Legal 500: who’s up, who’s down – all the rankings revealed

Law firms across the East Midlands are “remaining busy” across areas including corporate, commercial property and employment, according to the latest edition of The Legal 500 – the industry’s bible which ranks firms across all disciplines.

This year’s report picks out several prominent practices. In Nottingham, Browne Jacobson and Eversheds Sutherland are among the standout firms, alongside Freeths, Shakespeare Martineau, Gateley and Nelsons Solicitors.

Flint Bishop is the largest firm in Derby, while Howes Percival and Hewitsons are names to note in Northampton.

The Leicester market, meanwhile, was recently shaken up by Knights’ acquisition of Spearing Waite.

This year’s Legal 500 rankings for corporate and commercial work are below:

CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL: NOTTINGHAM AND DERBY

Tier 1
Browne Jacobson
Eversheds Sutherland
Freeths
Geldards
Shoosmiths

Tier 2
Flint Bishop
Gateley Plc
Nelsons Solicitors
Shakespeare Martineau

Actons
Austin Moore & Partners
Fraser Brown
Smith Partnership

LEADING INDIVIDUALS: HALL OF FAME

Nigel Blackwell – Browne Jacobson
Gavin Cummings – Browne Jacobson
John Heaphy – Freeths
Karl Jansen – Freeths
Mark Rutherford – Gateley

LEADING INDIVIDUALS
Jon Cox-Brown – Eversheds Sutherland
Crispin Bridges Webb – Shoosmiths

RISING STARS
Gareth Cook – Shoosmiths

CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL: ELSEWHERE IN THE EAST MIDLANDS
Tier 1
BHW Solicitors
Hewitsons
Howes Percival

Tier 2
Freeths
Gateley
Shakespeare Martineau

Tier 3
Knights
Nelsons Solicitors
Roythornes Solicitors
Sills & Betteridge
Wilkin Chapman
Wilson Browne Solicitors

LEADING INDIVIDUALS: HALL OF FAME
Roy Botterill – Shakespeare Martineau
Gareth John – Gateley
Gerald Couldrake – Howes Percival

LEADING INDIVIDUALS
David Browne – Hewitsons
Keith Gilbert – Freeths
Ed Nurse – BHW Solicitors
Martin Smith – Knights

NEXT GENERATION PARTNERS
Alex Clifton – BHW Solicitors