Regional Focus: Manchester

Growing up as an indie kid in Birmingham in the 1980s and 1990s, I looked north to Manchester for inspiration. While Birmingham seemed to be languishing in provincial post-industrial mediocrity, Manchester was alive with the sound of indie and northern soul and exuded European cosmopolitanism. It had the best places to catch up-and-coming bands before all your mates had heard of them, metropolitan names for its stations such as Piccadilly and Victoria, and even a tram that they called a metro.

Into the 21st century, a wave of urban regeneration has seen Birmingham pick up pace in terms of its arts scene and liveability, but Manchester is no less confident in its position as the capital of the North West.

Trainees are choosing Manchester for its thriving arts scene, the fact that you can walk to work and, above all, the knowledge that you can get top quality clients to rival many in the South East.

Two of the top 10 UK firms DLA Piper and Eversheds (places five and eight respectively in The Lawyer UK 200) have strong roots in the region and have used this as a platform to launch into other parts of the UK and beyond.

Following DLAs 2005 merger with US firms Piper Rudnick and Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich, in terms of numbers of lawyers, DLA Piper has become the largest law firm in the world. It had a gross turnover last year of 446m and average profit per equity partner (PEP) stood at 714,000. This was spread quite evenly across practice areas, with corporate accounting for 24 per cent of UK revenue followed by finance and litigation at 22 per cent each. The firms Manchester client base includes Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance, which is advised on the House of Fraser and McCarthy and Stone bids. New projects for the firm include growth in both the Gulf region and mainland Europe. The strong international element means that trainees in Manchester have the opportunity to undertake part of their training abroad one trainee is spending six months in Dubai.

Eversheds is following suit, with continued expansion of its European operations and panel wins such as Tyco, Severn Trent, Samsung and Transport for London driving half-year growth of 10 per cent. The firm had an annual turnover of 356m and a PEP of 502,000, up a cracking 20 per cent on last year. Corporate and finance is the engine of the boom, accounting for 30 per cent of total revenue and overtaking previous stalwart real estate.

Pinsent Masons and Addleshaw Goddard are becoming increasingly strong competitors to both of the above. Pinsents comes in 14th in The Lawyer UK 200, with an annual turnover of 192m. The firm was formed by the merger of Pinsent Curtis Biddle and Masons in 2004. The merger was followed in 2006 by the union of the two Manchester offices, with plans for a move into a larger super-regional office next year. The firms largest earner, however, is still London, which accounts for 41 per cent of the turnover. Half-year growth for this year has been at a steady, but not exactly stonking, 10 per cent. Addleshaw Goddard is close behind in 16th place with an annual turnover of 177m, and is focused on the corporate and finance sectors, both representing 21 per cent of total turnover. After a disappointing 2005, 2006 was a stellar year, with PEP exceeding the 500,000 mark at 542,000. It advises 55 companies in the FTSE350 or equivalent and forecasts that that number will jump by 70 per cent by the end of the next financial year. Major clients include BT, BA and Capita.

Halliwells is the largest firm based in Manchester, although it does have offices elsewhere in the country. This is reflected in the high number of trainees it has in the city 51 in total. Managing partner Ian Austin oversaw an extremely robust 37.5 per cent growth in turnover last year, driven by the strength of the real estate team. If the US credit crunch has seen some of its magic circle counterparts sitting on their hands, the Manchester real estate sector continues to grow, reaching a healthy 7 per cent at the half-year mark.

Hill Dickinson has a curious recent history, undergoing a re-merger that followed a 17-year break-up between its constituent arms Hill Dickinson and Hill Taylor Dickinson in 2006.

Turnover stands at 69m, up 25 per cent on the previous year, and the firm is planning a major
investment in the Liverpool office. PEP growth has been less impressive at just 4.7 per cent, but it broke the 300,000 mark for the first time.

Cobbetts has had a less successful recent history, with PEP dropping in 2005-6 after several years of growth to 190,000. This led to massive redundancies of 20 per cent. However, the firm was back on track for 2006-7, with PEP up to 240,000 and turnover up 9 per cent to 59m. Nevertheless, the firm dropped one place in the UK 200 league.

Pannone is the only single-site office to be a major contender to the other firms profiled here. It is the only firm to retain a strong focus on private client work, being split about 50:50 between corporate and private.

Trainees that want to specialise in one or other area, while still fulfilling the Solicitors Regulation Authority requirement of contentious and non-contentious work, can do so. For example, a trainee could complete the corporate, commercial property and commercial litigation seats, or they could go the other way and choose personal injury, clinical negligence and trust and probate. Last year the litigation practice turnover was up 41 per cent, but personal injury fell. Turnover last year stood at 45m and PEP at 260,000.

Weightmans is close behind in terms of turnover, at 44m, but with a more impressive PEP of 310,000, a 17 per cent increase. Insurance is a strong driver, as is commercial real estate. Weightmans distinguishes itself in terms of its workplace culture, with trainees enjoy flexitime from day one.

Brabners Chaffe Streets turnover grew 23 per cent to 26m, nudging it up to 82nd place. The Manchester office has grown substantially, from 19 staff in 2002 to 85 in 2007, and is expected to double in size over the next five years. Brabners also retains its private client practice.