Ranking tables
Litigation | UK
North West
Rankings overview for Departments
Band 1
Addleshaw Goddard LLP 10 Years Ranked
DLA Piper UK LLP 10 Years Ranked- Eversheds Sutherland
Band 2
Band 3
CMS 3 Years Ranked- DAC Beachcroft LLP 10 Years Ranked
Fieldfisher 7 Years Ranked
Weightmans 10 Years Ranked- Brabners LLP
- Pannone Corporate LLP
- TLT LLP
Band 4
Senior Statespeople
- Andrew HarrisDWF
Eminent Practitioners
- Paul JonsonPannone Corporate LLP
Band 1
Andrew Smith DLA Piper UK LLP12 Years Ranked
Geraldine Ryan CMS22 Years Ranked- Harold Brako Addleshaw Goddard LLP17 Years Ranked
Julian Diaz-Rainey Pinsent Masons18 Years Ranked- Jeff LewisBrabners LLP
- Mark GoodwinProvenio Litigation LLP
Band 2
- Jan Levinson DAC Beachcroft LLP22 Years Ranked
Jonathan Eatough DLA Piper UK LLP8 Years Ranked
Kit Sorrell FS Legal Solicitors LLP27 Years Ranked
Steve Morris JMW Solicitors LLP19 Years Ranked- Susan Garrett Addleshaw Goddard LLP21 Years Ranked
Victoria Leigh Squire Patton Boggs15 Years Ranked- Joel HeapDWF
- Matthew TaylorEversheds Sutherland
- Paul LuntBrabners LLP
Band 3
Ian Austin Fieldfisher6 Years Ranked
James Lappin Fieldfisher13 Years Ranked- Kath Livingston Knights plc15 Years Ranked
Stewart Plant DLA Piper UK LLP17 Years Ranked- Duncan HopeHill Dickinson LLP
- Emma FlowerTLT LLP
- Fiona ParryHill Dickinson LLP
- Phil DuignanEversheds Sutherland
Band 4
Christina Sharma DLA Piper UK LLP2 Years Ranked- Clare J Dwyer Addleshaw Goddard LLP8 Years Ranked
Damian Carter Weightmans4 Years Ranked
Harvey Stringfellow gunnercooke11 Years Ranked
Julia Norris FS Legal Solicitors LLP7 Years Ranked
Lee Norman Squire Patton Boggs1 Years Ranked
Michael Kennedy JMW Solicitors LLP3 Years Ranked- Nicholas Ashcroft Addleshaw Goddard LLP7 Years Ranked
Simon Pedley Mills & Reeve LLP18 Years Ranked- Jon HaineyTLT LLP
- Martin PenningtonPannone Corporate LLP
Band 5
Andrew Roberts Weightmans1 Years Ranked
Mark Jones JMW Solicitors LLP10 Years Ranked
Robert M O Jones Weightmans5 Years Ranked
Steve Dunseath Trowers & Hamlins LLP6 Years Ranked
Sydney Fulda gunnercooke18 Years Ranked- David G BrownPannone Corporate LLP
- Julien LukeTLT LLP
- Paul WalshHill Dickinson LLP
Up and Coming
Katie Hancock Pinsent Masons1 Years Ranked- Nick Murrills Gateley Legal1 Years Ranked
- Richard Dawson-Gerrard Mills & Reeve LLP3 Years Ranked
- Samantha Haigh Addleshaw Goddard LLP1 Years Ranked
- Victoria Pool Addleshaw Goddard LLP4 Years Ranked
- Kate SteeleHill Dickinson LLP
- Nina FerrisHill Dickinson LLP
All Departments profiles
Band 1
1 Addleshaw Goddard LLPLitigation2025 | Band 1 | 10 Years RankedAddleshaw Goddard is a renowned firm in the region, servicing a local, national and international client base from its office in Manchester. It provides an impressive breadth of service, regularly advising on high-value commercial disputes within such areas as competition, fraud and tax. The team also acts on disputes in the retail, energy and transport sectors.1 DLA Piper UK LLPLitigation2025 | Band 1 | 10 Years RankedDLA Piper has a well-established litigation offering in the North West region, with lawyers operating from both Manchester and Liverpool. The team is especially well placed to handle complex construction, financial, technology and M&A disputes, particularly on behalf of market-leading corporate and private equity clients. It also has notable experience handling disputes in the energy space.
