The Firms Most List

2018 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
Kirkland & Ellis

£50,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£50,000
Akin Gump

£48,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£48,000
Jones Day

£47,000
Latham & Watkins

£46,000
Ropes & Gray

£46,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£46,000
White & Case

£46,000
Allen & Overy

£45,000
Baker McKenzie

£45,000
Dechert

£45,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£45,000
Gibson Dunn

£45,000
Hogan Lovells

£45,000
Shearman & Sterling

£45,000
Skadden

£45,000
Travers Smith

£45,000
Clifford Chance

£44,800
Ashurst

£44,000
DLA Piper

£44,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£44,000
Macfarlanes

£44,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£44,000
Sidley Austin

£44,000
Slaughter and May

£44,000
Linklaters

£43,000
Mayer Brown

£43,000
Reed Smith

£43,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£43,000
Dentons

£42,000
Milbank

£42,000
Osborne Clarke

£42,000
Simmons & Simmons

£42,000
K&L Gates

£41,000
Pinsent Masons

£41,000
Stephenson Harwood

£41,000
Gowling WLG

£40,500
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£40,000
CMS

£40,000
Mishcon de Reya

£40,000
Taylor Wessing

£40,000
PwC

£39,000
Addleshaw Goddard

£38,000
Bird & Bird

£38,000
Bristows

£38,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£38,000
Forsters

£38,000
RPC

£38,000
Ince & Co

£37,750
Eversheds Sutherland

£37,000
Fieldfisher

£37,000
Holman Fenwick Willan

£37,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£37,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£37,000
Withers

£37,000
Clyde & Co

£36,000
DWF

£36,000
Howard Kennedy

£36,000
Irwin Mitchell

£36,000
TLT

£36,000
Burges Salmon

£35,000
DAC Beachcroft

£35,000
Hill Dickinson

£32,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£28,000
Walker Morris

£27,000
Mills & Reeve

£26,000
Shoosmiths

£26,000
Browne Jacobson

£25,500
Axiom

Most money: 2nd year trainee

Davis Polk & Wardwell

£60,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£55,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£55,000
Jones Day

£54,000
Akin Gump

£52,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£52,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£51,000
Clifford Chance

£50,500
Travers Smith

£50,500
Allen & Overy

£50,000
Dechert

£50,000
Gibson Dunn

£50,000
Hogan Lovells

£50,000
Ropes & Gray

£50,000
Shearman & Sterling

£50,000
Skadden

£50,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£50,000
White & Case

£50,000
Baker McKenzie

£49,000
DLA Piper

£49,000
Linklaters

£49,000
Macfarlanes

£49,000
Slaughter and May

£49,000
Ashurst

£48,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£48,000
Latham & Watkins

£48,000
Mayer Brown

£48,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£48,000
Sidley Austin

£48,000
Reed Smith

£47,000
Simmons & Simmons

£47,000
Dentons

£46,000
K&L Gates

£46,000
Milbank

£46,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£46,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£45,000
CMS

£45,000
Stephenson Harwood

£45,000
Gowling WLG

£44,000
Osborne Clarke

£44,000
Pinsent Masons

£44,000
PwC

£44,000
Taylor Wessing

£44,000
Mishcon de Reya

£42,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£42,000
Ince & Co

£41,800
Addleshaw Goddard

£41,000
Bristows

£41,000
RPC

£41,000
Bird & Bird

£40,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£40,000
DWF

£40,000
Fieldfisher

£40,000
Forsters

£40,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£40,000
Withers

£40,000
Holman Fenwick Willan

£39,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£38,500
Clyde & Co

£38,000
Howard Kennedy

£38,000
Irwin Mitchell

£38,000
TLT

£38,000
DAC Beachcroft

£37,000
Burges Salmon

£36,000
Hill Dickinson

£34,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£30,000
Walker Morris

£29,000
Mills & Reeve

£27,500
Shoosmiths

£27,000
Browne Jacobson

£26,500
Axiom

Most money: Newly qualified

Akin Gump

£143,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£143,000
Latham & Watkins

£143,000
Milbank

£143,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£120,000
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£120,000
Sidley Austin

£120,000
Skadden

£118,000
Ropes & Gray

£115,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£115,000
Gibson Dunn

£112,500
Dechert

£110,000
Shearman & Sterling

£105,000
White & Case

£105,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£101,500
Jones Day

£100,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£93,000
Clifford Chance

