Described by one “magic circle” partner as “the GC's GC”, Charles Lawton retires this month as legal adviser to Rio Tinto, the mining giant but remains a consultant. The son of a wartime fighter pilot who sat on the board of British Airways, Lawton is the doyen of an older generation of general counsel. Behind the impeccable manners and gentlemanly charm is a shrewd operator who has been at the top of a notoriously tough industry for more than two decades. Lawton, 62, was schooled at Westminster and became a solicitor in 1970. Since he became legal chief at Rio Tinto in 1985, the company has vaulted up the FTSE rankings, culminating in a £19 billion takeover of Alcan at the end of last year. No sooner did that deal close than Lawton found himself defending Rio Tinto against a staggering £70 billion bid by BHP Billiton, which is still going on. Lawyers who know Lawton are impressed by his thoughtful, strategic approach and a genuine commitment to improving corporate social responsibility — a rarity in an industry that depends on what it digs out of the ground. He steps down after finishing an overhaul of the company's legal function that others have been following closely.

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