News
Global, sector-focused law firm HFW has once again been recognised as a leading practice in the 2026-27 edition of The Legal 500 UK, a guide to the country’s best lawyers and law firms.
HFW achieved 22 practice rankings in the 2026–27 edition of The Legal 500 UK guide, including eight in Tier 1 or Tier 2, across a broad range of areas such as aviation, commodities, construction, energy, insurance, shipping, disputes, and finance. The firm continues to be recognised for its depth of expertise and consistent performance across its core sectors, with several practices maintaining strong positions and others gaining recognition. Notably, HFW’s Employers practice was ranked for the first time.
Four of our Partners were ranked for the first time as Leading Partners in new areas: Ashwani Kochhar, Christopher Foster, Jonathan Bruce and Nigel Wick. William MacLachlan was promoted from Next Generation Partner to Leading Partner, and Tanya Chadha was ranked for the first time as Next Generation Partner.
HFW Rankings in The Legal 500 UK 2026-7
Tier 1
Aviation
Commodities Disputes
Shipping
Tier 2
Construction: Contentious
Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation
Insurance Litigation: For Policyholders
Insurance: Corporate and Regulatory
Travel: Regulatory and Commercial
Tier 3
Construction: Non-Contentious
Professional Negligence
Transport Finance and Leasing
Tier 4
Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime (Advice to Corporates)
Commercial Contracts
Fraud: Civil
M&A: Lower Mid-Market Deals, £100m-£750m
Oil and Gas
Renewables
International Arbitration
Tier 5
Commercial Litigation: Premium
Tier 7
EU and Competition
Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency
Employers
HFW ‘Hall of Fame’ in The Legal 500 UK 2026-7
Alistair Feeney (Commodities Disputes)
Barry Vitou (Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime)
Brian Perrott (Commodities Disputes)
Christopher Foster (Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation)
Jean Koh (Shipping)
Noel Campbell (Fraud: Civil)
Paolo Ghirardani (Shipping)
Paul Dean (Shipping)
HFW ‘Leading Partners’ in The Legal 500 UK 2026-7
Alex Kyriakoulis (M&A: Lower Mid-Market Deals, £100m-£750m)
Alistair Mackie (Oil and Gas)
Andrew Chamberlain (Shipping)
Anne-Marie Ottaway (Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime)
Ashwani Kochhar (Insurance: Corporate and Regulatory) – NEW
Bob Haken (Insurance: Corporate and Regulatory)
Christopher Foster (Insurance Litigation: For Policyholders) – NEW
Damian Honey (Commodities Disputes)
David Brotherton (Transport Finance and Leasing)
Edward Spencer (Aviation)
Gudmund Bernitz (Transport Finance and Leasing)
Jonathan Bruce (Insurance Litigation: For Policyholders) – NEW
Judith Prior (Commodities Disputes)
Michael Sergeant (Construction: Contentious)
Nigel Wick (Insurance Litigation: For Policyholders) – NEW
Richard Booth (Renewables)
Richard Neylon (Shipping)
Rory Butler (Shipping)
William MacLachlan (Travel) – NEW
Zohar Zik (Aviation)
HFW ‘Next Generation Partners’ in The Legal 500 UK 2026-7
Claire Womersley (Shipping, Travel)
Michael Buffham (Commodities Disputes)
Michael Ritter (Shipping)
Rebecca Quayle (Transport Finance and Leasing)
Rupert Warren (Insurance & Reinsurance Litigation)
Tanya Chadha (Construction: Contentious) – NEW
HFW ‘Leading Associates’ in The Legal 500 UK 2026-7
Rosie Harrison (Commodities Disputes)
Jenny Salmon (Shipping)
See the full rankings here.
Published
01 October 2026
Reading Time
4 minutes
Press Contact
Rosy Hutty