Blake Morgan's lawyers and practice areas in Wales have achieved exceptional recognition in the prestigious Chambers and Partners 2026 UK Guide, with 11 practice areas and 21 individual lawyers ranked.
The quality and depth of Blake Morgan's Welsh legal teams were particularly evident, the firm said, with 10 practice areas achieving Band 1 rankings – the highest possible rating in the directory – and a further practice area achieving Band 2.
Leading areas include Administrative & Public Law, Construction, Corporate M&A, Employment, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Real Estate, Real Estate Litigation, Restructuring & Insolvency, and Social Housing, all ranked at Band 1, with Banking and Finance ranked at Band 2.
The firm's clients and peers said:
“Blake Morgan provides decisive advice to complex legal matters or dilemmas. The firm is always very responsive and it is easy to obtain urgent advice for complex queries.
“The team at Blake Morgan are very approachable and friendly, whilst having strong commercial experience.”
The Chambers 2026 Guide highlights lawyers who are considered leaders in their field by their peers and clients. In Wales, 21 individual lawyers received rankings, demonstrating the strength and depth of talent across the office. Six lawyers achieved Band 2 rankings: Eve Piffaretti (Administrative & Public Law), James Egan (Real Estate), James Williams (Corporate), Paula Kathrens (Employment), Paul Duggan (Banking & Finance), and Richard Jones (Corporate).
Seven lawyers achieved Band 1 rankings: Joanna Rees (Construction), Joanne Davies (Employment), Lee Fisher (Intellectual Property and Litigation), Louise Howells (Social Housing), Matthew Smith (Employment), Paul Caldicott (Restructuring/Insolvency), and Sian Jones (Real Estate Litigation and Social Housing). Louise Howells' Band 1 ranking in Social Housing marks 10 consecutive years of Chambers rankings. Additionally, Daniela Smith achieved a Band 3 ranking in Real Estate, and Louise Howells also received a Band 3 ranking in Real Estate alongside her Band 1 recognition in Social Housing.
The rankings also highlight the strength of emerging talent at the firm. Seven lawyers were recognised as either ‘Associates to watch' or ‘Up and coming'. Adam Carbis (Real Estate Litigation), Daniel Taylor (Litigation), Sophia Farmer (Restructuring/Insolvency), Sophie Latham (Construction), and Tanya Barrett (Social Housing) were all named as ‘Associates to watch', while Joanna Corbett-Simmons (Litigation) and Kate Howell (Construction) were commended as ‘Up and coming'.
To determine these rankings, Chambers surveys and interviews clients and lawyers across the UK to assess key qualities, including the sophistication of work, client service, commercial astuteness, and the bench strength of teams.
Clients praised Blake Morgan's teams, saying:
“Blake Morgan provide excellent advice with the advantage of a local feel and great customer service.
“Blake Morgan has a wide range of specialisms within the same firm, which helps with complex transactions.”
Eve Piffaretti, Head of Office (Wales) at Blake Morgan, said:
“I'm incredibly proud to see our Wales office achieve such outstanding recognition in the Chambers and Partners 2026 Guide. To have 11 of our practice areas achieve Band 1 status, with Banking and Finance also securing Band 2, is a remarkable achievement and reflects the exceptional quality and consistency of service our teams deliver to clients across Wales and beyond.
“It's particularly pleasing to see 21 of our colleagues individually recognised, from our most senior lawyers to our emerging talent who represent the future of the firm. Special congratulations to Louise Howells, who has now been ranked in Chambers for an impressive 10 consecutive years, a testament to her sustained excellence in Social Housing law.
“These results reflect the hard work, dedication and expertise of everyone in our Wales office, and I'm grateful to our clients for their continued trust and positive feedback. We look forward to building on this success in the year ahead.”
