Judge & Priestley was formed in 1889 by founders Eugene Judge and Horace Priestley. Originally based in central London, the firm relocated to Bromley in the 1940’s after its offices were destroyed in the Blitz.
The firm was built on the foundation of debt recovery, which remains one of its largest fields of expertise, but has since then developed as a generalist full service solicitors practice with thriving departments offering commercial, private client, general litigation, and housing services.
Under the leadership of brothers Victor and Micheal Judge and Peter Taylor the firm expanded in the post war era opening several smaller offices around South East London. When the present site of its offices in West Street, Bromley, BR1 became available in 1980, it was decided to close down the satellite offices and focus on the single large Head Office site.
Continuity of management was confirmed when Peter Taylor’s son, Steven Taylor took over and he acts as the firm’s current day Managing Partner.
In the 2000’s the firm embarked on an on-going round of growth generated both organically and through local acquisitions. Since 2005 J&P has acquired the business interests of Clarke Nurse, Wallis and Co, Preston Mellor Harrison, Pritchard Joyce and Hinds, Cunningham Blake and Woolsey Morris and Kennedy.
In June 2025 J&P completed its largest merger to date, with the central London practice of Portner Law Limited (Portner Solicitors). As a result, Judge and Priestley now has a staff count of around 300 people, operating from the head office in Bromley, with other local offices in London W1, Beckenham, Blackheath, and Sidcup.
J&P now has 40 partners and is one of the fastest growing practices in London and the South East region. This was confirmed in 2024 when Judge and Priestley achieved its first inclusion in the UK Legal 200, a listing of the 200 largest UK headquartered solicitors’ practices, and in 2025 with its first inclusion in The Times “Best Law Firms” annual listing.
