Dickinson Dees returns to the table, having dropped out in 2002. Despite no London office, the firm continues to develop a national presence in a range of practice areas.
It was appointed on ten new PFI schemes across the country, including the London Underground PPP.
It also gained new clients which include plcs Taylor Woodrow and Grainger Trust, pharmaceutical giants ICI and Huntsman, lending banks, developer AWG, and The National Trust.
Arriva and the Go-Ahead Group continue to supply regular headline work.
Particularly impressive was its high-profile real estate hires, with new head of property, Malcolm Lloyd, and new head of property litigation, Alan Herbert.
Mr Lloyd had previously been national managing partner of Pinsent Curtis, and Mr Herbert headed Pinsents' national property litigation team.
The arrival of Niall Head-Rapson to head its IP and biotech teams was another boost.
Watson Burton appears in Strength to Strength for the first time, having raised its profile through an impressive round of client gains and partner hires.
The firm's higher profile in the market has enabled it to gain new clients, including Robert McAlpine, Ace and The Alnwick Garden, and to increase its turnover by 21pc.
The arrivals of Richard Freeman-Wallace, David Hardman, Richard Pickersgill and Christopher Graham have increased its corporate and real estate capabilities.
