Founded over 200 years ago in London, Ashurst continues to grow globally with over 30 offices in 20 countries. In 2004, Ashurst opened its first U.S. office in New York. Since then, the firm has expanded its U.S. presence with offices in California and Texas.

Bicentennial Behemoth

William Henry Ashurst founded the firm in 1822. Ashurst was an attorney with a heart; known for supporting the abolishment of slavery and equal rights for all. Ashurst’s son, William Jr., joined the firm in 1843. In the 1850s, partner John Morris was added to the firm. Morris hired Frank Crisp who became one of the most well-known company lawyers in London and helped elevate the firm into a London powerhouse. Throughout the next hundred-plus years, Ashurst Morris Crisp grew—first in Europe, then Asia, the Middle East, and eventually merged with the Australian firm Blake Dawson in 2003. The merger saw the firm grow to almost 2,000 lawyers spanning 16 countries. Shortly after the merger, Ashurst set its sights on America and opened the three offices in New York, California, and Texas.  

Global Commitment

While there is no doubt Ashurst is a global firm, they also have a deep knowledge and understanding of their local markets. This balance makes them a go-to firm for public-private partnerships and infrastructure deals. Lawyers often work on cross-border teams dealing with global lending transactions, structured products and tax, infrastructure, and derivatives to name a few. Ashurst’s U.S. offices work on major infrastructure projects including roads, rails, airports, and green energy.

Beyond stellar legal work, social issues are a main tenet of the firm. Each office has their own pro bono program aimed at ensuring access to legal services for all. Pro bono efforts focus on four areas:  citizenship and displacement, gender rights and diversity, racial justice, and modern slavery. Ashurst is also focused on diversity and inclusion efforts, with affinity groups for women, LGBTQ+, disability awareness, and multiculturalism. The firm is a leader when it comes to sustainability. Ashurst is committed to reducing its carbon footprint by reducing paper usage, CO2 emissions from travel, and improving efficiency for water and energy usage.

Growing Talent

Investing in their talent is one of the ways Ashurst rises to the top. Secondments within the firm and with clients are encouraged. The firm believes secondments not only help develop Ashurst attorneys, but also develop client relationships and firm business. Associates can seek placement at foreign offices or with big name clients like Barclays, J.P. Morgan, and Lloyds to name some. Other notable perks are a 60/40 hybrid work schedule, meditation and gym memberships, and signing on to the Mindful Business Charter, where the mental health and wellbeing of employees is top of the agenda.