{"id":121031,"date":"2025-05-30T10:02:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T18:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/05\/30\/elite-biglaw-firms-want-to-make-their-magic-circle-designation-magically-disappear\/"},"modified":"2025-05-30T10:02:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T18:02:34","slug":"elite-biglaw-firms-want-to-make-their-magic-circle-designation-magically-disappear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/05\/30\/elite-biglaw-firms-want-to-make-their-magic-circle-designation-magically-disappear\/","title":{"rendered":"Elite Biglaw Firms Want To Make Their \u2018Magic Circle\u2019 Designation Magically Disappear"},"content":{"rendered":"

Elite London-based Biglaw firms \u2014 A&O Shearman, Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May \u2014 have been referred to as members of the \u201cMagic Circle\u201d for about 25 years, but it seems that the magic has simply lost its luster over the years. Alas, referring to one of these firms as being part of the \u201cMagic Circle\u201d is apparently now a \u201csign of lazy journalism,\u201d according to City AM\u2019s<\/a> Eyes on the Law column. <\/p>\n

It seems that partners at many of these firms may be trying to cast a spell to make that naming convention magically disappear, in favor of a new, even more prestigious title.<\/p>\n

Back in 2021, Freshfields was one of the first<\/a> of the Magic Circle firms to attempt to abracadabra the association away, thanks to the firm\u2019s steady growth in the US. Over the years, other firms have done the same, and now they\u2019d like to reap the rewards. City AM<\/a> has the details:<\/p>\n

\n

The push from Freshfields, Linklaters, Clifford Chance, and A&O is to establish a foothold in the US market, each doing its way. A&O opted for a\u00a0merger with the US law firm Shearman & Sterling,<\/a>\u00a0while the others chose new offices and filled them with people who have names in the market.<\/p>\n

However, part of Freshfields, Linklaters, Clifford Chance and A&O Sherman\u2019s strategy is to appease a US audience. Last September, Freshfields unveiled its rebrand, which included dropping its German name\u2019 Bruckhaus Deringer\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So, what\u2019s the new title partners at these firms are hoping to adopt? Get your wands ready, because per City AM, they\u2019ve reportedly been thinking of referring to themselves as members of the \u201cGlobal Elite.\u201d Maybe these Magic Circle firms can cast a spell and see if it works\u2026. <\/p>\n

Hocus pocus<\/em>,\u00a0alakazam<\/em>, sim sala bim<\/em>, presto change-o<\/em>! Best of luck to the would-be Global Elite as they attempt to saw their old moniker in half!<\/p>\n

\u2018Magic Circle\u2019 law firms trying to distance themselves from the prestigious phrase<\/a> [City AM]<\/p>\n

\n
\"Staci
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Staci Zaretsky<\/a>\u00a0is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she\u2019s worked since 2011. She\u2019d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email<\/a> her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on\u00a0Bluesky<\/a>,\u00a0X\/Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0Threads<\/a>,\u00a0or connect with her on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The post Elite Biglaw Firms Want To Make Their \u2018Magic Circle\u2019 Designation Magically Disappear<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

Elite London-based Biglaw firms \u2014 A&O Shearman, Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May \u2014 have been referred to as members of the \u201cMagic Circle\u201d for about 25 years, but it seems that the magic has simply lost its luster over the years. Alas, referring to one of these firms as being part of the \u201cMagic Circle\u201d is apparently now a \u201csign of lazy journalism,\u201d according to City AM\u2019s<\/a> Eyes on the Law column. <\/p>\n

It seems that partners at many of these firms may be trying to cast a spell to make that naming convention magically disappear, in favor of a new, even more prestigious title.<\/p>\n

Back in 2021, Freshfields was one of the first<\/a> of the Magic Circle firms to attempt to abracadabra the association away, thanks to the firm\u2019s steady growth in the US. Over the years, other firms have done the same, and now they\u2019d like to reap the rewards. City AM<\/a> has the details:<\/p>\n

\n

The push from Freshfields, Linklaters, Clifford Chance, and A&O is to establish a foothold in the US market, each doing its way. A&O opted for a\u00a0merger with the US law firm Shearman & Sterling,<\/a>\u00a0while the others chose new offices and filled them with people who have names in the market.<\/p>\n

However, part of Freshfields, Linklaters, Clifford Chance and A&O Sherman\u2019s strategy is to appease a US audience. Last September, Freshfields unveiled its rebrand, which included dropping its German name\u2019 Bruckhaus Deringer\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So, what\u2019s the new title partners at these firms are hoping to adopt? Get your wands ready, because per City AM, they\u2019ve reportedly been thinking of referring to themselves as members of the \u201cGlobal Elite.\u201d Maybe these Magic Circle firms can cast a spell and see if it works\u2026. <\/p>\n

Hocus pocus<\/em>,\u00a0alakazam<\/em>, sim sala bim<\/em>, presto change-o<\/em>! Best of luck to the would-be Global Elite as they attempt to saw their old moniker in half!<\/p>\n

\u2018Magic Circle\u2019 law firms trying to distance themselves from the prestigious phrase<\/a> [City AM]<\/p>\n

\n
\"Staci
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Staci Zaretsky<\/a>\u00a0is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she\u2019s worked since 2011. She\u2019d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email<\/a> her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on\u00a0Bluesky<\/a>,\u00a0X\/Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0Threads<\/a>,\u00a0or connect with her on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Elite London-based Biglaw firms \u2014 A&O Shearman, Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May \u2014 have been referred to as members of the \u201cMagic Circle\u201d for about 25 years, but it seems that the magic has simply lost its luster over the years. Alas, referring to one of these firms as being part of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":121019,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-121031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Staci-Zaretsky-jTZkum.jpeg?fit=150%2C100&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121031"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121031\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/121019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}