Clifford Chance
A London-headquartered international law firm and member of the Magic Circle.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Clifford Chance LLP is a British multinational law firm headquartered in London and one of the firms commonly grouped within the Magic Circle, the leading London-based international legal practices. It advises companies, financial institutions, investors, governments and other organisations on complex cross-border matters. Its work spans banking and finance, capital markets, corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, litigation and arbitration, real estate, projects, restructuring, competition, employment, tax, financial regulation, technology and other specialist areas. The modern firm was formed in 1987 through the merger of Coward Chance and Clifford-Turner. The two predecessor practices had different historical roots. Coward Chance traced its origins to a practice established by Anthony Brown in 1802, which advised British businesses involved in international trade. Clifford-Turner was founded in 1900 by Harry Clifford Turner and developed a substantial corporate practice. Among its historical work were advice to Dunlop Rubber Company and Imperial Airways, witnessing the creation of the John Lewis Partnership in 1929, and advising the post-war Labour government on nationalisation matters. The merger gave the combined practice a stronger platform for international growth. During the following decade it expanded across Europe and Asia and became, in 1992, the first major non-American law firm to practise United States law. In 1999 it significantly broadened its international network through combinations with the German firm Pünder, Volhard, Weber & Axster and the United States firm Rogers & Wells. The former regional names were subsequently retired in favour of the Clifford Chance brand. The firm has continued to use mergers, office openings and local-law capabilities to build a global practice. Its expansion included a California operation launched in 2002 and closed in 2007, Australian offices created through combinations with two boutiques in 2011, a Casablanca office opened in 2012, and a South Korean office authorised later in 2012. It also established a Singapore delivery and innovation hub in 2018 to support work across the Asia-Pacific region. The firm has maintained a significant focus on financial institutions and major transactions while broadening its services for multinational businesses, infrastructure projects, governments and regulated industries. Clifford Chance is structured as a private law-firm partnership rather than a publicly traded corporation. For the 2022–2023 financial year, publicly reported figures placed it among the largest United Kingdom-headquartered law firms by revenue, with reported revenue of approximately £2.04 billion. It was also ranked among the world's largest law firms by revenue in 2023. These figures describe the firm's financial performance for the stated period and should not be confused with public-company market capitalisation or share performance. The firm has also faced scrutiny. In 2002, an internal memorandum from its New York office prompted concerns about billing practices and the pressure associated with annual billing expectations. Its Frankfurt office was searched in 2020 during an investigation into the tax affairs of ABN AMRO Bank. In 2024, its Polish practice attracted public controversy over its involvement in legal issues connected with changes to Poland's public media system. These matters form part of the firm's public record but do not alter its continuing status as an active international law firm.
History
Clifford Chance was created in 1987 by the merger of Coward Chance and Clifford-Turner, two London practices whose histories extended into the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Coward Chance descended from a firm established by Anthony Brown in 1802. Its work included advising British businesses engaged in overseas trade during the expansion of the British Empire. Clifford-Turner was founded in 1900 by Harry Clifford Turner and operated from Gresham Street in the City of London. Its clients included Dunlop Rubber Company and Imperial Airways. In 1929, the firm advised on and witnessed the creation of the John Lewis Partnership. After the Second World War, it advised the Labour government on the nationalisation of privately owned industries. Before the merger, Clifford-Turner had already developed an international footprint. It opened in Paris in 1961, Amsterdam in 1972, Madrid in 1980 and New York in 1986. Neither predecessor was generally regarded as a first-rank London practice at the time, but their combination created a platform that helped reshape the scale and ambitions of London law firms. Clifford Chance expanded rapidly during the 1990s, increasing its presence in Europe and Asia and broadening its legal capabilities. In 1992 it became the first major non-US firm to practise US law, an important step in serving multinational clients across multiple legal systems. A major phase of international consolidation followed in 1999, when Clifford Chance combined with Frankfurt-based Pünder, Volhard, Weber & Axster and with the US firm Rogers & Wells, which had been established in 1871. The predecessor names continued temporarily in their respective regions but were discontinued in 2003. In 2002, the firm established a California practice by recruiting nearly 50 lawyers from the dissolving Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison and opening offices in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, San Diego and San Francisco. The Pacific Coast operation was closed in 2007 after the downturn in California's technology market. The firm pursued further local-law expansion in Japan after regulatory restrictions on foreign law firms were eased in 2005. A 2013 survey by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun placed Clifford Chance as the highest-ranked European firm among Japanese corporate legal departments. It later expanded into Australia through combinations with Chang, Pistilli & Simmons in Sydney and Cochrane Lishman Carson Luscombe in Perth in 2011. In 2012 it opened in Casablanca, establishing a permanent base for its Africa practice, and received authorisation to open in South Korea, becoming the first UK firm permitted to do so. The late-2000s recession affected the firm, as it did other large international practices. Its profit reportedly fell by 33.4% in the 2008–2009 financial year. In 2009 it announced London workforce reductions, while in 2011 it transferred selected back-office activities to a Global Shared Service Centre, including a Knowledge Centre in New Delhi. In 2018, after the liquidation of Carillion, about 60 employees from Carillion's Newcastle legal-services operation joined Clifford Chance. The same year, the firm announced a Singapore delivery and innovation hub for the Asia-Pacific region. Today Clifford Chance remains an active, private, international law-firm partnership. Its core work combines corporate transactions, finance, capital markets, disputes, real estate, projects, restructuring, regulatory advice and related specialist services. Its global model is designed for clients whose activities cross jurisdictions and whose matters require coordinated advice under multiple legal systems.
