Our history

Norton Rose Fulbright is a top global law firm with offices in more than 50 cities across Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East.

The origin of Norton Rose dates back to 1794 when the sole practitioner Robert Charsley opened for business. In 1821, Charsley formed a partnership with William Barker, creating Charsley & Barker. Later that century, Phillip Rose (later Sir Phillip Rose) joined the firm, creating Barker & Rose. In the years that followed, a new partnership between Phillip Rose and Henry Elland Norton was formed under the name Barker, Rose & Norton. By the turn of the 20th century, the firm was called Norton, Rose, Norton & Co., and had maintained its position as a powerful force in the City of London for six decades.

In 1960, the firm, by then re-named Norton, Rose & Co., amalgamated with specialist shipping firm Botterell & Roche (founded in 1861) to form Norton, Rose, Botterell & Roche. With its expertise in shipping, the firm benefited from the growth of the international shipping market in the early 1960s, and was involved in the nationalization of British Steel and the after-arrangement of its subsidiary companies.

The firm continued to grow and in 1976, established its first international office in Hong Kong. By 1988, the firm had shortened its name and over the next 10 years, Norton Rose commenced a program of international expansion, with the establishment of offices across Asia, Europe and the Middle East, taking the firm’s international operations to 22 offices. In 2007, Norton Rose converted to a Limited Liability Partnership.

With a vision to become one of the world’s top global legal brands, Norton Rose embarked on the first phase of rapid expansion when it combined with Australian firm Deacons in 2010, adding to the strength and size of the firm across the Asia-Pacific region. In early 2011, Norton Rose Australia announced an association with a firm in Indonesia.

By June 2011, Norton Rose had combined with Canadian law firm Ogilvy Renault and South African firm Deneys Reitz, creating a Top 10 global legal practice with 38 offices and 2,500 legal staff, totaling more than 5,000 people worldwide. The combination was followed by the opening of new offices in Europe and Africa.

In January 2012, a combination with Canadian firm Macleod Dixon made Norton Rose Group one of the largest law firms in Canada.

The origin of Fulbright dates back to 1919 when Houston lawyer Rufus C. Fulbright, embarking on a solo legal career as a railway regulations specialist, approached a former Harris County district attorney named John H. Crooker and together, they founded Fulbright and Crooker. In 1924, they were joined by John H. Freeman, a corporate and banking lawyer, helping the firm expand into the prestigious financial sector. 

Fulbright's prominence as a transportation industry expert kept him in Washington, DC much of the time, and prompted the firm to open a DC office – the first Houston law firm to have a presence in the nation's capital.  

In 1931, Leon Jaworski joined the firm, now known as Fulbright, Crooker, Freeman and Bates, and together with William Bates, helped to develop Fulbright’s preeminent oil and gas practice. Jaworski became a partner of the firm in 1935, and became its managing partner in 1948 – his name was added to the firm in 1954. Beyond serving as managing partner of the firm, Jaworski built a prominent career as a Houston litigator, but would rise to national fame in 1973, when he was sworn in as Watergate special prosecutor. The firm's name ultimately was shortened to Fulbright & Jaworski in 1974, honoring the firm's founder, RC Fulbright, and Jaworski's decades of service, to the firm, and greater legal community. 

During the early 1970s and early 1980s, rapid expansion led to Fulbright & Jaworski expanding with offices opening in Austin, San Antonio and Dallas. By the end of the 1980s, Fulbright & Jaworski had undertaken the largest United States law firm merger to-date with Reavis and McGrath, making Fulbright & Jaworski the seventh-largest law firm in the country. The firm continued to grow in size and breadth of practices, and operated under the Fulbright brand until its combination with Norton Rose in 2013.

On June 3, 2013, Norton Rose combined with Fulbright & Jaworski to become Norton Rose Fulbright, establishing a market-leading presence in the United States and a global law firm with more than 50 offices worldwide.

In January 2017, Norton Rose Fulbright combined with leading Vancouver firm, Bull Housser, bringing together two firms providing progressive and innovative solutions for clients in British Columbia. 

In June 2017, Norton Rose Fulbright combined with Chadbourne & Parke, strengthening the firm's market-leading presence in the United States and particularly enhancing the firm's New York City and Washington, DC offerings in project finance, restructuring, litigation and white-collar disputes, tax and Latin American finance and infrastructure work. 

In December 2017, Norton Rose Fulbright combined with leading Australian firm, Henry Davis York.

Today, Norton Rose Fulbright provides the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. We pride ourselves on the strength and diversity of our services and experience, and our people. Wherever we are, we operate in accordance with our global business principles of quality, unity and integrity.

Adapted in part from 'A History of Norton Rose,' by Andrew St George, 1995, and 'Fulbright and Jaworski,' from the Handbook of Texas Online, September 1, 1995, published by the Texas State Historical Association.