Freshfields tries to distance itself from ‘Magic Circle’ label
Top brass at elite London law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer would prefer it not to be labelled a ‘Magic Circle’ firm, after it aggressively expanded into the US in recent years.
“I don’t think the Magic Circle is a correct reference, and, at the same time, we do more than our US competitors as well,” Freshfelds global managing partner Alan Mason said in an interview with Bloomberg Law.
“It’s difficult to put us in a particular box.”
‘Magic Circle’ is a term used to describe a handful of the most prestigious, London-headquartered law firms in the UK.
Freshfields has long been considered a member of the club, along with rivals Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Linklaters and Slaughter & May.
According to Bloomberg Law, in recent years Freshfields has significantly expanded into the US via strategic expansion, by hiring directly from stateside competitors rather than merging with an already established US firm, as is the more typical route.
“We’re going through a very energetic and dynamic phase in the history of the firm,” Mason added.