A Century of Service
A Short History of Groom & Lavers Solicitors

The Beginning

In September, 1893 Charles Stockley Eden a young , newly admitted solicitor first opened his doors to the Club Hotel Chambers in Toowoomba to start his new law firm. That firm is today known as Groom & Lavers.

Sometime between 1900 and 1909 Charles Eden commenced partnership with Leslie Walter Groom and the firm then became known as Eden & Groom.

In 1909 the firm changed names once again to its current name of Groom & Lavers when Mr Arnold Ernest Lavers commenced practice with Mr Groom upon Mr. Eden's retirement.

Of course the practice of law in the early 20th century was vastly different from how law is practised today.

There was no electricity, the city was poorly lit and the roads, particularly out of the city were in very poor condition and in wet weather often impassable. Other than train travel all communication out of the city was done by horse drawn vehicle.

Each office had its own policy and Solicitors rarely met socially or in any way other than in business transactions.

The letter press was often used for the copying of letters and accounts and all Wills and many other documents were typed requiring many official engrossing clerks in the law offices.

In 1930, Mr Arnold Lavers and Queensland Trustee joined together to build the T & L Building at 156 Margaret Street, Toowoomba. The firm continues to operate from these premises today.

and now…

In 1991, the firm merged with the respected firm of T J Irvine and Co in Oakey. At that stage the firm had offices in Toowoomba, Oakey, Kingsthorpe, Goombungee and Pittsworth. In 2001, the firm merged with Sorensen Legal with the Principal of that firm, Mr Phillip Sorensen being a partner of the firm today.

The Groom Family

The Groom family have contributed immensely to the political and cultural life of Toowoomba and the Darling Downs. Leslie Groom's father, William Groom was the first Mayor of the municipality of Toowoomba and a member for Darling Downs in the first federal parliament. The current federal electorate of Groom is named after William Groom.

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