Law firm RPC (Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP) opened an office in Bristol on 3 January with a team of 28 people, including 11 lawyers and three Partners. Three further Partners and a Legal Director will be joining in March.

The office will initially focus on defendant professional indemnity (PI) work largely deriving from the London Market. The team will handle complex claims on behalf of a broad range of professionals, including legal, construction, financial services, pension professionals, trustees, accountants and brokers.

RPC Managing Partner Jonathan Watmough said: “Complex professional indemnity work has been at the heart of RPC for many years, and this move underlines the strength of our commitment to that part of our business. The new people will integrate seamlessly with our existing top-ranked PI team, and will add greater depth and breadth to our insurance practice overall.”

“There is a growing appetite amongst our clients for a quality service outside London. This new office will offer the greater choice and flexibility that we know they are after.”

Based in the heart of Bristol’s business district and a short walk from Temple Meads station, RPC has taken an entire floor in the state of the art Temple Circus building, giving it the space to accommodate the ambitious growth plans it has for this new office.

The opening of an office in Bristol comes after RPC’s recent announcement (1 November 2011) of the establishment of its first overseas office following the hire of insurance and reinsurance partner Mark Errington in Singapore.