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Macfarlanes LLP
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
No. of officesTwo (London and Brussels)[1]
No. of lawyersApproximately 600[2]
No. of employeesApproximately 940[2]
Major practice areasGeneral practice
Key peopleSebastian Prichard Jones[3]
(Senior Partner)
Luke Powell[3]
(Managing Partner)
Katherine Milliken[3]
(Chief Operating Officer)
Revenue£303.7 million (2021/22)[4]
Profit per equity partner£2.48 million (2021/22)[4]
Date founded1875 (London)
Company typeLimited liability partnership
Websitewww.macfarlanes.com

Macfarlanes LLP is a London-based law firm.

In 2021/22, Macfarlanes achieved total revenues of £303.7 million and profits per equity partner of £2.48 million, respectively the 28th-largest and highest among UK-based law firms.[5] It is regarded as forming part of the "Silver Circle" of leading UK law firms.[6][7][8][9]

History

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Macfarlanes was founded in the City of London in 1875 by George Watson Neish.[3] In 1894 Neish was joined in partnership by John Embleton Macfarlane and the firm moved to premises in Watling Street.[3] The firm's offices suffered bomb damage during the Second World War. In 1958, the firm moved to a new office, Dowgate Hill House. In 1962, the firm adopted its current name Macfarlanes, named after then-senior partner Craig Macfarlane.[3] The firm has grown organically over the years to its current size and has never merged.[3]

Vanni Treves was the firm's senior partner from 1987 to 1999.[9][10] Macfarlanes converted to a limited liability partnership in May 2008.[11]

In September 2010, Macfarlanes advised Four Seasons Health Care, the largest UK-based care home group, on the restructuring of its £1.6 billion debt facilities.[12] In October 2010 the firm announced that it would be introducing a new senior solicitor level from early 2011.[13] In July 2012 Macfarlanes advised Stanhope, backed by Mitsui Fudosan UK and the Alberta Investment Management Corporation, on its purchase of the BBC Television Centre.[14]

In January 2012, Macfarlanes was joined by a nine-strong team from the boutique specialist hedge fund law firm, D Harris & Co International Limited, to complement the firm's existing hedge funds practice.[15]

In September 2013, Macfarlanes advised Verizon Communications on its acquisition of Vodafone's 45 per cent interest in Verizon Wireless for $130 billion,[16] one of the biggest deals in corporate history.[17]

It was named Law Firm of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2014[18] and UK Law Firm of the Year 2015 at the Chambers Europe Awards for Excellence.[19] In 2023, Macfarlanes was shortlisted for City Law Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards.[20]

In recognition of the firm's efforts to widen its talent pool and improve access to the legal profession,[21] Macfarlanes won Best Social Mobility Strategy at the targetjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2023.[22]

Macfarlanes is among the firms operating a 'pass-first time' policy for training contract students sitting the SQE.[23]

Main practice areas

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Macfarlanes' main practice areas are:[24]

  • Antitrust/competition
  • Commercial, brands, IP and IT
  • Construction and engineering
  • Corporate and M&A
  • Derivatives and trading
  • Employment
  • Finance
  • Financial services regulation
  • Insurance
  • Investment management
  • Lawtech
  • Litigation and dispute resolution
  • Pensions and pensions de-risking
  • Private capital solutions
  • Private client
  • Private equity
  • Public policy
  • Real estate
  • Restructuring and insolvency
  • Reward
  • Tax

List of senior partners

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  • Herbert James (1984-1987)
  • Vanni Treves (1987-1999)
  • Robert Sutton (1999-2008)
  • Charles Martin (2008-2020)
  • Sebastian Prichard Jones (2020-)

Notable alumni

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Notable alumni of Macfarlanes include:

References

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  1. ^ "Contact us". Macfarlanes. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Macfarlanes". The Lawyer. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Key Facts". Macfarlanes. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  4. ^ a b "UK Top 50 Full Results: PEP Hits a Wall As Uncertainty Lingers". Legal Week. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  5. ^ https://www.law.com/international-edition/2024/09/11/uk-top-50-ranked-by-profit-per-equity-partner/?slreturn=2024110894937
  6. ^ "Silver Circle". The Lawyer. 3 September 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  7. ^ "'Silver circle' firms upset the legal order". The Times. 28 August 2005. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  8. ^ "Focus: Macfarlanes: Mac to the future". The Lawyer. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  9. ^ a b "Macfarlanes". Legal Week. 14 December 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  10. ^ "Corporate charmer coaxing cash for children's charity". The Guardian. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  11. ^ "New chief spearheads Macfarlanes' LLP switch". The Lawyer. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  12. ^ "Macfarlanes instructed on Four Seasons Debt Restructure". The Lawyer. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  13. ^ "Macfarlanes introduces senior associate tier". The Lawyer. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  14. ^ "Macfarlanes, Hogan Lovells switched on for £200m BBC TV Centre sale". Legal Week. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  15. ^ "Macfarlanes bolts on boutique in funds boost". The Lawyer. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  16. ^ Beioley, Kate. "Macfarlanes and Slaughters lead as Verizon buys Vodafone stake". The Lawyer. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  17. ^ Peston, Robert (2 September 2013). "BBC News - Vodafone sells Verizon stake for $130bn". BBC News. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  18. ^ "Macfarlanes, Mishcon de Reya and LV among prize winners at British Legal Awards 2014". LegalWeek.com. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  19. ^ "Winners". Chambers Europe. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  20. ^ "The Lawyer Awards 2023: Who's made the shortlist". The Lawyer. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Macfarlanes recognised for Best Social Mobility Strategy at targetjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2023". Macfarlanes. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Targetjobs Award Winners 2023". Macfarlanes. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  23. ^ Cheek, Legal (2024-03-21). "Macfarlanes future trainees fear for careers amid firm's 'must pass first time' SQE policy". Legal Cheek. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  24. ^ "Practice areas". Macfarlanes LLP. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
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