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

Partners of Groom & Lavers

Over the years there have been many partners of the firm. Below is a short mention of some of them.

CHARLES EDEN
Charles Eden was the founding Partner of the firm. He served his articles of clerkship with Alexander Drysdale of Ipswich for five (5) years commencing 30 May, 1888. He was admitted as a Solicitor on 5 September, 1893 and later that year he commenced practice in the Club Hotel Chambers in Margaret Street, Toowoomba.

JAMES DODDS
Mr Dodds commenced partnership with Mr Charles Eden in 1900. He continued in partnership until approximately 1909.

LESLIE WALTER GROOM
Leslie Walter Groom was the son of William Henry Groom, one of the political pioneers of the colony. He continued in practice until October, 1915 when his brother, Sir Littleton Groom took over his share of the practice.

ARNOLD LAVERS
Mr Arnold Lavers lays claim to one of the eldest practicing Solicitors in the state. He was affectionately referred to as “the grand old man of the profession”. He served in the legal profession for sixty-one (61) years. He was admitted as a Solicitor in 1907 and entered the Crown Solicitor's Office in Brisbane. He moved to Toowoomba in 1909 and joined the firm of Groom & Lavers. He devoted a great deal of time to organisations and charities in the city being involved in the Rotary Club of Toowoomba, Toowoomba Branch of the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland, the Queensland Ambulance Brigade, Toowoomba Grammar School and the Downs and South Western Law Association. He was also heavily involved with the Neil Street Methodist Church and the Toowoomba Ladies Literacy Society. He continued making court appearances at ninety-one (91) years of age. For many years the Lavers family lived at 126 Russell Street, Toowoomba one of the grandest houses in Toowoomba at the time.

SIR LITTLETON GROOM
Sir Littleton Groom was a partner of Groom & Lavers for a period of three (3) years from 1915 to 1918. In 1901 he was elected as a member for Darling Downs after the death of his father, William Henry Groom. He represented the constituency with one (1) intermission for a period of 33 years. It was during this intermission that he practiced as a Solicitor for the firm. He held many ministerial positions during his term including the Commonwealth Attorney-General. In 1926 he was chosen as Speaker of the House of Representatives. In parliament, on the death of Sir Littleton Groom, it was said “if it can be said of any man that he was a cultured gentleman, and that he had a well balanced nature, that he earned the profound respect of everyone with whom he came in contact, that can be truly said of Sir Littleton Groom”.

MERVYN BAYNES
Mervyn was the nephew of Sir Littleton Groom . He completed his articles of clerkship with the firm and was admitted as a solicitor in 1925. He practiced until he was well over 80 years old. He was chairman of the board of Toowoomba Grammar School for many years. For many years he acted for the Toowoomba City Council and was very highly regarded by the community and the profession.

HOWARD LAVERS
Howard Lavers, son of Arnold Lavers, was the first Solicitor on the Darling Downs to hold a Law Degree from the University of Queensland. He was articled by Brisbane Solicitors Flower & Hart and admitted as a Solicitor in December 1946. He joined the firm of Groom & Lavers after serving as a navigator in the RAAF with the rank of flight lieutenant. He served in Europe and in the middle east from 1941 to 1946. Mr Lavers was an active member of Rotary and Legacy and retired from the firm in 1989.

GEORGE FOX
George undertook his initial legal training in Brisbane and became a partner of the firm in 1978. He was president of the Queensland Law Society in 1993 and served on the Council of the Toowoomba Prep School and Rotary. He retired from the firm in 2001.

JUDITH GIBBINS
Judith trained as a Solicitor in Brisbane and was admitted in 1983. She joined the firm in 1984 and become a partner in 1987. She was one of few female Solicitors who obtained partnership in Toowoomba at that time. Judith retired from the partnership in 1994.

TREVOR IRVINE
Trevor undertook his legal training in Toowoomba and began practice in Oakey in 1972. He owned and operated a farming venture for 12 years and served as a Councillor on the Jondaryan Shire Council for 7 years and was involved in many community organisations. Trevor retired from the firm in 2002.

ANITA SMITH
Anita was admitted as solicitor in 1999 after studying at James Cook university in Townsville. She became a partner in 2000 and served the firm for a period of 5 years before retiring to undertake further study. Anita was involved in many community organisations.

ROBERT GUNNINGHAM
Robert was admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales in 1980, and as a Solicitor in Queensland in 1983. He commenced practice in London in 1980, and then moved to Brisbane in 1982, where he practised at Chambers McNab Tully & Wilson (now Corrs Chambers Westgarth), becoming an associate of that firm in 1984. Robert moved to Toowoomba in 1988 when he joined Groom & Lavers. Robert retired from the firm September 2008.

Today, the partners are:

PHILLIP SORENSEN
Phillip was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in December of 1986 and is enrolled as a solicitor in the High Court of Australia. Phillip completed his 5 year Articles of Clerkship in 1985 with the Toowoomba firm Wonderley & Hall after which he moved to Brisbane, to complete his studies. After his admission as a Solicitor in 1986 Phillip then worked in suburban firms in Brisbane prior to returning to Toowoomba in 1990 to commence duties with another Toowoomba firm, Bernays & Bernays. Phillip joined Groom & Lavers as a Partner in 2001.

ANDREW TAYLOR
Andrew commenced his legal training at Groom & Lavers in 1991 whilst studying law externally through the Queensland University of Technology. He completed his degree in 1996 and was admitted as a Solicitor in July 1996. Shortly after his admission he moved to Brisbane to work in Law Firms there before returning to Groom & Lavers in 1999. He became a partner in 2000. Apart from his time in Brisbane, Andrew has lived locally all of his life. Andrew is now the Resident Partner at the Firm's Oakey office.

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