‘Out-of-the-box thinking’ and a ‘culture with their clients at the heart of it’ – 2025 legal directories laud ‘exceptional’ Penningtons Manches Cooper

Posted: 07/11/2024

Penningtons Manches Cooper has been recognised in the latest legal directories for its excellent service and understanding of clients’ needs. Noted for its ‘consistently high quality work’ across business, private individual, real estate, and dispute resolution matters, the firm has been listed in both The Legal 500 2025 and Chambers UK 2025. Furthermore, Penningtons Manches Cooper has been featured in The Times Best Law Firms list 2025, reaffirming its status as one of the leading legal practices in England and Wales.

The independent analyses provided by the legal directories are acknowledged to be the leading sources of information on the UK’s current legal market, drawing on a range of comprehensive research including client testimonials, endorsements from fellow lawyers, and feedback from experts. International market research agency Statista is responsible for compiling The Times’ Best Law Firms list, which draws on recommendations from other solicitors and barristers to create an insightful list of the standout law firms in their fields. 

In The Legal 500, Penningtons Manches Cooper has been ranked as a top tier firm in 14 practice areas, as well as being recommended in a further 55. Moving up to band 1 this year was the intellectual property team, receiving praise for its ‘client-centred approach which is built on trust, empathy and clear communication’. Retaining its top ranked position from previous years was the ‘collaborative, responsive, practical and knowledgeable’ IT and telecoms practice, as well as the corporate team, which a client noted ‘provided excellent service and advice’. Members of the commercial dispute team, meanwhile, were described as ‘great litigators, who are strategically astute, technically strong and commercial’. Also top ranked this year was the commercial real estate team – ‘very talented, dedicated and personable professionals’ – alongside the housing team – ‘an absolute pleasure to work with’. The ‘responsive, curious and pragmatic’ employment team was described as ‘a fantastic blend of knowledge and approachability’ – with the personal injury and clinical negligence teams similarly noted to be ‘caring, realistic, professional and efficient’ – ‘Everyone I have encountered at Penningtons Manches Cooper has been very compassionate and friendly, but professional at the same time.' Finally, the private client team was commended for its ‘impressive balance of skill, professionalism and insight’, with the family law team described as possessing ‘a well-deserved reputation as one of the strongest’; offering ‘magic circle advice with a friendly local feel’ and having ‘strength in depth… that most firms look at with envy’. From an individual recognition perspective, a total of 217 of the firm’s lawyers have been mentioned by name in the directory’s commentary, with 41 lawyers named as elite ‘Leading partners’, and a further six included in The Legal 500’s prestigious ‘Hall of Fame’. 15 lawyers have been ranked as 'Next Generation Partners', alongside 22 'Leading associates'.

In Chambers UK 2025, Penningtons Manches Cooper has been listed as a band 1 firm in eight practice areas, with 45 teams ranked in total. Newly ranked in band 1 this year was the IT team, with one client commenting ‘I have never had better service’. Maintaining its band 1 ranking, the intellectual property team was commended for ‘an impressive level of knowledge and advice and very strong responsiveness’, while the real estate and real estate litigation teams were described respectively as ‘very experienced and knowledgeable’ and ‘excellent… always aware of current issues facing housing and the real estate industry’. Similarly ranked in the top band was the family law team, for its ‘trusted and insightful advice’, and for being ‘notably friendly and committed to their clients’, and ‘highly skilled lawyers who are very personable - a great combination’. Finally, the ‘extremely helpful, professional, descriptive and understanding’ clinical negligence team also maintained its top ranking from last year. In total, 95 individual rankings were achieved throughout the firm, with 14 lawyers listed in the top tier.

Finally, in the latest edition of The Times Best Law Firms list, for 2025, Penningtons Manches Cooper was specifically commended for its expertise in the fields of employment law, family law, personal injury, and clinical negligence. 

For full details of Penningtons Manches Cooper’s directory rankings, please click here for The Legal 500 and here for Chambers UK, and here for The Times Best Law Firms list 2025.

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