BLP reports 20 per cent growth at half-year point

Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has reported a leap of 20 per cent in fee income compared to the same time last year, earning £84m in fees in the last six months.

This compares to £70m this time last year. At the end of the last financial year, BLP had a turnover of £169m.

BLP’s results are fee income rather than turnover at the half-year stage because they do not include work in progress.

Managing partner Neville Eisenberg told The Lawyer that the first quarter of the 2007-08 financial year was particularly healthy for the firm. Although the second quarter was quieter after the squeeze on the financial markets, he was “optimistic” about the rest of the year.

BLP joins Allen & Overy, Ashurst, CMS Cameron McKenna, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith, Lovells, Nabarro, Norton Rose, Pinsent Masons and SJ Berwin in posting double-digit growth in half-year results.

So far, Ashurst and Herbert Smith have experienceed the strongest jump in fee income, at 25 per cent while Lovells and Pinsent Masons reported the lowest trajectory so far, growing by a relatively undramatic 10 per cent each.