The largest 200 UK law firms of 2018 have been revealed with the publication of The Lawyer UK 200: Top 100 2018.
The full UK 200 ranking for 2017/18 confirms a legal market that remains in rude health, despite growing pressures from a number of increasingly influential competitors such as US firms and alternative providers.
This year’s 200 largest UK-headquartered law firms generated a total revenue of £25.68bn, a rise of almost 10 per cent (9.5) on 2016/17.
It is notable that the total number of fee-earners, qualified lawyers, partners and business services staff all rose by around 5 per cent. In contrast, the total number of equity partners rose by just 0.6 per cent.
This year’s UK 200 has highlighted the increasing influence of US firms and New Law providers on the UK market, with the former detailed in The Lawyer’s first-ever City 50 ranking and the latter analysed in a feature that contains exclusive data on the revenues of some of the best-known New Law providers including LOD, Axiom and Peerpoint.
As The Lawyer reported last week, the full UK 200 also contains eight new firms of which six feature in the lower half of the revenue ranking, The Independents.
The UK’s 100 largest law firms billed a record £24.1bn in 2017/18, the largest revenue ever achieved by the group and a rise of almost 10 per cent on 2016/17.
The latest edition of The Lawyer UK 200: The Top report and The UK 200: The Independents are now available.
Below we rank the top 200 law firms in the UK by revenue.
The top 200 UK law firms 2018 by revenue
|
Rank 2018 |
Rank 2017 |
Firm name |
Revenue (£m) |
|
1 |
1 |
1,799.5 |
|
|
2 |
2 |
1,623.0 |
|
|
3 |
5 |
1,581.0 |
|
|
4 |
3 |
1,570.0 |
|
|
5 |
4 |
1,523.5 |
|
|
6 |
7 |
1,514.0 |
|
|
7 |
6 |
1,403.0 |
|
|
8 |
9 |
1,138.7 |
|
|
9 |
8 |
926.8 |
|
|
10 |
13 |
721.8 |
|
|
11 |
10 |
564.0 |
|
|
12 |
11 |
551.3 |
|
|
13 |
12 |
486.7 |
|
|
14 |
15 |
455.5 |
|
|
15 |
14 |
451.0 |
|
|
16 |
16 |
354.1 |
|
|
17 |
17 |
337.0 |
|
|
18 |
19 |
301.5 |
|
|
19 |
18 |
277.4 |
|
|
20 |
24 |
242.0 |
|
|
21 |
20 |
241.8 |
|
|
22 |
21 |
239.6 |
|
|
23 |
23 |
235.0 |
|
|
24 |
22 |
230.0 |
|
|
25 |
29 |
207.0 |
|
|
26 |
27 |
201.6 |
|
|
27 |
32 |
196.0 |
|
|
28 |
25 |
189.4 |
|
|
29 |
28 |
179.1 |
|
|
30 |
26 |
176.6 |
|
|
31 |
30 |
162.9 |
|
|
32 |
31 |
161.3 |
|
|
33 |
33 |
150.5 |
|
|
34 |
35 |
146.9 |
|
|
35 |
36 |
128.5 |
|
|
36 |
39 |
112.7 |
|
|
37 |
44 |
106.3 |
|
|
38 |
38 |
105.0 |
|
|
39 |
37 |
104.7 |
|
|
40 |
42 |
102.5 |
|
|
41 |
43 |
97.1 |
|
|
42 |
40 |
96.8 |
|
|
43 |
46 |
90.0 |
|
|
44 |
48 |
86.1 |
|
|
45 |
45 |
83.4 |
|
|
46 |
49 |
82.0 |
|
|
47 |
51 |
Freeths |
78.9 |
|
48 |
53 |
Penningtons Manches |
76.1 |
|
49 |
54 |
Keoghs* |
74.5 |
|
50 |
52 |
Shakespeare Martineau |
73.9 |
|
51 |
50 |
Blake Morgan |
73.3 |
|
52 |
55 |
Browne Jacobson |
73.0 |
|
53 |
56 |
Brodies |
68.6 |
|
54 |
57 |
Farrer & Co |
63.5 |
