National law firm Clarke Willmott LLP has again been recognised as a Top Tier firm in the latest Legal 500 guide which ranks the UK’s top lawyers and firms.
Improving on last year’s results, Clarke Willmott received the top ranking possible for 10 of its specialist practice areas and in total was ranked in 52 practice areas across all of its seven regional offices.
New rankings are listed for banking and finance in the West Midlands; planning in London; and construction in Wales. Additionally, there were improved rankings for personal injury in West Midlands and for commercial property in the West Midlands and Wales.
Individually, Clarke Willmott’s lawyers received a total of 170 recommendations, of which seven were improved on from last year, and 41 were new recommendations for the 2026 edition.
The prestigious Hall of Fame list included mention of Clarke Willmott’s Rich Eldridge, Alex Jakubowski, Fraser MacRae and Gareth Schofield, a new inductee for 2026.
An impressive 23 lawyers were also singled out for praise in the elite ‘Leading Partners’ list, the Legal 500’s guide to outstanding lawyers nationwide, one up from last year.
A further 11 lawyers were named in the ‘Next Generation Partner’ category and another nine in the ‘Leading Associates’ category.
Clarke Willmott CEO, Peter Swinburn, said: “We are delighted with the firm’s strong performance in the Legal 500 2026 rankings, which represents a significant step forward from last year’s already impressive results. These rankings are an important independent benchmark of quality and service in our profession, and this year’s outcome is a clear reflection of the outstanding talent, commitment and professionalism of our lawyers across every department.
“Our progress is not only a testament to the depth of expertise within the firm, but also to the trust and confidence that our clients continue to place in us. We are particularly proud to see recognition across such a wide range of practice areas, which speaks to both the breadth and consistency of the services we deliver.
“Furthermore, 170 individual recommendations for our people is incredibly significant and something we are very proud of. At the heart of what we do is our people who continue to strive for excellence in meeting the evolving needs of our clients.”
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.
Last year the firm celebrated its 135th anniversary and this year it marked milestones with the 20-year anniversary of the Birmingham office, 15-year anniversary of the Manchester office and 10-year anniversary of the Cardiff office.
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