An eye-catching mix of commercial, not-for-profit and private client work, combined with a deep commitment to responsible business, helps Russell-Cooke stand out in the Law Firm of the Year category at the Legal Business Awards.
With revenues of £56.1m and around 230 lawyers, the Holborn-headquartered firm is significantly smaller than the other seven on the shortlist for the award, but as managing partner James Carroll puts it: ‘It’s great that there is still place in the awards for a firm that is London-focused and full of homegrown talent.’
A turnover increase of 11.3% during 2024–25 means the firm has now seen its top line grow by 55% over five years – all of which has been achieved organically, and tracking considerably ahead of the firm’s growth strategy.
‘There’s no sign of it stopping,’ says Carroll of the firm’s growth, which he puts partly down to the autonomy that partners are given at the firm. ‘People enjoy their jobs; they enjoy being successful,’ he says. ‘And if you let them get on with it, by and large, they thrive and, in turn, deliver for their clients.’
Recent work highlights have included advising CNBC on a new lease in central London and advising urban developer Bloom on its £21.5m acquisition of Poplar Business Park, while on the contentious front, the firm has successfully represented victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster and also acted for Amnesty International at the Supreme Court in the headline-making case over the definition of ‘woman’.
Carroll stresses that revenue growth has not come at the expense of principle. The firm is one of the few in the LB100 still handling legal aid work, despite the impact on the firm’s top line. ‘If our revenue is a bit lower because we maintain our commitment to public funding, access to justice, and the values we hold dear – so be it,’ he says.
Commitment to diversity and inclusion runs through the partnership. Women comprise 46% of partners and 72% of all fee-earners, while stories from LGBTQIA+ lawyers are shared to foster openness and visibility, while the firm has also been carbon-neutral since 2019 through an offsetting scheme, and this year introduced a firmwide volunteering programme.
The consistent message at Russell-Cooke is that business success and principled action are not mutually exclusive.
In the words of Carroll: ‘The growth has been phenomenal, but we’re still us.’
Law Firm of the Year: full shortlist of contenders
Burges Salmon
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Freshfields
Latham & Watkins
Osborne Clarke
Russell-Cooke
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Taylor Wessing
The LB Awards will take place on 30 September – for more information, see legalbusinessawards.com.
