Legal 500 UK 2026 recognises 62 gunnercooke lawyers across 22 practice areas.

62 gunnercooke lawyers have been recommended in the 2026 edition of Legal 500’s UK Solicitors Guide, up from 47 the previous year.  

The rankings recognise the firm for 22 practice areas across London, the North West, Yorkshire, Scotland, South West and Midlands, highlighting strengths in Commercial Property, Commercial Litigation, Employment, Pensions, Planning & Environment, Property Litigation, Real Estate Finance, Insurance, Charities & Not-for-Profit, Intellectual Property, Family, Corporate & Commercial, and FinTech. 

Both Brendan Walsh, a Commercial Real Estate Partner, and Rob Fawke, a Banking & Finance Partner, once again were included in The Hall of Fame. Clive Smith, a Rail and Transport Finance Partner, James Burnie, Financial Services Regulation & FinTech Partner, and Sydney Fulda, a Commercial Litigation & Investigations Partner, were recognised as Leading Partners in their fields, James Burnie entering the individual rankings for the first time. 

Paul Ryman, an Employment Partner, has also entered the individual rankings as a Next Generation Partner, alongside Dr. Anna Willetts, an Environmental Crime Partner. 

Darryl Cooke, Founder of gunnercooke, commented on the results: “The rankings and feedback received from clients really emphasises the quality of lawyers at gunnercooke. I am incredibly proud of the team for their recognition and for the deals and cases we’ve acted on over the past 12 months, which are market-leading, unique and setting precedents. These include the landmark IP case WaterRower v Liking, advising Xapo Bank on its official partnership with Aston Villa, a groundbreaking pensions project on the UK’s only “superfund”, Clara Pensions, and advising on one of the UK’s most significant Web3 transactions; Bitwise Asset Management’s acquisition of Attestant Limited.  

“Our entrepreneurial model continues to attract some of the best legal talent in the market, and it’s fantastic to be recognised once again for the benefits it provides to both our lawyers and clients, as advisors can focus on doing what they do best – practising law.” 

One testimonial for the Crypto team added: “James Burnie is exceptional, with unmatched knowledge of cryptocurrencies and blockchain, demonstrated by his work on regulatory cryptoassets frameworks. His sharp intellect, practical advice, and ability to stay ahead of regulatory trends have been invaluable for our compliance needs. 

Further client feedback includes: 

‘The strength of the team is its people.’ 

‘The team offers the high-level expertise, but with the flexibility and personal attention of a more agile structure.’ 

‘The uniqueness from gunnercooke always comes for the individual you deal with and the strength, knowledge and capabilities on show make them stand out.’ 

‘‘This practice stands out for its expertise, collaborative spirit, and unwavering commitment to excellence. These qualities set it apart from competitors and position the team as a trusted advisor.’ 

‘This is a top team. The partnership model used by the firm provides the partners with more flexibility with billing. Very good client relationship management. Very skilled and excellent advice.’ 

You can read the full rankings here: https://www.legal500.com/firms/3859-gunnercooke-llp/global/rankings