5,680

Ranked Departments – an increase of 231

13,518

Individual Rankings – an increase of 6.5%

1,211

Associates ranked – 32 added this year

806

Up-and-coming Individuals Ranked

370

Women added to the rankings

SME-focused Firms

This new table is specifically designed for firms whose primary focus is on representing SME clients. Most will provide corporate advice, however many of these firms can also help with property, commercial contracts, employment law and dispute resolution. A firm can only be included in this section if it has three or fewer department rankings throughout the rest of Chambers UK (with the exception of some consumer sections, such as Family or Personal Injury). Firms that cater predominantly to larger clients are not included here.

Dispute Resolution Specialist Firms

This new section exclusively recognises firms specialising in dispute resolution and covers the full range of disputes. This is including, but not limited to, commercial litigation, banking litigation, fraud and international arbitration. It seeks to highlight firms of varying sizes with broad-based yet specialised expertise in this field. The only firms that can be included in this table are those that focus on dispute resolution to the exclusion of other practice areas. Full service firms with comprehensive corporate departments, for example, cannot be included here.

Professional Negligence: Mainly Claimant in London

This new table highlights lawyers putting forward claims on behalf of individuals.

IT & Outsourcing: Disputes Specialists

This new table makes it easier for clients to quickly identify Chambers-ranked experts in litigation arising from contract disputes between vendors and purchasers of IT products.

Healthcare

Our healthcare coverage now includes separate tables for Private Sector and for Public and Third Sector.

Projects: Domestic

There is no longer a PPP/PFI table in the guide. This has been placed by Projects: Domestic, which focused on all kinds of projects work pertaining to the UK.

Projects: International

This new table mirrors the Domestic table, but focuses on work overseas.

Aviation

We have discontinued Aviation: Commercial, but continue to recognise firms with strength in aviation in four different tables: Regulatory, Dispute Resolution, Insurance and Claimant.

Energy & Natural Resources

Power, Renewables and Alternative Energy are now considered in a single table.

Family/Matrimonial outside of London

Our former city-specific tables have been consolidated into regional tables. For example, Manchester and Liverpool are now included in a single North West table.

Construction: Professional Negligence in London

This new table effectively replaces Professional Negligence: Construction and Technology.

Retail

Retail: Corporate and Competition has been discontinued, but the traditional Retail table remains.

Tax outside of London

The former regional tables (The South, North West etc) have been consolidated into a single table for The Regions, which encompasses all of the UK excluding London and Scotland, which have distinct tables.

Al Marsh

UK Research Director:
Commercial Contracts, Competition, Corporate/M&A, Franchising, Hotels & Leisure, Investment Funds, Private Equity, Retail, Sport

Steven Preston

Head of UK Solicitors Research:
Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Consumer Finance, Employee Share Schemes & Incentives, Financial Services, Insurance, Offshore, Pensions, Pensions Litigation, Restructuring/Insolvency, Tax

Maisie Watson

Research Manager:
Asset Finance, Commodities, Construction, Energy & Natural Resources, Environment, Planning, Projects/Infrastructure, Real Estate, Real Estate Finance, Shipping

Louise Monty

Research Manager:
Banking Litigation, Commercial and Corporate Litigation (London), Financial Crime, Fraud: Civil, Group Litigation, International Arbitration, Litigation (Regions), Mediators, POCA, Professional Discipline, Professional Negligence, Real Estate Litigation

Francois Gill

Principal Research Specialist:
Aviation, Data Protection, Defamation/Reputation Management, Gaming & Licensing, Information Technology and Outsourcing, Intellectual Property, Life Sciences, Media & Entertainment, Telecommunications, Transport

Tanya Shaar

Research Manager
Administrative and Public Law, Charities, Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Education, Employment, Immigration, Local Government, Parliamentary & Public Affairs, Partnership, Police Law, Public International Law, Public Procurement

Lydia Burt

Principal Research Specialist:
Clinical Negligence, Court of Protection, Crime, Extradition, Family/Matrimonial including Children Law, Health & Safety, Healthcare, Mental Health, Personal Injury, Product Liability, Social Housing, Travel, SME-Focused firms