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Crane Index™ Research  ›  AI Readability 2026  ›  Legal Services

Crane Index™ · Annual edition

UK Legal Services AI Readability 2026

As of 1 October 2026, the median UK legal services site scored 48 out of 100 on the Crane Index™, the measure of how readably a site presents itself to AI engines. Across the 135 sites a machine could read, scores ran from 23 to 78, a 55-point gap between the strongest and the weakest.

The 2027 edition is scheduled. UK AI Readability 2027 is pinned to the scan scheduled for 1 January 2027. The figures on this page stay fixed to 1 October 2026.

What this measures. The score reads how readably a site presents itself to AI engines: entity markup, structured data and machine resolvability. It is not a measure of design, brand or quality. A site can look excellent to a person and still be hard for a machine to read, and a low score is a readability finding, never a judgement on the business.

48
Median / 100
55
Point gap (23 to 78)
135
Sites read of 171
4
Cleared 70+

The field in 2026

The field was led by LegalZoom at 78, with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt next at 77. 4 sites cleared 70 out of 100, and 34 scored below 40.

At the foot of the field sat Simmons & Simmons at 23, Shoosmiths at 28, Sullivan & Cromwell at 32. Each is a site a machine struggled to read, not a business doing anything other than well at what it does.

The full 2026 ranking

Composite out of 100, with the three reads behind it: AI Search Readiness (retrieval), Agent Readiness (execution) and Brand Representation.

