Hogan Lovells - an international law firm with a major UK presence

Hogan Lovells, one of the world's largest international law firms, was formed in 2010 with the merger of Washington-based Hogan & Hartson and London-based Lovells. The firm employs over 2,800 lawyers in 47 offices around the world and is ranked the world's 11th largest law firm by global revenues and 5th by UK revenues.

We spoke to Susan Bright, UK & Africa Regional Managing Partner at Hogan Lovells, about the firm's expansion plans and the global relevance of its strong UK presence.

“London is a gateway to the rest of Europe and a great place to live and work. It is also a centre for the resolution of disputes with world renowned courts and arbitration.”

What does your firm do?

“We are an ambitious full service law firm with 47 offices across 24 countries, 2,800 lawyers and global revenues of over US$2bn. We help our clients in a broad range of areas including complex disputes, high value transactions (M&A and private equity), finance, regulatory, and intellectual property.
Our disputes team advises 50 of the Fortune 100, our finance team advises 46 of the top 50 banks listed in the Fortune 500, our IP team represents more than half of the world’s top 100 brands, and our transactions team received instructions on more than 700 global M&A deals over a three year period, with a total value of over US$500bn.

“London is a gateway to the rest of Europe and a great place to live and work. It is also a centre for the resolution of disputes with world renowned courts and arbitration.”

Tell us about your firm's UK operations and its UK history.

“Our London office is the firm's largest office globally. We understand the City, we know the regulators, and we are accomplished at working in highly regulated sectors, such as financial services, energy, and life sciences. We also have an office in Birmingham, which was established five years ago and focuses on complex client work, as well as carrying out large-scale document review and due diligence projects.

"In 2018 Hogan Lovells UK generated revenues of £302m. We rank number two in the Financial Times Most Innovative Law firms in Europe. We also engage in significant pro bono work, including representing the victims and families of the Westminster and London Bridge terror attacks.”

“The UK attracts investment from around the world. It is seen as an innovative place to do business with first class universities that attract diverse talent and foster collaboration.”

Outline your firm's growth plans and how you see the UK featuring in these?

“We will continue to invest in key practice areas, including corporate, finance and litigation, as well as those with growing demand in the current climate, such as privacy, cybersecurity and international trade. We will also grow our office in Birmingham, which drives efficiencies for our clients; and continue to invest in our Legal Project Management team, our flexible lawyer programme, and leading technologies to help in the delivery of our core legal services.

"We strive to ensure our firm is agile and poised to deal with challenges and to take advantages of key opportunities around the world. A strong focus on client service and our industry sector expertise are key to this.

“The UK attracts investment from around the world. It is seen as an innovative place to do business with first class universities that attract diverse talent and foster collaboration.”

What are the attractions of London and the UK as an investment destination and place to do business? What are the tangible benefits of the attractions and benefits of having a business presence in the UK?

“London is a global centre for finance and business. It is a gateway to the rest of Europe and a great place to live and work. It is also a centre for the resolution of disputes with world renowned courts and arbitration. The UK attracts investment from around the world. It is seen as an innovative place to do business with first class universities that attract diverse talent and foster collaboration. In recent years, London has also become a centre for Fintech. We are here because so many of our clients are based in the UK and do business here.”