The Firms Most List

2020 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
Milbank

£50,000
Ropes & Gray

£50,000
Sidley Austin

£50,000
Skadden

£50,000
Vinson & Elkins

£50,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£50,000
Baker McKenzie

£48,000
Clifford Chance

£48,000
Covington & Burling

£48,000
White & Case

£48,000
Linklaters

£47,000
Allen & Overy

£46,500
Norton Rose Fulbright

£46,500
Travers Smith

£46,500
Ashurst

£46,000
Hogan Lovells

£46,000
Latham & Watkins

£46,000
Mayer Brown

£46,000
Dechert

£45,000
DLA Piper

£45,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£45,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£45,000
Paul Hastings

£45,000
Shearman & Sterling

£45,000
Simmons & Simmons

£45,000
Slaughter and May

£45,000
Dentons

£44,000
Macfarlanes

£44,000
PwC

£44,000
CMS

£43,000
K&L Gates

£43,000
Osborne Clarke

£43,000
Reed Smith

£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
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£40,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£40,000
Clyde & Co

£40,000
Orrick

£40,000
Taylor Wessing

£40,000
Bristows

£39,500
Fieldfisher

£39,500
Farrer & Co

£39,000
Wiggin

£39,000
Kennedys

£38,500
Ince Gordon Dadds

£38,250
DWF Group Plc

£38,000
Irwin Mitchell

£38,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£38,000
RPC

£38,000
Shoosmiths

£38,000
Withers

£38,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£38,000
Wedlake Bell

£37,500
Fladgate

£37,000
Hill Dickinson

£37,000
Howard Kennedy

£37,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£37,000
TLT

£37,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£37,000
Browne Jacobson

£36,500
Michelmores

£36,500
Burges Salmon

£36,000
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
Fletchers
Bevan Brittan

Undisclosed

Most money: 2nd year trainee

Davis Polk & Wardwell

£60,000
Sullivan & Cromwell

£60,000
Jones Day

£59,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£55,000
Debevoise & Plimpton

£55,000
Gibson Dunn

£55,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£55,000
Milbank

£55,000
Ropes & Gray

£55,000
Sidley Austin

£55,000
Skadden

£55,000
Vinson & Elkins

£55,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£55,000
Clifford Chance

£54,000
Covington & Burling

£53,000
White & Case

£53,000
Allen & Overy

£52,500
Linklaters

£52,500
Akin Gump

£52,000
Baker McKenzie

£52,000
Travers Smith

£52,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£51,000
Hogan Lovells

£51,000
Mayer Brown

£51,000
Slaughter and May

£51,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£50,500
Ashurst

£50,000
Dechert

£50,000
DLA Piper

£50,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£50,000
Latham & Watkins

£50,000
Paul Hastings

£50,000
Shearman & Sterling

£50,000
Simmons & Simmons

£50,000
Macfarlanes

£49,000
CMS

£48,000
K&L Gates

£48,000
PwC

£48,000
Reed Smith

£47,000
Stephenson Harwood

£47,000
Dentons

£46,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£46,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£46,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£45,000
Mishcon de Reya

£45,000
Osborne Clarke

£45,000
Bird & Bird

£44,000
Gowling WLG

£44,000
Orrick

£44,000
Pinsent Masons

£44,000
Taylor Wessing

£44,000
Addleshaw Goddard

£43,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£43,000
HFW

£43,000
Bristows

£42,500
Farrer & Co

£42,500
Fieldfisher

£42,500
Ince Gordon Dadds

£42,250
Clyde & Co

£42,000
Forsters

£42,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£42,000
Wiggin

£42,000
Kennedys

£41,000
RPC

£41,000
Irwin Mitchell

£40,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£40,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£40,000
Withers

£40,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£40,000
TLT

£39,500
Wedlake Bell

£39,500
Fladgate

£39,000
Hill Dickinson

£39,000
Howard Kennedy

£39,000
Michelmores

£39,000
Shoosmiths

£39,000
Browne Jacobson

£37,500
Burges Salmon

£37,000
DAC Beachcroft

£37,000
Gateley

£37,000
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
Fletchers
Bevan Brittan

Undisclosed
DWF Group Plc

Undisclosed

Most money: Newly qualified

Akin Gump

£150,000
Kirkland & Ellis

£150,000
Vinson & Elkins

£147,700
Sullivan & Cromwell

£139,500
Sidley Austin

£135,500
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£135,000
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

