Travers Smith
Encyclopedia
Travers Smith is a corporate law firm
headquartered in London
, United Kingdom
. The firm has almost 300 lawyers, including 60 partners.
The firm employs around 385 staff and operates in 14 specialist practice areas. Travers Smith was voted UK Law Firm of the Year in 2007 and 2008. The firm converted to a limited liability partnership
in July 2008.
, who qualified in 1810. Samuel's daughter, Ann, married John Travers, a member of the well-known produce family in the City of London which was a long-standing client of the practice. Their grandson, Joseph Travers Smith, joined the firm in 1851 and became its senior partner. One of the firm’s partners drafted the constitution for the first London Stock Exchange
in 1801.
Historian Charles Sharman spoke of Joseph Travers Smith as the solicitor to “the Westminster Bank
and to numerous old families from Royalty downwards”.
The firm was joined by Stephen Braithwaite in 1873, when the practice became known as Travers Smith Braithwaite, a name it retained until 2004 when it reverted to Travers Smith.
Since the Second World War, the firm has grown steadily through the organic route rather than merger and acquisition. This was to distinguish the firm in the 1990s when it decided not to follow the path of expansion followed by larger firms but to stay London-centric (aside from opening a small Paris office). Travers Smith also resisted temptation when it was courted by Latham & Watkins
for merger. However, the famously independent UK firm declined the opportunity to be absorbed by a larger American practice.
The firm won Best Trainer - Medium City Firm at the LawCareers.Net
Training & Recruitment Awards 2009.
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
headquartered in London
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 almost 300 lawyers, including 60 partners.
The firm employs around 385 staff and operates in 14 specialist practice areas. Travers Smith was voted UK Law Firm of the Year in 2007 and 2008. The firm converted to a limited liability partnership
Limited liability partnership
A limited liability partnership is a partnership in which some or all partners have limited liability. It therefore exhibits elements of partnerships and corporations. In an LLP one partner is not responsible or liable for another partner's misconduct or negligence. This is an important...
in July 2008.
History
The firm was originally founded by Samuel AmorySamuel Amory
Samuel Amory was one of the founding partners of the law firm of Travers Smith.London-born Amory married Ann Heathcote, the daughter of the well-known and highly successful industrialist John Heathcote , known for inventing lace-making machinery in Nottingham.Amory qualified as a lawyer in London...
, who qualified in 1810. Samuel's daughter, Ann, married John Travers, a member of the well-known produce family in the City of London which was a long-standing client of the practice. Their grandson, Joseph Travers Smith, joined the firm in 1851 and became its senior partner. One of the firm’s partners drafted the constitution for the first London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
in 1801.
Historian Charles Sharman spoke of Joseph Travers Smith as the solicitor to “the Westminster Bank
Westminster Bank
Westminster Bank was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1834 until its merger into the National Westminster Bank in 1970; it remains a registered company but is dormant...
and to numerous old families from Royalty downwards”.
The firm was joined by Stephen Braithwaite in 1873, when the practice became known as Travers Smith Braithwaite, a name it retained until 2004 when it reverted to Travers Smith.
Since the Second World War, the firm has grown steadily through the organic route rather than merger and acquisition. This was to distinguish the firm in the 1990s when it decided not to follow the path of expansion followed by larger firms but to stay London-centric (aside from opening a small Paris office). Travers Smith also resisted temptation when it was courted by Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins LLP is a global law firm, one of the largest in the world. Latham currently employs approximately 2,000 attorneys in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm was started in Los Angeles in 1934 and has extensive Californian roots, but its largest office is now...
for merger. However, the famously independent UK firm declined the opportunity to be absorbed by a larger American practice.
The firm won Best Trainer - Medium City Firm at the LawCareers.Net
LawCareers.Net
LawCareers.Net is a website published in association with the Law Society and the Bar Council, and sponsored by BPP Law School. It contains core editorial, news and features, advice, immediate vacancies, an events diary, and directories of law firms, chambers and undergraduate and postgraduate law...
Training & Recruitment Awards 2009.
Main practice areas
Travers Smith's main practice areas include:- Banking
- Commercial
- Competition
- Corporate
- Corporate recovery
- Employment
- Environmental
- Financial services & markets
- Investment funds
- Litigation
- Pension
- Real estate
- Tax