3 minute read • Updated 25 Aug 2026

In our UK city leaderboard series, we look at the law firms with the largest partner headcount and strongest recent headcount growth in each UK city. Here are the firms leading the way in the Manchester legal market.

Manchester saw flat partner growth over the last year at +0%, while other major legal markets like Bristol and Edinburgh grew +4% and +2% respectively.

London and Liverpool Were the Most Common Source and Destination of Manchester Partner Moves

11 partners have made the journey from Manchester to London since July 2025, accounting for 30% of all Manchester departures. Liverpool was the second most popular destination, with 3 partners arriving from Manchester.

These cities were also the most common source of partners moving into Manchester, with 6 arriving from London and 4 from Liverpool in the past year.

Source: Publicly-available data tracked by Pirical Legal Professionals

Location: Manchester, United Kingdom

Timeframe: July 2025 - July 2026

Score weightings:

• 50% headcount growth
• 50% current headcount size

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