Pinsent Masons LLP is a multinational law firm which specialises in the energy, infrastructure, financial services, real estate and technology, science & industry sectors.[3] The firm ranks among the top hundred law firms in the world by turnover.[4]

Pinsent Masons
HeadquartersCrown Place
London, EC2
United Kingdom
No. of offices26
No. of employees3000[1]
Revenue£605.9 million (2022/23)[2]
Date founded1769
Company typeLimited liability partnership
Websitewww.pinsentmasons.com

Pinsent Masons LLP has over 430 partners, a total legal team of around 1,900 people and more than 3,000 employees.[5] More than 500 of the firm's staff are based in its international headquarters in the City of London. It has more PLC clients than any law firm except one.[6]

Pinsent Masons was named 'Law Firm of the Year' in 2021 and 2016 by respected industry magazine Legal Business,[7] 'Law Firm of the Year 2018' at The Lawyer Awards[8] and 'Law Firm of the Year' 2016 at Law.com's British Legal Awards.[9] In 2020 and 2015 it was named 'The Most Innovative Law Firm in Europe' by the Financial Times.[10]

The firm has 26 offices across Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. In 2017, Pinsent Masons entered into an association with Saudi-based law firm AlSabhan & Alajaji.[11]

History edit

Pinsent Masons has roots dating back to 1769. The modern day firm is the product of a series of mergers between firms including Pinsent & Co, Masons, Simpson Curtis, Biddle & Co, L'Estrange & Brett and McGrigors. Alumni of the legacy firms include former British Chancellor Alistair Darling.[12]

 
Pinsent Masons offices on Park Row, Leeds.

The firm's recent history has been dominated by a process of internationalisation. Over the past decade it has developed a presence in key major cities around the world: Beijing (2007), Singapore (2009), Paris (2012), Munich (2012), Brussels (2015), Sydney (2015), Melbourne (2015), Düsseldorf (2016), Johannesburg (2016), Madrid (2017), Dublin (2017), Perth (2017) and Frankfurt (2019).[13]

The firm's board is led by Senior Partner Andrew Masraf[14] and Managing Partner John Cleland. In 2016 the firm announced the appointment of former Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander as a strategic adviser,[15] and appointed its first external board member in the form of former banker Pauline Egan.[16]

Strategy edit

Unlike many firms of its size, the firm professes to specialise in only five global sectors: financial services, technology, science & industry, energy, real estate and infrastructure.[17]

Innovation edit

Pinsent Masons has won awards for innovation.[18] In 2013 it was in the vanguard of firms to launch a contract lawyer service, called Vario.[19] It also secured mandates to act as 'sole adviser' to corporates including Balfour Beatty[20] and E.ON.[21] In 2015 the firm acquired the majority stake in Cerico, an online compliance business.[22]

Diversity edit

Pinsent Masons is the highest ranked professional services firm in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.[23] It is also ranked among The Times Top 50 Workplaces for Women 2016.[24] David Isaac, a partner of the firm, was appointed as Chair of the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2016.[25]

References edit

  1. ^ "Pinsent Masons | People".
  2. ^ "Pinsent Masons announces FY22/23 results".
  3. ^ "Pinsents sees slowdown in growth as turnover up 5.5% to £382m | The Lawyer | Legal News and Jobs | Advancing the business of law". www.thelawyer.com. 3 July 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  4. ^ Business, Legal. "Global 100 2017 – Main Table". legalbusiness.co.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2016. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ "People". Pinsent Masons. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Law firms top rankings – Adviser Rankings Limited". adviser-rankings.com. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  7. ^ Business, Legal. "2016 Winners | www.legalbusiness.co.uk". www.legalbusiness.co.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2016. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ "The Lawyer Awards: Pinsents triumphs as firm of the year 2018". The Lawyer | Legal insight, benchmarking data and jobs. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  9. ^ "British Legal Awards Law Firm of the Year: Pinsent Masons". LegalWeek.com. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  10. ^ "FT Innovative Lawyers Awards Europe 2015 organised by FT Live". FT Live. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  11. ^ "Global Reach". www.pinsentmasons.com. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Nobody's Darling". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  13. ^ "Pinsent Masons to open first African office". African Law & Business. 2 August 2016.
  14. ^ Masraf, Andrew. "Andrew Masraf". Pinsent Masons. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  15. ^ "Former Labour MP Douglas Alexander joins Pinsent Masons as 'strategic advisor'". Daily Record. 1 March 2016.
  16. ^ Farman, Madeleine (18 April 2016). "Blog: Revolving doors: Pinsent Masons makes board appointments as BLP and Mayer Brown make City hires". legalbusiness.co.uk.
  17. ^ "Richard Foley: leadership changes won't shift sector focus at Pinsent Masons". LegalWeek.com. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  18. ^ "Solutions". Pinsent Masons. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  19. ^ "Pinsent Masons to launch freelance lawyer service | Managing Partner". Archived from the original on 7 July 2013.
  20. ^ "Balfour Beatty appoints Pinsent Masons as sole advisor on Retained Work".
  21. ^ Beioley, Kate (3 October 2013). "Pinsent Masons beats 40 firms to win sole legal provider contract for Eon". The Lawyer.
  22. ^ Manning, Jonathon (18 September 2015). "Pinsent Masons' Richard Masters: Our tech product Cerico is taking on the world". The Lawyer.
  23. ^ "Pinsent Masons recognised among top five inclusive employers in Stonewall Index". www.pinsentmasons.com. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  24. ^ "The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2016". Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  25. ^ Asthana, Anushka (1 April 2016). "Nicky Morgan under fire for choosing City lawyer to head equality body". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 July 2016.