The Firms Most List - Legal Cheek

2022 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

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£57,500
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£57,500
Kirkland & Ellis

£55,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£55,000
Goodwin Procter

£52,000
Jones Day

£52,000
Akin Gump

£50,000
Allen & Overy

£50,000
Clifford Chance

£50,000
Cooley

£50,000
Debevoise & Plimpton

£50,000
Dechert

£50,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£50,000
Gibson Dunn

£50,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£50,000
Latham & Watkins

£50,000
Linklaters

£50,000
Milbank

£50,000
Paul Hastings

£50,000
Ropes & Gray

£50,000
Shearman & Sterling

£50,000
Sidley Austin

£50,000
Skadden

£50,000
Slaughter and May

£50,000
Vinson & Elkins

£50,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£50,000
White & Case

£50,000
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

£50,000
Baker McKenzie

£48,000
Covington & Burling

£48,000
Macfarlanes

£48,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£48,000
Hogan Lovells

£47,500
Mayer Brown

£47,500
Osborne Clarke

£47,500
Addleshaw Goddard

£47,000
Ashurst

£47,000
Travers Smith

£47,000
DLA Piper

£46,000
Simmons & Simmons

£46,000
Dentons

£45,000
Fried Frank

£45,000
K&L Gates

£45,000
Orrick

£45,000
Reed Smith

£45,000
Taylor Wessing

£45,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£45,000
CMS

£44,500
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£44,000
HFW

£44,000
PwC

£44,000
Fieldfisher

£43,500
Forsters

£43,500
Gowling WLG

£43,000
Stephenson Harwood

£43,000
Wiggin

£43,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£42,500
Bristows

£42,000
Burges Salmon

£42,000
Mishcon de Reya

£42,000
Pinsent Masons

£41,000
TLT

£40,500
Bird & Bird

£40,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£40,000
Clyde & Co

£40,000
Farrer & Co

£40,000
Fladgate

£40,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£40,000
RPC

£40,000
Russell-Cooke

£40,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£40,000
Kennedys

£38,500
Ince Gordon Dadds

£38,250
DWF Group Plc

£38,000
Howard Kennedy

£38,000
Irwin Mitchell

£38,000
Shoosmiths

£38,000
Withers

£38,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£38,000
Wedlake Bell

£37,500
Hill Dickinson

£37,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£37,000
Browne Jacobson

£36,500
Kingsley Napley

£36,000
DAC Beachcroft

£35,000
Gateley

£35,000
Shakespeare Martineau

£35,000
Royds Withy King

£34,000
Weightmans

£32,000
Foot Anstey

£31,500
Thrings

£31,500
BLM

£31,000
VWV

£31,000
Blake Morgan

£30,000
Michelmores

£30,000
Ashfords

£29,000
Mills & Reeve

£28,000
Walker Morris

£27,000
HCR Hewitsons

£24,000
Level
Accutrainee

Undisclosed
Bevan Brittan

Undisclosed
Deloitte

Undisclosed
Fletchers

Undisclosed

Most money: 2nd year trainee

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£62,500
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£62,500
Kirkland & Ellis

£60,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£60,000
Jones Day

£59,000
Goodwin Procter

£57,000
Akin Gump

£55,000
Allen & Overy

£55,000
Clifford Chance

£55,000
Cooley

£55,000
Debevoise & Plimpton

£55,000
Dechert

£55,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£55,000
Gibson Dunn

£55,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£55,000
Latham & Watkins

£55,000
Linklaters

£55,000
Milbank

£55,000
Paul Hastings

£55,000
Ropes & Gray

£55,000
Shearman & Sterling

£55,000
Sidley Austin

£55,000
Skadden

£55,000
Slaughter and May

£55,000
Vinson & Elkins

£55,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£55,000
White & Case

£55,000
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

£55,000
Covington & Burling

£53,000
Hogan Lovells

£52,500
Macfarlanes

£52,500
Mayer Brown

£52,500
Travers Smith

£52,500
Ashurst

£52,000
Baker McKenzie

£52,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£52,000
DLA Piper

£51,000
Simmons & Simmons

£50,500
Addleshaw Goddard

£50,000
Dentons

£50,000
Fried Frank

£50,000
K&L Gates

£50,000
CMS

£49,750
Osborne Clarke

£49,500
Orrick

£49,000
Taylor Wessing

£49,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£48,000
PwC

£48,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£48,000
Gowling WLG

£47,000
Reed Smith

£47,000
Stephenson Harwood

£47,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£46,000
Wiggin

£46,000
Forsters

£45,500
Bristows

£45,000
Mishcon de Reya

£45,000
Burges Salmon

£44,000
Farrer & Co

£44,000
Pinsent Masons

£44,000
RPC

£44,000
TLT

£43,500
Charles Russell Speechlys

£43,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£43,000
Russell-Cooke

£42,500
Ince Gordon Dadds

£42,250
Clyde & Co

£42,000
Fladgate

£42,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£42,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£42,000
Kennedys

