Caveats stop an application for probate being granted by the Probate Registry for a person’s estate. Traditionally lodged using a paper form, they can now be lodged online. Consequently,...
About Us
Our History
About Us
Our History
Druces LLP is the modern successor of a legal business that has its roots in the City of London in the eighteenth century.
Druces’ story begins in 1767:
1767
Robert Parnther is admitted as a Solicitor in Chancery
1783
Charles Druce is admitted a Solicitor and practices in partnership with Robert Parnther under the style ‘Parnther & Druce’ at 12 London Street, EC.
1785
Charles Druce is appointed Clerk to a City Livery Company – a position that would be held by successive partners in the firm for over 200 years
By 1800
The firm practices as ‘Parnther Druce & Parnther’ then as ‘Druce & Co.’ from Billiter Square in the City of London
1823
Charles Druce’s sons, Charles the younger and John, join the firm, which practices as ‘Charles Druce & Sons’
1845
Charles Claridge Druce, grandson of our founder, becomes a partner
1866
Arthur Jackson becomes a partner and the firm practices as ‘Druce, Sons & Jackson’
1869
Billiter Square has been rebuilt
1874
Henry Attlee, who had been with the firm since 1858, becomes a partner
1881
Charles Claridge Druce is elected as President of the Law Society
1883
The firm’s name changes to Druces & Attlee
1895
Arthur Savill (whose father established the surveyors’ practice, Savills) becomes a partner
1902
Henry Attlee’s son, Robert, becomes a partner
1907
Henry Attlee is elected President of the Law Society
1923
John Christopher Druce joins the firm
1938
John Hardy Bentley, whose father Alfred had been a partner since 1909, becomes a partner
1940
The firm’s premises in Billiter Square – occupied for almost 140 years – are destroyed in the Blitz. Most of the office had been evacuated to Woking before the City office reopens on King William Street
1958
John Christopher Druce – the last Druce partner – retires
1978
The firm moves to Salisbury House and takes over practice of E.B.V. Christian & Co.
1983
Charles Attlee, great-grandson of Henry, who had been at the firm since 1977, becomes a partner
1988
The partners and staff of Hickmans, itself more than 100 years old, join Druces & Attlee
1990
Druces is among the first pioneers of property investment through syndication and continues to be a leading firm in this field
2000
Druces advises on the construction and finance aspects of two of the most successful and high-profile Millennium Projects: the Eden Project in Cornwall; and The Deep in Hull, East Yorkshire (the world’s only submarium)
2005
The firm advises on the first ever direct admission to AIM by a Hong Kong registered company
2008
Druces acts on the first ever REIT conversion to be listed on the Channel Islands Stock Exchange. 2008 is also a year which sees the firm convert to Druces LLP from Druces & Attlee
2015
Druces acts in a landmark Formula 1 case for driver Giedo van der Garde, successfully challenging his team, which had more drivers than seats for the 2015 season
2016
Druces closes a multi-million pound financing for its client OxStem Limited, an Oxford University spin-out, in what is believed to be the largest funding in the UK for a new university spin-out. The firm also hosts ‘The Colombian Business Mission to the UK’ as part of the first ever state visit by a Colombian President to the UK.
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News
Should executors receive remuneration?
A wise man once said there is no such thing as a selfless act, and in no instance is that truer than for a person acting as executor of...
Druces advises GSTechnologies Ltd in connection with a £2m fundraising
Druces’ Capital Markets team has advised GSTechnologies Ltd, a fintech company operating, inter alia, a multi-currency e-wallet service, cryptoasset exchange, cybersecurity and with a focus on developing a borderless neobanking platform...