Band 2
2 JMW Solicitors LLPLitigation2025 | Band 2 | 10 Years RankedJMW Solicitors is a well-regarded firm with an impressive litigation team in the North West that is frequently instructed on corporate and general commercial disputes. The team is well placed to handle construction and shareholder claims, as well as contractual and employment-related cases. It has notable experience advising individual shareholders and businesspeople as well as companies.
2 Pinsent MasonsLitigation2025 | Band 2 | 10 Years RankedPinsent Masons has a well-reputed litigation group able to assist clients with all manner of commercial and company disputes. It is frequently instructed by leading corporate clients on high-value shareholder, warranty and contractual disputes. It represents a wide range of clients, including those in the sports sector, and is well versed in disputes with cross-border considerations.
2 Squire Patton BoggsLitigation2025 | Band 2 | 10 Years RankedSquire Patton Boggs is an international firm able to handle cases including contractual and transactional disputes. It assists with claims for breach of warranty and fiduciary duty as well as associated professional negligence issues and also has notable strength in pensions-related litigation. The team advises clients from the chemicals, energy and financial services sectors, among others.
Band 3
3 CMSLitigation2025 | Band 3 | 3 Years RankedCMS has a robust litigation team in the North of England, with the ability to advise on complex commercial disputes. The firm has expertise in handling contractual claims and fraud litigation, as well as contentious matters concerning shareholder agreements and other company law issues.3 DAC Beachcroft LLPLitigation2025 | Band 3 | 10 Years RankedDAC Beachcroft is active within the North West market on various contractual and other commercial disputes. Its litigation team possesses further expertise in trust and IT disputes for clients in a range of sectors including health, technology and manufacturing. It also handles fraud-related disputes and investigations.3 FieldfisherLitigation2025 | Band 3 | 7 Years RankedFieldfisher houses a respected practice experienced in a variety of disputes such as breach of contract, alleged fraud and professional negligence claims. The firm's clients include financial sector entities and private individuals.3 WeightmansLitigation2025 | Band 3 | 10 Years RankedWeightmans has an established litigation practice with a varied commercial offering in the North West. The team offers expertise in contractual, professional negligence and procurement disputes as well as those that concern breaches of warranty and misrepresentation in relation to corporate transactions.
Band 4
4 FS Legal Solicitors LLPLitigation2025 | Band 4 | 1 Years RankedFS Legal is a boutique firm, based in Manchester, with a reputable litigation team. In addition to its professional negligence practice, the firm is noted for its work with banks, insurance companies and individuals.4 Gateley LegalLitigation2025 | Band 4 | 4 Years RankedGateley acted for Pervex Alam, Zahid Iqbal and Shahid Iqbal in five live claims (one of which is an unfair prejudice petition and another of which is a derivative claim), all of which are concerned with the ownership and management of a family-owned chain of supermarkets with premises in Manchester, Lancashire, West Yorkshire and the West Midlands.
4 Mills & Reeve LLPLitigation2025 | Band 4 | 8 Years RankedMills & Reeve provides a high-quality commercial litigation offering from its Manchester office. The team is well equipped to handle transactional disputes, including those that involve competition and fraud aspects, as well as shareholder litigation. It also takes on contract disputes, with particular expertise in the food retail, sport and private client spaces.
4 Shoosmiths LLPLitigation2025 | Band 4 | 9 Years RankedShoosmiths has a litigation team offering expertise in shareholder and contractual disputes, as well as contentious matters involving employment and insurance issues. The firm also provides clients with associated advice on crisis and reputation management.