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Ranking tables

UK London (Firms) Employment: Employer

This section covers both contentious and non-contentious employment matters. Its scope includes employment litigation related to sex, race and age discrimination, workforce redundancies and other employment issues arising from transactions, advice on the writing of policy handbooks and HR training. In London, firms are ranked in separate subtables covering work for Employers, Employees & Trade Unions, and Senior Executives.

Rankings overview for Departments

All Departments profiles

1
Band 1
  1. Baker McKenzie
    1
    Baker McKenzie
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 1 | 9 Years Ranked
    Baker McKenzie has a highly experienced employment team that covers the whole spectrum of employment law, with expertise in restrictive covenants, discrimination and transactional matters. It stands out for its expertise in industrial relations and European Works Councils. The firm frequently represents global employers, with regular work for those in the retail and financial services sectors. It is also widely recognised for its ability to handle complex international employment issues including multi-jurisdictional restructuring processes. Baker McKenzie is increasingly well known for expertise in equal pay matters.
  2. Lewis Silkin
    1
    Lewis Silkin
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 1 | 9 Years Ranked
    Lewis Silkin is recognised for its work for both employers and senior executives in the financial services, retail, advertising, technology and professional services sectors. The firm houses a deep bench of experienced practitioners who routinely act for clients on discrimination and restrictive covenant matters. The firm's recent work has included advising 'gig economy' employers on matters relating to worker status. It also offers a robust practice advising on the employment aspects of large corporate transactions, including those involving TUPE transfers or substantial international elements.
  3. Mishcon de Reya LLP
    1
    Mishcon de Reya LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 1 | 9 Years Ranked
    Mishcon de Reya is a highly skilled team acting for both employers and senior executives across all aspects of employment law. The firm provides employers with day-to-day support as well as advice on complex litigation. It is particularly recognised for its work on senior exits. The firm is also regularly chosen to advise other law firms on internal employment issues. For the firm, other notable areas of work include equal pay and status for 'gig economy' workers. The team advises an impressive roster of clients from a diverse set of industries, including financial services, retail and media.
  4. Allen & Overy LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 1
  5. Herbert Smith Freehills
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 1
  6. Simmons & Simmons LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 1
2
Band 2
  1. Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
    2
    Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 2 | 9 Years Ranked
    Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner has a respected employment practice that is home to a series of talented practitioners. The firm's strong litigation work is coupled with day-to-day employment advice. It provides a wealth of experience acting for large multinational banking clients, law firms and retail sector clients. The firm's global footprint lends itself to deft handling of multi-jurisdictional matters.
  2. Clifford Chance LLP
    2
    Clifford Chance LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 2 | 9 Years Ranked
    Clifford Chance houses a strong employment practice that is well known for advising high-profile corporate clients and financial institutions. It is adept at handling complex employment issues arising from large-scale transactions, employment litigation and investigations. The firm also provides advice on issues such as dismissals, whistle-blowing and senior exits. The firm's capabilities extend to matters with cross-border elements.
  3. DAC Beachcroft LLP
    2
    DAC Beachcroft LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 2 | 9 Years Ranked
    DAC Beachcroft has a noted employment team that works with clients on contentious and non-contentious matters, including both strategic and business-as-usual advice for large financial institutions and clients in the insurance industry. The firm is regularly instructed on complex employment work relating to industrial relations and internal investigations. It's also recognised for its continued expertise in relation to healthcare and the public sector. It offers additional expertise in regulatory employment matters, including the SMCR.
  4. GQ|Littler
    2
    GQ|Littler
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 2 | 9 Years Ranked
    GQ|Littler is a highly experienced boutique employment law firm offering expert advice to large financial services clients and other high-profile organisations. The firm has a deep bench of practitioners and handles both contentious and non-contentious matters, with marked success in complex litigation. It is also adept at handling bonus disputes and team moves. The firm is able to assist clients with a range of cross-border and international matters, drawing upon the global expertise of the Littler network.
