Its founder, James Hunter Ross, emigrated from Scotland to set up practice in Melbourne on the corner of Bourke and William Streets.

In 1865 its founder died, and the firm was renamed to Blake & Riggall in 1874.

In 1881 a firm later to be known as Waldron & Dawson was founded on Pitt Street in Sydney.

[3] These two firms were prominent in the legal systems of Australia's colonies.

Three further Asian offices were established, in Jakarta in 1988, Shanghai in 1995 and Singapore in 2009.