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UK Firm of the Year

Published: 07/12/2007 00:27

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Winner: Travers Smith

Travers Smiths’ ambition is to be — and to remain — a top quality English law firm. Over the long term, the success of any law firm can be determined by the quality of the work it undertakes in its chosen fields of expertise. By this measure Travers Smith has had a phenomenal couple of years, during which it has closed an average of one private equity transaction a week and completed an initial public offering every fortnight.

The firm, which has also walked away with the Mid-Market Corporate Team of the Year Award, reckons it has been one of the most active in the City. This is borne out by its numbers. At £817,000 its profits per equity partner (PEP) makes it one of the City’s most profitable firms. During a period when there has been a premium on top-quality private equity lawyers, the loyalty of Travers Smith’s cadre of partners has also been striking. It has lost just one partner to a competitor in the last six years. The firm is also looking to the future, having made up nine partners in July.

Ashurst is another leading UK firm that has been recording exceptional financial results. Over the last 12 months the firm has paid close attention to the burning issue of staff retention having developed a new career structure for staff that includes the new role of counsel. It has also been investing in its international network, characterised by the completion of 15 senior lateral hires in 2006 and a further seven in the first half of 2007.

Also in contention for in this category was Nabarro, which is working to a clearly defined strategic plan — ‘Shared Ambitions’ — drawn up by its well-established management team of senior partner Simon Johnston and managing partner Nicole Paradise.

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