Bristows

UK 200 RESULTS 2010

Position:
Movement since 2009

Turnover (£M):
Profit per equity partner (£K):
Earnings per partner (£K):
Equity spread (£K):
Net profit (£M):
Profit margin (%):
Revenue per fee-earner (£K):
Revenue per lawyer (£K):
Revenue per partner (£K):
Revenue per equity partner (£K):
Total number of fee-earners:
Total number of qualified lawyers:
Total number of partners:
Total number of equity partners:
Total number of female partners:
Total number of female equity partners:
Total number of staff:
Leverage ratio (fee-earners per equity partner):

=86
UP

24
267
267.24
140-320
7.75
32
224.3
269.7
827.6
827.6
107
89
29
29
10
10
183
2.07

Bristows, one of the UK’s last remaining all-equity, pure lockstep partnerships, reaped the benefit of an increasingly litigious client base. in 2009-10 Contentious matters form the backbone of Bristows’ practice, with IP litigation in particular being at the core. The firm’s big patent infringement win for new client Smith & Nephew concerning its Negative Pressure Wound Therapy medical device, on which partner Philip Westmacott took the lead, was a highlight.

A strong reputation for top-end IP helped Bristows post an 8.5 per cent rise in total turnover in 2009-10 to £24m, an 18 per cent increase in average profit per equity partner to £267,000 and a hike in net profit of almost 30 per cent to £7.75m. The firm’s equity partner headcount increased by two year-on-year.

As far as non-contentious matters go, Bristows continued its strategy of recruiting to strengthen IT in particular, with the hires of Hazel Grant and Toby Crick from Bird & Bird and Fiona Nicolson from Maclay Murray & Spens during the year.

The head of the firm’s IT department Mark Watts took over from Paul Walsh as co-managing partner alongside Pat Treacy during the year.

UK 200 RESULTS 2009

Position:
Movement since 2008

Turnover (£M):
Profit per equity partner (£K):
Earnings per partner (£K):
Equity spread (£K):
Net profit (£M):
Profit margin (%):
Revenue per fee-earner (£K):
Revenue per lawyer (£K):
Revenue per partner (£K):
Revenue per equity partner (£K):
Total number of fee-earners:
Total number of qualified lawyers:
Total number of partners:
Total number of equity partners:
Total number of female partners:
Total number of female equity partners:
Total number of staff:
Leverage ratio (fee-earners per equity partner):

94=
UP

22.1
226
222.2
135 - 267
6
27
223
270
819
819
99
82
27
27
9
9
175
2.04

Bristows re-entered the top 100 last year after posting a bumper set of financial results which confirmed the health of the IP market.

The London boutique registered a 19.5 per cent increase in revenue from £18.5m to £22.1m. Average profit per equity partner at the all-equity 27-partner firm now stands at £226,000, a net profit of £6m.

Bristows has enjoyed a growth spurt over the past couple of years as it rebuilt the firm following a spate of departures.

At the beginning of 2008 it took three partners from Howrey, while more recently it hired corporate partner Ken Boehner from Kilpatrick Stockton and Fiona Nicholson, the former head of IP at Maclay Murray & Spens. In September 2009, the firm hired Bird & Bird associate Toby Crick as a partner.