£91,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£85,000
Allen & Overy

£83,000
Slaughter and May

£80,000
Linklaters

£78,500
Travers Smith

£78,500
Hogan Lovells

£78,000
Baker McKenzie

£77,000
Ashurst

£76,000
Dentons

£75,000
DLA Piper

£75,000
Macfarlanes

£75,000
Mayer Brown

£75,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£75,000
Reed Smith

£75,000
Stephenson Harwood

£73,000
K&L Gates

£71,000
Simmons & Simmons

£71,000
Taylor Wessing

£71,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£70,000
Pinsent Masons

£70,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£70,000
Osborne Clarke

£68,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£68,000
CMS

£67,500
Mishcon de Reya

£67,000
Gowling WLG

£66,000
Addleshaw Goddard

£65,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£64,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£64,000
Ince & Co

£63,250
Bristows

£63,000
Clyde & Co

£63,000
Fieldfisher

£63,000
PwC

£63,000
Bird & Bird

£62,000
Holman Fenwick Willan

£62,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£62,000
Forsters

£61,000
TLT

£61,000
DAC Beachcroft

£60,000
Irwin Mitchell

£60,000
Withers

£60,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£60,000
DWF

£59,000
Hill Dickinson

£58,000
Howard Kennedy

£58,000
Burges Salmon

£48,000
Walker Morris

£42,000
Mills & Reeve

£41,000
Shoosmiths

£40,000
Browne Jacobson

'Market Rate'
Axiom

Competitive
RPC

Merit-based

Most money: Partners

Most money: GDL grant

Shoosmiths

£12,000
Dechert

£10,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£10,000
Jones Day

£9,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£9,000
Travers Smith

£8,500
Akin Gump

£8,000
Allen & Overy

£8,000
Ashurst

£8,000
Bristows

£8,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£8,000
Clifford Chance

£8,000
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£8,000
DLA Piper

£8,000
Gibson Dunn

£8,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£8,000
Hogan Lovells

£8,000
Latham & Watkins

£8,000
Linklaters

£8,000
Milbank

£8,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£8,000
Ropes & Gray

£8,000
Shearman & Sterling

£8,000
Skadden

£8,000
Slaughter and May

£8,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£8,000
CMS

£7,500
White & Case

£7,500
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£7,250
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£7,200
Addleshaw Goddard

£7,000
Burges Salmon

£7,000
Clyde & Co

£7,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£7,000
Gowling WLG

£7,000
Macfarlanes

£7,000
Mayer Brown

£7,000
RPC

£7,000
Sidley Austin

£7,000
Simmons & Simmons

£7,000
Taylor Wessing

£7,000
Ince & Co

£6,500
Osborne Clarke

£6,500
Trowers & Hamlins

£6,500
Watson Farley & Williams

£6,500
Baker McKenzie

£6,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£6,000
Dentons

£6,000
Holman Fenwick Willan

£6,000
Mishcon de Reya

£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
Bird & Bird

£5,500
Fieldfisher

£5,500
Forsters

£5,500
Browne Jacobson

£5,000
K&L Gates

£5,000
Walker Morris

£5,000
Withers

£5,000
Irwin Mitchell

£4,500
Mills & Reeve

£4,500
Axiom
DAC Beachcroft

No Grant
DWF

No Grant
Hill Dickinson

No Grant
Howard Kennedy

No Grant
PwC

Undisclosed

Most money: LPC grant

Shoosmiths

£14,000
Allen & Overy

£10,000
Clifford Chance

£10,000
Dechert

£10,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£10,000
Hogan Lovells

£10,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£10,000
Linklaters

£10,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£10,000
Slaughter and May

£10,000
Jones Day

£9,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£9,000
Travers Smith

£8,500
Akin Gump

£8,000
Ashurst

£8,000
Baker McKenzie

£8,000
Bristows

£8,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£8,000
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£8,000
DLA Piper

£8,000
Gibson Dunn

£8,000
Latham & Watkins

£8,000
Milbank

£8,000
Ropes & Gray

£8,000
Shearman & Sterling

£8,000
Skadden

£8,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£8,000
CMS

£7,500
Simmons & Simmons

£7,500
White & Case

£7,500
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£7,200
Addleshaw Goddard

