Hogan Lovells recognized as one of the most innovative law firms of the past 20 years by the Financial Times

The firm’s inclusion in this prestigious ranking reflects a sustained track record of success and leadership in legal innovation, from partnering with clients on their most complex cross-border matters, to pioneering legal tech and AI tools, spearheading pro bono work, and regulatory change. Hogan Lovells was consistently ranked among the top firms across all three global regions over the last 20 years, including recent top-ten placements and standout individual recognitions for excellence in litigation, dealmaking, legal technology, pro bono, and sustainability.

The special recognition was unveiled last night during a special Roll Call at the FT Innovative Lawyers Global Summit, held at The Peninsula Hotel in London. The event marked two decades of the FT’s prestigious awards across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. Partners Claire Lipworth, Richard Lewis, and Julia Marlow represented the firm at the event, joined by Marion Palmer, Global Head of Sustainability, Policy and Strategy, and Catriona Robinson, Global Head of Business Development & Sales Transformation.

Miguel Zaldivar, CEO of Hogan Lovells, commented: “To be recognized as one of the most innovative law firms of the last 20 years is an extraordinary honour and a testament to the lasting impact our teams have had globally. Fifteen years ago, we embarked on a courageous transatlantic mission to form one global firm. Thanks to that vision and strategic direction, we’ve achieved remarkable things together.

We have deliberately defined our position across borders in the most complex and highly regulated sectors and today, we are recognized as THE global elite firm in those areas. And we’ve achieved this without compromising our culture or the people who hold this firm together. These are the very qualities our clients value most, and return to us for.

What makes this especially meaningful is that Hogan Lovells has existed in its current form for only 15 of those 20 years. To place first by total number of appearances in the reports, and second overall by number of times featured in the FT’s top 10 rankings, across two decades, speaks volumes about the strength of our platform and the speed and scale of what we’ve achieved.

Innovation at Hogan Lovells has always been about long-term impact: empowering our people, delivering extraordinary outcomes for our clients, investing in technology, advancing access to justice, and shaping the future of law. I am deeply proud of the legacy we are building together and even more excited about what’s ahead for our firm.”

In the most recent 2024 FT rankings, the firm was named among the top 10 most innovative law firms across all three regions. The FT’s recognition has consistently highlighted the exceptional contributions of Hogan Lovells individuals, with a few recent examples including:

• Jessica Ellsworth – for her Supreme Court litigation and the growth of our U.S. litigation practice
• Bill Curtin – for our transformative global deals and the role of collaboration and innovation
• Lisa Ellman - for pioneering drone regulation opened new opportunities in tech and privacy law
• Charles Brasted - for our UK public law and policy work at the intersection of business and government, and key matters such as LME
• Katie Feng – for the success of the Fidelity joint venture and cross-border collaboration, and her role on key matters, e.g. LEGO
• Amy Roma – for her innovation in the technology sector and streamlining licensing reviews and deployment schedules for microreactors
• Matt Eisler – for the growth of our sports practice
• Sharon Lewis & John Salmon – for digital transformation in finance through DAB
• Sebastian Lach - for legal tech innovation and the success of ELTEMATE
• Marion Palmer – for aligning scientific know-how with the practice of law
• Yasmin Waljee OBE - for the lasting impact of our pro bono work over the last 20 years, including recently commended matters, e.g. refugee work, Essex 39
• Matthieu Grollemund and Hélène Parent - for our client work for Ynsect
• Ina Brock – for the firm’s Sales Transformation programme

Catriona Robinson, Claire Lipworth, Julia Marlow, Richard Lewis and Marion Palmer represented the firm at the special 20th Anniversary Innovative Lawyers Global Summit.

The full FT Special Report is available here.