Browne Jacobson

Browne Jacobson enjoyed a record year of growth in 2011–12 with a 17 per cent turnover rise, from £35.2m to £41.3m.

The Midlands-based outfit achieved this through organic growth, with managing partner Iain Blatherwick calling the “landmark” year’s figures a “phenomenal achievement”.

The firm refused to divulge profitability details, but The Lawyer estimates it will have made at least some progress on the 2010–11 net profit figure of £4.5m and the 13 per cent profit margin. Likewise, in a year of significant expansion, average profit per equity partner is estimated to have risen by 5 per cent, from £300,000 to £315,000.

Browne Jacobson saw double-digit growth in Nottingham (16 per cent), Birmingham (16 per cent) and London (26 per cent) around its key sectors of health, insurance, education and the public sector. The management board followed last year’s 2.5 per cent performance award with a 7 per cent award paid to employees this summer for an “exceptional” year.

New clients in 2011–12 include the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham, Coventry City Council, East Midlands Housing Group, Ballyvesey Holdings, Inspired Gaming and Affinion International.

The firm continues to feature prominently on the Government’s academies programme, with instructions on more than 330 conversions to date.

The ambitious firm has just announced a fifth office opening in Exeter, snapping up a 25-strong defendant insurance and employment practices team from Veitch Penny to hit the ground running and add £1m in revenue for 2012–13. There was also a new office opening in Manchester in January 2012.