A WELL-KNOWN York legal eagle has taken on a key international role.

York solicitor, Rachel Roche, owner of York based Roche Legal, has been appointed vice chair of the London chapter of the New York Bar Association (NYBA), recognising her position as key figure in international cross border legal work.

Rachel has been the driving force behind Roche Legal’s UK/USA probate service which has attracted funding from the Department of Trade and Industry with the same service being offered to clients living in France Spain and worldwide.

This is central to Rachel’s ambition to be at the forefront of cross border work and she has made regular visits to North America to meet with fellow lawyers involved with private international law.

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In June 2022, she accepted an invitation to participate in a panel of lawyers from Brazil, the USA, Canada and Spain, to discuss cross-border estates at the New York State Bar Association Summer Conference in New York.

As a result, in November, Rachel chaired a panel for NYSBA International Section in London and subsequently, she has been unanimously voted into the role of vice-chair of the NYSBA London chapter. This role comes as Roche Legal opens its first London office in the former London Patent Office in Holborn, close to Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Rachel said: “The NYSBA International Section is a global community of lawyers who share a common purpose – to advance the rule of law and create a strong network of international lawyers around the world.

“I did my Masters in French and European law at the Sorbonne in Paris having spent time in France learning the language at an early age. The New York Bar Association (NYBA) gives Roche Legal a gateway into America and a network of legal people who will be able to help our clients.

“The NYBA has links with lawyers all over the world in countries such as Brazil, Panama and Canada and I am delighted to have been asked to be vice chair of the London Chapter.”

Her role with NYBA, which was founded in 1876 and has members in 100 countries, is a natural extension of Rachel’s international impact while ensuring Roche Legal is at the forefront of developments in an increasingly mobile world.

Rachel said: “It makes sense to broaden Roche Legal’s horizons and acknowledge that people live in different countries and it is important to cater for this mobility. It is important to be ahead of the curve.

“Multiple jurisdictions require a grasp of the legal concepts around the world to signpost these to clients and ensure their needs are met. It is about getting equipped to deal with legal work that is going to become more frequent. Our London office is another important development as we grow as a business.”