Simmons & Simmons has posted an 8% revenue hike for the first six months of the 2014-15 financial year.

The firm has brought in just over £140m, up from the previous year's figure of £130m. Simmons managing partner Jeremy Hoyland (pictured) estimated profit may have also increased by double digits at the half-year stage.

Hoyland told Legal Week: "Improving market conditions in the UK, which is one of the countries with the most growth, have been a big feature of the results. We have also grown by focusing on the areas where we lead the market. We are starting to develop powerful offerings to the market which is no less competitive than it was a year ago.

"There is no doubt finance has had a good year, and the transactional markets and funds business have improved. By geographies, the UK has had the largest growth while Europe has been more mixed, although Germany and the Netherlands performed well. On the whole things have gotten tough in China, where partners are working hard but there is a lot of competition."

The news comes after the firm yesterday outlined plans to open an office in Luxembourg, with five new partners lined up to staff the base.

The Luxembourg launch will focus on meeting demand from clients in the asset management & investment funds and financial institutions sectors.

Meanwhile the firm last month launched a freelance lawyer service, which offers a pool of self-employed lawyers available to work on a contract basis.

Other firms recently unveiling their half-year financials include Olswang, which posted an 11% rise in revenue to £63.9m, and RPC, which saw turnover grow by 16% rise to £46m.