Recognition as a top law firm in world-leading market research – Legal 500

Recognition as a top law firm in world-leading market research – Legal 500 | Wednesday 30 September 2026 | 3 min read

SA Law has secured top-tier recognition once again in The UK Legal 500 rankings.

The Legal 500 legal directories provide detailed rankings and insight into the international legal market, assessing the performance, calibre and competence of law firms. Through independent and rigorous research processes, the world-leading legal market researchers rank firms, legal departments and their lawyers. To be included in The Legal 500 is a fantastic achievement.

In the 2027 edition of the research, SA Law’s Family, Commercial Litigation and Employment practice areas achieved top-tier and tier 2 rankings. Commercial Property and Company Commercial retained their band 3 rankings, whilst Property Litigation was once more celebrated as a ‘Firm to Watch’.

For the first time, the Construction department has been recognised. This reflects the team’s long-term trusted adviser status to clients in both contentious and non-contentious matters – particularly for their support to main contractors, sub-contractors and developers to navigate reforms under the Building Safety Act.

Every lawyer who secured a ranking last year maintained their top tier status in the 2027 edition too:

• Marilyn Bell, Joint Head of Family, in the Hall of Fame – the UK’s most distinguished practitioners;
• Joint Head of Family Kiran Beeharry, Commercial Litigation co-heads Tracy Lacey-Smith and Robert Ryall, and departmental colleague Simon Walsh, as well as Commercial Property’s Jacqueline Button, as Leading Partners;
• Head of Real Estate’s Gary Dunger, Commercial Litigation’s Clare Mackay and Corporate & Commercial’s Vincent Billings as Next Generation Partners;
• Family’s Simran Gupta as Leading Associate.

SA Law’s Joint Managing Partner Tracy Lacey-Smith, commented:

“Our mission is to empower our clients to shape their futures on their own terms. These rankings recognise this and the positive impact it has had for the individuals and businesses we work with.

“As a certified B Corp it is also rewarding for me to see how balancing profit with purpose is not just maintaining but enhancing the service and expertise we provide to clients, demonstrated by the new as well as retained rankings this year.

“This couldn’t be achieved without the hard work and dedication of our extraordinary team – Thank you All.

SA Law’s Joint Managing Partner Steve Ryan added:

“I am so proud that our team of lawyers are year-on-year consistently recognised for the exceptional service they provide to clients. In this challenging and complex economic environment, these rankings show that our clients continue to trust us to deliver good results, and this is particularly poignant for us.

“Thank you to our talented team, for whom these rankings are so well-deserved.

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  Louise
  Beddoes Senior Associate
  Head of Marketing & Business Development

  • Phone 01727 798 077
  • Mobile 07841 673 494
  • Email louise.beddoes@salaw.com