The iconic Sunlight Soap manufactured by Lever Brothers was invented in 1885.
It became the world’s first branded and packaged laundry soap and, in 1899, the company opened a factory in the Sydney suburb of Balmain.
The following year the factory produced its first bar of Sunlight Soap and quickly became a significant manufacturer in Australia.
In 1912 Allen Allen & Hemsley welcomed Lever Brothers as a client when the firm acquired the legal practice of Alfred de Lissa. This was after the sudden death of Alfred and his son Horace, who died within months of each other. With the acquisition came other clients and a new employee, law clerk Canice Dwyer. Alfred Hemsley advised Lever Brothers on corporate matters and Dwyer undertook the trademark and patent work for many years.
The firm was called in whenever there was a health and safety incident on the factory floor, as well as to assist with product liability issues, such as the notable (and fortunately exceptional) instance when a customer complained they had found a piece of steel in their cake of soap.
