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Macfarlanes LLP

Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
No. of offices	Two (London and Brussels)
No. of lawyers	Approximately 600
No. of employees	Approximately 940
Major practice areas	General practice
Key people	Sebastian Prichard Jones (Senior Partner) Luke Powell (Managing Partner) Katherine Milliken (Chief Operating Officer)
Revenue	£303.7 million (2021/22)
Profit per equity partner	£2.48 million (2021/22)
Date founded	1875 (London)
Company type	Limited liability partnership
Website	www.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. It is regarded as forming part of the "Silver Circle" of leading UK law firms.

History

Macfarlanes was founded in the City of London in 1875 by George Watson Neish. In 1894 Neish was joined in partnership by John Embleton Macfarlane and the firm moved to premises in Watling Street. 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. The firm has grown organically over the years to its current size and has never merged.

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

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. In October 2010 the firm announced that it would be introducing a new senior solicitor level from early 2011. 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

Main practice areas

Macfarlanes' main practice areas are:

• 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

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

Notable alumni

Notable alumni of Macfarlanes include:

• David Gauke, Conservative MP and former Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
• Sir David Tang, noted socialite (joined as a trainee solicitor, but left before completing his training contract)
• Vanni Treves CBE, former senior partner of the firm and chairman of Channel Four Television Corporation

References

1. "Contact us". Macfarlanes. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
2. ^ "Macfarlanes". The Lawyer. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
3. ^ "Key Facts". Macfarlanes. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
4. ^ "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. ^ "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.

External links

• Macfarlanes website

• Macfarlanes Private Capital Solutions website

• Law firms of the United Kingdom
• Law firms established in 1875
• 1875 establishments in the United Kingdom