Governor Lachlan Macquariethe goldfields, before becoming one of the first law graduates was looking to settle unrest in Van Diemens Land. He sawof the University of Melbourne. The firm then became the opportunity to make use of Brodribbs legal training andknown as Brodribb Crisp & Lewis. sent him to be the clerk for the newly appointed Bench of Magistrates. Brodribb became one of the first solicitors inWith the lucrative gold rush and the boom in the wool Van Diemens Land. industry, it was an auspicious time to be a solicitor in Melbourne. As the city grew, so did the firm. The partners Brodribb junior followed in his fathers footsteps, startingtook an active role in political and business life and served a complex chain of legal partnerships that ultimately ledon local councils Brodribb in St Kilda and Crisp in Brighton. to the creation of the eminent Melbourne law firm ArthurBrodribb was also one of the first members of the Law Institute Robinson & Hedderwicks a firm that in 2001 would joinof Victoria and became its third president.the partnership started by George Allen.In 1866 Brodribb retired from the firm, leaving Crisp and Brodribb established his practice in Melbourne, over Mr CoxsLewis to carry on the practice. In 1869 long-time employee wine store, managing all manner of property and otherJohn Wilks completed his articles and became a partner, legal transactions. His business flourished and he quicklythough only for a short time. By 1874 the firm was again gained the respect of the towns legal and commercial circles.known as Crisp & Lewis until two years later when it Brodribb became renowned for his advocacy. On 19 Augustmerged with another leading firm, Palmer & Hedderwick,1853 the Argus reported that, Mr Brodribb conductedto become Crisp Lewis & Hedderwick.his cross- examination with great skill, and it would be 49'