£41,000
Howard Kennedy

£40,000
Irwin Mitchell

£40,000
Withers

£40,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£40,000
Wedlake Bell

£39,500
Hill Dickinson

£39,000
Shoosmiths

£39,000
Kingsley Napley

£38,000
Browne Jacobson

£37,500
DAC Beachcroft

£37,000
Gateley

£37,000
Shakespeare Martineau

£37,000
Royds Withy King

£36,000
Weightmans

£34,000
Foot Anstey

£33,600
Blake Morgan

£33,000
Thrings

£33,000
BLM

£32,000
VWV

£32,000
Ashfords

£30,000
Mills & Reeve

£30,000
Walker Morris

£29,000
HCR Hewitsons

£24,000
Level
Accutrainee

Undisclosed
Bevan Brittan

Undisclosed
Bird & Bird

Undisclosed
Deloitte

Undisclosed
DWF Group Plc

Undisclosed
Fieldfisher

Undisclosed
Fletchers

Undisclosed
HFW

Undisclosed
Michelmores

Undisclosed

Most money: Newly qualified

Vinson & Elkins

£153,300
Kirkland & Ellis

£150,000
Latham & Watkins

£150,000
Skadden

£150,000
Sidley Austin

£148,500
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£147,500
Akin Gump

£147,000
Goodwin Procter

£147,000
Milbank

£147,000
Fried Frank

£145,500
Debevoise & Plimpton

£145,400
Gibson Dunn

£145,000
Shearman & Sterling

£145,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£145,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£145,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£140,000
Paul Hastings

£133,000
Ropes & Gray

£130,000
White & Case

£130,000
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

£130,000
Covington & Burling

£128,000
Dechert

£125,000
Cooley

£120,000
Orrick

£120,000
Jones Day

£110,000
Allen & Overy

£107,500
Linklaters

£107,500
Herbert Smith Freehills

£107,000
Clifford Chance

£100,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£100,000
Hogan Lovells

£100,000
Slaughter and May

£100,000
Mayer Brown

£95,000
K&L Gates

£93,000
Ashurst

£90,000
Baker McKenzie

£90,000
Macfarlanes

£90,000
Reed Smith

£90,000
Travers Smith

£90,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£88,000
DLA Piper

£88,000
Simmons & Simmons

£88,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£85,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£85,000
Addleshaw Goddard

£82,000
CMS

£82,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£82,000
Taylor Wessing

£81,000
Dentons

£80,000
Osborne Clarke

£80,000
Fieldfisher

£77,000
Gowling WLG

£75,750
Mishcon de Reya

£75,000
Stephenson Harwood

£75,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£75,000
Bristows

£74,000
HFW

£73,500
Pinsent Masons

£72,500
Trowers & Hamlins

£72,500
Farrer & Co

£72,000
PwC

£72,000
Wiggin

£72,000
Bird & Bird

£71,000
Clyde & Co

£70,000
Forsters

£70,000
RPC

£70,000
Shoosmiths

£70,000
TLT

£69,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£68,000
Fladgate

£68,000
Withers

£68,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£68,000
Gateley

£67,500
Howard Kennedy

£65,000
Ince Gordon Dadds

£64,000
Michelmores

£64,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£64,000
Wedlake Bell

£64,000
Browne Jacobson

£63,000
Burges Salmon

£60,000
DAC Beachcroft

£60,000
Irwin Mitchell

£60,000
Kingsley Napley

£60,000
VWV

£60,000
Hill Dickinson

£59,000
Blake Morgan

£55,000
Weightmans

£55,000
Royds Withy King

£50,000
Foot Anstey

£48,000
Ashfords

£47,000
Mills & Reeve

£46,000
Thrings

£46,000
Walker Morris

£46,000
BLM

£45,000
HCR Hewitsons

£40,500
Fletchers

£32,000
Level
Accutrainee

Undisclosed
Bevan Brittan

Undisclosed
Deloitte

Undisclosed
DWF Group Plc

Undisclosed
Kennedys

Undisclosed
Russell-Cooke

Undisclosed
Shakespeare Martineau

Undisclosed

Most money: Partners

Most money: GDL grant

Sullivan & Cromwell

£12,850
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£12,000
Shoosmiths

£12,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£12,000
Sidley Austin

£11,000
Latham & Watkins

£10,500
Akin Gump

£10,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£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
Mayer Brown

