The Legal 500 West Midlands 2022

WEST MIDLANDS region

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2022 THE WEST MIDLANDS’ LEGAL WORLD RANKED The Legal 500 West Midlands 1

K

ang & Co Solicitors is a law firm based in Birmingham City Centre and has branch offices in Milton Keynes and Central London.

Established by solicitor Manjinder Singh Kang and barrister Thomas Wheeler, Kang & Co specialises in representing companies and individuals on a private feepaying basis for all matters concerning Driving Offences, Private-Funded Criminal Defence, Regulatory Law and Transport Law.

Manjinder Singh Kang, Director of Kang & Co Solicitors

With offices strategically located in Birmingham, Milton Keynes and London, the firm frequently advises and represents clients throughout England & Wales.

Kang & Co is committed to providing outstanding legal advice and representation to clients and receives 5 star feedback, recommendations and reviews from existing and former clients on a regular basis. The firm was recently ranked as a Leading Firm by The Legal 500 in the field of Criminal Law. The law firm is dedicated towards simplifying legal fees and in most cases will offer clients legal advice and representation on an “agreed fixed fee” basis which ensures that the clients can budget their defence fees accordingly.

“Ensuring that all clients Manjinder Singh Kang commented; “Ensuring that all receive accurate details on clients receive accurate details on costs and providing legal representation which exceeds the expectations of our clients costs and providing legal is at the core of our company values. In an increasingly representation which exceeds competitive legal environment, clients want to know how much their case will cost and are seeking out specialist the expectations of our clients lawyers for their legal issues, as opposed to using general is at the core of our company practitioners. At our firm we have deliberately chosen to specialise in a couple of areas of law and are always clear values.” on costs, which has ultimately resulted in the firm growing Manjinder Singh Kang, from strength to strength each year.”

Director at Kang & Co Solicitors The company has a heavy focus at representing clients for Driving Offences and Criminal Offences in the Magistrates’ and Crown Court. It frequently represents clients for common driving offences such as Speeding, Careless Driving, Penalty Points Disqualification and Drink Driving, as well as the most serious motoring offences such as Causing Death by Dangerous Driving.

As Kang & Co Solicitors only provides criminal defence advice and representation on a privately funded basis, the majority of clients tend to be white collar professionals and business owners. The firm does not provide any representation on a public funded basis.

Thomas Wheeler, Director of Kang & Co Solicitors

During the past few years Kang & Co Solicitors has actively supported many local charities. Each year a charity partner is selected and the firm raises funds and awareness for the chosen cause. In recent years it has supported Birmingham Dogs Home, Acorns Children’s Hospice, World Against Single Use Plastics and Sense (sensory disabilities charity).

A Truly Specialist Law Firm Kang & Co Solicitors are a truly specialist national law firm covering England and Wales. We currently have offices in Birmingham, London and Milton Keynes.

Our two main areas of specialism are in advising and representing privately paying individuals who have been charged with Criminal Offence(s) or Driving Offence(s).

Customer care is at our heart. We will always endevour to provide the highest of quality advice and representation, plus make sure legal costs are fixed by stage so that our clients have no unexpected surprises.

Clear and Agreed Legal Fees with no hidden costs

@KangSolicitors

5 Star Rated Law Firm with top ratings on TrustPilot, Google & More

0345 222 9955

Provide national coverage throughout England & Wales

kangandco.co.uk

WEST MIDLANDS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LEGAL PROFESSION IN THE WEST MIDLANDS IN 2022 2022 is the time for the legal profession to reengage, reconnect, and to become stronger and more resilient than ever. If the last 18 months has taught us anything, it is that we cannot predict the future.

2022 is, I believe, a time to look forwards, not backwards. We have some of the best legal professionals in the Country here in the West Midlands as evidenced by the record number of entries, both of firms, practice areas and named individuals in the latest edition of Legal 500. We have lawyers in our region who are doing work which was previously only done in London.

We also welcome all of the new law firms and other businesses who choose to open offices in Birmingham despite the challenges of the pandemic.

In November, on behalf of Birmingham Law Society, I welcomed another 110 newly qualified solicitors and barristers to the profession. It was a proud moment for me, but also for our newest members of the profession starting out on their career journey. At the time, I reminded them of the values that I have held dear for over 30 years, be kind, support one another and listen. And also, to be proud of yourself and the profession; looking at Legal 500, we certainly have a lot to be proud of.

Try to give something back, little things can have a big impact on others and in my experience you will always get back more than you give.

"Birmingham Law Society’s motto, "One Voice, One Region, One Profession" brings together people with shared interest and goals and a common purpose" Covid 19 forced the legal profession to accelerate remote and flexible working policies to allow us to offer “business as usual” to our clients. The profession didn’t grind to a halt, people proved that they could work efficiently and effectively from home. Many firms now accept that a split week will probably be the norm going forward and they are rising to the challenge of finding and using new methods of maintaining office cultures and staff whilst continuing to expand their offerings to clients.

There is now an acknowledgement that with a better understanding of how our work affects our health and wellbeing, we can enhance people’s lives for the better. Studies have shown that a healthy workforce is a more productive workforce.

Many firms embraced mental wellbeing during the pandemic, training mental health first aiders and putting in programmes of support for employees.

In a recent survey of members, concerns over health and wellbeing was at the top of the list with a better work life balance coming a close second.

