Wednesday 23 March 2022 2:42 pm | Updated: Tuesday 05 April 2022 2:51 pm

City A.M. Awards 2022: Law Firm of the Year

The City is back, and so are the City A.M. Awards, recognising the best of the Square Mile, Canary Wharf and London’s business community – which has shown shown resilience, innovation and adaptability like never before over the past year. We’re delighted to host what will be a wonderful celebration of the capital’s rebound, but we need your nominations to do it. After months of uncertainty, it’s time to look forward – and say well done to those who came to the fore in the most difficult of circumstances.

The legal highs giving London a lift

The City’s legal sector continues to power ahead even in the face of great changes. From litigation to M&A the market is competitive with disruption coming from startups, big audit firms and high-performing US entrants. Our list this year features international giants and London-headquartered firms doing things differently.

DWF Group

The past year saw DWF’s move away from the traditional legal partnership model continue to pay off for the firm’s bottom line. The firm has split into three divisions, with the acquisition of Mindcrest giving it a recognisably different offering in a highly competitive marketplace, and DWF’s footprint right across the country as well as in the Square Mile continues to be a benefit.

The Ince Group PLC

Battered by the pandemic in 2020, 2021 was a year of recovery for Ince Group. Operating profits were up more than 36 per cent year on year, with a host of new faces at board level providing welcome new ideas. Ince struck in autumn to acquire Arden Partners, bringing investment banking, corporate advisory and legal services under one roof

Latham & Watkins

A seemingly ever-present adviser on the biggest m&a deals in the capital, the US-based giant has doubled down on its London presence with the appointment of a raft of new partners. The firm has also bulked up its ESG presence on both sides ofthe po nd and in London has made waves with high-profile hires of senior rivals.

Milbank LLP

Milbank’s move into an impressive new London headquarters in the winter of 2021 signalled the firm’s intention to continue its efforts this side of the Atlantic. London revenues continued to grow at a healthy clip and a number of new senior hires helped the firm to secure spots on some of the City’s most lucrative M&A deals in 2021.

Pinsent Masons

Still representing more publicly listed companies than any other in the UK, the law firm saw profit per partner continue to head north in 2021. The firm has committed to ‘doing business the right way’ and has led the way on tackling mental health issues in what has always been a demanding sector.