Addleshaw Goddard

Addleshaw Goddard traces its roots back to the very first public record of solicitors in the UK – the Law List – published in 1775.

Addleshaw Booth & Co

In 1775, Nicholas Smith founds a firm in Leeds, and Samuel Lister Booth is admitted as a solicitor in 1823. The successors of these practices combined over the years to become Booth, Clough & Booth in 1869. Further amalgamations lead to the firm becoming Booth & Co. In c.1936. John William Addleshaw begins legal practice in 1857 in Manchester and enters partnership with William Warburton in 1873. The firm becomes Addleshaw & Sons in 1904, and then Addleshaw Sons & Latham in 1917. In 1997, Addleshaw Sons & Latham merges with Booth & Co to become the national firm Addleshaw Booth & Co.

Theodore Goddard

In 1902, John Theodore Goddard founds blue chip, City of London firm, Theodore Goddard, which grows through amalgamation with other city practices, such as Rhys Roberts & Co (founded in 1883 by future Prime Minister David Lloyd George). The firm developed as a balanced general practice, with an emphasis on high-profile private client work. Goddard was appointed by Wallis Simpson as an adviser to her during divorce proceedings and in relation to her involvement during the United Kingdom abdication Crisis of 1936. Theodore Goddard retained a strong media and entertainment law practice with clients such as The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Michael Jackson and others; and high-profile cases involving celebrities such as the Hello! magazine dispute over photographs of Catherine Zeta-Jones's wedding to Michael Douglas.

Addleshaw Goddard

In 2003, Addleshaw Booth & Co and Theodore Goddard merged to become Addleshaw Goddard.

In 2012, Addleshaw Goddard opened offices in Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong (which has now been shuttered), Oman and Qatar.

In 2017, the firm expanded into Scotland by merging with HBJ and adding offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.

In 2019, the firm opened its first office in continental Europe, welcoming partners in Hamburg. In 2021, the firm opened an office in Paris. In March 2022, Addleshaw Goddard merged with Top 15 Irish law firm Eugene F. Collins and extended its footprint in Continental Europe by opening 3 offices in Luxembourg, Frankfurt and Munich.

In January 2024, the firm opened its 4th German office in Berlin and an office in Riyadh. In May 2024, the firm took over the Spanish office of King Wood & Mallesons and opened an office in Madrid.