Cleary Gottlieb Earns Premier Recognition in The Legal 500 UK 2025

Cleary Gottlieb continues to achieve recognition as a premier law firm in the 2025 edition of The Legal 500 UK.

The firm received 16 practice rankings, and 17 Cleary lawyers were recognized in their respective practice areas.

Partners David Gottlieb, Jackie Holland, Jonathan Kelly, Nick Levy, and Tihir Sarkar and senior counsel Maurits Dolmans were honored in The Legal 500 UK Hall of Fame; partners Edward Aldred, James Brady-Banzet, Paul Gilbert, Polina Lyadnova, James Norris-Jones, Nick Rumsby, and Ian Shawyer were named “Leading Partners”; partners and Nallini Puri, Paul Stuart, and Naomi Tarawali were selected as “Next Generation Partners”; and counsel Ferdisha Snagg was recognized as a “Leading Associate.”

Cleary received commendations from The Legal 500 UK and clients as a recommended firm in the following practice areas:

• Corporate and commercial: Corporate Tax: “We had the chance to work with Richard Sultman, on a complex tax issue with time pressure. The team worked hard and delivered outstanding results. I would definitely use the team again and would recommend them.”
• Corporate and commercial: Equity Capital Markets – Mid-large Cap: “Exceptional advice on U.S. securities law for a UK based client.”
• Corporate and Commercial: EU and Competition: “The EU and competition practice at Cleary Gottlieb is the best in the business. They are smart, pragmatic, hardworking and very well organised. They have excellent judgment and offer keen insights during every step of the merger review process.”
• Corporate and Commercial: M&A: Upper Mid-Market and Premium Deals (£750M+): “User-friendly, responsive and pragmatic, the CGSH team consistently deliver competent and timely advice.”
• Corporate and Commercial: Private Equity: Transactions – High-Value Deals (£500M+): “Very dedicated to the client, very competent, and very thoughtful. You feel reassured that they really have your back.”
• Dispute Resolution: Banking Litigation: Investment and Retail: “Key strengths are: (1) combination of associates with confidence and ability to handle a large and complex dispute with relatively little partner supervision – but highly experienced and strategic partner input when required; (2) ability to work seamlessly across jurisdictions, bringing in advice and expertise from Italian offices and external Italian counsel when required.”
• Dispute Resolution: Commercial Litigation: Premium: “The firm’s approach to litigation ensures the very best service is received by the client. The team works as one cohesive unit, but each member is in themselves an expert at what they do and delivers at a high level individually.”
• Dispute Resolution: Competition Litigation: “The team at Cleary combine experience in heavy commercial litigation with specialist domestic and EU competition knowledge. They have experience in dealing with the highest profile international clients.”
• Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration: “The whole team is great – there is no weak link, from top to bottom.”
• Finance: Acquisition Finance: “Very strong finance practice and corporate practice.”
• Finance: Bank Lending: Investment Grade Debt and Syndicated Loans: “Exceptional expertise and experience in syndications. Provide both technical and practical solutions and advice.”
• Finance: Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency: “They are incredibly knowledgeable, creative and thoughtful. Capable of distilling complex/difficult situations into easily understandable summaries.”
• Finance: Debt Capital Markets: “A strong team with excellent technical knowledge and grasp of market practice.”
• TMT: Artificial Intelligence: “Gareth Kristensen has provided expert support, guiding us through the bleeding-edge issues relating to generative AI, from both transactional and defensive/litigation perspectives. It’s a testament to his commitment to the practice that he is able to maintain his legal, commercial and technological awareness despite this being one of the fastest moving spaces out there. He has connected us with colleagues at Cleary with expert knowledge of key related areas, including on a multi-jurisdictional basis.”

Learn more about Cleary’s recognition on The Legal 500 UK’s website.