Stewarts has achieved more departmental and individual rankings in the new Chambers UK guide than in any previous edition. The 2025 guide lists Stewarts in 20 categories as well as the new ‘Spotlight’ feature on Dispute Resolution Specialist Firms. A record 72 of our lawyers are recognised as leading individuals.
Recognised as one of the leading independent directories of legal services, Chambers UK ranks law firms and practitioners based on their case successes, market positioning and feedback from peers and clients.
Top ranked departments
Our Divorce and Family team is ranked in Band 1 for both London and Leeds. Included again in the top tier of the Ultra High Net Worth category for Family/Matrimonial work in London, Stewarts is acknowledged as having “an unrivalled team and huge experience in big cases… Stewarts are top of the tree”. Our Leeds team are likewise described as “absolute specialists in HNW cases, they provide a Rolls-Royce service.”
The team also maintains its ranking in the dedicated Children category, launched in the 2024 Chambers UK guide. “Stewarts is a fantastic firm in this space and covers the entire spectrum of family law,” interviewees told Chambers. “The children’s team is exceptional.” A new record 20 individuals (including 14 partners) from Divorce and Family receive their own rankings.
Ranked top for claimant work in London and Leeds, our Personal Injury team’s “lawyers are professional, empathic and go the extra mile.” A London client said “Stewarts were excellent – they kept me informed in everything that was happening with my case and were so helpful. The whole team were very good and excellent at communicating.” In Leeds, an interviewee described our team as “superb. They provide excellent service and are very responsive.”
Maintaining their Band 1 ranking in the UK-wide Travel category, our International Injury team “know every little detail in the case and nothing goes by unnoticed. Their attention to detail is brilliant and their work is thorough.”
Our Aviation team “leaves no stone unturned”, Chambers interviewees say. “The lawyers at Stewarts are not only skilled in air law, but have technical expertise as well. In addition to that, they are very helpful and do have great communication with the clients.”
Top ranked in Leeds and highly regarded in London, our Commercial Litigation team is recognised for its work on high value disputes, in particular acting for claimants in cases with complex international aspects. “The firm is really impressive and effective due to the strength of its team,” according to the 2025 guide. Sources reported our top ranked Leeds team “can handle really heavy litigation exceptionally well.”
Recognition for our disputes teams
Listed in the claimant sections in London and Leeds, our Clinical Negligence teams received excellent feedback from clients: “The team was superb from start to finish. They are supportive, knowledgeable and responded well with clear and concise information.” After Chambers’ research had concluded, we announced the expansion of the department with Anita Jewitt joining as Head of Clinical Negligence.
Our Competition Litigation team is recognised for claimant-side private enforcement work. “They provided highly professional service at all times with short response times and good availability, always with a friendly and solution-oriented attitude,” an interviewee said.
Stewarts is once again listed in the Group Actions category, acknowledging the work of multiple departments in this fast-growing area of law.
Our ranking for claimant-side Banking Litigation work recognises the expertise of our Commercial Disputes offering including our Securities Litigation group. The Stewarts team “handles complex matters extremely well. It always has the answers and team expertise to handle complex situations,” the guide reports.
Also in the commercial litigation sections, our civil Fraud practice is “capable of handling complex litigation involving several countries outside the UK in a highly sophisticated manner.”
Our Policyholder Disputes team earns its first ranking in the Insurance: Mainly Policyholders category just two years after the department’s foundation. “Stewarts’ handling of major insurance matters has been first-rate,” a source said. Aaron Le Marquer rises in the individual rankings and James Breese is acknowledged as an Up and Coming partner.
Moving up a band this year, our International Arbitration team rises up the UK-wide Commercial Arbitration section with all three partners receiving individual rankings. “Stewarts has excellent practitioners, who are sophisticated, hands-on and personable,” interviewees told the guide. “The team is very skilful in navigating complex issues and the specifics of the London arbitration system.”
Our Tax Litigation and Resolution team is recognised in both the UK-wide Contentious Tax category and for Professional Negligence work. “The team are clearly able to quickly pick up, digest and articulate complex tax matters,” sources say. Having joined Stewarts in 2023, partner Giles Salmond joins head of department David Pickstone in the practitioner rankings.
Following individual rankings for our partners in the 2024 guide, our Employment team is recognised in the Senior Executives category departmental rankings for the first time in 2025. “There is very much a client-driven ethos amongst the employment team at Stewarts,” Chambers reports.