SJ Berwin is on target to smash its targets after reporting a 35 per cent increase in turnover for the first six months of the financial year.

The firm had set itself a target of £174m for the full financial year, up 12 per cent on last year’s £155m, but with turnover shooting up to £81m at the half-year point that target may be revised.

SJ Berwin senior partner Jonathan Blake commented: “There has been a huge amount of work in corporate but the whole firm has done brilliantly, here and in our continental offices. The corporate department is not that large that it could have achieved that on its own.”

Last year’s half year revenues were £60m. This year’s highlights have included roles on Universal Music’s Eu1.63bn (£1.12bn) acquisition of Bertelsmann’s BMG music publishing division and for Merchant Equity Partners on its acquisition of MFI.