Top litigation firms of 2025: Volume, high-value and courtroom heavyweights
Featured in the Year in Review 2025, Solomonic’s annual law firm rankings spotlight the firms leading the market in commercial litigation and insolvency - ranked by caseload, high-value matters and courtroom dominance.
For the first time, we explored how litigation work is held across the market in terms of ongoing and active disputes. On this measure, concentration is slightly higher and supports the view that larger firms tend to run cases more likely to take longer to resolve. This is also historically consistent, in 2025, the top 30 firms account for 26.7% of all active claims, a level that has remained broadly consistent since 2020.
While newly issued claims highlight shifts in where new work lands, the stock of live disputes shows a litigation market that is largely secure..
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Find this analysis, the following rankings and additional exclusive insights into litigation trends in the full annual report. Access it here.
The numbers behind the biggest litigation firms - Top firms by new claim volume
Given the distribution of work, it is helpful to explore who makes up the top 30 firms and how that work has been shared. Our ranking table highlights the leading firms based on claim volumes, tracking changes in rank and revealing a mix of established powerhouses and ambitious challengers shaking up the leaderboard. These firms have been entrusted with handling a significant volume of cases. The top 30 ranking highlights how claims are distributed among the highest performing firms and identifies those that consistently take on the greatest litigation workloads.
The law firms handling the highest volume of new claims in the civil courts of England and Wales, as well as the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
At the very top, stability prevails. Clyde & Co retained first place for the fourth consecutive year, with DAC Beachcroft in second with an equally established hold on their top spot. DWF and Kennedys continue to assert their heavyweight credentials in third and fourth. Rounding out the top five, Seddons GSC has made a notable move up the table, climbing 13 places.
Litigation leaders RPC, Hill Dickinson, Weightmans and TLT all delivered strong performances to finish within the top ten. Pinsent Masons recorded the sharpest rise up the rankings, jumping 17 places – one of the standout advances in this year’s rankings.
Top claimant firms by new claim volume
These top-ranked firms are the powerhouses of claimant litigation.
The law firms handling the most new claimant-side claims in 2025.
These top-ranked firms are the powerhouses of claimant litigation, the table highlights law firms handling claimant-side claims in 2025.
Seddons GSC leads the way, increasing claimant case volume by 55%. Clyde & Co also remains a strong presence at the top, maintaining its high-volume profile and inching closer to an even split between claimant and defendant work.
A new entrant to even the top 100, Kesar & Co skyrocketed to joint third place, taking on 100% claimant cases and demonstrating that concentrated claimant activity can propel firms quickly up the rankings. There was almost no decrease in the number of claimant cases from Hamlins, securing them joint third.
Hill Dickinson, Irwin Mitchell and Pinsent Masons all had a strengthened claimant focus, contributing to significant rises in their rankings.
Rothley Law, Mishcon de Reya and Knights also performed strongly in the top ten.
Top defendant firms by new claim volume
Trusted for navigating complex disputes and mitigating risk, these law firms lead for advising defendants
The law firms handling the most new defendant-side claims in 2025.
The table highlights law firms handling defendant-side claims in 2025. Trusted guardians in managing complex disputes and minimising legal risk, these are the leading defenders.
DAC Beachcroft leads the table, securing first place with a slight increase in the proportion of claims handled for defendants. Kennedys and DWF remain key players in the top tier, with stable overall positions.
Clyde & Co continues to balance high claimant activity with significant defendant work. RPC and Weightmans also retain strong defendant work footings.
Among firms gaining ground, TLT, Browne Jacobson and Keoghs demonstrate an overall growth in caseloads, driving upward movement in their rankings.
Top firms by hearing days
The law firms with the highest volume of days in court (hearing days) in 2025.
Hearing day equivalents (days in court) provide a window into which firms handle disputes that frequently progress to trial or demand significant court time. Trials are just part of the story — significant time is also devoted to pre-trial proceedings, underscoring these firms’ courtroom expertise.
Following their reign over the volume of claims issued, Clyde & Co takes an impressive first place for most days in court, up on their 2024 hearings number. RPC and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer also remained in the top three. Kennedys and Pinsent Masons both had more days in court and moved up the rankings.
Top firms by active claims
The law firms with the highest volume of active claims in 2025.
New claims signal business growth, but active disputes show which firms and litigation teams are carrying the heaviest caseloads. Looking at claims active in 2025 (based on recorded file activity), the leaders are formidable forces, but the ranking also highlights firms less active in new claims that are clearly busy in the courtroom.
Most firms have maintained their positioning, with Clyde & Co securing the top spot for another consecutive year. DAC Beachcroft, DWF, RPC and Kennedys make up the top five. Weightmans, CMS and Leigh Day all secured their positions.
Top insolvency firms by new claim volume
The Insolvency and Companies List functions as a distinct and highly specialised court and continues to experience a heavy workload as insolvency volumes rise. Firms with a strong insolvency focus teams remain at the forefront, though a number of commercial firms are also performing well. The sustained increase in insolvencies across sectors has increased competition, with firms competing for a greater share of work. Some have retained their market position whilst many have worked hard to secure a place in the rankings.
The law firms handling the most new Insolvency and Companies List claims in 2025.
Freeths remains the standout insolvency firm for a third consecutive year, recording its busiest year yet. Pannone Corporate and Coltman Warner Cranston also retain their positions in the top three. Ward Hadaway and Irwin Mitchell shuffle positions in the top five.
Shoosmiths demonstrate notable upward momentum, increasing case volumes by 78% compared with 2024 and moving from 19th to sixth place, reflecting a rapid expansion in their insolvency focus.
Top firms involved in high value disputes
The law firms involved in the highest volume of £1 million claims handled in 2025
Assessing claim value by law firms provides critical insight into market performance, highlighting which firms are securing the most high-stakes cases. While case volume is important, the value of claims handled offers a nuanced measure of a firm’s ability to attract and navigate complex, high-value disputes. This ranking tracks the volume of £1 million+ claims that firms handled throughout 2025. Familiar commercial heavyweights dominate.
Clyde & Co retains its position at number one.
DAC Beachcroft, Mishcon de Reya, Pinsent Masons and CMS are all go-to firms for high-value litigation, as they complete the top five.
Bird & Bird, Eversheds Sutherland, Freshfields, Osborne Clarke, BCLP and Taylor Wessing have also feature prominently, having moved up the rankings on the back of high-value workseen a notable influx of higher value cases, moving them all significantly up the rankings.
Top firms by highest median claim value (*with at least 10 claims)
The law firms with the highest median claim value, along with their total claim value for 2025
When assessing claim value, averages provide insight into the scale of work handled by different firms. The ranking focuses on median claim value, which offers a more accurate reflection of a firm’s typical caseload compared to the mean. This approach eliminates the need to exclude exceptionally high-value claims, resulting in a more complete picture.
Bird & Bird and Freshfields both enjoy instructions on high-value claims, each recording a median claim value of £10 million. Kennedys also secured a significant slice of high-value work, achieving the highest total claim value of 2025.
The Solomonic Year in Review 2025 goes beyond the headlines, offering unique data on judges and judgments, claim length and risk areas, the most-watched cases among our users and much more. Stay ahead of the trends shaping civil litigation.