Reynolds Porter Chamberlain
Encyclopedia
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) is a corporate law firm based in London
, United Kingdom
. The firm has around 420 people - including 65 partners and 172 other UK lawyers. It is divided into two divisions, Commercial and Insurance
.
The firm has a Partnership Executive Committee that includes a full-time Managing Partner, Jonathan Watmough, as well as a Chief Operating Officer
, Richard Emanuel. The senior partner is construction partner Robert Hogarth.
The firm is particularly recognised for its insurance
industry practice and its professional negligence
practice. (It is ranked in Tier One for Dispute Resolution:Mid-Market http://www.chambersandpartners.com/Europe/Firms/341-34969 The firm has niche expertise in media, particularly defamation).
The firm is the only English member of TerraLex.
. In 1906 his son Hugh joined the practice, which was renamed Reynolds & Son. The firm then continued as Reynolds & Son until 1923, becoming Reynolds & Sons when another son, David Reynolds (admitted in July 1919), joined the firm. With the addition in 1926 of Gerald Thomas Gorst (admitted in March 1924), the firm then continued under various names until 1962: Reynolds Sons & Gorst, Reynolds & Gorst and Reynolds Gorst & Porter (Charles Porter admitted 1935, joined in 1944). In 1962 it became Reynolds Porter & Taylor Jelf. It finally became Reynolds Porter & Co in 1963.
Chamberlain & Co originates from Walter John Chamberlain, who was born on Christmas Day 1869 and was admitted in March 1906 aged 37. For the first year he practised alone in Croydon but then formed Chamberlain & Co in 1907 on moving to No. 1 Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn
, London. Walter was Mayor of Croydon from 1927 to 1929 and also became Clerk of the Fine Art Trade Guild
. His son, Francis Walter Chamberlain, was admitted in December 1913 but did not join the firm until 1919 (presumably after war service). Francis Walter Chamberlain was eventually appointed CBE
and sat as a Justice of the Peace
and was a Deputy Lord Lieutenant
.
The two firms came together in 1971, a year after the death of Walter Chamberlain's son, to become Reynolds Porter Chamberlain & Co. The '& Co' was dropped from the name around ten years later.
steering committee that co-ordinates its efforts across the following sectors: workplace, marketplace, environment and community. Its current charity of the year is Mencap. Other initiatives the firm supports are the Limitless London Mentoring Scheme, the TARGET Chances diversity initiative and the BPP Diversity Access Scheme The firm is also a member of Stonewall, and Interlaw, both of which are aimed at supporting equality for gay, lesbian and bisexual employees in the workplace.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The firm has around 420 people - including 65 partners and 172 other UK lawyers. It is divided into two divisions, Commercial and Insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
.
The firm has a Partnership Executive Committee that includes a full-time Managing Partner, Jonathan Watmough, as well as a Chief Operating Officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
, Richard Emanuel. The senior partner is construction partner Robert Hogarth.
The firm is particularly recognised for its insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
industry practice and its professional negligence
Professional negligence
In the English law of tort, professional negligence is a subset of the general rules on negligence to cover the situation in which the defendant has represented him or herself as having more than average skills and abilities. The usual rules rely on establishing that a duty of care is owed by the...
practice. (It is ranked in Tier One for Dispute Resolution:Mid-Market http://www.chambersandpartners.com/Europe/Firms/341-34969 The firm has niche expertise in media, particularly defamation).
The firm is the only English member of TerraLex.
History
The firm can trace its origins back to 1898, when Nathaniel Reynolds set up Hannay & Reynolds with fellow solicitor Alexander Arnold Hannay. This alliance did not last, however, and Reynolds set up as a sole practitioner in 1903 in Arundel Street in the Strand, LondonStrand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
. In 1906 his son Hugh joined the practice, which was renamed Reynolds & Son. The firm then continued as Reynolds & Son until 1923, becoming Reynolds & Sons when another son, David Reynolds (admitted in July 1919), joined the firm. With the addition in 1926 of Gerald Thomas Gorst (admitted in March 1924), the firm then continued under various names until 1962: Reynolds Sons & Gorst, Reynolds & Gorst and Reynolds Gorst & Porter (Charles Porter admitted 1935, joined in 1944). In 1962 it became Reynolds Porter & Taylor Jelf. It finally became Reynolds Porter & Co in 1963.
Chamberlain & Co originates from Walter John Chamberlain, who was born on Christmas Day 1869 and was admitted in March 1906 aged 37. For the first year he practised alone in Croydon but then formed Chamberlain & Co in 1907 on moving to No. 1 Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
, London. Walter was Mayor of Croydon from 1927 to 1929 and also became Clerk of the Fine Art Trade Guild
Fine Art Trade Guild
The Fine Art Trade Guild is an organisation representing the fine art and framing industry. Based in London, the Guild operates primarily in the United Kingdom and Ireland, also in a smaller capacity in New Zealand....
. His son, Francis Walter Chamberlain, was admitted in December 1913 but did not join the firm until 1919 (presumably after war service). Francis Walter Chamberlain was eventually appointed CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
and sat as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and was a Deputy Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
.
The two firms came together in 1971, a year after the death of Walter Chamberlain's son, to become Reynolds Porter Chamberlain & Co. The '& Co' was dropped from the name around ten years later.
Main practice areas
Main areas of practice are:- Commercial Litigation & Arbitration
- Commercial & Regulatory
- Competition
- Construction, Engineering & Projects
- Corporate/M&A
- Corporate Insurance
- Education
- Employment, Pensions & Incentives
- Financial Disputes
- Insurance & Reinsurance
- Intellectual Property, Technology & Outsourcing
- International Trade
- Media
- Professions
- Real Estate & Planning
- Restructuring and Insolvency
- Tax (including Tax Disputes)
Corporate social responsibility
The firm has a Corporate Social ResponsibilityCorporate social responsibility
Corporate social responsibility is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model...
steering committee that co-ordinates its efforts across the following sectors: workplace, marketplace, environment and community. Its current charity of the year is Mencap. Other initiatives the firm supports are the Limitless London Mentoring Scheme, the TARGET Chances diversity initiative and the BPP Diversity Access Scheme The firm is also a member of Stonewall, and Interlaw, both of which are aimed at supporting equality for gay, lesbian and bisexual employees in the workplace.
External links
- Official website of Reynolds Porter Chamberlain
- Profile in Chambers and Partners and the Chambers Student Guide
- Profile in The Lawyer