THE NOMINEES

ALLEN & OVERY

Magic Circle firm Allen & Overy enjoyed a 10 per cent uplift in revenues in its most recent results, driven in large part by what it called “exceptional” growth in the US. Recent office openings in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Boston and LA is paying off almost immediately, with profit per equity partner just shy of £2m and client wins including a major Fortune 100 global tech company.

Clifford Chance

Profits and revenues were both up again at Clifford Chance –as was the amount of work it does pro bono, increasing 35 per cent to almost £40m-worth of work. Revenues ticked up across every region with a particularly strong performance in APAC and the UK, and the firm acted swiftly to shut down its operations in Russia after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Dwf

A record year for DWF marked mostly by profit growth of some 21 per cent even against a strong 2021. Company-wide revenue increases suggest legal grandee Sir Nigel Knowles’ strategy is paying off and the £20m-plus acquisition of Vancouver firm Whitelaw Twining in November gives it a foothold in the Canadian market.

SECURE

OUR SPONSORS

Gateley

Reassuringly robust results matched with a string of acquisitions marked the last year for listed law firm Gateley, which also saw a significant uptick in revenues from its consulting side. The pick-up of Adamson Jones as well as Smithers Purslow were particularly notable.

Milbank

The eye-catching acquisition of Dickson Minto was a coup for the US-based giant, which continues to bulk up on this side of the pond. A host of eye-catching hires and continued revenue growth has well and truly established Milbank as a big part of the London market.