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A Brief History

Burley & Geach's origins can be traced back to the end of the nineteenth century when a partnership was established between Percy Burley and Mr Prior at 27 Lavant Street, Petersfield. In the late 1920's the practice moved to its present premises in Swan Street which were built for the firm. Percy Burley was a prominent member of the local Methodist Church and acted for most of its congregation. He served as clerk to the Petersfield Urban District Council, dealing with its legal work, and as Petersfield's Superintendent Registrar, regularly conducted weddings at the Swan Street office on Saturday mornings.

Robert Geach joined the practice after returning from service in the First World War. The firm continued to expand during the 1920's, with an emphasis upon litigation and general non-contentious work for local builders, land owners and farmers in East Hampshire and West Sussex, a tradition which has continued at Petersfield to the present day.

In 1930 Percy Burley's son Leslie Burley joined the firm. At about this time a new office was opened, on a part time basis, at West Street, Haslemere which Robert Geach visited on two mornings each week. Mr Geach died in 1948. Brian Hunter then joined the firm to expand the Haslemere Office, which he opened on a full time basis. Mr Hunter continued in this rôle until his retirement from the partnership in 1986.

Both offices continued to expand. Richard Burley, the grandson of Percy Burley, joined the firm in 1957. He worked in particular with farming clients and introduced tax law as a new area of the practice. Our present senior partner, Richard Baylis, joined the litigation department at Petersfield in 1977 and concentrated upon developing the criminal department. In 1983 a further office was opened at Liphook and two years later on 7 May 1985 Burley & Geach acquired the Grayshott practice of Macpherson & Lawson, where it practiced as Macphersons Burley & Geach until 1st January 2008 and then became Burley & Geach.

In April 2006 Burley & Geach purchased the Liphook practice of A.J.Bavin, who had practised in Liphook for over 30 years.