Freeths reports 8.2% profit rise as turnover hits £187.6m

Freeths reports 8.2% profit rise as turnover hits £187.6m

National managing partner Karl Jansen

Freeths has reported an 8.2% rise in profits and a rise in turnover of more than 12% to £187.6m for the year ending March 31, 2026.

The law firm said the results mark the firm’s “fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth, with turnover increasing by 83% over the past five years”, despite a significant investment programme.

It claimed deeper relationships with established clients, an increase in new client instructions and increasing demand for specialist advice as organisations and individuals navigate regulatory change, economic and geopolitical uncertainty, alongside increasingly complex challenges and opportunities were the main drivers behind its growth.

Corporate, employment, and planning & environment recorded particularly strong performances, with turnover up 24%, 33% and 27% respectively. Growth in these areas was driven by demand for advice on private equity, mergers and acquisitions and international transactions, workplace reform, and major infrastructure and water-related projects.

Freeths continued to work with longstanding clients including Aldi, Mercedes-Benz, Barratt, Redrow and Travis Perkins. The firm also secured instructions from new clients including Holland & Barrett, Finance Earth and ExCeL London.

New client wins rose 9% year on year, while turnover from the firm’s top 50 clients increased by 11%. It highlighted that complex, high-value work played a role in its strong performance, including advising Centrica on its circa £370 million acquisition of the Severn Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine power station, Gleeds on contractual arrangements linked to the £136 billion Sellafield decommissioning programme, and Equiniti in major data protection litigation progressing to the Supreme Court.

Freeths performed strongly across its UK office network, with London recording a 22% turnover increase, Bristol achieving 21% growth and Glasgow achieving a 43% rise in its second full financial year. It also hired 187 new colleagues across its legal and business support teams, made 16 strategic lateral partner hires and promoted 86 people, including 14 partner promotions. Freeths also awarded £4.3 million in staff bonuses across the business.

National managing partner Karl Jansen, said: “Organisations are navigating increasingly complex commercial, regulatory and workforce challenges and need advisers who understand the wider context and can bring together the right insight, experience and expertise to deliver better solutions and outcomes.

“Our focus on service quality and long-term partnerships has been instrumental in our progress, and our performance reflects the strength of our relationships and the increasing breadth of work entrusted to Freeths, with established clients turning to us for broader support, and new client instructions driven by our national capability, sector knowledge and practical, personal advice.

“As part of our commitment to developing innovative solutions that deliver clear value for our clients, we have continued to invest in our people and technology, while also ensuring that our colleagues share in the success they helped create.”

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