Ahead of filing its annual accounts, national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP, is pleased to announce strong results with significant progress across multiple fronts. The success spans across their offices nationwide, with notable growth taking place at the firm’s Manchester office.
Clarke Willmott reports that revenue has increased by 9% to £64.7m, surpassing the firm’s target for the year. The growth was underpinned by strong performances across the firm, notably in the firm’s private client, corporate and strategic property sectors and practice areas. Profit growth for the year was 10%.
Having last year announced a new 3-year strategy, CEO Peter Swinburn, commented: “Our achievements this year are testament to our team’s dedication and commitment to our strategy. As we continue to navigate a challenging environment, our commitment to sustainability, social inclusion and growth remains unwavering. We look forward to building on our successes and developing further opportunities for collaboration.”
Performance is underpinned by a fundamental belief in the importance of sustainable long term financial strength. Despite changes in the fiscal regime, meaning tax payments have been accelerated this year, the firm has maintained a strong cash position of over £9m at financial year end, with no balance sheet debt, positioning it well for future investments.
The last 12 months have also seen the Manchester office go from strength to strength, welcoming several new partners and recognising outstanding internal talent. Notable appointments include Louise Rogers (employment), Billy Poulter (real estate development), Michelle Spark (planning and infrastructure), Lynn James (property litigation) and James Badger (construction).
In addition, a series of key internal promotions highlights Clarke Willmott’s commitment to developing its people. Harriet Atkin, Mark Christie (both construction), Matt Dootson (corporate), Rebecca Clarke (private capital) and Louise Goodwin (commercial litigation) all stepped up to Partner roles – marking a significant expansion of the Manchester Partner group.
Ed Foulkes, Head of Clarke Willmott’s Manchester office, said: “Manchester is a vibrant, growing hub for Clarke Willmott. The recent appointments and promotions in this office reflect both the depth of talent in our city and our strategic investment in the region. We are proud of our people and what they are achieving.”
The firm has met 2030 net zero targets for scopes 1 and 2 carbon reduction ahead of schedule, demonstrating commitment to environmental sustainability validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). Investment has also been made in the firm’s social inclusion strategy with the launch of initiatives including a reverse mentoring programme with senior leaders and members of the firm’s diversity and inclusion team.
Client feedback remains exceptionally positive, with high levels of client satisfaction and Net Promoter Scores (NPS). The firm, which has people and relationships at the heart of its strategy, is pleased with feedback from the firm’s people that ranks Clarke Willmott among the best performing law firms in the UK for leadership and work/life balance.
Looking to the future, Swinburn commented: “We remain steadfast in our independence and are committed to ongoing investment to further develop our firm. Despite the challenging environment as we move into FY26, we recognise the importance of not resting on our past successes. We are strategically ambitious and look forward to growing further whilst ensuring we maintain and further develop our culture for the benefit of our clients and our people.”
