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 2023/24 financial year revenue pushed past £200 million, while PEP jumped 16% to £781,000.

Other things to know

£1 million AI Bonus: In April 2025, Shoosmiths announced a £1 million firmwide bonus pool if staff collectively hit one million Microsoft Copilot prompts in its next financial year, becoming the first major UK law firm to tie bonuses to AI usage.

Sustainability Initiatives: Shoosmiths is taking action on its environmental impact. Lawyers who opt to travel for business by flying pay a £200 levy, with the funds going towards low-carbon projects.

What is Shoosmiths firm known for?

Shoosmiths is a full service corporate law firm. It is one of the UK’s leading law firms at a national level and its offices are highly-rated across a broad range of practice areas for their work in their respective regions (e.g. Midlands, Thames Valley, Scotland).

When it comes to ‘City work’, it is probably best known for its expertise in the following areas:

Corporate/M&A: Shoosmiths is a highly-regarded adviser on mid-market M&A deals. Its practice gets a Band 4 ranking by Chambers.

Venture Capital: Shoosmiths is known for its strong venture capital practice and is especially active in the tech sector. It is ranked in Band 4 by Chambers for VC advice.

Capital Markets: Shoosmiths is a leading adviser on lower and mid-market public M&A and listings. It has a Band 4 ranking by Chambers for advice to AIM-listed clients.

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.

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Who does Shoosmiths compete with?

Shoosmiths is considered to be a leading national firm in the UK. In that sense, it competes with other firms with large national footprints, including Addleshaw Goddard, CMS and Pinsent Masons.

In 2023/24, Shoosmiths’ revenue was £206.7 million.

In 2023/24, Shoosmiths’ profit per equity partner (PEP) was £781,000.

How much does a partner at Shoosmiths make?

In 2023/24, Shoosmiths’ profit per equity partner (PEP) was £781,000.

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 Shoosmiths take?

Shoosmiths takes between 20-25 trainees per year across its Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London and Manchester offices.

Trainees complete four seats, each lasting six months.