History

In the burgeoning industrial city of Newcastle, just before the turn of the 20^th century, the history of Rankin Nathan began.  In 1899, Archibald Aloysius Rankin established offices to provide legal services in Newcastle, principally for mining, shipping and manufacturing companies, and subsequently the steel industry.

Archibald Rankin was active in community, industrial and political advocacy towards the development of Newcastle as an industrial city. A highly respected Solicitor, Rankin was a man noted for his great services to health, particularly as Chairman of Royal Newcastle Hospital. For these and other services he was awarded the C.B.E.

Donald Neil Rankin, admitted as a Solicitor in 1939, joined his father and Alfred Shirlow Nathan in the partnership.

Donald Rankin and Alfred Nathan were well known identities and participants in business and community circles in the Newcastle and Hunter Regions.

In 1987 the Firm merged with Bubb & Helman, a Newcastle suburban practice with a strong individual and small business client following, thereby expanding to include a Lambton Office.

From 1975 to 2006 the principal office of the firm was located at Newcomen House, an historic building constructed in the 1850’s and purchased in 1912 from Sir Samuel Cohen by Archibald Rankin.  Newcomen House was occupied from 1912 to 1974 by the Rankin family, as their home.

With an increasing involvement in insurance defence litigation in the late 1980’s, Rankin Nathan was active in the Sydney legal market, so that by 1995 a Sydney office was established.  The Company’s North Sydney office remains open to this day.

The Company presently has about 20 Solicitors, 8 Paralegal and 20 secretarial and administration staff spread across offices in Sydney and Newcastle. Its aim is to provide quality advice and personalised service to its many insurance, corporate and personal clients.