- 2018
Singapore innovation hub established
[1]The firm announced a delivery and innovation hub in Singapore for Asia-Pacific support.
- 2012
Expansion into Casablanca and South Korea
[1]Clifford Chance opened in Casablanca and received approval to establish an office in South Korea.
- 2011
Australian expansion
[1]The firm entered Australia through combinations with Chang, Pistilli & Simmons and Cochrane Lishman Carson Luscombe.
- 2007
California offices closed
[1]The firm closed its Pacific Coast operations after the downturn in California's technology market.
- 2002
California expansion
[1]Clifford Chance launched a California practice with lawyers from Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison and offices across the state.
- 1999
Major German and US combinations
[1]The firm combined with Pünder, Volhard, Weber & Axster in Germany and Rogers & Wells in the United States.
- 1992
Begins practising US law
[1]Clifford Chance became the first major non-US law firm to practise US law.
- 1987
Formation of Clifford Chance
[1]Coward Chance and Clifford-Turner merged to create Clifford Chance.
- 1900
Clifford-Turner founded
[1]Harry Clifford Turner established the practice that later became one of the two firms merged into Clifford Chance.
- 1802
Origins of Coward Chance
[1]A predecessor of Coward Chance was established by Anthony Brown and advised businesses engaged in international trade.
Products and positioning
Premium international full-service law firm serving major corporations, financial institutions, investors and governments on complex cross-border matters.
Legal services
Corporate and M&A
Advice on domestic and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, disposals, corporate governance, investments and strategic transactions. The practice supports companies, private-equity sponsors, financial institutions and public-sector bodies through negotiations, due diligence, transaction structuring and execution across multiple jurisdictions.
Legal services
Banking and finance
Legal advice for lenders, borrowers, sponsors, investors and financial institutions across lending, leveraged finance, structured finance, project finance, derivatives, securitisation and other financing arrangements. The work often combines transactional execution with regulatory and restructuring considerations.
Legal services
Capital markets
Advice on equity, debt and hybrid securities offerings, listings, liability management, structured products and related disclosure and regulatory obligations. Clifford Chance serves issuers, underwriters, sponsors and investors in international and domestic capital-markets transactions.
Legal services
Litigation and arbitration
Representation and strategic advice in commercial litigation, international arbitration, investigations, enforcement and other contentious matters. The practice addresses disputes involving corporations, financial institutions, sovereigns, infrastructure projects and complex cross-border commercial relationships.
Legal services
Real estate, projects and infrastructure
Advice on real-estate acquisitions and development, energy and infrastructure projects, public-private partnerships, construction, project finance and related regulatory matters. The offering supports investors, developers, lenders, sponsors and public authorities on large, often multinational assets.
Legal services
Restructuring and insolvency
Counsel for companies, creditors, investors and other stakeholders dealing with financial distress, restructurings, insolvency proceedings, distressed investments and enforcement. The cross-border practice coordinates legal advice where assets, creditors or proceedings span several jurisdictions.
Controversies
2024
Controversy involving the Polish public-media transition
Clifford Chance's Polish office faced controversy over its role in legal matters associated with changes to Poland's public media system after the 2023 elections.
2020
Frankfurt office search in ABN AMRO investigation
German authorities searched the firm's Frankfurt office in connection with an investigation into ABN AMRO's tax dealings.
2002
Billing-hours concerns
An internal memorandum from the New York office prompted concerns that demanding annual billing expectations could encourage staff to inflate recorded hours.
Brand decisions
2018
Creation of Singapore delivery and innovation hubStrategyBackground
The firm aimed to improve operational support and innovation capabilities for its Asia-Pacific practice.
Action taken
It announced a Singapore hub serving the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Aftermath
The initiative became part of the firm's broader use of shared services and legal-operations infrastructure.
2011
Entry into AustraliaM&ABackground
The firm sought a permanent Australian platform for its international corporate and transactional practice.
Action taken
It combined with Sydney-based Chang, Pistilli & Simmons and Perth-based Cochrane Lishman Carson Luscombe.
Aftermath
The combinations created Clifford Chance offices in Sydney and Perth.
2009
Cost-reduction programme during the recessionStrategyBackground
The late-2000s recession reduced profitability across major international law firms.
Action taken
Clifford Chance announced London reductions affecting lawyers and support staff and accepted further redundancy applications.
Aftermath
The firm subsequently moved selected back-office activities to a global shared-services structure.
Profit decline. (2008–2009 financial year; reported decline of 33.4%)
2002
Launch of California practiceStrategyBackground
The firm sought to strengthen its United States presence and recruited lawyers from the dissolving Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison.
Action taken
It established offices in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, San Diego and San Francisco.
Aftermath
The Pacific Coast operation was closed in 2007 after the California downturn.
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