The origins of the firm are known to date back before 1800 during which time it has practised from various sites in Uttoxeter.

The current senior partner, John Mountford, still uses a New Testament volume to take oaths which indicates the practise existed as Enoch Hand in 1806. The firm subsequently changed its name to Rushton & Hand when Thomas Rushton was admitted as an attorney in 1819. The practice then continued throughout the nineteenth century under various names and in the late 1880’s Mr Charles Henry Cowlishaw joined the firm.

At the time Mr W.G.Need was the senior partner and he is reputed to have ridden to work on horseback from his home at The Parks to his Uttoxeter office stabling his horse at the rear of the premises.

In 1911 Charles Cowlishaw’s son Ronald joined and the firm became Cowlishaw and Son. Charles Cowlishaw will be remembered by some older residents in Uttoxeter. He bought the Alton Estate from the Earl of Shrewsbury in 1919 and ran it until his death in 1937. After the second world war, the estate was sold to the Bagslaw Family.

Ronald Cowlishaw continued in practice until this death in 1975 a remarkable career span of 64 years.

The current senior partner John Mountford joined the firm in 1970 and his partner Paul Hopkins in 1976. The firm moved to its present office at 90 High Street, Uttoxeter on 5th July 1993.