The Firms Most List - Legal Cheek

2021 edition

Everything you need to know about the leading law firms operating in the UK, including pay, hours targets, international reach, diversity figures and more — plus continue to the individual firm profiles featuring the The Legal Cheek View and Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey Scorecards.

Select a criteria Select a scorecard category Search for a firm

Most UK training contracts

Most offices

Most countries located in

Most money: 1st year trainee

Davis Polk & Wardwell

£55,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£55,000
Jones Day

£52,000
Akin Gump

£50,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£50,000
Debevoise & Plimpton

£50,000
Gibson Dunn

£50,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£50,000
Latham & Watkins

£50,000
Milbank

£50,000
Paul Hastings

£50,000
Ropes & Gray

£50,000
Shearman & Sterling

£50,000
Sidley Austin

£50,000
Skadden

£50,000
Vinson & Elkins

£50,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£50,000
White & Case

£50,000
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

£50,000
Baker McKenzie

£48,000
Clifford Chance

£48,000
Covington & Burling

£48,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£48,000
Linklaters

£47,000
Slaughter and May

£47,000
Allen & Overy

£46,500
Travers Smith

£46,500
Ashurst

£46,000
Hogan Lovells

£46,000
Mayer Brown

£46,000
Simmons & Simmons

£45,500
Dechert

£45,000
DLA Piper

£45,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£45,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£45,000
Orrick

£45,000
Reed Smith

£45,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£44,000
Dentons

£44,000
Macfarlanes

£44,000
PwC

£44,000
CMS

£43,000
K&L Gates

£43,000
Osborne Clarke

£43,000
Stephenson Harwood

£43,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£43,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£42,500
Mishcon de Reya

£42,000
Forsters

£41,000
HFW

£41,000
Pinsent Masons

£41,000
Gowling WLG

£40,500
Addleshaw Goddard

£40,000
Bird & Bird

£40,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£40,000
RPC

£40,000
Taylor Wessing

£40,000
Bristows

£39,500
Fieldfisher

£39,500
TLT

£39,500
Farrer & Co

£39,000
Wiggin

£39,000
Kennedys

£38,500
Ince Gordon Dadds

£38,250
Clyde & Co

£38,000
DWF Group Plc

£38,000
Fladgate

£38,000
Irwin Mitchell

£38,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£38,000
Shoosmiths

£38,000
Withers

£38,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£38,000
Wedlake Bell

£37,500
Hill Dickinson

£37,000
Howard Kennedy

£37,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£37,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£37,000
Michelmores

£36,500
Burges Salmon

£36,000
Browne Jacobson

£35,000
DAC Beachcroft

£35,000
Gateley

£35,000
Royds Withy King

£32,000
Weightmans

£32,000
Thrings

£31,500
BLM

£31,000
VWV

£31,000
Blake Morgan

£30,000
Foot Anstey

£30,000
Ashfords

£29,000
Mills & Reeve

£27,000
Walker Morris

£27,000
Hewitsons

£23,500
Accutrainee

Undisclosed
Bevan Brittan

Undisclosed
Deloitte

Undisclosed
Fletchers

Undisclosed

Most money: 2nd year trainee

Davis Polk & Wardwell

£60,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£60,000
Jones Day

£59,000
Akin Gump

£55,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£55,000
Debevoise & Plimpton

£55,000
Gibson Dunn

£55,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£55,000
Latham & Watkins

£55,000
Paul Hastings

£55,000
Ropes & Gray

£55,000
Shearman & Sterling

£55,000
Sidley Austin

£55,000
Skadden

£55,000
Vinson & Elkins

£55,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£55,000
White & Case

£55,000
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

£55,000
Clifford Chance

£54,000
Covington & Burling

£53,000
Allen & Overy

£52,500
Linklaters

£52,500
Slaughter and May

£52,500
Baker McKenzie

£52,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£52,000
Travers Smith

£52,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£51,000
Hogan Lovells

£51,000
Mayer Brown

£51,000
Ashurst

£50,000
Dechert

£50,000
DLA Piper

£50,000
Milbank

£50,000
Simmons & Simmons

£50,000
Macfarlanes

£49,000
Orrick

£49,000
Reed Smith

£49,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£48,000
CMS

£48,000
Dentons

£48,000
K&L Gates

£48,000
PwC

£48,000
Stephenson Harwood

£47,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£46,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£46,000
Mishcon de Reya

£45,000
Osborne Clarke

£45,000
Gowling WLG

£44,000
Pinsent Masons

£44,000
RPC

£44,000
Taylor Wessing

£44,000
Addleshaw Goddard

£43,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£43,000
Forsters

£43,000
HFW

£43,000
Bristows

£42,500
Farrer & Co

£42,500
Fieldfisher

£42,500
TLT

£42,500
Ince Gordon Dadds

£42,250
Squire Patton Boggs

£42,000
Wiggin

£42,000
Kennedys

£41,000
Clyde & Co

£40,000
Fladgate

£40,000
Irwin Mitchell

£40,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£40,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£40,000
Withers

