The Legal 500 UK rankings 2026 are now live!
Following the extensive process of assessing over 15,000 firm submissions and 3,000 barrister submissions, and contacting over 180,000 referees, this year’s guide is the biggest yet, with 1,200 firms, 13,000 solicitors and over 12,000 barristers ranked.
Congratulations to all the firms, solicitors and barristers ranked in the 2026 edition!
Explore the 2026 guide here – https://www.legal500.com/launch-uk/– and don’t forget to try out our new firm comparison tool.
If you have any queries about the new rankings, please visit our helpdesk https://www.legal500.com/faqs/ or email us at help@legal500.com
For more information on our subscription options, please contact James Crombie at james.crombie@legal500.com for law firms, and Alex Owen at alexander.owen@legal500.com for chambers.
The UK Green Ambassadors has launched!
Legal 500‘s 2026 UK Green Ambassadors is available now through Legal Business.
Our Green Ambassadors were selected following dedicated research into how private practice lawyers of various specialisms across the UK serve as leaders in supporting decarbonisation and the green transition UK Green Ambassadors shines a light on lawyers who have placed an emphasis on sustainability within their practice and who stand out for their wider sustainability engagement.
We are delighted to share an insight into the activities of leading lawyers across London and the UK regions. With practice focuses including ESG, the energy transition, impact investing, green technologies, and nature, the Green Ambassadors demonstrate how sustainability is a more relevant, critical, and diverse arena than ever before. We look forward to following their leadership in the legal sector moving forward.
Explore our UK Green Ambassadors here. If you are keen on featuring in our future Green Ambassadors research, you can find all submissions information here.
Upcoming Research Schedules and Submission Deadlines
EMEA: Interviews conducted (September-October).
Latin America: Publication dates: 15 October – early launch; 22 October – full launch. STAY TUNED.
United States: Prepare editorial submission and referee spreadsheet documents. VIEW DEADLINES + MORE INFO.
Asia Pacific: Publication date set for China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, including the first launch of the China Elite rankings with lawyers from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong featured and a further release planned for next year. VIEW MORE.
Canada: launch in November. STAY TUNED.
Caribbean: early release in October with full release in November. STAY TUNED.
United States Elite: publication of Texas and Midwest rankings. STAY TUNED.
United States Elite: Interviews underway for New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Boston, Connecticut and New England. FIND OUT MORE.
US Green Ambassadors: Prepare submissions. FIND OUT MORE.
Europe Green Ambassadors: Prepare submissions. FIND OUT MORE.
Events
Announcing the UK ESG Awards 2026 – Entries Now Open
We’re delighted to announce the third edition of the Legal 500 UK ESG Awards, in association with Legal Business, is taking place at the Intercontinental London Park Lane on Thursday 30 April 2026.
These awards celebrate exceptional Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) achievements across the legal sector – from law firms and chambers to in-house teams and business services professionals.
If you or your organisation are leading the way in ESG, DE&I, sustainability, or governance, we want to hear from you. Entry deadline: Friday, 28 November 2025.
Submit your entries today and join us in recognising those transforming the legal profession. VIEW CRITERIA & SUBMIT.
Spotlight on the 28th Annual Legal Business Awards
The awards hosted by the brilliant Katherine Ryan, took place on 30 September, bringing together the best of the legal profession at Grosvenor House, London.
Major winners included Latham & Watkins (International Firm of the Year), Burges Salmon LLP (UK Firm of the Year), and Freshfields’ Georgia Dawson (Management Partner of the Year). Des Collins of Collins Solicitors was honoured for his vital work on the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Other standout winners: Sidley Austin LLP, Slaughter and May, Linklaters, Kirkland & Ellis, BT Group, American Express, Low Carbon Contracts Company, and Rolls-Royce‘s GC Mark Gregory . 4 New Square Chambers took Chambers of the Year, and Jason Beer KC (5 Essex Chambers) named Barrister of the Year.
A huge thank you to our sponsors and congratulations to all winners and finalists! See the full list of winners, and photos from the night, here: https://lnkd.in/eZmuCuUn
Spotlight on the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2025
On Wednesday 24 September, Legal 500’s Will Tolcher, Charlotte Meredith, and Georgina Stanley hosted the Legal 500 Bar Awards 2025 at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London.
The evening brought together leading barristers, clerks, chambers staff, and arbitrators to celebrate excellence across the Bar.
Congratulations to 4 Stone Buildings (Set of the Year), Patrick Gibbs KC of Three Raymond Buildings (Silk of the Year), and Edward Ho of Brick Court Chambers (Junior of the Year).
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the auction in support of Advocate, the Bar’s pro bono charity.
View event photos and the full list of winners here: https://lnkd.in/ezAH6yPX
