JOINT FIRST IN CLIENT NUMBERS

Last quarter, we hinted at vast change in the next solicitor tables. It has certainly come true. While there were no new firms in the lists, there was considerable jostling for places in our law firms' respective positions.

There is a new joint leader in the most client number table. The champion for so long Slaughter and May has now been joined by Ashurst Morris Crisp in first place with 95.5 clients. Slaughters had lost only two clients this quarter, but it was an impressive gain of five from Ashursts, which has helped catapult it above Linklaters & Alliance to top spot. It can now count Invesco Continental Smaller Companies Trust and Invesco Enterprise Trust among its clients.

Elsewhere, Norton Rose and Herbert Smith flipped places, with Nortons gain of a single client easing it into fifth. Allen & Overy also jumped a place at the expense of Freshfields, which was not helped by losing take-over casualty Gerrard Group from its ranks.

Despite dropping a place in the client number list, Linklaters has consolidated its position at the head of the pre-tax profit league with an impressive £2205.1m increase. It was helped by excellent year-end figures from the likes of BP Amoco (with £4327.2m) and Smithkline Beecham (£1666.0).

While Allen & Overy gained an extra two clients, it has seen its third place position weakened slightly with a loss of £1033.9m. This can be attributed to poor year-end figures from the likes of United News and Media, down from £370.3m to -£42.3m. Herbert Smith reversed its fortunes in the client number table, here, by actually gaining a place. It has risen to sixth on the back of good results from British American Tobbaco, who were up to £1371m (in the year to Dec 1999).

Partners at Norton Rose should again be pleased with their performance this quarter in the two growth tables. Its client base at 64.5 - appears again to contain some of the fastest and more profitable companies. While Norton Rose is again way out in front, both Herbert Smith and Freshfields showed strongly. Herbert Smith in the pre-tax growth table has turned round negative figures last time to 4.4 per cent in the black this time.

Will the changes and new leader in the client number table be replicated in the other tables next term?