Farrer & Co

Farrer & Co is a British law firm headquartered in London, England, serving private individuals, charitable institutions and corporations. They have, over their more than three hundred years of operation, acted for many of the Kings and Queens of England and later Great Britain and the United Kingdom, including Queen Elizabeth II, as well as many leading public figures.[6][7][8]

Farrer & Co LLP
Headquarters66 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, United Kingdom[1]
No. of lawyers73 partners[2]
No. of employees400[3]
Major practice areasPrivate client

Business Services

Charities and Institutions[4]
Revenue £57.5m[5]
Date founded1701 (via the Tempest Slingers' practice)
Company typeLimited Liability Partnership
Websitewww.farrer.co.uk

The firm operates in three major practice areas; businesses, individuals & families, and charities & institutions.[9]

History

The firm was started in 1701 by Tempest Slinger and his nephew, also named Tempest Slinger. In 1759, Oliver Farrer joined the firm, becoming a partner and the sole proprietor by 1769, and the name Farrer was added to the firm's name. From then until 1999, there was always at least one Farrer, and often several, working at the firm.[6]

In 1885, the solicitor Frederic Ouvry was headhunted through Coutts. He represented and developed a close friendship with Charles Dickens, and became President of the Law Society in 1871.[6]

The firm established itself as advisors to the Royal Family in the 1930s. Leslie Farrer (later Sir Leslie) was the personal advisor to the Duke of York (later George VI) and was involved in the negotiations over the abdication of Edward VIII (later the Duke of Windsor). The firm continued to serve members of the Royal Family, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, throughout the 20th century.[6]

The firm converted to a limited liability partnership (LLP) in 2006 and now employs around 400 people, including 73 partners.[9][6]

Controversy

The company were used by Rupert Murdoch's News International during the News International phone hacking scandal. Farrer's partner, Ben Beabey, left in 2011 to join News International.[10] In 2012, Julian Pike, head of Farrer's Reputation Management practice, told a House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee that he had advised News International to carry out surveillance of the phone-hacking victims' lawyers, Charlotte Harris and Mark Lewis. News International has since admitted that the surveillance was "deeply inappropriate".[11] In 2017, Pike was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.[12]

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 November 2010. Retrieved 20 March 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Partner announcements at Farrers - 71 percent of partner promotions over the last three years have been women". Farrer.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  3. "Farrer & Co People". Farrer.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  4. "Farrers launches firmwide three-year strategy for growth - The Lawyer - Legal News and Jobs - Advancing the business of law". Thelawyer.com. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  5. "UK 200: Top 100 make £20bn for first time - The Lawyer - Legal News and Jobs - Advancing the business of law". Thelawyer.com. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  6. "Farrer & Co, History". Farrer & Co. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 December 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Case study: Farrer & Co - Legal Week". LegalWeek.com. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  9. "The Lawyer - UK 200: Top 100". Thelawyer.com. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
  10. "Farrers partner heads for News Group - The Lawyer - Legal News and Jobs - Advancing the business of law". Thelawyer.com. 18 September 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  11. O'Carroll, Lisa (22 May 2012). "Surveillance of phone-hacking victims' solicitors was justified, says lawyer". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  12. "SDT throws out surveillance allegations against News of the World solicitor - Legal Futures". Legal Futures. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
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