£7,000
Burges Salmon

£7,000
Clyde & Co

£7,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£7,000
Gowling WLG

£7,000
Hill Dickinson

£7,000
Holman Fenwick Willan

£7,000
Ince & Co

£7,000
K&L Gates

£7,000
Macfarlanes

£7,000
Mayer Brown

£7,000
Pinsent Masons

£7,000
Reed Smith

£7,000
RPC

£7,000
Sidley Austin

£7,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£7,000
Taylor Wessing

£7,000
Osborne Clarke

£6,500
Trowers & Hamlins

£6,500
Watson Farley & Williams

£6,500
Charles Russell Speechlys

£6,000
Dentons

£6,000
Fieldfisher

£6,000
Mishcon de Reya

£6,000
Stephenson Harwood

£6,000
TLT

£6,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£6,000
Bird & Bird

£5,500
Forsters

£5,500
Browne Jacobson

£5,000
Walker Morris

£5,000
Withers

£5,000
Irwin Mitchell

£4,500
Mills & Reeve

£4,500
Axiom
Herbert Smith Freehills

£
DAC Beachcroft

Fees Only
DWF

Fees Only
Howard Kennedy

Fees-only
PwC

Undisclosed

Most target hours

K&L Gates

2088
Gibson Dunn

1950
Latham & Watkins

1900
Clifford Chance

1800
White & Case

1800
Allen & Overy

1750
Dechert

1750
Baker McKenzie

1700
Herbert Smith Freehills

1700
Hogan Lovells

1700
Linklaters

1700
Addleshaw Goddard

1600
Ashurst

1600
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

1600
DLA Piper

1600
Hill Dickinson

1600
Jones Day

1600
Reed Smith

1600
Stephenson Harwood

1550
Dentons

1540
Eversheds Sutherland

1500
Fieldfisher

1500
Gowling WLG

1500
Holman Fenwick Willan

1500
Pinsent Masons

1500
Squire Patton Boggs

1500
Womble Bond Dickinson

1500
Burges Salmon

1450
Clyde & Co

1450
Simmons & Simmons

1435
Browne Jacobson

1400
Watson Farley & Williams

1400
Withers

1400
Osborne Clarke

1350
Bird & Bird

1300
DWF

1300
Forsters

1300
Charles Russell Speechlys

856
Axiom
Akin Gump

No Targets
Bristows

No Targets
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

No Targets
Davis Polk & Wardwell

No Targets
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

No Targets
Howard Kennedy

No Targets
Ince & Co

No Targets
Irwin Mitchell

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
Sidley Austin

No Targets
Skadden

No Targets
Slaughter and May

No Targets
Sullivan & Cromwell

No Targets
Taylor Wessing

No Targets
TLT

No Targets
Travers Smith

No Targets
Trowers & Hamlins

No Targets
Weil Gotshal & Manges

No Targets
CMS

Undisclosed
DAC Beachcroft

Undisclosed
Mishcon de Reya

Undisclosed
Ropes & Gray

Undisclosed
Walker Morris

Undisclosed

2018 edition

Most UK training contracts

Linklaters

Clifford Chance

Allen & Overy

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Slaughter and May

Pinsent Masons

DLA Piper

CMS

Herbert Smith Freehills

Hogan Lovells

Clyde & Co

Eversheds Sutherland

White & Case

Ashurst

Irwin Mitchell

Norton Rose Fulbright

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Dentons

DWF

Addleshaw Goddard

Baker McKenzie

Simmons & Simmons

Macfarlanes

Womble Bond Dickinson

Gowling WLG

PwC

Reed Smith

Squire Patton Boggs

Travers Smith

Latham & Watkins

Taylor Wessing

Charles Russell Speechlys

Trowers & Hamlins

Shoosmiths

Browne Jacobson

Burges Salmon

Jones Day

Osborne Clarke

Bird & Bird

Fieldfisher

Mills & Reeve

Stephenson Harwood

Watson Farley & Williams

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Holman Fenwick Willan

Mayer Brown

Shearman & Sterling

TLT

Walker Morris

Hill Dickinson

Mishcon de Reya

DAC Beachcroft

Weil Gotshal & Manges

RPC

Sidley Austin

Withers

Bristows

Dechert

Ince & Co

K&L Gates

Kirkland & Ellis

Skadden

Forsters

Gibson Dunn

Howard Kennedy

Ropes & Gray

Sullivan & Cromwell

Milbank

Akin Gump

Davis Polk & Wardwell

Axiom

Most offices

PwC

Dentons

DLA Piper

Baker McKenzie

CMS