  5. Linklaters
    2
    Linklaters
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 2 | 9 Years Ranked
    Linklaters handles high-quality advisory work for an international client base, combined with renowned strength in employment litigation. The firm advises clients on remuneration regulations and senior executive exits, with experience acting on high-value employment tribunal and High Court cases. The firm acts for an enviable roster of clients from the financial services sector. Its is well suited to advise on cross-border matters. It frequently handles sensitive investigations on behalf of employers.
3
Band 3
  1. Addleshaw Goddard LLP
    3
    Addleshaw Goddard LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Addleshaw Goddard has an established employment law practice with significant expertise assisting financial services and retail clients, among others. The firm is experienced in handling challenging litigation in both the High Court and employment tribunals. The firm assists clients with defending whistle-blowing claims and with workplace investigations. It is also well equipped to advise on day-to-day and general HR matters as well as the employment aspects of transactions, including those with multi-jurisdictional elements.
  2. Charles Russell Speechlys
    3
    Charles Russell Speechlys
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 10 Years Ranked
    Charles Russell Speechlys provides expert employment advice to corporate groups, with particular experience handling severance negotiations, complicated exits and the employment aspects of large corporate transactions. The firm serves a broad range of clients, with notable work for retail and sports organisations. It also has experience working with employers and senior individuals from the financial services sector.
  3. 3
    Clyde & Co LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Clyde & Co is well known for helping insurance clients and financial services institutions with a full range of employment law issues, including regularly advising on team moves. It is able to leverage its international footprint to advise on multi-jurisdictional work. The firm demonstrates notable experience handling contentious matters. It also has the capability to provide advice on large-scale corporate transactions.
  4. Dechert LLP
    3
    Dechert LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Dechert has a broad employment practice that is known for its expert knowledge of issues affecting employers in the financial services sector. The firm is adept at handling multi-jurisdictional matters and noted for its expertise in both contentious and non-contentious employment law issues. The firm is also capable of advising companies on contract negotiations with employees as well as assisting them with senior exits.
  5. DLA Piper LLP
    3
    DLA Piper LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    DLA Piper has a strong employment practice with an international focus, offering advice to global companies. The firm advises across the whole gamut of employment law, with recognisable strengths in multi-jurisdictional projects, including large restructurings. The firm's other areas of strength include advising on regulatory compliance, senior departures and worker status litigation. The firm's clients hail from a number of sectors including technology, financial services and transport.
  6. Eversheds Sutherland
    3
    Eversheds Sutherland
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Eversheds Sutherland is regularly instructed by financial institutions to advise on employment disputes, as well as to provide day-to-day counsel. The firm also offers highly regarded advice on industrial relations issues. It demonstrates additional strength in matters that span multiple jurisdictions and regularly advises on the employment aspects of large transactions. The firm's clients include large corporates, financial services groups and media organisations.
  7. Farrer & Co LLP
    3
    Farrer & Co LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Farrer & Co provides expert advice to employers from the financial, education and sports sectors. Also renowned for its work for senior executives, notably advising on severance negotiations and restrictive covenant-related matters. The firm regularly advises both sets of clients on discrimination, whistle-blowing and dismissal-related claims. It is a particularly strong practice for assisting organisations with the implementation of appropriate safeguarding policies. The firm's expertise extends to the employment implications of sensitive employment disputes and shareholder activism.
  8. Fox Williams LLP
    3
    Fox Williams LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Fox Williams advises both City employers and senior executives across all manner of employment law, with a notable reputation for its work on severance negotiations and employment disputes. It has a strong history of representing individuals in cases of discrimination and whistle-blowing. The firm draws its clients from a range of sectors including financial services and insurance, where it demonstrates expertise in regulatory matters. It also advises public sector clients on TUPE matters.
