Research from Acritas says that there is one clear winner in the growing of brand awareness in the UK. 'When looking at which firms are making smart moves and compelling propositions, Pinsent Masons is the star of the show,' said Lisa Hart Shepherd, CEO of Acritas. It has risen twice as fast as the second-fastest law firm over the last year. Eversheds is still the front-runner on UK brand awareness, just keeping ahead of Pinsents.

Decline outside London

There are clear warnings for the Magic Circle practices. These firms and Herbert Smith Freehills 'continue to dominate the much prized London market', says the research organisation - and Linklaters is the one among them which has gained most in terms of brand development in the UK capital. However, Linklaters has seen 'an overall decline in international markets'. What might worry these leading firms most is the Acritas comment: 'We have however seen the overall brand equity of the Magic Circle diminish by a collective 15 per ce t in the broader UK market, as competitors have strengthened and gained brand equity at the former leaders’ expense.'

Impact of the US firms

Eversheds is congratulated for a 'consistent performance over the past four years', pushing it into the special Acritas top ten table for London. The researchers also point to the US firms in London as 'the ones to watch', specifically highlighting the steady brand build of 'Reed Smith, Jones Day, White & Case and MoFo'. Source: Acritas