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Acknowledging the past – Embracing the future
Coles Solicitors was formed in 2007 by our current Managing Director, Peter Gibson. It was the result of a merger between two well-established North East law firms; David J Cole and Company from Northallerton and Lauristons from Middlesbrough. Incorporated on the 1st October 2007, Coles has continued to grow and now operates from ten locations across Yorkshire and the Tees Valley, including York, Ripon, Stockton, Beverley, Harrogate, Settle, Redcar and Market Weighton. Our Headquarters is in Northallerton.
We are proud to offers a broad range of services to clients across the UK, focusing on delivering 21st century legal services, whilst acknowledging our history and heritage.
To find out more about the services we offer please visit our Personal Services page and Business Services page.
Our Heritage
Goodswens Solicitors - Redcar
On the 27th April 2018 Goodswens Solicitors joined the Coles family as our 11th Office, with both Tony Eastwood and Mike Boyes joining the team along with Lorna Smith and all of the other staff with the firm at that time. Goodswens began around 1953, founded by David Goodswen, a son of the famous Redcar Butchery family. The firm expanded to include offices in Middlesbrough and Guisborough, until those branch offices became independent firms in their own right.
2018Patrick Blackmore - Menai Bridge, Anglesey
On the 26th May 2017, Coles acquired the firm of Patrick Blackmore Solicitors in Menai Bridge, Anglesey. The firm have retained Patrick Blackmore himself as a consultant in the Menai Bridge area to continue to act on behalf of the existing clients of that firm, although the firm have not retained any physical premises in Wales. Patrick Blackmore set up his practice in 1983 as a general practice and as a specialist Personal Injury practice from 1987 onwards.
2017Taylors Solicitors - Boroughbridge
Taylors Solicitors of Boroughbridge closed in July 2015 and Coles recruited their conveyancing Solicitor Khalid Shahjahan. In addition Coles Solicitors took over the storage of Wills previously held By Taylors, which also included Wills previously held by Shorrocks & Co Solicitors. Coles Solicitors are not a successor practice to Taylors Solicitors or Shorrocks & Co Solicitors.
2015Christine Pick Solicitors - Market Weighton
Christine Pick Solicitors was started by Christine Pick in January 2001 as a new legal practice. Christine had previously practiced on her own account in Tadcaster for a number of years. The company was acquired by Coles on 1st October 2014.
2014Tunnard & Co Solicitors – Ripon
On the 31st March 2014, Coles acquired the firm of Tunnard & Co Solicitors in Ripon, and Chris Tunnard, and Nicola Harding – the Registrars for the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds joined the firm. The firm of Tunnard & Co was born out of the Ripon branch office of Harrogate firm Kirbys which had been acquired by Chris Tunnard in 1986. For a period of time between 1993 and 1999 the firm had operated as Tunnard & Crosfield.
2014Guisborough & East Cleveland
On the 22nd January 2014 Coles opened its second “new from scratch” office in Guisborough having identified a gap in the market for legal services in East Cleveland due to the disappearance of a number of firms of solicitors from Skelton, Guisborough and Marske. Unfortunately, this office was closed in 2019.
2014Richardson, Richardson Gildener, Richardson Mulvill Solicitors - Leeds Harrogate and York
Whilst not a successor practice to this firm, following the sad demise of this firm, Coles acquired the bank of Wills and Deeds held by this this firm, and continues to act for many of its former clients. As result of this development Coles established Consulting rooms in Harrogate to service the needs of Clients until such time as a formal office can be established.
2014Derek M Jordan Solicitors - Settle & Bentham
The firm of Derek M Jordan was an amalgamation of two long-established solicitors' firms, which date back approximately two hundred years. The two firms were Charlesworth & Co and A Hyslop and the amalgamation took place in 1967 when Horace Jordan, who was the principal of Charlesworth & Co, purchased the practice of Alan Hyslop on his retirement. Charlesworth & Co had been founded in the early 1800s by a Mr Peart and his successor sold it to a Mr C H Charlesworth whose son and grandson continued the firm. The firm was originally run just from premises in Chapel Street, Settle, but in the 1890s it opened a branch office in the nearby market town of Bentham. The Settle firm of A Hyslop could also trace its origins back to the beginning of the 19th century and was owned by two generations of the Hartley family and then by two generations of the Vant family before Alan Hyslop purchased it in 1947. Derek M Jordan Solicitors was acquired by Coles Solicitors on the 1st October 2012, shortly thereafter the office was moved from Chapel St to the newly refurbished Town Hall Building.
2012Shirtcliffe Law – Thirsk
Whilst not a successor practice to this firm, following the sad death of the principal of this long established Thirsk firm which closed down on the 30th September 2011, Coles Solicitors opened an office in Thirsk in Shirtcliffe’s former offices and re-employed many of the staff from that firm and continue to act for many of their clients. Shirtcliffe Law had itself merged with a number of firms including Derek Crossan of Helmsley, David Reston of York, and had also taken over the clients of Jeremy Cave.
2011Daniels & Company Solicitors – York
Owned by Laurence Daniels, this company was absorbed by Coles Solicitors in September 2010 when Laurence decided to take his career in a new direction, giving Coles a new, high-profile presence right in the heart of the historic city of York. The firms York office is based on historic Micklegate. In 2013 Laurence Daniels returned to the firm to work as a consultant handling a range of clinical negligence, dental negligence, industrial disease, and personal injury work.
2010Lauristons Solicitors – Middlesbrough & Redcar
Alex Lauriston began practising as a Solicitor on his own account in 1908. His practice occupied various premises in and around Middlesbrough and Redcar, and was latterly housed at 84 Borough Road. In more recent times the firm specialised in personal injury claims, with a long history of acting for Trade Union members. In February 2007 John Ravalde, the principal of the firm, sold the practice to Peter Gibson. John has since returned to his first passion, fighting for justice for injured people, and remains with Coles working from our Stockton office.
2007David J Cole & Company Solicitors – Northallerton
David Johnston Cole opened his law firm in May 1965, at premises on Northallerton High Street. In 1975 the firm moved to newly-converted premises on East Road. As the firm grew, his son, Simon, and daughter, Rachel become partners, along with Andrew Clarke. Simon Cole took the helm when David died in 1999, then sold the firm to Peter Gibson in 2006. Simon has recently retired from the firm.
2006