Turnover (£m): 23.1
Average PEP: 139
Equity spread (£k): 139-139
Profit margin (%): 3
RPL (£k): 436

Optima Legal, which is structured along corporate lines as a limited company, was established in 2006 after DLA Piper spun off its volume operation. It debuted in the UK 200 in 2008-09 with a turnover of £30m. Then came the recession. Optima’s property division, which includes a ­conveyancing group and remortgaging group, was hit hard as its banking clients pulled back from the retail sector. By last year turnover had fallen to £23.1m.

Optima has a six-member management board consisting of non-executive chairman Peter Armstrong, lead litigation partner Phillip Robinson, lead property partner ­Anthony Ruane, conveyancing head David Duckworth, director of litigation Denise Loney and finance director Mark Buxton.

Staff headcount, which was built up to a high of 708 at the 2008-09 year-end, has fallen to 575. This was in part down to the Solicitors Regulation ­Authority ordering the firm to reorganise last August after it was found to have overstepped the rules concerning non-lawyer investment in firms through its deal with Capita. As a result the firm has put any post-Legal Services Act plans on hold and is prevented by the watchdog from talking about any long-term ambitions.

Instead Optima has been busy hiring in lawyers in a bid to build its litigation ­expertise. The firm has increased litigation income from £14.35m at the 2009-10 year-end to £14.53m, with this trend ­expected to continue.