"Magic Circle" was an informal term coined in the 1990s describing the five most prestigious London-headquartered multinational law firms, which generally outperformed the rest of the London law firms on profitability. The term has also been used to describe the most prestigious barristers' chambers in London. All of the 'Magic Circle' law firms and barristers' chambers specialise primarily in corporate law.
Over time, legal commentators and firms included in the definition have increasingly shunned the use of this term.[1] In fact, The Lawyer, who coined the term, declared in 2024 that the Magic Circle had died following the merger of Allen & Overy with Shearman & Sterling.[2] Undoubtedly, the term has continued to be used by some, but as its original members' fortunes diverge and there is a growing emphasis on legacy members to be seen as part of a 'Global Elite', it is likely the term will eventually fall out of use, just as its predecessor, the "Club of Nine", did.
In contrast to the Club of Nine, the Magic Circle is an informal grouping of law firms. Initially, the Magic Circle's membership was described by commentators as comprising the UK firms with strong corporate practices or international work. The term "Magic Circle" denoted that the firms within it had outperformed the other Club of Nine counterparts.[5] At the time, these firms were Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May.[3] Generally, the Magic Circle firms have among the highest earnings-per-partner and earnings-per-lawyer of UK-headquartered law firms.[6]
In 2004, Slaughter and May's then senior partner, Tim Clark, said: "It's a funny concept. I don't know where the term came from or who founded it. It's mainly something that comes up when we talk to journalists or they talk to us. We don't describe ourselves as a Magic Circle firm in any of our marketing material."[3] Linklaters' then head of corporate, David Cheyne, said: "City law firms years ago used to provide information to each other so they could keep in touch with what was going on, but that ended yonks ago... It seems to be a term to describe the leading City firms and there is some truth in it."[3] Then corporate partner at Herbert Smith Freehills and former investment banker Henry Raine said: "The phrase was coined by a legal magazine and referred to firms which were very strong in corporate or international work. At the time, Herbert Smith was languishing in the corporate stakes, and so was consigned to the outer darkness."[3]
In 2013, The Lawyer argued that Clifford Chance and Slaughter and May should no longer form part of the Magic Circle. It argued that Clifford Chance's profitability did not match the other Magic Circle firms, and that Slaughter and May operated a different (UK-focused) model, with revenue less than half that of the other Magic Circle firms.[7][8] In 2017 The Lawyer magazine stated that it no longer considered Slaughter and May to form part of the Magic Circle due to its lower revenues and UK domestic focus.[4] It wrote "Slaughters fits the silver circle bill in every respect. London-centric, sky-high PEP, top-tier work, an aura of prestige: Slaughter and May is far more like Macfarlanes than the Magic Circle quartet it is commonly lumped in with. To put it in the same category as Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Linklaters would be inaccurate, and to say it is in a class of its own is frankly showing the firm too much deference."[9][10] Nonetheless, other commentators still consider Slaughter and May to be a member of the Magic Circle.[11][12][13][14]
Firms not included
Among the large firms not included in the term are Herbert Smith Freehills; Hogan Lovells; Norton Rose Fulbright; and Stephenson Harwood, which are less profitable.[citation needed]
Also, at the time the term was coined, the corporate practice at Herbert Smith (as it was known pre-merger) was focused on privatisation work, which had dried up. Arguably for this reason, it was not included in the initial Magic Circle.[3]
Slaughter and May, whilst once universally considered a member is now at best a disputed member of the Magic Circle, with many legal commentators no longer considering it a member. The Lawyer in particular have noted that "Slaughter and May is far more like Macfarlanes tha[n] the magic circle quartet it is commonly lumped in with" and believe that Slaughter and May should rightly be considered part of the Silver Circle.
Relationship with the Silver Circle
The Silver Circle is an informal term for perceived elite corporate law firms headquartered in the United Kingdom that are the main competitors for the Magic Circle in the United Kingdom. The term was coined by The Lawyer magazine in 2005 in response to the pre-existing term, Magic Circle.[15] These firms have a lower turnover than the members of the Magic Circle, but consistently have an average profits per equity partner (PEP) and average revenue per lawyer (RPL) far above the UK average[16][17][18] (and, in some instances, higher than members of the Magic Circle). Contrary to what the term Silver Circle may suggest, there is no Golden Circle.[15]
UK law firms, including Magic Circle law firms, have experienced increased competition from US law firms both domestically (from US law firms with a UK presence) and internationally.[19][20][21]
In 2013, The Lawyer argued that the term Magic Circle would lose its relevance, becoming "outmoded": "It will remain an easy shorthand to denote the UK-heritage firms with the biggest revenues, the most international work and which consistently outperform the rest of the [UK] market on profitability." It was argued that by 2023 global law firms would rather be split between the Global Elite law firms, International Business law firms and Super Boutique law firms.
In 2014, it was reported that Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer wished to discard its Magic Circle designation in the US in favour of being part of the Global Elite.[22] Similarly, in 2014, Linklaters' then managing partner, Simon Davies, said "The Magic Circle isn't what it used to be in the context of the US market or any market. I don't think it's going to gain power or momentum and I don't think it's a strengthening brand in itself." and "At the end of the day we see ourselves as one of the leading global law firms, not one of the leading Magic Circle firms".[23]
Barristers' chambers
The following barristers' chambers in the United Kingdom are occasionally, by analogy, described by commentators as the Bar's Magic Circle:[24][4]
In August 2018, research from The Lawyer, however, showed that South Square Chambers received more instructions from the Magic Circle law firms than any other chambers. Barristers from it worked on 64 matters for the Magic Circle law firms since 2015.[25]
Related terms
Big Three law firms, an informal term for leading law firms in New Zealand.
Big Five law firms, an informal term for leading law firms in South Africa.
Big Six law firms, an informal term for leading law firms in Australia. In 2012, three of these firms merged with overseas firms, and one other began operating in association with an overseas firm. As a consequence, it has been proposed that the term is no longer applicable to the Australian legal profession, displaced by the concept of Global Elite law firms or International Business law firms.[26]
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