  9. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
    3
    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Freshfields is noted for its work with large employers, particularly from the financial services sector, in complex employment matters such as remuneration disputes and whistle-blowing allegations. The firm provides additional expertise in transactional employment issues arising from corporate deals, including industrial relations resulting from M&A activity. The firm's other areas of work include investigations and boardroom disputes. It has demonstrable expertise in cases involving cross-border and multi-jurisdictional issues.
  10. Hogan Lovells
    3
    Hogan Lovells
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Hogan Lovells has a strong employment practice that advises on all manner of sensitive employment law issues. The firm is noted for its advice on employment matters relating to corporate transactions as well as for its work on investigations. The firm's international scope means the team is skilled at handling cross-border employment disputes. The firm advises a range of clients, including large public companies and banks.
  11. Macfarlanes LLP
    3
    Macfarlanes LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Macfarlanes acts for employers across the whole spectrum of employment law, with specific strength in litigation and regulatory matters for financial services clients. The firm's knowledge of partnership law strengthens the practice, as the team can advise on issues where employment and partnership law intersect. It offers additional expertise in the employment aspects of corporate transactions, as well as in relation to regulatory compliance and internal investigations.
  12. Osborne Clarke LLP
    3
    Osborne Clarke LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Osborne Clarke is an experienced team that works with clients in the technology, media and financial sectors. The firm advises clients on issues involving reputational risk including complex discrimination and whistle-blowing cases. The firm also advises on complicated TUPE transfer and employment issues relating to corporate acquisitions. It is able to leverage its international presence to handle cross-border matters.
  13. Squire Patton Boggs
    3
    Squire Patton Boggs
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Squire Patton Boggs is adept at handling global workforce transformation projects and large cross-border employment disputes. The firm also advises on complex litigation matters including discrimination claims and restrictive covenant disputes, as well as internal investigations. Its clients hail from a range of industries including retail, distribution and healthcare. The firm has notable expertise in the increasingly prominent field of equal pay disputes.
  14. Stephenson Harwood LLP
    3
    Stephenson Harwood LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Stephenson Harwood acts for employers on all types of employment law matters. The firm has extensive litigation experience, as well as knowledge of non-contentious issues, especially TUPE matters. It also has notable expertise in employment law issues arising in the rail industry. The firm is capable of handling cross-border matters for clients from a range of other sectors, including retail and hospitality.
  15. Travers Smith LLP
    3
    Travers Smith LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3 | 9 Years Ranked
    Travers Smith has an established employment team that assists clients with both contentious and non-contentious employment issues. The firm advises large multinational employers as well as smaller private and public companies. It has demonstrable experience acting for mid-market financial services clients. The firm also provides transactional employment support to the firm's corporate clients. The firm displays further strength advising employers on senior dismissals.
  16. Bird & Bird
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3
  17. CMS
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 3
4
Band 4
  1. Deloitte Legal
    4
    Deloitte Legal
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 4 | 9 Years Ranked
    Deloitte Legal is a highly skilled team that focuses on advising technology companies on their employment needs. The firm is also known for advising aviation and digital media clients, as well as regulated employers in the financial sector. The firm handles a range of matters including restrictive covenant enforcement, outsourcings and team moves. The firm has further expertise in relation to employment litigation, with regular work defending employers against equal pay claims as well as discrimination and unfair dismissal claims.
  2. Doyle Clayton
    4
    Doyle Clayton
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 4 | 9 Years Ranked
    Doyle Clayton is a specialist firm acting for employers and senior executives on a full range of issue relating to the workplace. The team is adept at advising senior employees on complex litigation, including that relating to restrictive covenants and injunctions. Its senior employee clientele includes legal professionals and C-suite executives. Its employer client base includes organisations operating in the insurance, retail and charities sectors, and it advises these groups on everything from employment litigation and internal investigations to business restructures and TUPE.
  3. Mayer Brown International LLP
    4
    Mayer Brown International LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 4 | 9 Years Ranked
    Mayer Brown International has deep knowledge and experience in assisting high-profile companies with complex contentious and non-contentious employment issues. The firm has demonstrable expertise handling whistle-blowing, discrimination and unfair dismissal claims. It is able to handle cross-jurisdictional employment issues for its international clientele. The firm regularly advises clients in the consumer goods, insurance and banking sectors.