|
55 |
47 |
Stewarts |
62.4 |
|
56 |
58 |
Burness Paull |
57.6 |
|
57 |
60 |
Shepherd & Wedderburn |
53.5 |
|
58 |
59 |
Howard Kennedy |
53.3 |
|
59 |
61 |
Fladgate |
53.0 |
|
60 |
63 |
Lewis Silkin |
52.9 |
|
61 |
62 |
Forsters |
52.1 |
|
62 |
67 |
Birketts |
48.1 |
|
63 |
65 |
Clarke Willmott |
46.7 |
|
64 |
N/A |
Minster Law* |
46.0 |
|
65 |
69 |
Bristows |
44.1 |
|
66 |
72 |
Bevan Brittan |
44.0 |
|
67 |
68 |
Walker Morris |
43.7 |
|
68 |
73 |
Foot Anstey |
43.4 |
|
=69 |
66 |
Dickson Minto* |
43.0 |
|
=69 |
71 |
Winckworth Sherwood |
43.0 |
|
71 |
70 |
Ashfords |
42.2 |
|
72 |
76 |
Kingsley Napley |
40.0 |
|
73 |
75 |
Hugh James* |
38.5 |
|
74 |
74 |
Capsticks |
38.3 |
|
75 |
N/A |
Leigh Day |
38.2 |
|
76 |
79 |
Michelmores |
37.6 |
|
77 |
83 |
Veale Wasbrough Vizards |
36.8 |
|
78 |
77 |
Ward Hadaway |
35.9 |
|
79 |
84 |
Royds Withy King |
35.8 |
|
80 |
91 |
Harbottle & Lewis |
35.5 |
|
81 |
80 |
Russell-Cooke |
34.9 |
|
82 |
82 |
Knights |
34.9 |
|
83 |
81 |
Wedlake Bell |
34.0 |
|
84 |
78 |
Bircham Dyson Bell |
33.7 |
|
85 |
96 |
JMW |
32.5 |
|
86 |
86 |
Cripps |
31.7 |
|
87 |
94 |
Keystone Law |
31.6 |
|
88 |
87 |
Brabners |
31.4 |
|
89 |
95 |
MW Solicitors |
31.3 |
|
=90 |
89 |
Harrison Clark Rickerbys |
30.0 |
|
=90 |
88 |
Simpson Millar* |
30.0 |
|
92 |
85 |
Thrings |
29.5 |
|
93 |
90 |
Digby Brown* |
29.0 |
|
94 |
102 |
Gordon Dadds |
28.5 |
|
95 |
96 |
DMH Stallard |
28.4 |
|
96 |
105 |
Thorntons |
27.5 |
|
97 |
92 |
Sackers |
27.0 |
|
98 |
98 |
Stevens & Bolton |
26.9 |
|
99 |
119 |
Fletchers |
26.8 |
|
100 |
99 |
Moore Blatch |
26.8 |
| 101 | 93 | Harper Macleod | 26.5 |
| 102 | 103 | Boodle Hatfield | 26.1 |
| 103 | 109 | Wiggin | 26.0 |
| 104 | 100 | Bates Wells Braithwaite | 25.8 |
| 105 | N/A | Joseph Hage Aaronson* | 25.2 |
| 106 | 106 | Wilkin Chapman | 24.9 |
| 107 | 101 | Geldards | 24.8 |
| 108 | 104 | Edwin Coe | 24.3 |
| 109 | 107 | Payne Hicks Beach | 23.4 |
| 110 | 110 | Anderson Strathern | 22.7 |
| 111 | 107 | Turcan Connell* | 22.5 |
| 112 | 115 | Fox Williams | 22.0 |
| 113 | 111 | Lester Aldridge | 21.8 |
| 114 | 113 | Morton Fraser | 21.8 |
| 115 | 112 | Thomson Snell & Passmore | 21.0 |
| 116 | 118 | Wright Hassall | 20.6 |
| 117 | 114 | Langleys | 20.4 |
| 118 | 123 | Howes Percival | 20.1 |
| 119 | 116 | Stephensons | 19.9 |
| 120 | 117 | Stephens Scown | 19.7 |
| 121 | 128 | Anthony Collins | 19.5 |
| 122 | 120 | Memery Crystal | 19.2 |
| 123 | 122 | Ashtons Legal | 19.1 |
| 124 | 136 | Hodge Jones & Allen | 19.0 |
| 125 | 121 | Pitmans | 18.8 |
| 126 | 126 | Collyer Bristow | 18.3 |
| 127 | 125 | Hewitsons | 18.3 |
| 128 | 135 | Stone King | 17.9 |
| 129 | 124 | MacRoberts | 17.8 |
| 130 | 126 | RadcliffesLeBrasseur* | 17.5 |
| 131 | 129 | Trethowans | 17.5 |
| 132 | 133 | IBB Solicitors | 17.5 |
| 133 | 139 | Taylor Vinters | 17.3 |
| 134 | 131 | TWM | 17.2 |
| 135 | 130 | Higgs & Sons | 17.2 |
