1,265 clients participate in flagship Legal Week report, including 71% of FTSE 100

Slaughter and May, Simmons & Simmons and Bird & Bird have emerged as the City's top-performing law firms based on client feedback, as part of a major research project from Legal Week.

The trio were the top-rated international firms according to Legal Week Intelligence's seventh annual Client Satisfaction Report, which is based on responses from 1,265 senior in-house lawyers and finance directors.

The flagship project from Legal Week's independent research arm is its most comprehensive client survey to date and includes rankings of 71 UK and US firms based on responses from 903 companies operating in the UK. The report covers 71% of the FTSE 100.

Clients graded firms on seven criteria: quality of legal advice; quality of commercial advice; cost/billing practice; alternative billing options; service delivery/responsiveness; use of IT; and personal/partner relationships.

Slaughters was the highest ranked firm within the UK top 20, receiving an average score of 7.7 out of 10. The firm's lowest grade was for costs/billing practices, for which it was given six. Narrowly behind, Simmons and Bird & Bird were ranked second and third, both receiving an average client score of 7.6.

Bird & Bird chief executive David Kerr (pictured) commented: "This is great and very encouraging. We have put in a huge effort over the last year to improve client services in every respect. The firm took a view that the number one priority at the moment is client satisfaction and trying to get that right is fundamental to the business."

Slaughters senior partner Chris Saul commented "We pedal hard every day as we know how competitive the legal market is. We keep pushing to be responsive to our clients' needs."

Simmons managing partner Mark Dawkins said: "We are extremely pleased with the result, which reflects the fact that for many years we have focused our international business on building deep and lasting relationships with clients in our four key industry sectors."

Other standout performers include Olswang and Ince & Co, the top-rated firms in the City category. Other City firms to receive strong client feedback included Charles Russell, Stephenson Harwood and Travers Smith. Hammonds emerged as the strongest national firm, averaging 7.5 out of 10.

Hammonds managing partner Peter Crossley said: "More than ever firms need to be pragmatic, commercial and innovative. It is about good quality legal and commercial advice, great service delivery and solid, transparent client partner relationships."

A ranking of 12 US law firms in London saw Sidley Austin and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton among the top-ranked firms.

However, a number of major firms achieved below-trend scores from clients, including Clifford Chance (CC), Baker & McKenzie, Shearman & Sterling and Norton Rose. CC was the lowest-ranked firm in the City/international category.

In contrast, clients gave some firms outside the UK top 50 exceptional feedback, with Bond Pearce and Reynolds Porter Chamberlain achieving some of the highest scores in the research.

The report also illustrates widely-varying degrees of satisfaction for the different criteria, with clients in general rating firms highly on quality of legal advice but poorly on costs and alternative billing, despite mounting pressure on law firms to reform billing practices. The report found that the average FTSE 100 respondent had an annual legal spend of £18.7m.

The 150-page report, which includes extended profiles of 37 of the largest firms alongside qualitative client feedback on individual firms, will be published at the beginning of December.

[asset_library_tag 2123,Click here for a full summary PDF of the report].