Wragge & Co has unveiled its headline financial performance for 2011-12, with turnover growing 5% to £118.2m.

The result, which improves on last year's figure of £113m, was driven in part by a strong performance from the firm's commercial litigation practice, which saw a 12% hike. Turnover in the pensions practice rose 8% and in real estate grew 6%.

Broken down by region, UK turnover rose 3.4% during 2011-12 to £104.8m, while Germany revenues grew 20% to €1m (£806,000) and China turnover almost tripled to pass the £1m mark.

The figures are the first since the top 30 UK law firm bolted on a Dubai office via an existing local joint venture with Wragge & Co Legal Consultants in late 2011, adding to a base in Abu Dhabi which launched in December 2010.

The firm is still finalising its 2011-12 profits per equity partner (PEP) figure. Managing partner Ian Metcalfe (pictured) said Wragges had fallen a little behind budget after it was "slightly fooled" by a strong final quarter of 2010-11.

"We were concerned that our performance would be behind the market, but the challenging conditions have obviously taken their toll on the legal market as a whole.

"But with plus 3% growth in the UK and 5% across the group, we're getting more and more pleased with our results as a picture emerges of wider sector performance," he commented.

Metcalfe added: "For the year ahead, the market will continue to be characterised by uncertainty and demanding clients. I'm not a big fan of outsourcing. We like to keep our staff doing our work where possible. Having a large office in Birmingham is a big advantage on this one."