Bristol is now “considered by some” as the UK’s second city for legal work, according to the latest edition of respected national industry guide The Legal 500.
The city not only serves as a hub for many South West-based firms, but has also been a popular location for national firms seeking to keep their costs competitive for certain legal services, it says. 
The annual publication acts as a reference tool for organisations buying legal services and features ranking of law firms across all main practice areas along with lists of the leading individuals, ‘next-generation partners’ and ‘rising stars’.
But it also serves as a barometer of the legal sector by measuring the fortunes of individual firms as well as taking the temperature of the market in the regions.
It has long highlighted Bristol’s rise as a legal centre and ability to punch above its weight, but this year goes further with its comment that the city is now being viewed as number two for legal work outside the capital.
Underlining that is the arrival of Clyde & Co – the latest London firm to open a base in Bristol.
“Similarly, several regional firms have continued to carve out a substantial presence in Bristol,” it says, pointing out that South West firm Foot Anstey has recently bolstered its Bristol-based corporate and insolvency teams, while Womble Bond Dickinson’s head of litigation moved to the firm’s Bristol office from Plymouth.
“Also of note, within the space of a week in January 2018, Metcalfes Solicitors purchased Burroughs Day out of administration and was then, itself, taken over by London-based Gordon Dadds – another potential London foothole in the burgeoning Bristol market,” it says.
“Any relative newcomers, however,” it concludes, “will find tough competition from firms with long-established and well-respected Bristol bases, such as Burges Salmon, Osborne Clarke, DAC Beachcroft, TLT, VWV, Bevan Brittan and Clarke Willmott.”
Bristol Business News will carry a full round-up of the Bristol firms and individuals highlighted in The Legal 500 next week.
