Clifford Chance has the largest pension liability in the U.K. top 50 and is one of just nine other firms with such deficits, according to research by Legal Week and Smith & Williamson.

CC had a defined benefit pension scheme liability of £283 million by the end of the financial year 2017-18, a 17% improvement on the previous year when it had a liability of £341 million, according to information in its LLP accounts.