About Richard

Richard joined the firm in September 1994, qualified as a solicitor in 1996 and became a Partner in September 2001. In January 2019 Richard was appointed head of our nationally renowned Licensing team, taking over from Clare Johnson following her 18 year spell in charge.

Richard deals primarily with the licensing of public houses, supermarkets, hotels and betting offices on behalf of a number of household names across the UK. He also acts for individuals both locally and nationally.

Our Licensing team is one of the longest established and best known in the UK. I am in the privileged position of acting both for some of the biggest names in the leisure and retail sectors together with individual publicans, restauranteurs and shop operators. Whether I’m applying for licences in a multi-million pound development or for an individual convenience store, I get the same buzz when the applications are successful.

A vastly experienced Licensing lawyer, Richard has been commended by both the Legal 500 and Chambers for the quality of his advocacy and is very well respected amongst his clients and peers alike.

Chambers & Partners / Legal 500

Legal 500 2016: ‘First-class advocate’ Richard Taylor is also recommended.

Chambers 2016: Richard Taylor gives the best outcome with minimal risks to the business

Chambers 2017: Richard Taylor has a wide-ranging licensing practice including work within the gambling and hospitality sectors. Clients describe him as a "first-class advocate with many years’ experience in the licensing field."

Chambers 2018: Richard Taylor is a long-standing figure in the licensing market. He oversees licensing matters for major retail chains. "He knows licensing backwards. The fact he's retained big clients over two decades demonstrates his abilities as a lawyer," notes an interviewee.

Chambers 2020: Richard Taylor possesses a breadth of experience in liquor licensing and temporary event notice applications across the supermarket and leisure sectors. Sources say: "He has a very thorough understanding of all legislation and provides quick and precise advice."

Chambers 2021: "He is enormously experienced, a hard worker and an absolute pleasure to deal with. He has a wonderful manner about him."

Chambers 2021: "He is very down to earth and explains complex matters in a logical way, balancing risk and commerciality. Richard is always available for help and advice and has a great can-do attitude."

Interests

Cricket, rugby union & fly fishing