Global litigation and dispute resolution firm Kennedys has reported record revenue of £457 million (around SG$787 million) for full-year 2026, a 9.1% increase from a year ago.

The result is particularly notable given the wider headwinds facing insurance-focused law firms. The Thomson Reuters Institute's 2026 State of the UK Legal Market report identified insurance, IP and disputes as practice areas facing potential contraction, as legal buyers have become more cautious about external spend than at any point in the last five years. Kennedys' performance runs firmly against that grain.

North America and Asia-Pacific delivered the strongest regional results, with revenue up 22.5% and 20.3% respectively, together accounting for 43.7% of global revenue. The UK, the firm's largest region and home base, generated £215 million, representing 47% of the global total, with steady growth of 3.6%. EMEA and LATAM contributed a combined 9.2% of annual revenue.

"Delivering another year of strong growth reflects the strength of our global offering and the confidence our clients place in us. We are particularly encouraged by the pace of expansion in North America and APAC, both of which are central to our long-term strategy. Our ongoing growth strategy is about building a stronger, broader and more connected firm," said John Bruce (pictured), senior partner. "That means developing further our comprehensive insurance offering, expanding our service lines and strengthening our global footprint so that we are present, scalable and responsive in the markets that matter most to our clients."

Landmark cases with insurance implications

The financial results are backed by involvement in some of the most consequential insurance-related disputes before international courts. Kennedys is representing KCTMO and its senior executives in the largest police investigation arising from the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

That case continues to generate significant legal activity: the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has issued a £360 million legal claim against seven firms involved in the tower's refurbishment, and a court has ordered disclosure on both liability and quantum to be completed by October 2026, with a trial not anticipated before October 2028.

The breadth of that litigation, spanning product liability, professional indemnity and public liability lines, has sustained legal demand across the insurance market for nearly a decade.

On the environmental front, Kennedys is defending Welsh Water in what has been described as the UK's largest ever environmental group action. More than 4,500 claimants have brought a joint legal claim to the High Court alleging that Welsh Water and chicken producer Avara Foods are responsible for pollution of the rivers Wye, Lugg and Usk, seeking both substantial damages and court-ordered remediation.

The case carries wider implications for the environmental liability insurance market: the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 introduced exclusions to indemnity and insurance clauses in directors' liability policies for cases involving wilful or reckless disregard of environmental obligations, a development that is expected to push up premiums and limit coverage for directors in high-risk infrastructure sectors.

In the US, Kennedys is counsel of record for insurers in the NFL head-trauma coverage litigation, involving a settlement fund exceeding US$1.4 billion. Internationally, the firm is also heavily involved in claims arising from the Middle East conflict across marine, aviation, political violence and trade credit lines.

A complex claims environment

Kennedys is growing against a backdrop of rising legal complexity across virtually every major line. Legal risks are rising globally, with third-party litigation funding expanding beyond the United States to the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and parts of Asia, while social inflation - driven by expanded definitions of liability, rising jury awards and legal activism - is pushing up claims severity in casualty and liability lines.

In May, Kennedys expanded its global partnerships to 359, its seventh consecutive year of double-digit partner promotions. The firm has also appointed a new chief information officer to lead its global technology strategy, alongside new leadership in APAC. The appointments reflect the premium legal buyers now place on advisers who combine technical excellence with commercial judgement and are investing in AI to improve efficiency and legal output.

The road to a billion

Kennedys' turnover has more than tripled since FY15, when it stood at £122 million, giving the billion-dollar target a grounding in demonstrated trajectory. With the UK's regulatory and litigation environment generating an expanding pipeline of complex, high-value disputes across environmental, construction, cyber and casualty lines, the firm's insurer clients look unlikely to run short of work to refer any time soon

"Our goal is to reach US$1 billion in global turnover by the end of FY31," said Bruce. "This reflects our commitment to meeting our clients' changing needs, driving growth while maintaining the unique culture that sets Kennedys apart. To achieve this, we are investing further in our people, processes and infrastructure, ensuring Kennedys is future-ready and distinguished by the exceptional client service we provide. Our people are at the heart of this journey. Success depends on our people strategy, which is rooted in our culture and values and places diversity, equity, inclusion and wellbeing at the centre."