Eversheds Sutherland
A guide to the law firm Eversheds Sutherland: what it’s best known for, recent work highlights, what it pays, and its revenue and profitability.
Last updated:
January 2, 2025
A guide to the law firm Eversheds Sutherland: what it’s best known for, recent work highlights, what it pays, and its revenue and profitability.
Eversheds Sutherland is a large international law firm dual-headquartered in the UK and the US.
The firm has deep roots in the UK - it still has 11 offices here - and is known for its history as one of the UK’s most respected national law firms.
As we know it today, Eversheds Sutherland was formed from the merger of UK stalwart Eversheds with US law firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan in 2017.
The merger turned Eversheds into a significant transatlantic player with a large global footprint in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Today, the firm is one of the largest full service law firms in the world with more than 2,500 lawyers, including 550+ partners, operating across more than 72 offices in 34 countries worldwide. Its office count is among the highest of any law firm in the world, trailing only the likes of global behemoths Dentons in terms of footprint.
Eversheds itself came to be in 1988, born from a four-way merger between firms in Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, and Norwich, marking it as one of the UK's first truly 'national' law firms.
By 1995, it had expanded across the UK, and in 1998, it significantly boosted its London and international presence by absorbing a large part of 200-year-old firm Frere Cholmeley Bischoff.
The 2000s saw further international growth, but the firm continued to maintain a strong UK focus. Eversheds was hit hard by the global financial crisis of 2008/9 and the fallout led to redundancies (it actually made the biggest cuts of any UK-based firm in the aftermath of the financial crisis) and a renewed focus on becoming a global player.
That vision was realised in 2017 when Eversheds merged with Atlanta-based US firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, a move that added 400 lawyers in eight offices in the US and Europe.
While Eversheds Sutherland advises across a broad range of practice areas, it has historically been best known in the UK for its expertise in real estate, corporate/M&A, and public sector work.
It is generally regarded as a leading ‘mid-market’ law firm. While it may miss out on the headline-making big-ticket deals of its City-focused rivals, it remains a respected player and has stand-out expertise in several areas.
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Recent deal and industry highlights for Eversheds Sutherland include:
Morrisons’s £2.5bn Petrol Stations Sale: In February 2024, Eversheds Sutherland advised Morrisons on key aspects of its strategic partnership with Motor Fuel Group (MFG) in a £2.5 billion deal. The transaction saw MFG acquire 337 petrol forecourts and more than 400 sites for ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging development across the UK.
Barratt Redrow £2.5bn Merger: Eversheds Sutherland advised Bridgemere Securities Limited, the investment vehicle of Redrow founder and largest shareholder Steve Morgan, in connection with Barratt’s £2.5 billion takeover of Redrow in February 2024.
Law Firm of the Year 2022: In 2022, Eversheds Sutherland was named ‘Law Firm of the Year’ at The Lawyer Awards. The firm’s alternative legal services provider Konexo also won ‘Law Company of the Year’ at the awards in a double-win for Eversheds Sutherland.
Alternative Legal Services Business: In 2019, Eversheds Sutherland launched Konexo, its consulting, contract lawyer and managed legal services division. The business supports in-house legal, compliance and HR functions.
Irish Arm Breakaway: In December 2024, it was reported that Eversheds Sutherland’s Irish arm was in early talks with William Fry - one of Ireland’s biggest firms - over a potential tie-up. The deal would see Eversheds' lawyers break away to join William Fry in a move that would create a new powerhouse firm in Ireland.
Eversheds Sutherland is a full service corporate law firm, advising clients including financial institutions, companies and governments. It’s particularly known for its strengths in the following areas:
Corporate/M&A: Eversheds Sutherland has a leading M&A practice, and is particularly known for its work on mid-market deals both domestically in the UK and cross-border working for multinationals. The firm has a Band 2 ranking by Chambers for Corporate/M&A work in the £100-800 million bracket.
Banking and Finance: Eversheds Sutherland has a long-established and highly regarded mid-market banking and finance practice acting for both lenders and borrowers. The firm’s clients include traditional bank lenders as well as sponsors on small-cap transactions. The firm is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers for its advice to lenders on lower mid-market deals.
Public Sector: Eversheds Sutherland has a comprehensive and market-leading public affairs practice, across procurement, public inquiries and parliamentary agency work (the firm is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers across all three areas). Eversheds Sutherland regularly advises government and public sector authorities on large-scale projects, outsourcing, pensions and investigations.
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.
Eversheds is considered to be a leading 'mid-market' firm with a large International presence. Its main competitors include DLA Piper, Pinsent Masons and CMS.
Here’s what Eversheds Sutherland pays its London trainees and newly qualified (NQ) lawyers:
Trainee First Year: £46,000
Trainee Second Year: £50,000
Newly Qualified (NQ): £100,000
We have a list of salaries paid by all of the UK’s top law firms here.
Eversheds Sutherland is the 12th biggest law firm in the UK by revenue. In 2023, the revenue of the firm’s non-US business was £730 million.
In 2023, its profit per equity partner (PEP) was £1.29 million.
In 2023, Eversheds Sutherland’s average profit per equity partner (PEP) was £1.29 million.
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.
Eversheds Sutherland takes around 50 trainees each year in the UK.
Trainees complete four seats in different departments, each lasting six months.
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