Knowles: charismatic leader of credible City invaders DLAWhile City firms watch for signs of slowing economic and corporate activity, top-tier national and regional players must be hoping that leaner times can help level the woefully uneven playing field on which they are currently competing.

For the third year running, boosted by the strong corporate market, tougher performance criteria and the failure of in-house lawyers to contain costs, City firms have surged ahead of all but a handful of regional players.