Burges Salmon

Burges Salmon is a mid-sized UK law firm based in Bristol.

The firm was founded in 1841 by Edward Burges, grandson of Daniel Burges, who established the Bristol Law Society (which is in fact the UK’s oldest law society). It assumed its current name after a merger with Salmon, Cumberland and Evans in 1947.

Today, the firm employs over 1,000 staff, including more than 550 lawyers and 110 partners.

Unlike many of its peers, Burges Salmon has resisted the urge to go on a global office spree, instead opting for a strategy that keeps its roots firmly planted in the UK - anchored around its nearly 200-year-old Bristol HQ - while still securing its fair share of high-end City work.

The firm relies on a network of international partner firms to tackle multi-jurisdictional matters - a strategy also adopted by firms like Slaughter and May and Macfarlanes.

Despite its limited international footprint, Burges Salmon has not shied away from growth.

In 2020, it opened a Dublin office to better support EU clients with IP matters following Brexit. A year earlier, the firm launched an Edinburgh office to strengthen its presence in Scotland, particularly in renewable energy, real estate, life sciences and financial services.

The firm’s primary regional competitors include Osborne Clarke, TLT and Womble Bond Dickinson, all of which have a strong presence in the South West.

Burges Salmon is a go-to firm for nearly every sector in which it operates in the South West and holds its own against national heavyweights in many areas, particularly specialist areas such as public procurement, infrastructure and renewable energy.

Other things to know

Strong Numbers: Burges Salmon posted a 27% rise in revenue to £163 million and a whopping 46% jump in profits for the 2023/24 financial year. Excellent news for partners. PEP now stands at £661,000 vs £466,000 in the previous year,

Happy lawyers: Burges Salmon was crowned the UK’s ‘Best Law Firm to Work At’ by RollOnFriday in the 2025 edition of their annual survey of lawyers’ job satisfaction. The award marked the third straight year in which the firm has topped the ranking.

What is Burges Salmon known for?

Burges Salmon is a full service corporate law firm. It is a leader in almost all sectors in which it operates in the South West.

On a national level, it is well regarded across many core practice areas, including corporate, finance, disputes and real estate. It is particularly strong in the following specialist areas:

Rail Infrastructure: Burges Salmon has a leading rail practice, working with clients on a wide range of matters within the sector, including franchising, financing and disputes. It is has high band rankings from Chambers across its rail practice.

Public Procurement: Burges Salmon has one of the UK’s best public procurement practices, advising public sector bodies on high value contracts and disputes. The firm’s practice has a Band 1 ranking by Chambers.

Renewable Energy: Burges Salmon has a highly-regarded renewables practice, advising all aspects of renewable energy projects, including development, regulation and financing. The firm is ranked in Band 3 by Chambers for renewables work.

What's Chambers?

We use Chambers rankings to demonstrate a firm's strengths. Chambers is the most highly-regarded provider of law firm rankings in the legal industry. Law firms are ranked in bands from 1 (highest) to 6 (lowest) across a range of practice areas.

It's important to note that being ranked in any band at all is still considered a significant achievement.

Who does Burges Salmon compete with?

In the Bristol market, Burges Salmon competes with fellow City-like rivals Osborne Clarke, Simmons & Simmons and Womble Bond Dickinson.

In 2023/34, Burges Salmon’s revenue was £163 million.

Its profit per equity partner (PEP) was £661,000.

How much does a partner at Burges Salmon make?

In 2023/24, Burges Salmon’s average profit per equity partner (PEP) was £661,000.

This is the total amount of profit available for distribution among equity partners, divided by the number of equity partners at the firm.

This represents the average amount that equity partners are entitled to. Some will receive significantly more, some less. It depends on the firm’s profit-sharing formula and each partner’s seniority.

How many trainees does Burges Salmon take?

Burges Salmon takes on around 27 trainees each year.

Trainees undertake an unconventional six-seat training contract, with secondment opportunities available at major clients including National Express and Lloyds Banking Group.

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