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Our purpose is to help our clients thrive. For more than 205 years, we have guided businesses, organisations and individuals through the challenges and opportunities life brings, across Hampshire, Dorset and beyond.
Who We Are
Paris Smith is one of the largest regional law firms in Central Southern England, providing the full range of legal services to businesses, organisations and individuals from our offices in Southampton, Winchester and Bournemouth. Our history means our expertise is deep and our networks wide but our focus is firmly on the future.
Paris Smith was founded in Southampton in 1818, and has served the region continuously ever since, through two centuries of change in the law, in business and in the communities around us.
From our earliest days in Southampton, the firm has grown steadily, opening our Winchester office in 2015 and, most recently, our Bournemouth office in 2025, extending our presence across Hampshire and into Dorset.
Throughout that growth, one thing has remained constant: our belief that the strongest legal advice is built on strong relationships. Many of the businesses and families we act for today have been with us for generations, and some of our client relationships stretch back decades. It is a continuity we regard as our greatest achievement.
While we are justifiably proud of our history, our focus is very much on the future, with an emphasis on having the right people, resources and technology to help our clients succeed for the next two hundred years.
Three things define the way we work:
OUR HERITAGE
Founded in Southampton over two centuries ago, Paris Smith has grown alongside the region we serve. We are proud of our history, but never bound by it, we invest continually in the people, technology and thinking that keep our advice sharp and relevant today.
OUR RELATIONSHIPS
Hundreds of our clients have been with us for over a decade. We build partnerships, not transactions offering clear-sighted advice shaped by careful listening, so our clients have continuity and counsel they can rely on in a world of constant change.
OUR REGION
With offices across Hampshire and Dorset and a national outlook, we are deeply invested in the place we call home. Through our work with businesses, charities and communities, we help create a legacy so the region continues to thrive for future generations.
Our Values
Our values are known as the ‘SPIRIT’ of Paris Smith. These are the foundations of our relationships and the way we do business.
Service. We put our clients first, responding quickly and communicating clearly at every stage.
Professionalism. We deliver advice of the highest standard, independently recognised across all of our practice areas.
Integrity. We are honest and open, giving our clients the full picture, even when the conversation is a difficult one.
Respect. We listen carefully and treat everyone, clients, colleagues and communities with empathy and understanding.
Innovation. We embrace new ideas and technology, evolving to meet the changing needs of the people we serve.
Trust. We earn it, and we keep it. It is the reason so many of our client relationships span decades.
Recognised for Excellence
We are independently recognised in each of our practice areas by the leading legal directories, Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, and we are proud to feature in The Times Best Law Firms 2026 rankings.
Just as importantly, we are recommended by the people we act for. Our clients have rated us 4.8 out of 5 on ReviewSolicitors, reflecting the responsiveness, reliability and openness our people are known for.
Our Commitment to Our Community
Paris Smith is proud of the region in which we live and work. Each of our offices supports a Charity of the Year and our people volunteer as trustees and school governors.
To find out more about our charitable partnerships, community work and environmental commitments, visit our Corporate Social Responsibility page.
Where You’ll Find Us
Wherever you are, we work in the way that suits you best.
Talk to us by phone, email, video call or face to face.
Southampton
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Winchester
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Bournemouth
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Our People
Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Renowned for being responsive, reliable and open, they are the foundation of what we are most proud of: the strength and depth of our client partnerships.
We believe great advice comes from people who are supported to be at their best. Through the Paris Smith Academy, launched in 2022, we provide expert learning and development for partners and staff across the whole firm, from senior leaders and lawyers to our business support teams.
The result is a team our clients genuinely enjoy working with, and staff retention rates that are the envy of many.
Why Clients Choose Us
Finding the right lawyer can be a tough choice. You need someone who understands your situation and works with you in a way that feels comfortable. Here is what our clients tell us matters most:
- The full range of legal services under one roof, for every stage of business and personal life;
- Partner-led advice, with continuity from people who know you and your circumstances;
- Clear-sighted guidance in plain English, with no jargon and no surprises;
- Independent recognition in every one of our practice areas;
- Long-standing relationships, with many clients staying with us for generations; and
- Flexible ways of working, wherever you are in the UK.
Introducing your key contact
KEY CONTACTS
