SLAUGHTER AND MAY TRIUMPHS AFTER A STRONG QUARTER

The corporate solicitor's table has swelled this quarter to 12 firms, with the inclusion of Travers Smith Braithwaite.

Travers has entered the client numbers table in joint 11th place with Freshfields, both advising 38.5 listed companies. Travers has seen just a one point increase from the last survey and advises a number of venture capital trusts, such as Advent and Quester.

At the top of the table, normality has returned, with Slaughter and May once again the leader after a brief joint stint with Ashurst Morris Crisp, which has dropped to third. Slaughters client list has increased to 100.5 (up five).

Elsewhere a strong showing from Eversheds has helped stretch the gap between the top four and the rest of the table. It now stands at 26 points since Eversheds has gained five points, including new issues IQE PLC.

Ashurst's loss of 2.5 clients (due in part to losing take-over victim's Critchley Group) was not significant in terms of bottom line clout. Particularly strong performance from Smith and Nephew (up to £182.1m from £134.5m in the last reported year) and British Land (up to £156.4m from £55.3m) helped it up two places to sixth in the client pre-tax profit table. Slaughters mirrored its performance in the client numbers table with an impressive pre-tax leap of £6049.5m. This was predominantly due to Inchcape which turned round £297.6m deficit to a £299.3m profit in the year to Mar 00. Linklaters, which gave way to Slaughters, is only £528.7m behind and are well ahead of the pursuing pack.

DLA (formerly called Dibb Lupton Alsop) suffered in the two growth tables and now props up the rest in both leagues. Previously the firm's clients were the eighth fastest-growing, but their profit expansion has slowed significantly. Partners at Norton Rose, while pleased they are first in both leagues should note that figures in both tables have dropped substantially.

Will Slaughters be able to maintain its lead this next quarter or can the rest of the table mount a challenge over the next three months?