The history of Wallmans Lawyers dates back to April 25, 1908, when Reginald Horton Wallmann signed the Roll of Practitioners and was admitted to the Supreme Court of South Australia. He started practice in his own name on that same day.
During the next four decades, RH Wallmann was associated with many other leading legal names in Adelaide as his practice grew and new partnerships were formed. He changed his name early in 1917 because, according to his daughter, the double "n" was considered to have too German a character in the Great War years. He apparently had no qualms about doing so as the British Royal family also changed their name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to establish the House of Windsor in the same year.
Significant advances began at the start of the 1960s when the current firm of Wallman, Palmer, Hutton & Duffy decided to restructure and expand. The new name of Wallman & Partners was registered with the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs on June 1, 1960 and the following year distinguished lawyers such as Len King QC (later Attorney-General and Chief Justice) joined the firm. Len King was one of eight partners who continued on to become a judge.
The 1970s saw Wallman & Partners move from its base in Waymouth Street to Wakefield Street and make its mark as an innovative as well as reputable law firm. It was, for example, the first firm in Adelaide to place a computer screen on every lawyer's desk.
In the early 1980s (a period of great change in Adelaide's legal fraternity with the establishment of the independent bar), Wallman & Partners moved from strength to strength by attracting other like-minded lawyers of similar integrity and skill. It also formed creative partnerships with other firms enabling the company to offer complementary services. Consistent with the evolving innovation and a series of restructures, the firm chose to rename itself "Wallmans Lawyers".
Having been located on Wakefield Street since the early 1970's, the firm marked a new chapter in 2010 when it moved to a modern, customised new premises, at Level 5, 400 King William Street. The firm chose to decentralise from the city's busy 'legal hub' with the vibrant Southern precinct offering close proximity to the courts and greater parking and general accessibility for the firm's clients, integrating all the firm's services across one floor.
Today Wallmans Lawyers is a modern and progressive organisation with 19 Partners and a combined team of 80 staff and an extensive practice portfolio. We are proud of where we have come from and would like to think RH Wallmann would be also.