Wragges merger sees gain of 23 listed clients as Slaughters leads rankings

According to the latest data published by Adviser Rankings, Wragges, which will be known as Gowling WLG from the start of next year, rose from eleventh to fifth in terms of the number of stock market client it advises.

Wragges picked up 23 new clients taking its total to 90, including Eurasia Mining, Eden Research, Empiric Student Property and Hummingbird Resources. Its surge in the stock market client list comes after its jump in the Aim rankings earlier this month, in which it drew level with consistent leaders Pinsent Masons following the addition of nine Gowlings corporate lawyers in London.

Slaughter and May meanwhile retained its lead at the top of the stock market table with 114 clients, despite losing three since August. As a result of Wragges’ jump into the top five, Norton Rose Fulbright, Linklaters and Eversheds were all pushed down the rankings, leaving Ashurst outside the top 10. This came despite the firm winning two stock market clients in the last three months, taking its total to 71. 

In terms of firms advising FTSE 250 clients, the story is a little different. 

Slaughter and May continues to dominate with 42, followed by magic circle firms Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters and Allen & Overy (A&O). Wragges, however, is ranked joint twentieth with Osborne Clarke, Hogan Lovells and Charles Russell Speechlys. Charles Russell Speechlys additionally made its debut in the small cap and fledging clients table, with a total of 10 clients. 

The top five firms in the FTSE 250 rankings remain much the same in the FTSE 100 table, although Freshfields does drop behind Linklaters and A&O in the latter. Freshfields continued to have 24 FTSE 100 clients, with A&O adding four new ones to its list of 25. Herbert Smith Freehills retained in fifth spot with 18.

Source: Adviser Rankings