A Hawthorn legal practice of over 50 years standing.

Origins in Hawthorn

The practice was established in Hawthorn in the early 1970s by Mr C E J Blakie. From its earliest years it was known as a general suburban legal practice serving families, small businesses and property owners across Hawthorn, Boroondara and Melbourne's eastern suburbs. The work of the firm centred on the matters that make up most people's ordinary contact with the law — the purchase of a home, the sale of a business, the preparation of a will, the administration of an estate on the death of a family member.

That focus has not changed. The client base has grown, the legislation and settlement systems have modernised, and the practice now operates from central Melbourne rather than Hawthorn, but the character of the work remains: careful, practical legal advice for individuals, families and closely held businesses.

The Blakie + Britt name

Under the later leadership of Michael Britt, the practice continued to grow its reputation for property, estate and commercial work. The Blakie + Britt name became associated with steady, longstanding client relationships — often across more than one generation of a family, or across the working life of a family business.

Continuation through Parke Lawyers

The practice today continues through Parke Lawyers under the guidance of Jim Parke, former Mayor of Boroondara and an Accredited Specialist in Commercial Law.

For clients of the original Hawthorn practice, and for their families and businesses, the change means access to a broader professional team while retaining the same character of work — property and conveyancing, wills and estate planning, probate and estate administration, commercial contracts, business transactions and commercial and retail leasing.

Areas of focus

The practice concentrates on:

• Conveyancing and property — residential and commercial transactions, contract reviews and property transfers.
• Wills and estate planning — wills, powers of attorney, and testamentary trusts where appropriate.
• Probate and deceased estates — applications for probate and letters of administration, and the administration of estates.
• Commercial law — commercial contracts, business sales and purchases, and commercial and retail leasing.

Where clients are located

Although the office is now in central Melbourne, a large part of the practice's client base remains in Hawthorn and the wider Boroondara area. See our Hawthorn and Boroondara page for the practical way clients from the eastern suburbs are assisted today.

Standards

The practice operates under documented quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management systems, and is led by an Accredited Specialist in Commercial Law. See our professional standards page for details.