Elite English firms face uphill battle in fierce New York market Legal Elite City law firms face major financial and strategic hurdles breaking into the US legal market, as fierce competition for top talent and high partner compensation make organic growth and brand-building especially challenging, writes Maria Ward-Brennan Breaking into the US has been on the agenda of many elite English law firms, most notably four-fifths of [...]
Magic circle Linklaters scores FIFA’s top lawyers in US raid Legal Magic circle law firm Linklaters has snagged two of FIFA’s lawyers from a rival firm as part of its push into the US legal market. Partner Christopher Boehning has joined as Chair of its global sports practice and US strategic disputes, while Daniel Levi will serve in the firm’s litigation, arbitration and investigations practice, both [...]
Magic circle Freshfields ousts equity partners amid US push Legal Senior staff are bracing for a shake-up at magic circle law firm Freshfields, as partners have been forced out to boost growth and fund its US expansion. The City-based firm has ousted several equity partners in recent weeks across several European offices, including London, according to the Financial Times, as it focuses on growth. Speaking [...]
Deloitte and KPMG challenge PwC’s iron grip on FTSE 100 clients June 1, 2026 For the first time in nearly eight years, three of the Big Four giants, Deloitte, KPMG and PwC, are locked in a dead heat for FTSE 100 client dominance. A boardroom reshuffle has loosened PwC’s iron grip on clients from London’s blue-chip index, forcing a historic three-way tie at the top of the FTSE 100 [...]
City law firms clamp down on the equity cookie jar April 30, 2026 Law firms are tightening access to equity partnerships to protect profits, increasingly reserving the equity pool for top performers, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. As the Big Four giants dominate the headlines with internal changes, the firms are seeking to regain control of their expanded equity pools amid profitability problems. These giants are looking to mirror what [...]
Money talks, but culture counts in transatlantic law firm tie-ups November 20, 2025 A merger between a notable US outfit and a UK-headquartered legal firm used to be a rare event, but with the focus on global dominance, these strategic moves are now attracting more attention – as more firms begin to follow suit. This week, London-based Ashurst agreed to merge with Seattle-based Perkins Coie, and overnight it [...]
Post merger A&O Shearman generates £2.9bn in revenue as partner pay falls short of competitors August 22, 2025 The first results following the anticipated merger of A&O Shearman show that equity partners pocketed £2m, slightly below the figures from its legacy Magic Circle firm
Linklaters: Profit passes £1bn as partners set for record pay day July 22, 2025 Profit at Linklaters has surged past the £1bn for the first time as the law firm’s partners are set to share a record pay day. The London-headquartered firm, which dates back to 1838, has posted a pre-tax profit of £1.08bn for its year to 30 April, 2025, a rise of 14 per cent compared to [...]
‘Magic Circle’ law firms trying to distance themselves from the prestigious phrase May 29, 2025 'Magic Circle' is a term that has long been used to describe the elite law firms; however, within the circle, the mood is shifting around this esteemed phrase
Motor finance: Close Brothers calls on magic circle law firm for court battle February 6, 2025 Close Brothers has swapped in a top magic circle law firm for its Supreme Court battle to overturn the landmark motor finance test case.