CBP merger with Hemming + Hart the last link in east coast network Jon Meadmore and Dunstan de Souza of Colin Biggers & Paisley. COLIN Biggers & Paisley is merging with Brisbane's Hemming + Hart to complete its east coast network and confirm its position as one of the nation's fastest-growing law firms. The deal, which takes effect on November 4, will mean a name change for the Brisbane practice and new responsibilities for its senior partner, Jon Meadmore, who will become national head of the merged firm's corporate practice. The addition of the Brisbane firm's six partners and 14 lawyers will increase the number of partners at CBP to 52, compared with 40 last December and 28 the year before. Last year's merger with Melbourne's Monaghan + Rowell was the first interstate move by CBP, which was founded in Sydney 111 years ago. CBP's rapid growth forms a sharp contrast with reductions in partner and lawyer numbers at large national firms. Managing partner Dunstan de Souza said his firm's ability to keep growing was related to the fact that it was a boutique practice that specialised in a relatively small number of areas it serviced well. Instead of expanding into other practice areas, the firm had decided to expand geographically. CBP's growth comes soon after another boutique firm, Melbourne's Kelly Hazel Quill Lawyers, opened offices in Sydney and Adelaide in response to client demand. Kelly Hazel Quill was established seven years ago and specialises in just nine practice areas, including media law, where clients include The Australian, the Herald Sun and some other News Corp Australia newspapers. Director David Kelly said businesses were pushing to control and reduce their costs and this had been good for boutique firms that provided specialist expertise. CBP's Mr de Souza said his firm intended to recruit more partners in Brisbane to build on Hemming + Hart's strong focus on corporate and commercial work. Three of the Brisbane firm's six partners practised in corporate and commercial law and Mr Meadmore would run the national commercial practice from Brisbane. Like CBP, the Brisbane firm did not attempt to practise in all areas of law. It focused on corporate and commercial, property, construction and commercial litigation. Those areas are all boxes we want to tick nationally. It was one of those matches made in heaven," Mr de Souza said. He said the Brisbane office, like the rest of the firm, would be financially integrated as this structure aligned the interests of all parts of the organisation. "We are not interested in federations and that is why it has taken a little bit of time," he said. We had a plan for a fully integrated office in Brisbane for at least the last 12 months. It has taken us this long to find the right people. He ruled out a similar move in Perth but said there was no doubt the Brisbane office would grow. "There will be some active recruiting," Mr de Souza said. I have spoken to many partners in that marketplace already and we will look to have a fairly rapid expansion.