RankOrganisationCrane IndexSearchAgentBrand
1LegalZoomlegalzoom.com78789067
2Osler, Hoskin & Harcourtosler.com/en77749066
3Cuatrecasascuatrecasas.com/en/global75709263
4Keystone Lawkeystonelaw.com74848752
5Mishcon de Reyamishcon.com69697266
6McDermott Will & Emerymcdermottlaw.com68767948
7=Munger, Tolles & Olsonmto.com67658946
7=Rajah & Tannrajahtannasia.com67688746
7=Susman Godfreysusmangodfrey.com67678746
10=De Brauw Blackstone Westbroekdebrauw.com66796356
10=Gibson, Dunn & Crutchergibsondunn.com66678743
10=Gowling WLGgowlingwlg.com/en66738341
13=Gide Loyrette Nouelgide.com65648743
13=Jackson Lewisjacksonlewis.com65659041
13=Nixon Peabodynixonpeabody.com65648743
16=A&O Shearmanaoshearman.com/en64688241
16=Watson Farley & Williamswfw.com64788332
18=CMScms.law/en/int63597653
18=McGuireWoodsmcguirewoods.com63727641
20=Cadwalader, Wickersham & Tafthlc.com62667643
20=Cooleycooley.com62716352
20=Hogan Lovellshlc.com62667643
20=Weil, Gotshal & Mangesweil.com62676852
24=Axiomaxiomlaw.com61646554
24=Fish & Richardsonfr.com61666849
24=Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarboroughnelsonmullins.com61598241
24=Withersworldwidewithersworldwide.com/en-gb61716349
28=Bracewellbracewell.com60678725
28=Covington & Burlingcov.com60626651
28=Williams & Connollywc.com60658925
31=Allensallens.com.au59608928
31=Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamiltonclearygottlieb.com59398751
31=Dechertdechert.com/59576258
31=DWF Groupdwfgroup.com59616353
35=K&L Gatesklgates.com58567146
35=Thomson Reutersthomsonreuters.com/en58666246
37=Cahill Gordon & Reindelcahill.com57518932
37=Garriguesgarrigues.com/es_ES57647234
37=Osborne Clarkeosborneclarke.com57586943
37=Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrisonpaulweiss.com57616843
37=Reed Smithreedsmith.com57676241
37=Vinson & Elkinsvelaw.com57576846
43=Burges Salmonburges-salmon.com5672878
43=Ogletree Deakinsogletree.com56598523
43=Pinsent Masonspinsentmasons.com56656241
46Goodwin Proctergoodwinlaw.com/en55655841
47=Baker Donelsonbakerdonelson.com54506843
47=Troutman Pepper Locketroutman.com54626931
49=Hunton Andrews Kurthhunton.com53516841
49=Mayer Brownmayerbrown.com/en53576241
49=Sidley Austinsidley.com/en53556243
52=Baker Bottsbakerbotts.com52476246
52=Slaughter and Mayslaughterandmay.com52616828
54=Ballard Spahrballardspahr.com51495449
54=Fisher Phillipsfisherphillips.com/en51636326
54=Stewartsstewartslaw.com5155898
57=Bryan Cave Leighton Paisnerbclplaw.com/en-US50566231
57=Davis Polk & Wardwelldavispolk.com50605534
57=Gunderson Dettmergunder.com/en50566231
57=Jones Dayjonesday.com/en50476241
57=Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivanquinnemanuel.com50636325
57=WilmerHalewilmerhale.com50566528
63=Foley & Lardnerfoley.com4953878
63=Milbankmilbank.com/en49456538
63=Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittmanpillsburylaw.com/en49546331
63=Simpson Thacher & Bartlettstblaw.com49487129
63=Stephenson Harwoodstephensonharwood.com49636223
68=Lewis Silkinlewissilkin.com48536230
68=Seyfarth Shawseyfarth.com48556228
70=Crowell & Moringcrowell.com/en47486826
70=Torystorys.com47526228
72=Ashurstashurstperkinscoie.com46516323
72=Charles Russell Speechlyscharlesrussellspeechlys.com46595623
72=Cozen O'Connorcozen.com46468110
72=Hill Dickinsonhilldickinson.com46576219
72=Perkins Coieashurstperkinscoie.com46516323
77=Clifford Chancecliffordchance.com/home.html45526913
77=Clyde & Coclydeco.com/en45496225
77=Rocket Lawyerrocketlawyer.com45576613
80=Allen & Gledhillallenandgledhill.com44506615
80=Irwin Mitchellirwinmitchell.com44536315
80=Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flomskadden.com44456226
80=Squire Patton Boggssquirepattonboggs.com44536810
84=Debevoise & Plimptondebevoise.com43395832
84=Linklaterslinklaters.com43416225
84=Mintzmintz.com43496910
87Mills & Reevemills-reeve.com42526213
88=Bennett Jonesbennettjones.com41476213
88=Blake, Cassels & Graydonblakes.com41456810
88=Browne Jacobsonbrownejacobson.com41456910
88=Cravath, Swaine & Moorecravath.com41426813
88=Greenberg Trauriggtlaw.com4147688
88=Littler Mendelsonlittler.com41506210
88=Weightmansweightmans.com4151658
95=Bird & Birdtwobirds.com/en4056568
95=Kasowitz Benson Torreskasowitz.com4043688
95=Macfarlanesmacfarlanes.com40446213
95=Proskauer Roseproskauer.com4044688
95=RPCrpclegal.com4049638
95=Travers Smithtraverssmith.com4045688
95=Willkie Farr & Gallagherwillkie.com40426910
102=Fenwick & Westfenwick.com39485713
102=Kirkland & Elliskirkland.com39366813
102=Loyens & Loeffloyensloeff.com39436310
102=Morrison & Foerstermofo.com39485810
102=Trowers & Hamlinstrowers.com3947628
107=DAC Beachcroftdacbeachcroft.com38386215
107=Epiqepiqglobal.com/en-us3843628
107=Freshfieldsfreshfields.com3844628
107=Katten Muchin Rosenmankatten.com38426210
107=Latham & Watkinslw.com38376313
107=Morgan, Lewis & Bockiusmorganlewis.com3844628
113=Alston & Birdalston.com37406210
113=Arnold & Porterarnoldporter.com/en3742628
113=Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reathfaegredrinker.com/en3741628
113=Holland & Knighthklaw.com/en3741628
113=NautaDutilhnautadutilh.com/en37346810
113=Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffeorrick.com37306813
113=Paul Hastingspaulhastings.com37366213
120=Boies Schiller Flexnerbsfllp.com36335917
120=Clayton Utzclaytonutz.com3643568
120=Kilpatrick Townsend & Stocktonktslaw.com3637638
120=Manatt, Phelps & Phillipsmanatt.com36336213
120=Winston & Strawnwinstontaylor.com3643568
120=WongPartnershipwongpartnership.com3643568
126=Bradley Arant Boult Cummingsbradley.com3534638
126=King & Spaldingkslaw.com3536628
126=Venablevenable.com3535628
129=Anderson Mori & Tomotsuneamt-law.com3431628
129=Stikeman Elliottstikeman.com34305418
131Norton Rose Fulbrightnortonrosefulbright.com/en-us33306010
132=Addleshaw Goddardaddleshawgoddard.com/en3227628
132=Sullivan & Cromwellsullcrom.com32355210
134Shoosmithsshoosmiths.com28245010
135Simmons & Simmonssimmons-simmons.com23213415

Download this edition: the full field as a spreadsheet (CSV), or the same run as JSON. Licensed CC BY 4.0, so it is yours to publish and build on with attribution. Every unreadable site carries empty score cells, never a zero.

This is the fixed 2026 edition, pinned to the scan measured 1 October 2026, so the figures on it do not change. The live field, re-run on the first of each month, is on the current Legal Services benchmark. For how the score is built, see the methodology.

Licensed CC BY 4.0. Cite as: The Crane Index™, UK Legal Services AI readability 2026, The Crane Consultancy, measured 1 October 2026. https://thecraneconsultancy.com/research/legal-services-ai-readability-2026/

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