Clifford Chance has announced record financial results for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2026.
Main financial data for the 2025/2026 financial year:
- Revenues of 2.6 billion pounds sterling, 9% higher than the previous year.
- Profit of 1.05 billion pounds, up 11%.
- Profit per equity partner (PEP) of 2.3 million pounds, up 9%.
- Since the 2022/23 financial year, the firm has achieved cumulative growth of £638 million in revenue and £295 million in profit, including a 65% increase in revenue in the US.
- Solid growth across all markets and products resulting from the strength of its global platform and the diversity of its customer base.
Charles Adams, Global Managing Partner at Clifford Chance, stated, “These record results reflect the trust our clients place in us to advise them on their most significant cross-border matters. In an increasingly complex and fragmented geopolitical environment, our global network and deep sector knowledge provide our clients with a competitive advantage. This strategy allows us to stand out among the market-leading firms and drives sustained growth in our profitability, while we continue to strengthen the firm with significant investments in talent and technology.”
Solid results across all products and regions
The firm’s global strategy, focused on customer needs, drove growth in all regions and practice areas.
The dynamism of the markets boosted demand for comprehensive and cross-border advice across the entire private equity spectrum, with strong activity in private equity/M&A, funds and asset management, restructurings, private credit and other related product lines.
The demand for advice continued to be driven by structural changes in sectors such as technology and artificial intelligence, healthcare and life sciences, defense, renewable energy, and infrastructure, including data centers and other digital infrastructure. These trends fueled our clients’ need for multidisciplinary and sector-specific advice on a global scale.
Revenue growth was widespread across all regions. Europe (including the UK) and the Middle East saw increases of 7% and 12%, respectively. Asia-Pacific grew by 26%, driven by the recovery in capital markets. The Americas, meanwhile, recorded an additional 9% growth, bringing the region’s cumulative revenue increase to over 65% during the past three years.
Charles Adams added that “with the return of confidence to global mergers and acquisitions activity, we have advised on some of the world’s largest and most complex M&A and private equity transactions. Our work in major business and investment centers demonstrates the value of our global platform, our sector knowledge, and the strength of our growing capabilities in the U.S.”
“Over the past three years, we have driven growth, profitability, and market recognition for our platform in the US. We anticipate a significant volume of lateral additions and are fully confident in our growth prospects.”
Continued investment in talent, artificial intelligence and operations
The investment in top-tier talent resulted in the promotion of 28 lawyers to partner globally, effective May 1, 2026. In addition, a total of 25 new lateral partners joined the firm worldwide. Of these promotions and lateral additions, 15 were based in the US.
The firm has continued to invest in artificial intelligence, technological tools for the delivery of legal services, infrastructure, and specialized internal capabilities, integrating these solutions into its work processes to support client counsel. With an AI adoption rate exceeding 90% across the firm, these investments are driving greater efficiency, deeper insights, and more agile execution, contributing to generating value for clients at scale.
The firm has also continued to invest in upgrading its global office network, including its new headquarters in Paris, Houston and London, as well as expanding its facilities in New York.
