A law firm has made it into the top UK rankings.

Finchley-based firm Matthew Gold & Co was placed in the Legal 500 guide for 2017 for the categories of Civil Liberties and Administrative and Public Law, with some individual lawyers singled out for their work.

For the firm's director, Matthew Gold, it has been a long journey from when the firm was set up in 2002.

He said: "When I set up the firm, working on my own from a room in my house in Finchley, I founded it with a clear remit to fight injustice and represent only claimants, holding public authorities to account for wrongdoing and misconduct.

"Over the past 15 years we’ve grown to a team of 15 working from two offices in North London and Sussex, with dedicated and committed lawyers."

"Clients are at the centre of everything the firm does, and we represent the victims of a range of serious injustices."

Their aim is to challenge authorities to help vulnerable people, with their legal aid also meaning those who cannot afford legal representation still get their day in court.

The solicitors at the firm specialise in areas such as police misconduct, judicial review, inquests, discrimination and migrant rights.

Mr Gold added: "The Legal 500 listing is recognition of our firm’s tenacity, drive and hard work, and our success in high profile cases. We are a relatively small team listed alongside big law firms – we are able to punch above our weight.

"I am immensely proud of the team and everything they’ve achieved – also of the way we have nurtured and trained young lawyers who have since left and moved on to continue their careers.

"With cuts to legal aid and barriers remaining to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds entering the legal system, it’s more important than ever that civil liberties firms give opportunities to the next generation of human rights lawyers."

This is the third year the firm has been listed in the Legal 500 for its Administrative and Public Law work, and the second year it has ranked in the Civil Liberties category.

Go to www.matthewgold.co.uk for more information on the firm, or to www.legal500.com to see the full listings.