A top lawyer has celebrated 60 years of service at an Oxford law firm.

John Cole, a well-known figure in the city's legal community, attended the event at Blake Morgan's office on Wednesday, October 23.

Mr Cole joined Cole & Cole, his family's firm, in 1964 after leaving the Dragon and St Edward’s schools in Oxford.

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The firm was set up by Mr Cole's father and uncle in 1945.

He became a solicitor in 1970 and worked his way up to managing partner.

He was national president of the Association of Round Tables in Great Britain and Ireland in 1983-84.

Mr Cole was a key figure in the 1998 merger with Morgan Bruce and the 2014 merger with Blake Lapthorn, which formed Blake Morgan.

He became a consultant in 2012 and continues to provide advice, specialising in partnership law and joint ventures.

Mr Cole has also been a prominent figure in Oxford’s social and professional community.

He has supported the High Sheriff’s annual law lecture and participated in the centuries-old Swan-Upping, a census of swans on the Thames.

Mike Wilson, managing partner at the firm, said: "John is a totemic figure at Blake Morgan and to our Oxford clients – an exemplar of how to build deep and trusting relationships, offer unfailingly high-quality advice, and support the growth and development of the business and his colleagues."