Prestigious Chambers and Partners guide recognises more Harrison Drury teams and people

Harrison Drury has gained further recognition for the quality of its expertise and people in one of the industry’s most respected legal guides.

A further three rankings were gained in the 2026 UK edition of Chambers and Partners, in the areas of construction (band 4), commercial litigation (band 5), and restructuring and insolvency (band 3), meaning we now have seven practice areas ranked overall.

These areas join our existing rankings for agriculture and rural affairs (band 2), corporate/M&A (band 3), family/matrimonial (band 4), and real estate (band 3), which have all been maintained from the 2025 edition.

These departments were noted for “a tailored service focused on pragmatic advice”, “real strength in depth in the talent pool in terms of experience and specialised expertise” and “quick turnaround, clear communication and deep, in-depth knowledge and understanding”.

We’ve also grown our individual rankings with 12 of our lawyers now appearing in the guide which uses in-depth research and analysis to help clients find the best legal talent.

In our individual listings, Malcom Ireland gained a coveted UK wide ranking in band 4 for his specialism in licensing, with the guide noting his “experience and knowledge of licensing”, “good attention to detail” and how “he will always take the time to understand our company and values to ensure he promotes what matters to us as a business”.

Within corporate/M&A: £5million and above, Mark Traynor maintained his band 3 ranking with Rick Life also being ranked in the same band.

Mark was noted for “his calm, clear-headed approach and deep knowledge of the law” and “his ability to break down complex issues and offer business-focused solutions”, with Rick being highlighted as “a fantastic corporate lawyer who delivers clear, honest and straight-talking advice to clients from a range of industries”.

Restructuring/insolvency saw James Robbins maintaining his position in band 3 for his “excellent technical knowledge” and being “honest and straightforward in all dealings”, while Peter Barlow also maintained his ranking as an ‘Associate to Watch’ being noted as “a talented solicitor rising through the ranks” alongside a “high degree of knowledge and wisdom in his field”.

We have also had two solicitors newly ranked within construction, namely Kath Sibley in band 4 and Alex Walmsley as an ‘Associate to Watch’. Kath was noted as “an exceptional construction lawyer” and being “super responsive, great to work with and commercially strong”, and Alex as “very helpful and efficient”.

Another two solicitors new to this year’s rankings in family/matrimonial were John Osborne, ranked in band 4 and noted as “an assured negotiator with special expertise in family farms and inherited wealth. He is calm and collected at all times, always inspiring confidence”, and Emma Panchal named as an ‘Associate to Watch’, highlighted as “tenacious and able to deal with complex matters with ease. She knows what needs doing and implements it through a reasoned strategy”.

Joseph Mitchell gained an ‘Up and Coming’ ranking for agriculture and rural affairs in the North West having been named as an ‘Associate to Watch’ in the 2025 edition. He was highlighted as “a top solicitor in his field” and noted that “communication and strategic thinking are good qualities of his”.

Hannah Hughes joined our newly ranked individuals in the ‘Up and Coming’ category being noted for being “exceptionally efficient, with comprehensive, clear and thorough advice”, “very diligent” and having “very strong subject matter knowledge”.

Helen Griffin was also newly ranked in the 2026 edition, as an ‘Associate to Watch’, being celebrated as “a highly qualified, calm and insightful litigator” and “an experienced lawyer, committed and well organised”.

The publication of Chambers and Partners comes just two weeks after Harrison Drury also had a record number of teams and lawyers recognised by the Legal 500, another independent industry guide.

From L to R: Joseph Mitchell, James Robbins, Helen Griffin, Mark Traynor, Hannah Hughes, Richard Life, Emma Panchal, Peter Barlow, Alex Walmsley.

Simon England, managing partner of Harrison Drury, said: “We’re thrilled Chambers and Partners has once again endorsed the deep expertise of our firm and the calibre of our people. Our growing presence within this year’s guide shows the trust our clients place in us and the spirit of collaboration that exists between our various teams to help our clients reach their goals.

“Our Chambers and Partners ranked individuals have shown a real commitment to support our clients and professional intermediaries and this is reflected in the glowing reviews they received to make it into the latest edition. A huge vote of thanks to our clients and professional community for providing the in-depth feedback that has helped us achieve these incredible results.”

In August, we achieved three band 1 rankings in the ‘Private Wealth Law’ category in the Chambers High Net Worth (HNW) Guide, another Chambers and Partners independent annual publication that ranks leading lawyers and firms for their expertise advising high net worth individuals and families.

Our wills, trusts, and probate team, along with Clare Fleming and Jan Wright received the rankings demonstrating exceptional standards in client service, professional conduct, and commercial insight across multiple regions.

Chambers and Partners is a world leading legal rankings and insights intelligence company that has been ranking the world’s top law firms and lawyers more than 30 years. Its in-depth research teams assess lawyers and law firms across more than 200 jurisdictions around the world, providing independent and impartial intelligence and market insight.