£40,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£40,000
Wedlake Bell

£39,500
Hill Dickinson

£39,000
Howard Kennedy

£39,000
Michelmores

£39,000
Shoosmiths

£39,000
Burges Salmon

£37,000
DAC Beachcroft

£37,000
Gateley

£37,000
Browne Jacobson

£36,500
Royds Withy King

£34,000
Weightmans

£34,000
Blake Morgan

£33,000
Thrings

£33,000
BLM

£32,000
Foot Anstey

£32,000
VWV

£32,000
Ashfords

£30,000
Walker Morris

£29,000
Mills & Reeve

£28,000
Hewitsons

£23,500
Accutrainee

Undisclosed
Bevan Brittan

Undisclosed
Bird & Bird

Undisclosed
Deloitte

Undisclosed
DWF Group Plc

Undisclosed
Fletchers

Undisclosed
Herbert Smith Freehills

Undisclosed

Most money: Newly qualified

Vinson & Elkins

£147,500
Akin Gump

£145,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£145,000
Latham & Watkins

£145,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£139,500
Sidley Austin

£137,500
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£135,000
Shearman & Sterling

£135,000
Debevoise & Plimpton

£134,800
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£133,000
Paul Hastings

£133,000
Skadden

£133,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£133,000
Milbank

£132,000
Ropes & Gray

£130,000
White & Case

£130,000
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

£130,000
Covington & Burling

£120,000
Dechert

£120,000
Gibson Dunn

£120,000
Orrick

£120,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£100,000
Jones Day

£100,000
Clifford Chance

£93,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£93,000
Slaughter and May

£90,500
Baker McKenzie

£90,000
Mayer Brown

£90,000
Reed Smith

£90,000
Allen & Overy

£88,000
Hogan Lovells

£85,000
K&L Gates

£85,000
Macfarlanes

£85,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£85,000
Ashurst

£84,000
Simmons & Simmons

£84,000
Linklaters

£83,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£80,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£78,000
Taylor Wessing

£77,000
DLA Piper

£76,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£75,500
Addleshaw Goddard

£75,000
Dentons

£75,000
Stephenson Harwood

£75,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£74,000
CMS

£73,000
Pinsent Masons

£72,500
Mishcon de Reya

£72,000
PwC

£72,000
Bird & Bird

£71,000
Gowling WLG

£71,000
Osborne Clarke

£71,000
Clyde & Co

£68,000
RPC

£68,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£68,000
Withers

£68,000
Fieldfisher

£67,500
TLT

£67,000
Bristows

£66,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£66,000
HFW

£66,000
Farrer & Co

£65,000
Shoosmiths

£65,000
Wiggin

£65,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£65,000
Fladgate

£64,000
Ince Gordon Dadds

£64,000
Michelmores

£63,000
Wedlake Bell

£62,500
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£62,000
Gateley

£61,500
Forsters

£61,000
Browne Jacobson

£60,000
DAC Beachcroft

£60,000
Howard Kennedy

£60,000
Hill Dickinson

£59,500
Weightmans

£55,000
Burges Salmon

£52,500
Irwin Mitchell

£50,000
VWV

£50,000
Ashfords

£47,000
Foot Anstey

£46,000
Thrings

£46,000
BLM

£45,000
Walker Morris

£44,000
Mills & Reeve

£43,000
Royds Withy King

£40,000
Hewitsons

£38,000
Fletchers

£32,000
Accutrainee

Undisclosed
Bevan Brittan

Undisclosed
Blake Morgan

Undisclosed
Deloitte

Undisclosed
DWF Group Plc

Undisclosed
Kennedys

Undisclosed
Travers Smith

Undisclosed

Most money: Partners

Most money: GDL grant

Sullivan & Cromwell

£12,850
Shoosmiths

£12,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£12,000
Sidley Austin

£11,000
Latham & Watkins

£10,500
Akin Gump

£10,000
Clifford Chance

£10,000
Dechert

£10,000
DLA Piper

£10,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£10,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£10,000
Jones Day

