The firm now known as Corrs Chambers Westgarth has its roots in the pre-gold rush days of Melbourne when law firm Whiting and Byrne was formed in 1841.

In 1883, Norton Smith Westgarth and Sanders of Sydney was established, followed two years later by Brisbane's Chambers McNab and Co.

These three firms are the foundations of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, which was established on 2 April 1991 following the merger of Corrs Australian Solicitors, Westgarth Middletons (Sydney) and Chambers McNab Tully and Wilson (Brisbane and Gold Coast).

Corrs Australian Solicitors was formed two years earlier (initially with the name Corrs) via the merger of Corrs Pavey Whiting and Byrne, Adelaide's Mollison Litchfield and Perth's Keall Brinsden (founded in 1910).

Corrs Chambers Westgarth now has 117 partners, around 1000 employees and more than 550 fee earners in its Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth offices.

"Law firms need to be externally focused on the opportunities and challenges a post-GFC world creates and help clients work successfully in this new environment," says Corrs chief executive John Denton. "Our ambition is to help clients navigate the complexities of the post-GFC world and assist their competitiveness."

To shore up its client base in the face of global competition, Corrs has a targeted growth strategy that includes increasing the scale and capability of the firm by at least one-third by 2015.

Total staff: 117 partners, 550 lawyers plus support staff

Offices: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth

Click on the covers to explore the story of how each of these now national firms expanded across the continent: