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The Southampton office of national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP has been ranked highly in this year’s Legal 500 guide, with numerous practice areas and individual lawyers being recognised.

The guide, which ranks the UK’s top lawyers and firms, recommended Clarke Willmott’s Southampton office in seven practice areas: commercial litigation; commercial property; environment and planning; and social housing (all ranked Tier 2); plus banking and finance; construction; and employment.

Clarke Willmott Southampton partner Rich Eldridge, along with two other Clarke Willmott lawyers, was named in the elite ‘Hall of Fame’ list, the Legal 500’s guide to outstanding lawyers nationwide.

Meanwhile Caroline Waller (planning) was named as a ‘Leading Partner’ and Anne Jones (planning) and Lauren Hampton (social housing) were named ‘Leading Associates’, with Cathy Harris (commercial litigation) a ‘Next Generation Partner’.

Clarke Willmott LLP chief executive, Peter Swinburn, said: “We are delighted with our numerous rankings in the Legal 500 guide and especially pleased to be recommended in seven practice areas in our Southampton office.

“Having celebrated our 135th anniversary this year, these rankings are a good reflection of our position as an industry leader. They also serve to highlight the immense talent we have in our teams, something of which we are very proud.”  

Nationally, Clarke Willmott received Top Tier rankings in eight practice areas and recommendations in 54 practice areas. Three Clarke Willmott lawyers are named in the ‘Hall of Fame’, 22 are named as ‘Leading Partners’, 12 as ‘Leading Associates’ and a further ten as ‘Next Generation Partners’. A total of 168 lawyers are recommended in the guide.

The Legal 500 series is widely acknowledged as the world’s largest legal guide. It is an independent guide and firms and individuals are recommended purely on merit.

Clarke Willmott LLP is one of the UK’s leading law firms with offices in Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton. Clarke Willmott provides support on a broad range of legal services to individuals and businesses, with a focus on the most involved and complex matters.

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Peter Swinburn

Chief Executive

Southampton and London
Peter is Clarke Willmott’s CEO and is responsible for the day to day management of the firm, chairs its executive board and define and implement the firm’s strategy.
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