£133,000
Skadden

£133,000
Milbank

£132,000
Debevoise & Plimpton

£131,100
Latham & Watkins

£130,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£130,000
Covington & Burling

£120,000
Gibson Dunn

£120,000
Ropes & Gray

£120,000
Shearman & Sterling

£120,000
Dechert

£116,000
Paul Hastings

£111,000
Jones Day

£105,000
White & Case

£105,000
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

£100,000
Orrick

£95,000
Allen & Overy

£93,000
Clifford Chance

£93,000
Herbert Smith Freehills

£93,000
Linklaters

£93,000
Slaughter and May

£92,000
Baker McKenzie

£90,000
Hogan Lovells

£90,000
Mayer Brown

£90,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£87,500
Macfarlanes

£85,000
Travers Smith

£85,000
Ashurst

£84,000
Simmons & Simmons

£79,000
DLA Piper

£78,000
Reed Smith

£78,000
Taylor Wessing

£77,000
Eversheds Sutherland

£75,500
Addleshaw Goddard

£75,000
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

£75,000
Dentons

£75,000
K&L Gates

£75,000
Stephenson Harwood

£75,000
Watson Farley & Williams

£73,700
CMS

£73,000
Squire Patton Boggs

£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

£70,000
Fieldfisher

£70,000
Trowers & Hamlins

£68,000
Withers

£68,000
Farrer & Co

£67,000
RPC

£66,500
Bristows

£66,000
HFW

£66,000
Charles Russell Speechlys

£65,000
Fladgate

£65,000
Shoosmiths

£65,000
Forsters

£64,000
Ince Gordon Dadds

£64,000
Michelmores

£63,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£62,000
Gateley

£61,500
TLT

£61,000
DAC Beachcroft

£60,000
Howard Kennedy

£60,000
Wiggin

£60,000
Hill Dickinson

£59,000
Weightmans

£55,000
Kennedys

£53,000
Burges Salmon

£52,500
Irwin Mitchell

£50,000
VWV

£50,000
Ashfords

£47,000
Blake Morgan

£47,000
Foot Anstey

£46,000
BLM

£45,000
Walker Morris

£44,000
Mills & Reeve

£43,000
Royds Withy King

£40,000
Thrings

£40,000
Hewitsons

£38,000
Fletchers
Womble Bond Dickinson

Competitive (benchmarked Annually)
Bevan Brittan

Undisclosed
Browne Jacobson

Undisclosed
DWF Group Plc

Undisclosed
Wedlake Bell

Undisclosed

Most money: Partners

Most money: GDL grant

Sullivan & Cromwell

£12,850
Sidley Austin

£11,000
Clifford Chance

£10,000
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£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
Skadden

£10,000
Slaughter and May

£10,000
Allen & Overy

£9,000
Debevoise & Plimpton

£9,000
Gibson Dunn

£9,000
Travers Smith

£8,500
Watson Farley & Williams

£8,500
Akin Gump

£8,000
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
Latham & Watkins

£8,000
Norton Rose Fulbright

£8,000
Orrick

£8,000
Ropes & Gray

£8,000
Shearman & Sterling

£8,000
Vinson & Elkins

£8,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£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
Bird & Bird

