About Us
Welcome
Beckwith Cleverdon Rees is a general practice legal advisory firm located in the heart of Collins Street, Melbourne offering a broad range of legal advice relating to Property Law, Commercial and Business, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Family Law, Criminal Law and Private Client services including Wills and Estates delivering clients trustworthy, credible service and peace of mind.
The Partners and staff of Beckwith Cleverdon Rees are committed to providing sensible solutions, cost effective advice and timely personal contact, regardless of the level of legal assistance required. Both Partners and Staff are always approachable and friendly and are on hand to assist you with your legal requirements and the advice offered is always measured, rational and intended to make the process of negotiating the vagaries of the legal system as user friendly as possible for you.
Our location in the heart of Collins Street makes our central office easy to locate and we are a short walk from the iconic Flinders Street Station and the Collins and Elizabeth Street Trams.
Our History
William Cleverdon commenced legal practice in Victoria in 1869, just eighteen years after the separation of the Colony of Victoria from New South Wales. As the practice grew William Cleverdon was joined by other partners and over time the firm name evolved to Cleverdon, Eggleston & Derham. When Franklin Ethelbert Fay joined the firm the name of the practice changed to Cleverdon & Fay, and then further extended to Cleverdon Fay & Hayes.
In the 1940s, George Reid, later to become Attorney General of Victoria, joined the firm and was followed by Donald Finlay with the name changing to Cleverdon Reid & Finlay.
Another strand of the practice commenced in 1934 when Kingsley Percival (Rex) Rees commenced practice as a sole practitioner in Box Hill and Melbourne. In 1971, John Beckwith joined him in partnership under the name of Rees Beckwith & Co.
In 1981, Cleverdon Reid & Finlay merged with Rees Beckwith & Co and three years later the practice of Frank C. Hulls was added to the firm. In the 1990s, the name of the firm became Beckwith Cleverdon Rees reflecting the different merged histories that are embodied in our practice. The present partners are John Beckwith and Ashley Beckwith.