Simmons & Simmons has become the latest firm to post its half-year results, with the top 20 practice seeing a 6% increase in revenues for the first half of the current financial year.

The 200-partner firm generated fee income of £124.8m for the first six months of the 2011-12 year – up from £117.7m at the same point last year. The top-line rise translated into a 24% increase in profits.

The firm reported a 3% drop in fee income for 2010-11 to £243m – making it one of the few major City law firms to post falling revenues – with profits per equity partner (PEP) dipping marginally to £460,000.

Simmons managing partner Jeremy Hoyland said that the revenue increase was attributable to strong performances in both its contentious practice and its offices in Germany, France, Spain and Belgium.

He commented: '"This is a solid first half performance, despite market conditions becoming more difficult as the six months progressed. The rest of this financial year will undoubtedly be challenging, in particular given the ongoing uncertainty across the Eurozone and the impact this has on the global economy, and we will continue to look for opportunities to build upon our strengths."

Simmons' results are broadly in line with the majority of UK firms to have so far released their half-year revenue figures, with many major practices achieving solid growth in the first six months of the current financial year.

Allen & Overy, Taylor Wessing, Olswang, Ashurst and pre-merger Clyde & Co are among the firms posting double-digit increases, while Norton Rose and Pinsent Masons saw fee income climb by 7% and 6% respectively.

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