New leading legal brand in the UK jumped nine places to the top this year
There’s a new leading legal brand in the UK.
CMS has been proclaimed the dominant name in the legal industry in the UK by the Acritas 2020 UK Law Firm Brand Index.
The firm jumped nine places on the list to take the crown with a score of 100 out of 100. The jump displaced last year’s winner, Eversheds Sutherland, which dropped to third place with a score of 88. Pinsent Masons retained its second-place finish with a score of 90.
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Acritas, which is now part of Thomson Reuters, said that Brexit is not the only disrupting force in the UK legal market. Alternative legal services is also gaining favour, while clients are also becoming more positive on flexible technology, as well as talent and process support.
Four other firms did not move in the top 10 this year. They are DLA Piper, which finished fourth and scored 83; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, which finished fifth and scored 82; Clifford Chance, which finished sixth and scored 78; and Allen & Overy, which finished eighth and scored 69.
All other members of the top 10 dropped. They are Linklaters, which declined four spots to finish seventh with a score of 71; Hebert Smith Freehills, which declined one spot to ninth with a score of 68; and Slaughter and May, which dropped three spots to tenth with a score of 66.
Baker McKenzie retained the 11th spot with a score of 61. Norton Rose Fulbright moved a spot to twelfth with a score of 49. Squire Patton Boggs declined one spot to 13th with a score of 47.
Addleshaw Goddard also declined one spot to finish 14th with a score of 43. Hogan Lovells kept its 15th-place finish with a score of 34.
Another major mover, Dentons, jumped 13 places to finish 16th with a score of 31. Right behind it is a tie at 17th between Bird & Bird and Clyde & Co, which both scored 30. Two Birds moved up three places while Clyde & Co finished in the same spot as last year.
At 19th is Simmons & Simmons, which declined two spots with a score of 29. Completing the top 20 is Osborne Clarke, which declined four places with a score of 27.
The Acritas UK Law Firm Brand Index 2020 is based on data from the Sharplegal 2019 survey conducted by the company. The survey is derived from 253 interviews with respondents from UK organisations that have £25m or more in yearly revenue , as well as 175 interviews of international legal buyers with needs in the UK and have senior responsibility for acquiring legal services.
The Acritas US Law Firm Brand Index 2020 was also recently released. Jones Day topped the rankings.