Travers Smith - History

History

The firm was originally founded by Samuel Amory, who qualified in 1810. Samuel's daughter, Ann, married John Travers, a member of a 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 London Stock Exchange in 1801.

Historian Charles Sharman described 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 was shortened to Travers Smith.

Following the Second World War, the firm grew steadily through organic expansion. Since the 1990s the firm has not followed the strategy of mergers and overseas expansion adopted by most of its UK-based peers, and has remained London-centric (aside from opening a small Paris office). Travers Smith was courted by Latham & Watkins for merger however, the famously independent firm declined being absorbed by a much larger firm.

Travers Smith opened an office in Berlin, Germany in 2001; the office was closed in January 2007, with all of its lawyers moving to Salans.

Travers Smith converted to a limited liability partnership in July 2008.