  4. 4
    Reed Smith LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 4 | 9 Years Ranked
    Reed Smith has sector specialisms in media and financial services, advising on everything from Equality Act compliance to outsourcing and restrictive covenants. The firm is able to handle multi-jurisdictional projects including large-scale workforce restructuring and corporate transactions. The firm also demonstrates experience handling both Employment Tribunal and High Court disputes, with expertise including discrimination and unfair dismissal claims.
  5. Taylor Wessing
    4
    Taylor Wessing
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 4 | 9 Years Ranked
    Taylor Wessing advises large employers from the technology, financial services and life sciences sectors. The firm is adept at handling highly complex litigation in both the Employment Tribunal and the High Court. The firm also regularly advises clients on the employment aspects of corporate transactions. It frequently handles matters involving multiple jurisdictions.
5
Band 5
  1. Dentons
    5
    Dentons
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 5 | 9 Years Ranked
    Dentons has an established practice that acts for financial institutions and multinational corporations on all employment-related matters. The firm has demonstrable expertise in large cross-jurisdictional projects, complex TUPE matters and employment issues arising from corporate transactions. It benefits from an impressive network of international offices.
  2. Kingsley Napley LLP
    5
    Kingsley Napley LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 5 | 9 Years Ranked
    Kingsley Napley advises both employers and employees on a wide range of employment work. The firm is adept at handling contentious issues for senior executives, with the team regularly advising on litigation in the High Court and Employment Tribunal. It is also notable for its disputes work for employers as well as for its work on internal investigations. The firm is regularly sought out by financial institutions and clients from the professional services. The firm has notable experience working on cross-border matters. It draws upon the wider expertise of the firm to advise on sensitive matters of fraud in the workplace.
  3. McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP
    5
    McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 5 | 4 Years Ranked
    Employers rely on McDermott Will & Emery for business-critical HR advice, such as handling redundancies and senior exits as well as advising on TUPE transfers. The firm's market capabilities also include advising on commercial employment matters as well as discrimination, harassment and whistle-blowing claims. The firm sustains strong client relationships with global clients through its impressive international network.
  4. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
    5
    Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 5 | 2 Years Ranked
    Well-known companies seek advice from Morgan Lewis on the full spectrum of employment mandates, from non-contentious advisory work to employment litigation. The firm is also called upon to act as independent investigators on highly sensitive matters. Its broad range of sector capabilities includes particular knowledge of the life sciences market.
  5. Slaughter and May
    5
    Slaughter and May
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 5 | 6 Years Ranked
    Slaughter and May is a respected practice known for its advice to major corporates on the employment aspects of complex transactions. The firm frequently assists clients on significant TUPE matters. It also regularly works with financial services clients on internal investigations.
  6. Winckworth Sherwood
    5
    Winckworth Sherwood
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 5 | 2 Years Ranked
    Winckworth Sherwood is a well-regarded employment team that represents both senior executives and employers. The firm is respected for its work on a range of employment law matters, including whistle-blowing, discrimination, equal pay and dismissals. When advising senior employees, the team focuses its advice on clients from the professional and financial services sectors. It demonstrates experience acting in the Employment Tribunal and High Court.
  7. Withers LLP
    5
    Withers LLP
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 5 | 4 Years Ranked
    Withers LLP is renowned for its employment advice to senior professionals, including those working in media, technology and financial services. The team advises these clients on contract negotiations at the beginning of their employment, right through to exit negotiations. The lawyers at Withers are also highly capable when it comes to disputes resulting from breakdowns of those employment relationships. The team also works with employer clients, with a focus on mid-sized financial services groups and high-end brands. It also has notable expertise advising on regulatory employment matters.
  8. Norton Rose Fulbright
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 5
  9. Pinsent Masons
    Employment: Employer
    2023 | Band 5