£9,000
Travers Smith

£8,500
Watson Farley & Williams

£8,500
Ashurst

£8,000
Baker McKenzie

£8,000
Bird & Bird

£8,000
Bristows

£8,000
Clyde & Co

£8,000
Cooley

£8,000
Covington & Burling

£8,000
Dentons

£8,000
Fried Frank

£8,000
Goodwin Procter

£8,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£8,000
Orrick

£8,000
Osborne Clarke

£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
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
PwC

£7,000
RPC

£7,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£7,000
Wiggin

£7,000
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
Withers

£6,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£6,000
Fieldfisher

£5,500
Mills & Reeve

£5,500
Bevan Brittan

£5,000
Browne Jacobson

£5,000
Foot Anstey

£5,000
Walker Morris

£5,000
Irwin Mitchell

£4,500
Blake Morgan

£4,000
Fletchers

£1,000
Level
Accutrainee

N/A
Davis Polk & Wardwell

N/A
DWF Group Plc

N/A
Gateley

N/A
Hill Dickinson

N/A
Hogan Lovells

N/A
Royds Withy King

N/A
Shakespeare Martineau

N/A
Thrings

N/A
Wedlake Bell

N/A
Ashfords

No Grant
BLM

No Grant
DAC Beachcroft

No Grant
HCR Hewitsons

No Grant
Howard Kennedy

No Grant
Michelmores

No Grant
Penningtons Manches Cooper

No Grant
Russell-Cooke

No Grant
VWV

No Grant
Weightmans

No Grant
Deloitte

Undisclosed
Kennedys

Undisclosed
Kingsley Napley

Undisclosed
Paul Hastings

Undisclosed
Slaughter and May

Undisclosed

Most money: LPC grant

Shoosmiths

£14,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£12,850
Linklaters

£12,500
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£12,000
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
Baker McKenzie

£10,000
Blake Morgan

£10,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£10,000
Clifford Chance

£10,000
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£10,000
Dechert

£10,000
DLA Piper

£10,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£10,000
Goodwin Procter

£10,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£10,000
Jones Day

£10,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£10,000
Mayer Brown

£10,000
Milbank

£10,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£10,000
Ropes & Gray

£10,000
Russell-Cooke

£10,000
Skadden

£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
Bird & Bird

£8,000
Bristows

£8,000
Clyde & Co

£8,000
Cooley

£8,000
Covington & Burling

£8,000
Dentons

£8,000
Fried Frank

£8,000
Osborne Clarke

£8,000
Shearman & Sterling

£8,000
Vinson & Elkins

£8,000
CMS

£7,500
Taylor Wessing

£7,500
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
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
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
Withers

