What Hamlins does

Hamlins LLP is a London-based commercial law firm founded in 1913, operating as a UK Limited Liability Partnership authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 440628). The firm is headquartered at 1 Kingsway, London, employs 101-250 staff, and is structured as a partner-owned practice with no external investment. It delivers legal services across 13 practice areas including Commercial and Tech, Commercial Disputes, Corporate, Employment, Hospitality and Leisure, Intellectual Property Disputes, Media and Entertainment, Music, Real Estate (with sub-practices in Construction, Development, Investment, Finance, and Disputes), Reputation and Privacy, and Sport.

The firm operates on a vertical specialisation model, organising its practice around four primary sectors: real estate (serving investors, developers, and hospitality/leisure operators with portfolios ranging from £0.5bn to £6bn), music industry (acting as legal counsel to PPL and PRS for Music, plus recording artists, publishers, and estates), media and entertainment (notably reputation management, privacy, and phone hacking litigation), and corporate and commercial matters. Its client base spans sovereign wealth funds, private equity investors, music collecting societies, high-profile individuals, and growing chains in hospitality and leisure.

Hamlins generates revenue through professional services billing — hourly rates, fixed fees for defined matters, and retainer arrangements — with pricing not publicly disclosed. Client acquisition is partner-led and driven by reputation, referrals, directory rankings, and sector specialisation. In October 2024 the firm merged with Swan Turton, adding music and entertainment disputes capability, and it has continued to hire senior partners through 2025-2026 to deepen its Real Estate practice.

Name

Hamlins

Legal name

Hamlins LLP

Website

https://hamlins.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Hamlins LLP is a London-based commercial law firm (founded 1913) serving enterprise clients across real estate, music industry (including PPL and PRS for Music), media and reputation, and hospitality sectors through 13 specialist practice areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Legal Services: Hamlins generates revenue through providing legal services to clients across various practice areas including real estate, music, media, corporate, commercial disputes, and employment. Services are billed on a professional services basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hamlins LLP is a London-based commercial law firm providing legal services across multiple practice areas including real estate, music, media and entertainment, reputation and privacy, corporate, commercial disputes, employment, hospitality and leisure, intellectual property, sport, and commercial and tech matters. Services are delivered partner-led for businesses, high-net-worth individuals, and industry organisations across the UK.

Product overview

Hamlins is a London-based commercial law firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of legal services across multiple practice areas. The firm operates as a single integrated legal practice rather than a platform with modular products. Services are organized into distinct practice areas covering Commercial and Tech, Corporate, Employment, Hospitality and Leisure, Intellectual Property Disputes, Media and Entertainment, Music, Real Estate (with specialized sub-practices for Construction, Development, Investment, and Finance), Real Estate Disputes, Reputation and Privacy, and Sport. The firm's expertise spans contentious and non-contentious matters for clients ranging from individuals to multinational corporations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial and Tech Legal services covering commercial transactions, technology contracts, and tech-sector specific advice for businesses.
• Commercial Disputes Dispute resolution services including arbitration, commercial contract disputes, consumer law, cross-border litigation, director and shareholder disputes, fraud disputes, injunctions, and professional negligence.
• Corporate Corporate law services including transactions, governance, and commercial matters for businesses.
• Employment Employment law services for employers and employees covering workplace matters and disputes.
• Hospitality and Leisure Specialized legal services for the hospitality and leisure sector including hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
• Intellectual Property Disputes IP dispute resolution services covering copyright, trademark, patent disputes, and intellectual property enforcement.
• Media and Entertainment Legal services for media companies, broadcasters, publishers, and entertainment industry clients.
• Music Specialized legal services for the music industry including recording artists, songwriters, composers, music publishing, collecting societies (PPL, PRS for Music), and music industry disputes.
• Real Estate Full-service real estate legal services covering acquisitions, disposals, development, investment, leasing, management, and construction matters.
• Real Estate Disputes Real estate litigation and dispute resolution services including landlord and tenant disputes, boundary disputes, and property-related claims.
• Real Estate Finance

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• LawCareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamlins has a partnership with LawCare, a charity providing support for legal professionals. The firm is part of the LawCare 25 Club Allies initiative.
• Ruth Strauss FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamlins partners with the Ruth Strauss Foundation, which supports families facing the death of a parent. The firm participates in fundraising activities including the Ride for Ruth cycling challenge.
• Orchestra of the Age of EnlightenmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHamlins has a partnership with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, supporting their musical and educational activities.
• PPL (Phonographic Performance Ltd)coreOthersHamlins acts for PPL, the UK's music collecting society, in protecting their copyright in sound recordings. Claims by PPL historically account for the largest volume of claims in the Chancery Division of the High Court.
• PRS for MusiccoreOthersHamlins acts for PRS for Music, the British music copyright collective comprising MCPS and PRS, in protecting musical works copyright. They are a trusted advisor for all aspects of contentious music requirements.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mishcon de Reya LLP: London-based commercial law firm with a high-profile reputation and privacy practice (notably the Prince Harry phone-hacking litigation), strong real estate and corporate offering, and a similar mix of media, art, and luxury-sector clients. Directly comparable in vertical mix and market positioning to Hamlins.
• Lewis Silkin LLP: London firm of similar size with leading media, entertainment, and creative-industries practices including music, alongside employment and real estate. Closely comparable to Hamlins in its sector specialisation and mid-tier City positioning.
• Kingsley Napley LLP: London commercial firm renowned for reputation management, privacy, and defamation work, with complementary real estate and corporate teams. Highly comparable to Hamlins' reputation/privacy and real estate practice mix.
• Bristows LLP: London firm with strong IP, technology, and media specialisation alongside real estate. Comparable to Hamlins in its focus on IP disputes, media clients, and technology-sector work.
• Simkins LLP: London boutique specialising in media, entertainment, and music law for artists, producers, and rights-holders. Directly comparable to Hamlins' music and entertainment disputes practice, especially after the Swan Turton merger.
• Marriott Harrison LLP: London boutique with a strong music, media, and brand-led IP practice serving creative-sector clients. Directly comparable in the music industry and IP disputes space.
• Russells LLP: Long-established London music industry specialist firm representing artists, songwriters, producers, and record labels. Closely comparable to Hamlins' music practice, particularly on artist-side mandates.
• Wiggin LLP: London firm specialising in media, entertainment, technology, and intellectual property. Comparable to Hamlins in media-and-entertainment, IP disputes, and commercial tech work.

Broad incumbents

• Bird & Bird LLP: Large international firm with leading technology, media, and IP practices across multiple jurisdictions. Comparable in sector focus (media, tech, IP) but broader and deeper-resourced than Hamlins.
• Osborne Clarke LLP: International firm with strong real estate, technology, media, and corporate practices across European and US markets. Comparable in vertical mix to Hamlins but operates at significantly larger scale and geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hamlins-llp
• Instagraminstagram.com/hamlinsllp
• Xx.com/hamlinsllp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hamlins