A tribute from David Goddard:
It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Robert Ralphs on Monday 3rd November 2025. Robert was not just a colleague, but a life long-friend, and one of the greatest Senior Clerks of our time.
Robert David Ralphs was born on the 19th March 1940 in Hammersmith. He left school in 1955 and embarked upon a career that would ultimately lead him to becoming one of the top barristers’ clerks of our time.
Both Robert’s grandfather and father had been clerks and Robert followed in their footsteps, by starting his career in the Chambers of Gilbert Paull KC (1, Temple Gardens) in March 1955, a few days before his fifteenth birthday.
Four years later when Robert was just 19 and checking the QB list, he was approached by Arthur Dorsett who offered him the job as his junior clerk. This chance meeting led to them working together for fourteen years. In 1969, towards the end of that time, another clerk Celia Hart (as she then was, and who also passed away this year. It’s not been a good year) introduced a young clerk called Maria to Arthur for the job of 2nd junior in that set. It didn’t happen immediately but after a while Robert and Maria started dating, eventually marrying in 1971.
I used to see Robert and Maria fairly frequently when I used to pick up the London Sessions list from them at Garden Court. One day Robert approached Reg Murrell my senior clerk and offered me a job at Garden Court. Although I relished the thought of working with Robert I declined.
Little did we both know at that stage what the future was going to hold!
As we all know, the role of barristers’ clerk is a demanding one and we often think of doing something crazy for want of change. Well, Robert did just that. In 1974, and to everyone’s amazement, he resigned from Garden Court having decided to move to Cyprus, to start a new life there with Maria.
However things did not work out as Robert and Maria had envisaged. They had only been in Cyprus for a few weeks when a right-wing coup occurred in Athens followed by a similar coup in Nicosia (capital of Cyprus). Amidst ethnic tensions in Cyprus between those of Greek and Turkish origin, the Turks suddenly invaded the northern part of Cyprus. Maria’s home village which was located in the north was captured by the Turks and still remains in their hands today.
Robert, Maria and their 9-month-old son Alexis returned to the UK courtesy of an emergency RAF Hercules transport plane.
By happenstance, One Essex Court had been looking for a senior clerk to take over from Reg Murrell. They had not found anyone who wanted the job. I was their first junior at that time, and they more or less said that I might have to be caretaker manager for a while
On his return, Robert got in touch with the late Eric Cooper. Eric mentioned the vacant role at One Essex Court to Robert, and so he met with Sam Stamler and that was that. The ironic thing is it probably did not sound a particularly attractive clerking position at that time, and if Robert had still been at 1 Garden Court, he may well not have been interested in the role.
Robert worked closely with me for eight years before I moved to 4 Stone Buildings as Senior Clerk. I have a huge sense of gratitude for what Robert taught me over the years. We established a great working relationship and became very good friends, enjoying many happy lunches even after I left and even sharing occasional holidays together.
In my view, One Essex Court would simply not be the place it is today if the Turks had not invaded Cyprus! In 1974 One Essex Court was a general common law set consisting of 13 members, although it did have one Sam Stamler and a precocious junior called Anthony Grabiner.
A few of the members at that time wanted to keep Chambers as a rather small, generalist set, but with the foundations for it to be great, it needed a clerk with the vision to take it forward. That is what Robert did.
At an early Chambers meeting Robert declared that they would have 6 more silks within the next 5 years and need to expand and recruit as a result. The members all looked at him as if he was mad but of course he was right. With his typical charm, persuasion and no small amount of determination, Robert got his own way and Chambers embarked upon a course of recruitment and practice management that would set the course for Chambers for years to come.
One Essex Court now houses over 140 members and is widely regarded one of the top magic circle sets in the country.
In March 2005, the year he retired, Robert completed 50 years as a barristers’ clerk and a dinner in his honour was held that year at the Ivy, an event which was well attended, such was his popularity. I have already received many messages about Robert from colleagues who had the pleasure of knowing him, and how he had an impact on their careers.
Robert had a lifelong love of athletics and was at one time a serious runner. More than that, he became a connoisseur and collector of wine after he was gifted a fine Burgundy by a senior barrister. Robert built a large collection of fine wines over his lifetime and he liked nothing more than sharing wine and discussing it with friends and family over good food. His love of wine connected him to France and he and Maria bought homes in the South of France and Paris, where they spent a lot of time together.
Our thoughts are with Maria (who between 1989 & 1991 was the IBC’s administrator), his son and daughter Alexis and Ilia. Partners: Emily and Tom and grandchildren: Minnie, Raph, Rex, Henry, Cecily and Camilla.