The Legal 500 2019 : how do the LB100 firms rank?
This year’s Legal Business 100 (LB100) presents a clear picture of the firms continuing to dominate the UK legal market by turnover and profitability – but who comes out top in terms of The Legal 500 rankings?
As this year’s L500 UK guide goes to press, an analysis of the current rankings highlights the deep practice strength among the Magic Circle’s biggest players.
Of that elite group, Linklaters boasts the highest number of top-tier London rankings with 38, placing it just ahead of Allen & Overy (A&O) on 35 and Clifford Chance (CC) on 32.
However, on a global scale, A&O comes out ahead of Linklaters and CC, with 173 tier one rankings across the UK, Asia-Pacific, EMEA and the US.
The L500 figures also emphasise the stark disparity between the Magic Circle and the other largest LB100 firms in the City market, with DLA Piper and Hogan Lovells holding just seven and 21 top-tier London rankings respectively.
Looking at the L500 rankings from a UK-wide perspective, firms with an expansive national presence unsurprisingly lead the way, with Pinsent Masons, Eversheds Sutherland, DLA Piper and CMS joined in the top five for UK tier one rankings by Mills & Reeve – a creditable performance from a firm punching above its weight from its six offices across the UK.
The East Anglia-based firm is one of a number of tightly focused mid-tier firms snapping at the heels of their larger, more global rivals, and such competition is only set to drive further change among the established UK order. Visit legal500.com to find out which firms have emerged as the winners and losers in this year’s guide.
Top-tier Legal 500 rankings for the LB100 top five: London vs global
1) DLA Piper
2) Clifford Chance
3) Linklaters
4) Allen & Overy
5) Hogan Lovells
The top ranking UK firms by number of top-tier rankings
This issue holds our annual Legal Business 100 (LB100) survey results, but which LB100 firms top The Legal 500 for number of top-tier recommendations? How do the top-five LB100 firms perform?
To view the editorial commentary of the rankings go to: legal500.com