Shoosmiths

Shoosmiths is a large national law firm based in the UK.

Founded in 1845 by William Shoosmith in Northampton, it made its name outside the major cities before targeting key commercial hubs. Now, with 13 offices from London to Belfast, it’s a serious player on the national stage.

Today, the firm boasts more than 1,600 staff across its offices, including over 210 partners.

London has been a major focus in recent years. Shoosmiths set up shop in the City in 2014 and hasn’t stopped growing. The firm has expanded rapidly through strategic lateral hires, and now boasts a highly-regarded corporate/M&A practice.

Backing the expansion, Shoosmiths moved to a 40,000 sq ft office at No.1 Bow Churchyard in 2021 - five times the size of its previous London base. With two floors of dedicated client space, the move signalled Shoosmiths’ intent to compete at the highest level.

Shoosmiths is a national heavyweight at heart but went international in 2022, launching in Brussels to boost its EU regulatory and competition law capability - a key pillar for any top-tier M&A adviser. While its roots remain firmly in the UK, much of the firm’s work carries an international dimension.

The firm thrives on mid-market corporate and M&A work. In 2023, in fact, it was the UK’s most active M&A legal adviser, handling deals worth over £7 billion. That momentum only grew in 2024, with Shoosmiths advising on over 370 transactions valued at more than £10.4 billion - the busiest year ever for its corporate practice.

Financially speaking, Shoosmith’s trajectory is most definitely up and to the right. In the 2024/25 financial year revenue reached £217 million, while PEP breached £1 million.