About Us

Cornwalls is one of Australia’s oldest and most respected independent law firms. We offer a full range of commercial law services, with offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. We build on the existing heritage of the firm and continue to align ourselves with our clients’ key values. We focus on team work, working smarter and empowering our people to be the best they can be. Talent, culture and innovation are critical pillars of our business strategy. At Cornwalls, our purpose is to achieve excellence in all that we do: ‘Law + More’ is our motto, and it’s how we approach our clients and their businesses. We partner with our clients to seek innovative ways to help them achieve their goals and assist them in identifying and developing new goals when market opportunities arise. We consider our clients to be an integral part of our firm, which is why we work hard to understand their needs. Each client is distinct, and we provide unique and dynamic solutions to ensure that our approach works for your business. Our values are: clients are key; our people make us; take ownership; team work; and work smarter. These values inform our work and guide the future direction of our firm.

Cornwalls is a group of independently owned and operated law firms comprising Cornwalls ABN 19 738 311 557 (a limited partnership), Cornwalls (QLD) ABN 18 604 548 601 (individual liability limited by a scheme approved under professional standards legislation), Cornwalls (NSW) ABN 68 626 837 223 (liability limited by a scheme approved under professional standards legislation) and Cornwalls (EMT Law) ABN 52 644 148 087 (liability limited by a scheme approved under professional standards legislation).

Cornwalls has a rich history dating back to 1891. Our heritage and the values exemplified by our founders define us.

Our firm’s founders, Frank Cornwall and Harry Sugden, showed determination and perseverance in establishing the firm at that time, when Melbourne was going through an economic depression. They demonstrated foresight and progressiveness when they employed Flos Greig, the first woman to graduate with a Bachelor of Laws degree in Victoria. After completing her articles of clerkship with Frank Cornwall in 1905, she became the first female admitted to practise law in Australia.