£10,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£10,000
Linklaters

£10,000
Macfarlanes

£10,000
Milbank

£10,000
Ropes & Gray

£10,000
Skadden

£10,000
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

£10,000
Allen & Overy

£9,000
Debevoise & Plimpton

£9,000
Gibson Dunn

£9,000
Travers Smith

£8,500
Watson Farley & Williams

£8,500
Ashurst

£8,000
Bristows

£8,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£8,000
Clyde & Co

£8,000
Covington & Burling

£8,000
Dentons

£8,000
Hogan Lovells

£8,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£8,000
Orrick

£8,000
Shearman & Sterling

£8,000
Vinson & Elkins

£8,000
CMS

£7,500
Simmons & Simmons

£7,500
Taylor Wessing

£7,500
White & Case

£7,500
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£7,200
Addleshaw Goddard

£7,000
Burges Salmon

£7,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£7,000
Farrer & Co

£7,000
Gowling WLG

£7,000
HFW

£7,000
Ince Gordon Dadds

£7,000
Mayer Brown

£7,000
Mishcon de Reya

£7,000
PwC

£7,000
RPC

£7,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£7,000
Wiggin

£7,000
Osborne Clarke

£6,500
Baker McKenzie

£6,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£6,000
Fladgate

£6,000
Forsters

£6,000
Pinsent Masons

£6,000
Reed Smith

£6,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£6,000
Stephenson Harwood

£6,000
TLT

£6,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£6,000
Fieldfisher

£5,500
Bevan Brittan

£5,000
Foot Anstey

£5,000
K&L Gates

£5,000
Mills & Reeve

£5,000
Walker Morris

£5,000
Withers

£5,000
Irwin Mitchell

£4,500
VWV

£2,000
Fletchers

£900
Accutrainee

N/A
Davis Polk & Wardwell

N/A
Gateley

N/A
Hill Dickinson

N/A
Howard Kennedy

N/A
Royds Withy King

N/A
Thrings

N/A
Wedlake Bell

N/A
Ashfords

No Grant
Blake Morgan

No Grant
BLM

No Grant
DAC Beachcroft

No Grant
DWF Group Plc

No Grant
Hewitsons

No Grant
Michelmores

No Grant
Penningtons Manches Cooper

No Grant
Weightmans

No Grant
Bird & Bird

Undisclosed
Browne Jacobson

Undisclosed
Deloitte

Undisclosed
Kennedys

Undisclosed
Paul Hastings

Undisclosed
Slaughter and May

Undisclosed

Most money: LPC grant

Shoosmiths

£14,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£12,850
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£12,000
Sidley Austin

£11,000
Latham & Watkins

£10,500
White & Case

£10,500
Akin Gump

£10,000
Allen & Overy

£10,000
Blake Morgan

£10,000
Clifford Chance

£10,000
Dechert

£10,000
DLA Piper

£10,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£10,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£10,000
Hogan Lovells

£10,000
Jones Day

£10,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£10,000
Linklaters

£10,000
Macfarlanes

£10,000
Mayer Brown

£10,000
Milbank

£10,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£10,000
Ropes & Gray

£10,000
Skadden

£10,000
VWV

£10,000
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

£10,000
Orrick

£9,500
Debevoise & Plimpton

£9,000
Gibson Dunn

£9,000
Simmons & Simmons

£9,000
Travers Smith

£8,500
Watson Farley & Williams

£8,500
Ashurst

£8,000
Baker McKenzie

£8,000
Bristows

£8,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£8,000
Clyde & Co

£8,000
Covington & Burling

£8,000
Dentons

£8,000
Shearman & Sterling

£8,000
Vinson & Elkins

£8,000
CMS

£7,500
Taylor Wessing

£7,500
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£7,200
Addleshaw Goddard

£7,000
Burges Salmon

£7,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£7,000
Farrer & Co

£7,000
Gowling WLG

£7,000
HFW

£7,000
Ince Gordon Dadds

£7,000
K&L Gates

£7,000
Mishcon de Reya

£7,000
Pinsent Masons

£7,000
PwC

£7,000
Reed Smith

£7,000
RPC

£7,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£7,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£7,000
Wiggin

£7,000
Howard Kennedy

£6,500
Osborne Clarke

£6,500
Charles Russell Speechlys

£6,000
Fieldfisher

£6,000
Fladgate

£6,000
Forsters

£6,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£6,000
Stephenson Harwood

