US law firms dominate high-value London disputes, court data shows
updated on 26 May 2026
Olivia Thorne (she/her) is the content manager at LawCareers.Net
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US-headquartered law firms are securing a significant share of the largest and most complex disputes in London, according to an analysis of court data by legal data business Solomonic.
The data showed that while ‘US firms’ – defined as a US-based firm that's opened an office in London, not a London firm that’s merged with a US firm – account for only around 4% of all claims by volume between 2020 and 2025, their efforts have been heavily concentrated at the top end of the market, with a median claim value of approximately £10 million in 2025. This is around 13 times higher than the overall average of £740,000.
Claims involving US firms are more likely to proceed to court, with 21% reaching a judicial settlement compared with an average of 9% across all claims.
The analysis also highlighted the most active US firms by claim count between 2020 and 2025 in the English High Court. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Reed Smith, Jones Day and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius were each involved in more than 100 claims. Baker McKenzie and Scott & Scott followed closely behind, with 99 claims each.
US firms are particularly active across a range of forums, including the Commercial Court, the Business List, the General King’s Bench Division, the Intellectual Property List, the Competition Appeal Tribunal and the Technology and Construction Court. US firms have opted to target the most financially and strategically significant disputes, and have established themselves at the premium end of the market.
