History
The firm was founded in 1900 through the amalgamation of two sole practitioners, Mr. James Whiteley Wilkin and Mr. Ernest Benjamin Chapman. Mr. Ernest Benjamin Chapman was born in 1872 and in 1897 he started up his own practice. Mr. James Whiteley Wilkin's also had his own practice and he occupied part of a house in 47 Victoria Street in 1897 which he used as his office.
In around 1902, when the two amalgamated, they carried on practicing from Mr.Wilkin's offices in 47 Victoria Street. It is unknown as to the length of time they were in this building, but by 1914 they had moved next door into the Prudential Chambers. In 1958 the firm moved from Prudential Chambers to New Oxford House and have been there ever since.
About 45 years ago the firm started to expand substantially partly as the result of an increasing private client base and partly to service the needs of one particular client, the Ross Group. The company's expansion fuelled the recruitment of specialist Corporate and Commercial partners at Wilkin Chapman. Consequently expertise was developed which might be considered unusual in a provincial practice but which formed the basis for the firm's future success.
Since then the firm has opened branches in Cleethorpes, Louth & Horncastle and in 1998 merged with Lincoln law firm, Gilbert Blades and with another law firm in Lincoln, Epton & Co in 1999, to become Wilkin Chapman Epton Blades as the Lincoln office of the firm is known. More recently in April 2005 Wilkin Chapman merged with Cooper & Wright Solicitors in Beverley. This is the firms first office outside their natural boundary of Lincolnshire, and is situated in good radius of other offices.
