Go to Dashboard

Pinsent Masons

Unique selling points

  • A particularly strong presence across the UK’s various regional markets.
  • Dedicated climate change mitigation and sustainability practice.
  • Chambers and Partners has awarded the firm Band 1 rankings for its Capital Markets: AIM, Education: Institutions (Higher & Further Education) and Health & Safety departments.
  • Carries out public policy work.
  • Strong reputation in employment law, acting for major employers and advising on topics including remuneration strategies, equal pay, diversity and inclusion, industrial relations, team moves, and outsourcing projects.
  • Notable clients include HEINEKEN UK, Everton FC and City University. 
  • Each training contract seat involves ‘front loaded’ training, meaning trainees will swiftly develop a foundation of the legal knowledge required within each area
  • The firm’s diversity and inclusion initiatives include its Inclusion Networks, the Kirk Murdoch scholarship, and its Reconciliation Action Plan. 
  • Commitment to technology and innovation evidenced by firm solutions such as Spark Board, Pinsent Masons Vario, and the Climate Change Mitigation & Sustainability Platform.

We cover these selling points in more detail below, alongside other relevant firm facts and characteristics.

Practice areas / services 

Pinsent Masons is a full-service law firm, with a broad range of practice areas including: 

  • Construction Advisory & Disputes 
  • Intellectual Property 
  • Planning & Environment 
  • Projects 
  • Property 
  • Commercial 
  • Corporate 
  • Pensions 
  • Public Policy 
  • Restructuring 
  • Tax 
  • Technology, Media & Telecommunications 
  • Banking 
  • Financial Regulation 
  • Employment & Reward 
  • Competition, Eu & Trade 
  • Climate Change Mitigation And Sustainability 
  • Litigation & Arbitration 

Chambers and Partners, a leading analyst of the legal market, has awarded Pinsent Masons its highest ‘Band 1’ ranking for the following departments: Capital Markets: AIM, Education: Institutions (Higher & Further Education) and Health & Safety. See here for more information

Key sectors / industries

Pinsent Masons services a broad range of industries, with some of its highest-value clients operating in the following sectors: 

Work 

Pinsent Masons is consistently involved in high-profile work. Examples of projects include: 

  • HEINEKEN UK: The firm was named as principal legal provider to HEINEKEN UK and will provide a full suite of legal services to the business, including property, debt recovery, intellectual property, employment and HR-related advice. 
  • Everton FC: Pinsent Masons advised Everton FC throughout the process of securing new ownership for the club, culminating in the announcement of an agreement for the sale of a majority interest to US-based The Friedkin Group. 
  • City University: The firm advised City, University of London on its merger with St George’s, University of London to become City St George’s, University of London, one of London’s largest universities. 

  Other examples

  • Baillie Gifford Investment Management Limited: The law firm advised Baillie Gifford Europe on a licensing application, which was authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland. 
  • Fastway Couriers: Pinsent Masons advised the shareholders of one of the largest courier businesses in Ireland on its sale to Elysian Capital. 
  • Ithaca Energy: The firm worked with Ithaca Energy on its $1.5 billion acquisition of Siccar Point Energy. 

Offices / global footprint / expansion 

Headquarters: London, Crown Place 

Offices: Pinsent Masons has a total of 25 offices located in the UK, Falkland Islands and 20 other countries. Some of the firm’s locations include Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Dublin, and Madrid.  

Insights, internships and other opportunities 

Pinsent Masons offers several opportunities for students to gain an insight into working life at the firm. Open to all students, the firm’s Open Access Virtual Legal Work Experience offers a casual insight into commercial law, providing an idea of day-to-day life at the firm as well as tips on gaining experience in the field.  

For those wanting to combine academic studies with work-based learning, Pinsent Masons’ Apprenticeship Programmes provide the opportunity to gain a Level 3 Apprenticeship whilst opening doors for further qualifications and career opportunities. The firm also runs Vacation Placements every summer, enabling attendees to work in a professional environment and network with employees.  

Training contract 

Pinsent Masons offers a four-seat training contract, with each seat lasting six months. Each seat involves ‘front loaded’ training, meaning trainees will swiftly develop a foundation of the legal knowledge required within each area to take on real responsibility early on during each rotation. During these two years, trainees will develop both legal technical skills as well as broader complementary skills to ensure they grow into well-rounded, competent lawyers.  

Secondments 

Pinsent Masons provides trainees with the opportunity to apply for a secondment during the second year of its training contract. These may be in one of the firm’s other UK offices, or with one of its clients. Previous trainees have enjoyed placements at AXA, Heathrow Airport, and Royal London.  

Technology and innovation 

Pinsent Masons incorporates innovation at all levels of the firm, whilst “developing effective, creative solutions” for its clients. Some examples of its innovative approaches include: 

  • Spark Board: The firm established this team of 8 employees from different generations, geographies and job roles to provide Pinsent Masons’ main board with different perspectives on key decisions. 
  • Pinsent Masons Vario: This service offers clients an extensive range of professional disciplines, ranging from flexible resourcing to technology consulting, with a view to providing a single, consistent firmwide proposition to fulfill clients’ business requirements.  
  • Climate Change Mitigation & Sustainability Platform: In 2020, the firm launched this initiative dedicated to educating, influencing and advocating for positive action on climate change. 
Corporate social responsibility 

Pinsent Masons advises on several “domestic and international projects” of all types. Examples of pro bono work carried out by the firm include:   

  • Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) UK: The firm works with KIND to provide free legal support to undocumented children, young people and families in the UK, and campaigns for systematic change to ensure that all children are safe and able to thrive regardless of their immigration status. 
  • Right to Write: Pinsent Masons has set up the Right to Write programme which supports children in local primary schools who need extra help with their writing skills. 
  • NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme: The firm is a partner to NatWest’s Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme and since 2016, it has provided over 10,000 hours of free legal advice and guidance to the programme. 

Diversity and inclusion 

Pinsent Masons asserts that “inclusion is a part of who we are”. To cultivate a sense of community at the firm, Pinsent Masons has implemented several initiatives including:  

  • Inclusion Network Groups: Pinsent Masons has five inclusion network groups which were set up by employees for employees. The groups include Disability and Wellbeing, Family Support Network, Female Futures, FREE (Faith, Race, Ethnicity and Equality) and LGBT+. 
  • Kirk Murdoch Scholarship: The firm launched a scholarship, in memory of its former Chairman Kirk Murdoch, to encourage students from less advantaged backgrounds to enter the legal profession. 
  • Reconciliation Action Plan: Within Australia, the firm has launched its Reconciliation Action Plan, which formalises the firm’s commitment to take meaningful action towards reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.