£5,500
Bevan Brittan

£5,000
Browne Jacobson

£5,000
Fieldfisher

£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
Fletchers
Gateley

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
Hill Dickinson

No Grant
Howard Kennedy

No Grant
Kennedys

No Grant
Michelmores

No Grant
Penningtons Manches Cooper

No Grant
Shoosmiths

No Grant
VWV

No Grant
Weightmans

No Grant
Paul Hastings

Undisclosed

Most money: LPC grant

Sullivan & Cromwell

£12,850
Sidley Austin

£11,000
White & Case

£10,500
Allen & Overy

£10,000
Clifford Chance

£10,000
Davis Polk & Wardwell

£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
Skadden

£10,000
Slaughter and May

£10,000
Weil Gotshal & Manges

£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
Akin Gump

£8,000
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
Latham & Watkins

£8,000
Ropes & Gray

£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
Osborne Clarke

£6,500
Charles Russell Speechlys

£6,000
Fieldfisher

£6,000
Fladgate

£6,000
Forsters

£6,000
Stephenson Harwood

£6,000
TLT

£6,000
Womble Bond Dickinson

£6,000
Bird & Bird

£5,500
Bevan Brittan

£5,000
Browne Jacobson

£5,000
Foot Anstey

£5,000
Gateley

£5,000
Hill Dickinson

£5,000
Michelmores

£5,000
Mills & Reeve

£5,000
Penningtons Manches Cooper

£5,000
Walker Morris

£5,000
Wedlake Bell

£5,000
Withers

£5,000
Irwin Mitchell

£4,500
VWV

£2,000
Fletchers
Ashfords

Fees Only
DAC Beachcroft

Fees Only
DWF Group Plc

Fees Only
Howard Kennedy

Fees Only
Royds Withy King

N/A
Thrings

N/A
Blake Morgan

No Grant
BLM

No Grant
Hewitsons

No Grant
Kennedys

No Grant
Shoosmiths

No Grant
Weightmans

No Grant
Paul Hastings

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
Simmons & Simmons

1700
Reed Smith

1650
Addleshaw Goddard

1600
Ashurst

1600
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

1600
DLA Piper

1600
Jones Day

1600
Stephenson Harwood

1550
Dentons

1540
Howard Kennedy

1540
Bird & Bird

1500
Eversheds Sutherland

1500
Fieldfisher

1500
HFW

1500
Pinsent Masons

1500
Squire Patton Boggs

1500
Womble Bond Dickinson

1500
Burges Salmon

1450
Clyde & Co

1450
Penningtons Manches Cooper

1430
Ashfords

1404
Browne Jacobson

1400
Watson Farley & Williams

1400
Withers

1400
Osborne Clarke

1350
Wiggin

1350
Forsters

1300
Irwin Mitchell

975
Charles Russell Speechlys

856
Farrer & Co

1,250
Fletchers
Hill Dickinson

Dependent On Team
DWF Group Plc

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
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
Walker Morris

No Targets
Weightmans

No Targets
Weil Gotshal & Manges

No Targets
Blake Morgan

Undisclosed
BLM

Undisclosed
CMS

Undisclosed
Covington & Burling

Undisclosed
DAC Beachcroft

Undisclosed
Debevoise & Plimpton

Undisclosed
Fladgate

Undisclosed
Foot Anstey

Undisclosed
Gowling WLG

Undisclosed
Hewitsons

Undisclosed
Kennedys

Undisclosed
Michelmores

Undisclosed
Mishcon de Reya

Undisclosed
Orrick

Undisclosed
Paul Hastings

Undisclosed
Ropes & Gray

Undisclosed
Royds Withy King

Undisclosed
Thrings

Undisclosed
Vinson & Elkins

Undisclosed
VWV

Undisclosed
Wedlake Bell

Undisclosed

2020 edition

Most UK training contracts

Linklaters

Clifford Chance

Allen & Overy

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Slaughter and May

Pinsent Masons

DLA Piper

CMS

Herbert Smith Freehills

Addleshaw Goddard

Eversheds Sutherland

Hogan Lovells

Irwin Mitchell

White & Case

Ashurst

Norton Rose Fulbright

Dentons

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Clyde & Co

DWF Group Plc

Baker McKenzie

Macfarlanes

PwC

Shoosmiths

Gateley

Gowling WLG

Reed Smith

Simmons & Simmons

Squire Patton Boggs

Travers Smith

Womble Bond Dickinson

Latham & Watkins

BLM

Charles Russell Speechlys

Kennedys

Trowers & Hamlins

Burges Salmon

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton

Jones Day

Mills & Reeve

Osborne Clarke

Penningtons Manches Cooper

Stephenson Harwood

Taylor Wessing

Bird & Bird

Fieldfisher

Watson Farley & Williams

Weightmans

Blake Morgan

Hewitsons

HFW

Mayer Brown

Mishcon de Reya

Shearman & Sterling

TLT

Walker Morris

Weil Gotshal & Manges

RPC

Sidley Austin

Thrings

DAC Beachcroft

Browne Jacobson

Foot Anstey

Orrick

Withers

Ashfords

Bevan Brittan

Bristows

Dechert

Farrer & Co

Forsters

Hill Dickinson

Howard Kennedy

Ince Gordon Dadds

K&L Gates

Kirkland & Ellis

Royds Withy King