| 136 | 137 | Lupton Fawcett | 16.6 |
| 137 | 140 | Lindsays | 16.3 |
| 138 | 157 | Shulmans | 16.3 |
| 139 | 141 | Tees Law | 16.3 |
| 140 | 150 | Express Solicitors | 16.2 |
| 141 | 132 | Birchall Blackburn Law | 16.0 |
| 142 | 138 | Gordons | 16.0 |
| 143 | 134 | Nelsons | 15.9 |
| 144 | 144 | Rosenblatt | 15.8 |
| 145 | 168 | Peters & Peters | 15.7 |
| 146 | 147 | Paris Smith | 15.5 |
| 147 | 160 | Cavendish Legal Group | 15.0 |
| 147 | N/A | Laytons* | 15.0 |
| 147 | 145 | Teacher Stern | 15.0 |
| 150 | 153 | Winn Solicitors | 14.9 |
| 151 | 143 | Fenwick Elliott | 14.5 |
| 152 | 175 | Clarion | 14.5 |
| 153 | 158 | Bott & Co | 14.4 |
| 154 | 142 | Anthony Gold Solicitors | 14.4 |
| 155 | 145 | Roythornes | 14.3 |
| 156 | 164 | Wilsons | 14.3 |
| 157 | 152 | Boyes Turner | 14.3 |
| 158 | 193 | Vardags | 14.2 |
| 159 | 154 | EMW | 14.1 |
| 160 | 149 | Kemp Little | 14.1 |
| 161 | 186 | Coffin Mew | 14.0 |
| 162 | 163 | DAS Law | 14.0 |
| 163 | 154 | Sintons | 13.8 |
| 164 | 148 | Goodman Derrick | 13.7 |
| 165 | 156 | Napthens | 13.5 |
| 166 | 169 | Brachers | 13.5 |
| 166 | 173 | Seddons | 13.5 |
| 168 | 171 | Kuits | 13.2 |
| 169 | 160 | Barlow Robbins | 13.1 |
| 169 | 184 | Flint Bishop | 13.1 |
| 169 | 177 | Wallace | 13.1 |
| 172 | 164 | Hamlins | 13.0 |
| 173 | 151 | Keebles | 12.9 |
| 174 | 180 | Ellisons | 12.9 |
| 175 | 170 | FBC Manby Bowdler | 12.8 |
| 176 | 171 | Ramsdens | 12.8 |
| 177 | 162 | Taylor & Emmet | 12.6 |
| 178 | 166 | Brethertons* | 12.5 |
| 179 | 167 | ASB law | 12.3 |
| 180 | 178 | Gillespie Macandrew | 12.0 |
| 180 | N/A | Hudgell Solicitors* | 12.0 |
| 182 | 174 | Wrigleys Solicitors | 11.9 |
| 183 | N/A | Chadwick Lawrence | 11.8 |
| 184 | 159 | Lee & Thompson | 11.6 |
| 185 | 175 | Hunters | 11.6 |
| 186 | 184 | Mayo Wynne Baxter | 11.6 |
| 187 | 179 | Pemberton Greenish | 11.6 |
| 188 | 188 | Porter Dodson | 11.1 |
| 189 | 195 | Schofield Sweeney | 11.1 |
| 190 | 187 | Muckle | 11.0 |
| 191 | 183 | Lanyon Bowdler | 10.7 |
| 191 | 190 | Simkins | 10.7 |
| 193 | 182 | Ledingham Chalmers | 10.6 |
| 194 | 189 | Morrisons Solicitors | 10.5 |
| 195 | 191 | Mundays | 10.5 |
| 196 | 192 | Drydensfairfax Solicitors* | 10.0 |
| 196 | 181 | Roberts Jackson* | 10.0 |
| 196 | N/A | Stowe Family Law* | 10.0 |
| 199 | 194 | BPE Solicitors | 9.8 |
| 200 | N/A | Druces | 9.8 |
This article was updated on October 15 2018 to reflect the new rankings in The Lawyer UK 200 Law Firms 2018.
* Estimated
UK top 100 crack £24bn in record year for revenue
In-depth insight into the top 50 law firms in the UK
For more information about the content of The Lawyer UK 200 ranking please contact Matt Byrne on 0207 970 4558 or matt.byrne@centaurmedia.com. To purchase any of the UK 200 series please contact the team at market.reports@thelawyer.com or call 020 7970 4275.
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