Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (BLG) had a static year, with a minute turnover rise and no change in average PEP.

The firm maintains its grip on the insurance and professional negligence market and also appeared in a number of high-profile general commercial litigation cases. Its biggest case continues to be its representation of Ernst & Young (E&Y) in the ongoing Equitable Life trial in the High Court. Led by Clare Canning, the team has had a number of small successes over the summer of 2005, culminating in July's news that Equitable was dropping a large part of its claim against E&Y.

In contrast, the firm's non-contentious practice had a terrible year. Corporate head John Longdon left at the end of 2004, joining former BLG banking partners Graham Wedlake and Neil James at Winston & Strawn. The losses, which effectively closed down BLG's banking practice and left it with little corporate expertise, suggest that the firm's non-contentious side is struggling to keep up with the powerful litigation practice. The departure of IT head Kit Burden to DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary reinforced the view that BLG may be better off focusing on the litigation it is so good at.