National law firm Clarke Willmott LLP has once again been recognised as a Top Tier firm in the prestigious Legal 500 guide, which identifies the UK’s leading lawyers and law firms.

Building on last year’s success, Clarke Willmott secured the highest ranking for 10 of its specialist practice areas and achieved recognition in a total of 52 practice areas across all seven of its regional offices.

The firm’s new rankings include banking and finance in the West Midlands, planning in London, and construction in Wales. There were also improved rankings for personal injury in the West Midlands, as well as for commercial property in both the West Midlands and Wales.

Individually, Clarke Willmott’s lawyers received an impressive 170 recommendations in this year’s guide — seven of which showed improvement from last year, with 41 new recommendations added for the 2026 edition.

The firm’s Hall of Fame list recognises its leading talent, featuring Rich Eldridge, Alex Jakubowski, Fraser MacRae, and newly inducted Gareth Schofield for 2026.

In addition, 23 lawyers were named in the elite ‘Leading Partners’ list, up by one from last year. A further 11 lawyers were included in the ‘Next Generation Partner’ category, and nine were highlighted as ‘Leading Associates’.

Clarke Willmott CEO, Peter Swinburn, said: “We are delighted with the firm’s strong performance in the Legal 500 2026 rankings, which represents a significant step forward from last year’s already impressive results. These rankings are an important independent benchmark of quality and service in our profession, and this year’s outcome is a clear reflection of the outstanding talent, commitment and professionalism of our lawyers across every department.

“Our progress is not only a testament to the depth of expertise within the firm, but also to the trust and confidence that our clients continue to place in us. We are particularly proud to see recognition across such a wide range of practice areas, which speaks to both the breadth and consistency of the services we deliver.

“Furthermore, 170 individual recommendations for our people is incredibly significant and something we are very proud of. At the heart of what we do is our people who continue to strive for excellence in meeting the evolving needs of our clients.”

The Legal 500 series is recognised as the world’s largest and most respected legal directory, offering independent and merit-based rankings of law firms and individuals.

Clarke Willmott LLP is one of the UK’s foremost law firms with offices in Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton, and Taunton. The firm supports individuals and businesses on a wide range of legal services, specialising in handling complex and high-value matters.

Founded 135 years ago, the firm marked several milestones this year, including the 20th anniversary of its Birmingham office, 15 years of its Manchester office, and the 10th anniversary of its Cardiff office.