£6,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£6,000
Mills & Reeve

£5,500
Bevan Brittan

£5,000
Browne Jacobson

£5,000
Foot Anstey

£5,000
Gateley

£5,000
K&L Gates

£5,000
Michelmores

£5,000
Walker Morris

£5,000
Wedlake Bell

£5,000
Irwin Mitchell

£4,500
VWV

£2,000
Fletchers

£1,000
Level
Ashfords

Fees Only
DAC Beachcroft

Fees Only
Accutrainee

N/A
DWF Group Plc

N/A
Hill Dickinson

N/A
Hogan Lovells

N/A
Royds Withy King

N/A
Shakespeare Martineau

N/A
Thrings

N/A
Macfarlanes

N/a*
BLM

No Grant
HCR Hewitsons

No Grant
Deloitte

Undisclosed
Kennedys

Undisclosed
Kingsley Napley

Undisclosed
Paul Hastings

Undisclosed
Slaughter and May

Undisclosed
Weightmans

Undisclosed

Most target hours

Latham & Watkins

1900
Fried Frank

1850
Clifford Chance

1800
Baker McKenzie

1700
Reed Smith

1700
Simmons & Simmons

1700
Ashurst

1600
Jones Day

1600
Stephenson Harwood

1550
Bird & Bird

1500
Eversheds Sutherland

1500
Fieldfisher

1500
HFW

1500
Mishcon de Reya

1500
Pinsent Masons

1500
Clyde & Co

1450
Penningtons Manches Cooper

1430
Ashfords

1404
Blake Morgan

1400
Browne Jacobson

1400
Watson Farley & Williams

1400
Wedlake Bell

1400
Withers

1400
Fletchers

1376
Fladgate

1350
Osborne Clarke

1350
Wiggin

1350
Forsters

1300
Russell-Cooke

1200
Farrer & Co

1160
Howard Kennedy

1100
Addleshaw Goddard

1000
Squire Patton Boggs

1000
Irwin Mitchell

975
Burges Salmon

750
VWV

684
Level
Accutrainee

No Targets
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
Gibson Dunn

No Targets
Ince Gordon Dadds

No Targets
Kirkland & Ellis

No Targets
Milbank

No Targets
Mills & Reeve

No Targets
Norton Rose Fulbright

No Targets
PwC

No Targets
Shearman & Sterling

No Targets
Shoosmiths

No Targets
Sullivan & Cromwell

No Targets
Taylor Wessing

No Targets
Thrings

No Targets
TLT

No Targets
Travers Smith

No Targets
Trowers & Hamlins

No Targets
Vinson & Elkins

No Targets
Walker Morris

No Targets
Weightmans

No Targets
Weil Gotshal & Manges

No Targets
Allen & Overy

Undisclosed
BLM

Undisclosed
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Undisclosed
Charles Russell Speechlys

Undisclosed
CMS

Undisclosed
Cooley

Undisclosed
Covington & Burling

Undisclosed
DAC Beachcroft

Undisclosed
Debevoise & Plimpton

Undisclosed
Dechert

Undisclosed
Deloitte

Undisclosed
Dentons

Undisclosed
DLA Piper

Undisclosed
DWF Group Plc

Undisclosed
Foot Anstey

Undisclosed
Goodwin Procter

Undisclosed
Gowling WLG

Undisclosed
HCR Hewitsons

Undisclosed
Herbert Smith Freehills

Undisclosed
Hill Dickinson

Undisclosed
Hogan Lovells

Undisclosed
K&L Gates

Undisclosed
Kennedys

Undisclosed
Kingsley Napley

Undisclosed
Linklaters

Undisclosed
Macfarlanes

Undisclosed
Mayer Brown

Undisclosed
Michelmores

Undisclosed
Orrick

Undisclosed
Paul Hastings

Undisclosed
Ropes & Gray

Undisclosed
Royds Withy King

Undisclosed
RPC

Undisclosed
Shakespeare Martineau

Undisclosed
Sidley Austin

Undisclosed
Skadden

Undisclosed
Slaughter and May

Undisclosed
White & Case

Undisclosed
Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Undisclosed
Womble Bond Dickinson

Undisclosed

The Firms Most List 2022

2022 edition

Most UK training contracts

Linklaters

Clifford Chance

CMS

Slaughter and May

Allen & Overy

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Pinsent Masons

DLA Piper

Herbert Smith Freehills

Addleshaw Goddard

Accutrainee

Eversheds Sutherland

Hogan Lovells

White & Case

Dentons

Irwin Mitchell

Clyde & Co

Norton Rose Fulbright

Ashurst

Osborne Clarke

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Baker McKenzie

Macfarlanes

DWF Group Plc

Shoosmiths

TLT

Travers Smith

Gateley

PwC

BLM

Burges Salmon

Gowling WLG

Mills & Reeve

Reed Smith

Squire Patton Boggs

Womble Bond Dickinson

Latham & Watkins

Mishcon de Reya

Simmons & Simmons

Trowers & Hamlins

Charles Russell Speechlys

DAC Beachcroft

Hill Dickinson

Jones Day

Stephenson Harwood

Taylor Wessing

VWV

Foot Anstey

Kennedys

Weightmans

Bird & Bird

Fieldfisher

Watson Farley & Williams

Browne Jacobson

RPC

Walker Morris

Wedlake Bell

Blake Morgan

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Fladgate

HCR Hewitsons

HFW

Mayer Brown

Penningtons Manches Cooper

Shearman & Sterling

Sidley Austin

Weil Gotshal & Manges

Goodwin Procter

Skadden

K&L Gates

Ropes & Gray

Russell-Cooke

Withers

Ashfords

Bevan Brittan

Bristows

Dechert