CC, HSF Kramer and Linklaters come out on top in latest L500 UK research

Legal 500 has released the results of its latest research into the UK legal market, with Clifford Chance, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, and Linklaters scoring the most top-tier rankings in London.

The new rankings are the result of extensive research conducted by the Legal 500 team, assessing over 12,000 submissions, contacting nearly 180,000 referees and conducting thousands of firm interviews, both online and in-person.

Nearly 1,200 firms are featured across over 600 practice areas, highlighting the top firms in markets across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The UK analysis includes over 10,000 firm rankings, split almost evenly between London and the UK regions.

Within London’s 146 practice areas, just over 600 firms are ranked, while the regions coverage features over 700 firms across 455 practice areas, which are spread across 14 distinct regions throughout the UK.

In London, CC has the most top-tier rankings, with 38 of its 67 total rankings in tier 1. HSF Kramer and Linklaters are joint second, with 34 tier 1 rankings each, with A&O Shearman and CMS rounding out the top five

Top firms in London by Tier 1 rankings

By total rankings in London, CMS leads with 79, including 26 in tier 1. HSF Kramer and Hogan Lovells Cadwalader are joint second with 78 rankings each, including 34 and 19 in tier 1 respectively.

Top firms in London by total rankings

Pinsent Masons is in fourth for most rankings in London, and also holds the top spot for most rankings nationally, with 156, including 66 in tier 1. Eversheds Sutherland is a close second, with 152, including 51 in tier 1.

Addleshaw Goddard placed third with 136 rankings, while DLA Piper and CMS rounding out the top five, with 134 and 131 rankings respectively.

Top firms by total rankings

The London practice area breakdown was unchanged this year, bu the regional coverage saw the addition of a family ranking in Northern Ireland, and the offshore jurisdictions saw a change to the commercial property rankings, now named real estate to allow for a wider range of asset classes to be considered as part of the research.

For the individual rankings, nearly 14,000 lawyers were ranked individually across the Hall of Fame, leading partner, next generation partner and leading associate categories, with nearly 7,000 of those featuring in the London coverage.

Gender stats

The UK Legal 500 solicitors guide now ranks over 6,500 women throughout the 2027 rankings, which equates to 43% of all ranked individuals across the lawyer ranking categories, and marks an increase of 800 ranked women from last year’s research.

Women now hold 47% of the individual rankings for the regions outside London, while making up 39% of individual rankings throughout the London practice areas. 

Several London practice areas also saw a notable increase in the number of women represented within the tables, with ESG, infrastructure: M&A and insurance litigation: for policyholders all more than doubling the number of women ranked. 

Family: divorce and financial remedy remains the practice area with the most women ranked, highlighting 81 women overall, while other practice areas with a notable number of women ranked include international arbitration (79), family: children (67) and contentious trusts and probate (63). 

Outside London, 10 of the 14 regions saw an increase in the number of women ranked in comparison to the 2026 guide. The South East leads the pack with 55% of ranked individuals being women, while the North and East Midlands follow close behind, both with 52%. 

Top firms by region

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