Theodore Fink
Theodore Fink was admitted to practice in 1877 and steadily improved his knowledge of mercantile and constitutional law before entering the partnership with Robert Best.
He wore a number of professional hats in his time, including that of a politician, solicitor and newspaper proprietor. He became a joint owner of The Herald (now Herald Sun) in 1889 which served to strengthen his interest in journalism and public affairs.
Theodore Fink was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as member for Jolimont and West Richmond in 1894 and held that seat until 1904 when he withdrew from State politics. In 1920, he appointed (Sir) Keith Murdoch as editor of the Herald.
Sir Robert Best
Sir Robert Best did his articles at the firm of W. T. Trollope, studied law at the University of Melbourne, and was admitted in 1881. After entering the partnership with Theodore Fink, he was elected as a member for Fitzroy in the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1889 and was chairman of the Royal Commission on constitutional reform in 1894.
He served as president of the Board of Land and Works, was twice acting-premier, and represented Victoria at the 1897 premier’s conference.
Sir Robert Best was appointed Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1908 and held the seat of Kooyong from 1910 – 1922.
A GOLDEN AGE
Our firm emerged out of the Golden Age of the 1880’s land boom in Melbourne.
Theodore Fink and Sir Robert Best’s legal union was hinged onto the great land speculation of the day, and in applying their craft, they were both optimistic, intelligent, entrepreneurial men with an un-quenching capacity of persuasion.
Albeit, it would seem they had their foibles, Theodore Fink being described on the one hand as a ‘chirpy gregarious man with enormous vitality and a ready sense of humour and charm’, but on the other hand as having an irritating ego, demonstrating a capacity for scheming and manipulation which arguably went beyond the accepted norms of the day.
Amongst our notable lawyers was Harold Holt, who was admitted to the Victorian Bar in November 1932 and served his articles with Best Hooper (then known as Fink, Best and Miller), but the Depression left him unable to find work as a barrister. Within a few short years, he had turned his focus towards politics.
CECIL HOOPER
In or about 1934, Cecil Hooper joined the firm as a partner and the firm’s name was changed to Robert Best and Hooper. He was a man of aristocratic bent and was always impeccably groomed. Our lawyers still use the shoe cleaning box that Cecil used to shine his shoes each time before he’d leave the office.
At this time, the firm occupied premises in the then Perpetual Trustees building at 100 Queen Street. It was the open weave step steel stairs in this building that Sir Robert Best fell down in 1944 which lead to his retirement from the firm, and Cecil Hooper becoming the personal solicitor to both the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works and the Metropolitan Fire Brigades Board.
DOYEN OF VICTORIAN PLANNING LAWYERS
Cecil Hooper was a brilliant lawyer, and with Louis Voumard Q.C., was the doyen of planning lawyers in Victoria, having had a large hand in drafting the Melbourne Metropolitan Planning Scheme 1954 which was given effect to by the first Metropolitan Interim Development Order and came into operation on 1 March 1955.
He was also the author, in 1956, of Melbourne Metropolitan Town Planning, a copy of which is in both the Supreme Court and State Libraries. He was also a pre-eminent lawyer with deep knowledge in the law of compulsory acquisition of land.
Cecil Hooper laid the foundations for Best Hooper becoming Victoria’s Property, Planning and Land Development Advisory Law Firm. He retired from the firm in 1979.
By July 1982, the firm name was changed to Best Hooper.
IAN PITT KC
Ian Pitt QC commenced his Articles at Best Hooper 1966 and remained at the firm for the entirety of his illustrious legal career as one of Victoria’s most senior and respected pre-eminent planning and land development lawyers.
His expertise has been recognised by his past appointments as consultant solicitor to the Ministry of Planning and Environment, Local Government arbitrator, part-time Chairman of the Land Valuation Board of Review, lecturer, seminar speaker and by taking silk in 2001. Ian is amongst only a handful of solicitor advocates to ever take silk in Victoria. Doyle’s Guide consistently recognised Ian as one of the preeminent leading Planning and Environment lawyers in Melbourne (from 2017-2023) and ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Land Use and Zoning Law. He was also ranked among the Best Lawyers in Australia (2017-2025).
Ian was a partner until 2001 and a senior partner until 2006. He then finished his career with the firm as Special Counsel and mentor to our planning and land development lawyers for 18 years until his retirement from practice in July 2024. Ian played an integral part in the growth and development of our current generation of leading planning and land development lawyers.
LOYALTY AND STABILITY
At a time where mergers and demergers of legal firms and partners moving from one established firm to another have been the norm, our firm has been a place of loyalty and stability. The last merger that it was involved in was in 1961.
John Cicero joined the firm as a partner in 1993 and remains today as a partner and key mentor to our current generation of leaders. He has been recognised with Doyles Guide and Best Lawyers in Australia Award every year since 2017 and is undoubtedly one of Victoria’s most respected and influential planning and land development lawyers today.
Sholto James, Simon Raleigh and Ian Pitt QC all started as articled clerks at the firm spending their entire careers with us. Tim Rintoul was with the firm from the year after his Articles until he retired. Tania Cincotta, Romy Davidov and Joel Snyder all started their careers with Best Hooper and remain now as equity partners of the firm. This stability is also reflected in many of our support staff who have remained with Best Hooper for their entire careers and form the cornerstone of our practice.
Teresa Bisucci had a distinguished career at Best Hooper and retired from her position as an equity partner in 2020 to become a Senior Member at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunals.
THE NEXT GENERATION
In 2021, Romy Davidov and Joel Snyder joined the partnership of equity partners followed closely by Eliza Minney and Giancarlo Romano in 2023 signalling a new era of tremendous growth.
Our firm continues to build its next generation of leaders in our key practice areas, being Planning , Land Development and Compulsory Acquisition, Property Law and Transactions, Dispute Resolution and Private and Project Advisory. With this we will ensure the continuation of the Best Hooper legacy of having industry leaders at every phase of development across the property project lifecycle.
Best Hooper is proud of its rich history and has announced itself as Victoria’s Property, Planning and Land Development Advisory Law Firm.
NEW LOCATION - LEVEL 12, 10 QUEEN STREET MELBOURNE
On 17 January 2022, we relocated to our new office at 10 Queen Street, Melbourne, after seven prosperous years at our previous premises. The move signified a new approach to work, embracing collaboration, hybrid work policies and flexibility. We established our new home by taking the entire 12th floor of the boutique Riverlee Building. We engaged one of Melbourne’s leading Interior design agencies, , who made our CBD home in the heart of Melbourne’s law precinct a modern and employee-focused office space that was a refreshing change as we emerged from the pandemic.
