Bates Wells

Bates Wells is a London law firm built around purpose-led clients: charities and not-for-profits, social enterprises, impact investors, creative and media businesses and employers. Its practice areas include charity, corporate, employment, data and privacy, immigration and public and regulatory law. It is registered as Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP, with its office at 10 Queen Street Place in the City of London, and the firm says its commitment to its purpose is written into its governing document.

Andrew Phillips founded the firm in 1970. Its managing partner is Erica Crump, who became a partner in 2017 and works across charity law and media and entertainment. Chambers ranks her in Band 2 for theater and live events, and the Legal 500 2026 lists her as a leading partner for theater, publishing and other media.

The first B Corp law firm

Bates Wells describes itself as the first law firm in the country to become a B Corp, and the B Corp directory lists it as certified since 2015. When it recertified in 2024 its B Impact score rose by more than 23 points to 140.2. The firm says it helped set up B Lab UK and wrote the legal test for the B Corp community there.

It reports on that commitment each year. The Bates Wells Impact Report 2026, published in September 2026, covers the year to March 2026 and includes the firm’s work on nature recovery, climate action and reducing the impact of its own operations.

“We have an ongoing responsibility to create lasting positive change through our work with clients and our operations,” Crump and chief operating officer Sally Procopis said in a joint statement on the report.

Steady growth

Turnover rose 8% from £30.7m to £33.0m in the year to March 2025, and profit before members’ remuneration grew from £8.6m to £9.1m, according to the LLP’s accounts at Companies House. The average number of people employed, including members on employment contracts, rose from 208 to 219, and the LLP had 37 members on average, up from 34.

The Times Best Law Firms 2026 recognized Bates Wells for charities, employment, immigration and administrative and public law.