Ashurst has posted a 7% drop in turnover for the 2008-09 financial year, with revenue falling to £301m – a £22m drop on last year’s value of £323m.

The City firm is declining to release a figure for profits per equity partner (PEP) until the figures have been audited, however, sources internally suggest the figure is likely to be substantially down on last year’s £1.04m mark. This is in part due to the firm opening up in Hong Kong and its high-profile launch into the US market.