Robert Finch (Lord Mayor)

Sir Robert Finch (born 1944 in Ootacamund, India) is a British businessman, former lawyer, and former Lord Mayor of the City of London.

Born in British India, Finch was educated at Felsted School and the College of Law. He joined Linklaters in 1969, progressed to partner in 1974,[1] and head of real estate from 1997 to 1999.[2] Linklaters' most senior partner, he left the firm on 1 July 2005 to become chairman of the property developer Liberty International,[2] overseeing its transition to a REIT when the status was first introduced.

He is an alderman of the City, representing Coleman Street ward, having been first elected to represent Coleman Street in 1992. He became a sheriff in 1999, master of the Solicitors' Company in 2000, and Lord Mayor in 2003.[3]

In 2008, following a change to the voting system for City Aldermen, he was challenged by an unheard-of young lawyer in a close campaign.[4] Finch admitted to having overspent on the campaign, by not declaring the use of Liberty's company car and chauffeur. When challenged, in Finch and another v Richardson (2008), a judge ruled that ignorance of the law could constitute a defence in electoral law: a point that hitherto existed in Scots law and Northern Ireland law, but not English law.[5]

Finch was awarded a knighthood in 2004 for services to the City of London.[1]

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b Davey, Jenny (27 August 2005). "'If you think I've come here to set the record for the shortest chairmanship of a FTSE 100 company, you must be mad'". The Times. http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/construction_and_property/article559426.ece. Retrieved 5 December 2008. 
  2. ^ a b Westacott, Gemma (20 June 2005). "Sir Robert Finch quits Linklaters for Liberty". The Lawyer. https://secure.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=115852&d=122&h=24&f=46. Retrieved 5 December 2008. 
  3. ^ Stephenson, Natalie (21 November 2003). "The Lord Mayor's show". Property Week. http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?storyCode=3030665. Retrieved 5 December 2008. 
  4. ^ Russell, Jonathan (5 April 2008). "Forget Boris and Ken, it's Finch vs Richardson for Alderman". Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/citydiary/2787464/Forget-Boris-and-Ken,-it%27s-Finch-vs-Richardson-for-Alderman.html. Retrieved 5 December 2008. 
  5. ^ "Finch and another v Richardson (2008)". WLR Daily. Incorporated Council of Law Reporting. http://www.lawreports.co.uk/WLRD/2008/QBD/dec0.1.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-13. 
Civic offices
Preceded by
Sir Gavyn Arthur		 676th Lord Mayor of the City of London
2003–2004		 Succeeded by
Sir Michael Savory