IT WAS a year of consolidation for Bristol firm Veale Wasbrough, with turnover hitting £13m, PEP at £200,000 and managing partner Simon Pizzey re-elected to managing partner for his third consecutive term after six years in the role. The firm also made up three partners this year and had a raft of lateral hires.

The firm shored up its leading position in local public sector work, landing a place on the panel for a consortium of 18 South of England local authorities. Bristol City Council also instructs Veale, notably on its disposal this year of its interests to the developers of Bristol Harbourside.

Unusually for a regional firm, Veale is also strengthening its Chinese contacts and has an associated firm in Beijing called Guantao. It advised on the cooperation agreement signed by Bristol and Guangzhou. It successfully bid for a counsel to spend a three-month secondment with Veale from Guangzhou firm Guangdong He Cheng Tai as part of the Lord Chancellor's training scheme.