The worldwide recognised legal directory Chambers and Partners has released its rankings for its 2026 edition which includes a number of the teams and solicitors at Farleys.
For the last 35 years, Chambers and Partners has been producing comprehensive guides that research and rank the top law firms and legal professionals across 200 jurisdictions.
Farleys have consistently been ranked in the guides for many years and this latest guide is no different.
Five departments have received recognition in the rankings:
Crime (Band 1)
Financial Crime (Band 1)
Personal Injury (Band 3)
Inquests (Band 3)
Family (Band 4)
The crime department were described as “exceptional and the top firm in Lancashire and Manchester” and “heads and shoulders above any firms in terms of their preparation and presentation” with the feedback noting,
No case is too big or too small for them and the service given to clients is second to none. They are totally committed to the best interests of the client and fearless in their defence.
The family law team were praised for their “excellent and approachable team” adding that the team is “always available to discuss the case and act quickly.”
The inquests team were described as “an expert in its field, often in complex Article 2 cases. A highly experienced team of solicitors, Farleys provides excellent service and always go above and beyond the call of duty.” One piece of feedback said,
I found Farleys to be approachable. Any concerns I had were dealt with in a timely manner. All staff were kind and compassionate. Every encounter I have had with Farleys has been excellent.
The personal injury department were praised as being “very helpful, compassionate and informative” and “very approachable and made me comfortable and reassured throughout the process. They were very efficient and always put time aside to keep me updated and in the loop.“
Individual Rankings
Individually, seven solicitors across the firm have been recognised in the latest Chambers and Partners Guide.
Within the crime department, Partners Paul Schofield, Bridgette Hibbert, and David Caplin have been ranked in Bands 1, 2, and 2 respectively.
Paul, Bridgette and David received the following feedback:
“Paul is one of most dedicated solicitors I have ever come across and he looks after his clients incredibly well.”
“Bridgette is a dedicated and fearless solicitor. Her no-nonsense approach is utilised in the best interests of her clients.”
“David Caplin is very good with clients, tactically astute and very bright.”
Partners Jonathan Bridge and Kelly Darlington from our abuse and inquests department have also been ranked in Band 2.
Jonathan and Kelly received the following feedback:
“I’m so grateful and appreciative of Jonathan’s approach and professionalism. He is very well experienced and I trust his knowledge. He deals with everything efficiently and effectively.”
“Kelly is one of the most diligent and dedicated solicitors there is. She goes the extra mile for all of her clients and works tirelessly to get a positive outcome in her cases.”
Family law partner Antonia Love has been recognised in Band 3 with feedback including,
“Antonia is exceptionally talented and experienced in matrimonial and finance work. She offers great client care and will go the extra mile.”
Finally, Alice Wood, senior associate in the inquests team has been newly ranked as an Associate to Watch.
“Alice is an extremely impressive solicitor. She has a keen eye for detail and her cases are meticulously prepared. She combines a fearlessness approach with a high degree of calm and sensitivity.”
Commenting on the rankings, Farleys’ managing partner Daniel Draper said,
We’re always pleased to have the hard work of our teams recognised among the best in the region and across the country at what they do. I’d like to congratulate the teams and colleagues included and thank the researchers for their thorough work.
To read the full rankings and feedback, visit Farleys’ profile on the Chambers website.
