Fladgate

The last financial year saw Fladgate boast an 11 per cent rise in turnover to £25.9m, a 14 per cent rise in profit to £7.3m and an 8 per cent rise in average profit per equity partner to £391,000. Going by the numbers, then, Fladgate’s ambitions for growth — and most importantly, steady growth — appear on track.

The much-trumpeted move from its traditional Mayfair base to offices in Covent Garden a couple of years ago may have underlined Fladgate’s mix of private client work with its institutional City practice, but it also demonstrated a conservative approach to investment, with the borrowing for the move paid off ahead of schedule.

Following its investment in its new office Fladgate is now focusing on investment in people. Key hires during 2011–12 included Howard Kennedy joint head of real estate Gideon Dabby-Joory; Kingsley Napley litigation partner Sophia Purkis; Finers Stephens Innocent joint head of real estate Stephen Lewis; Olswang construction head David Weare and corporate partner Amy Collins; Macfarlanes real estate partner Richard Reuben; the former head of real estate finance at Halliwells Kim McMurray; and McCarthy Tétrault corporate partner Paul Airley. Quite a haul.