£6,000
TLT

£6,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£6,000
Bevan Brittan

£5,000
Foot Anstey

£5,000
Gateley

£5,000
Michelmores

£5,000
Mills & Reeve

£5,000
Walker Morris

£5,000
Wedlake Bell

£5,000
Withers

£5,000
Irwin Mitchell

£4,500
Fletchers

£900
Ashfords

Fees Only
DAC Beachcroft

Fees Only
DWF Group Plc

Fees Only
Accutrainee

N/A
Davis Polk & Wardwell

N/A
Hill Dickinson

N/A
Royds Withy King

N/A
Thrings

N/A
BLM

No Grant
Hewitsons

No Grant
Bird & Bird

Undisclosed
Browne Jacobson

Undisclosed
Deloitte

Undisclosed
Kennedys

Undisclosed
Paul Hastings

Undisclosed
Slaughter and May

Undisclosed
Weightmans

Undisclosed

Most target hours

Latham & Watkins

1900
Clifford Chance

1800
White & Case

1800
Allen & Overy

1750
Hogan Lovells

1704
Baker McKenzie

1700
Reed Smith

1700
Simmons & Simmons

1700
Addleshaw Goddard

1600
Ashurst

1600
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

1600
Jones Day

1600
Stephenson Harwood

1550
Howard Kennedy

1540
Bird & Bird

1500
Browne Jacobson

1500
Eversheds Sutherland

1500
Fieldfisher

1500
Fletchers

1500
HFW

1500
Pinsent Masons

1500
Clyde & Co

1450
Penningtons Manches Cooper

1430
Ashfords

1404
Watson Farley & Williams

1400
Wedlake Bell

1400
Withers

1400
Fladgate

1350
Osborne Clarke

1350
Wiggin

1350
Farrer & Co

1160
Squire Patton Boggs

1000
Irwin Mitchell

975
VWV

684
Hill Dickinson

Dependent On Team
BLM

N/A
DWF Group Plc

N/A
Forsters

N/A
K&L Gates

N/A
Sidley Austin

N/A
Womble Bond Dickinson

N/A
Akin Gump

No Targets
Bevan Brittan

No Targets
Bristows

No Targets
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

No Targets
Davis Polk & Wardwell

No Targets
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

No Targets
Gateley

No Targets
Ince Gordon Dadds

No Targets
Kirkland & Ellis

No Targets
Macfarlanes

No Targets
Mayer Brown

No Targets
Milbank

No Targets
Mills & Reeve

No Targets
Norton Rose Fulbright

No Targets
PwC

No Targets
RPC

No Targets
Shearman & Sterling

No Targets
Shoosmiths

No Targets
Skadden

No Targets
Sullivan & Cromwell

No Targets
Taylor Wessing

No Targets
TLT

No Targets
Trowers & Hamlins

No Targets
Walker Morris

No Targets
Weightmans

No Targets
Weil Gotshal & Manges

No Targets
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

No Targets
Accutrainee

None
Burges Salmon

None
Debevoise & Plimpton

None
Gibson Dunn

None
Thrings

None
Travers Smith

None
Vinson & Elkins

None
Blake Morgan

Undisclosed
Charles Russell Speechlys

Undisclosed
CMS

Undisclosed
Covington & Burling

Undisclosed
DAC Beachcroft

Undisclosed
Dechert

Undisclosed
Deloitte

Undisclosed
Dentons

Undisclosed
DLA Piper

Undisclosed
Foot Anstey

Undisclosed
Gowling WLG

Undisclosed
Herbert Smith Freehills

Undisclosed
Hewitsons

Undisclosed
Kennedys

Undisclosed
Linklaters

Undisclosed
Michelmores

Undisclosed
Mishcon de Reya

Undisclosed
Orrick

Undisclosed
Paul Hastings

Undisclosed
Ropes & Gray

Undisclosed
Royds Withy King

Undisclosed
Slaughter and May

Undisclosed

The Firms Most List 2021

2021 edition

Most UK training contracts

Linklaters

Clifford Chance

Allen & Overy

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Slaughter and May

CMS

DLA Piper

Pinsent Masons

Herbert Smith Freehills

Addleshaw Goddard

Eversheds Sutherland

Hogan Lovells

Irwin Mitchell

White & Case

Clyde & Co

Norton Rose Fulbright

Accutrainee

Ashurst

Dentons

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Weightmans

Baker McKenzie

Macfarlanes

DWF Group Plc

Shoosmiths

TLT

PwC

BLM

Charles Russell Speechlys

Gateley

Osborne Clarke

Reed Smith

Travers Smith

Womble Bond Dickinson

Burges Salmon

Latham & Watkins

Simmons & Simmons

Squire Patton Boggs

Trowers & Hamlins

Kennedys

DAC Beachcroft

Jones Day

Mills & Reeve

Stephenson Harwood

Taylor Wessing

VWV

Bird & Bird

Fieldfisher

Penningtons Manches Cooper

Watson Farley & Williams

RPC

Blake Morgan

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Gowling WLG

Hewitsons

HFW

Hill Dickinson

Mayer Brown

Mishcon de Reya

Shearman & Sterling

Walker Morris

Weil Gotshal & Manges

Sidley Austin

Browne Jacobson

Foot Anstey

Skadden

Thrings

Withers

Ashfords

Bevan Brittan

Bristows

Dechert

Farrer & Co

Fletchers

Forsters

Ince Gordon Dadds

K&L Gates