We have a wealth of talent choosing Birmingham

Legal 500 Licensing Leading Individual and Highly Recommended. Stephanie Perraton heads the department at Squire Patton Boggs, advising on the full range of licensing issues. The team is known for its particular expertise in dealing with hotel licenses and acts for a number of the key players in this market. It is also recommended for its work with transport hubs and the convenience retail sector.

Perraton is adept at covering all aspects of licensing such as alcohol and entertainment as well as late night food sales. She acts for a wide range of operators (including some listed companies). Nicola Smith is another significant member of the team who acts for hospitality, leisure and retail operators her experience covers both licensing and food/product law. as a place to study law, with a record number of students having started at Birmingham University in September. Hopefully these students will have a great variety of local legal experts to learn from and develop their skills, discover what a wonderful City Birmingham is, see the investment first hand and go on to qualify and work in our region.

Birmingham Law Society’s motto of, "One Voice, One Region, One Profession" brings together people with shared interest and goals and a common purpose. We aim to be truly representative of our diverse membership and respond to changes in our community. We will provide events and seminars for all, not just traditional networking but alternative networking too.

As a Brummie, investment in Birmingham as a City has never been higher, we now have the clean air zone in the City Centre, better transport links

including the newly extended tram line and the icing on the cake being the Commonwealth Games.

Immediately before the Games commences next summer, Birmingham Law Society will welcome a delegation of Commonwealth Lawyers to the City for their annual conference, this year entitled “Race to the Commonwealth and beyond” which will see lawyers from all over the Commonwealth descend on Birmingham.

As president, I want to promote Birmingham as a centre of legal excellence, and reflecting on Legal 500, I can see that we have some of the best lawyers in the country and I am proud of that. I want to help celebrate the achievements of our lawyers and the valuable role that they continue to play in making our city a success.

Stephanie Perraton.

Birmingham Law Society President.

PUBLISHERS NOTE: The Legal 500 assesses the strengths of law firms in over 100 jurisdictions. The rankings are based on a series of criteria, but simply put, highlight the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel. Their research is based on feedback from 300,000 clients worldwide, submissions from law firms and interviews with leading private practice lawyers, and a team of researchers who have unrivalled experience in the legal market. This publication is an edited version of the 2022 Legal 500 Report and whilst every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy in compiling this publication, the Publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, omissions, breach of copyright or otherwise since compilation. The Publisher cannot be held responsible for any material submitted to the publication, not excluding advertisements. The views expressed within this title are the views of the Legal 500 not the Publisher. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply recommendation by the Publisher. Findings from the full report can be viewed at www.legal500.com. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publishers. © Fraser Urquhart Ltd 2022.

4 The Legal 500 West Midlands

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WEST MIDLANDS

FIRMS ARE LISTED A-Z WITHIN TIERS

LEADING INDIVIDUALS

WEST MIDLANDS COMPRISES BIRMINGHAM AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES OF SHROPSHIRE, STAFFORDSHIRE AND WARWICKSHIRE

David Meecham Pinsent Masons Belfast

Hayley Saunders Shoosmiths

AGRICULTURE AND ESTATES Sarah Baugh FBC Manby Bowdler LLP Steven Corfield FBC Manby Bowdler LLP Peter Snodgrass Shakespeare Martineau LLP

Stephen Bottley DLA Piper

Jon Bew Shoosmiths

BANKING AND FINANCE Stephen Bottley DLA Piper Patrick Davis Eversheds Sutherland Chris Brierley Gowling WLG David Doogan Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Mohammed Saqub Shakespeare Martineau LLP David Adams Shoosmiths Jon Bew Shoosmiths Roy Grist Squire Patton Boggs BANKING LITIGATION Chris Busby Eversheds Sutherland Neville Gray Eversheds Sutherland CHARITIES AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT Dominic Curran Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Kirsty McEwen Higgs LLP Mark Lewis Lodders Solicitors LLP Jenny Smith Thursfields Solicitors Shivaji Shiva VWV

Dominic Curran Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP

Andrew Leach, DWF

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION: BIRMINGHAM Neil Bowker DLA Piper Nicholas Bamford DLA Piper Andrew Leach DWF Adam Fisher Eversheds Sutherland Ann Benzimra Fieldfisher Andrew Smith Gowling WLG Jim Richards Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Mark Surguy Weightmans COMMERCIAL LITIGATION: ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS 6 The Legal 500 West Midlands

Gareth Burge Thursfields

Jas Tamber Anthony Collins Solicitors

Elizabeth Gane, Gowling WLG

Guy Birkett FBC Manby Bowdler LLP Neil Williams George Green LLP Harminder Sandhu Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited Elizabeth Beatty Harrison Clark Rickerbys Richard Morgan Harrison Clark Rickerbys Julia Lowe Higgs LLP Sarah Perry Wright Hassall LLP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY: BIRMINGHAM Monique Sutherland DLA Piper Dawn Hilton Eversheds Sutherland Gurjit Atwal Eversheds Sutherland Iftkhar Ahmed Eversheds Sutherland Philip Medford Eversheds Sutherland Sue Simpson Fieldfisher Richard Pettifor Gateley Plc Richard Bate Gowling WLG Ben Acheson Irwin Mitchell David Meecham Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Kultar Khangura Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Lisa Middleton Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Tom Johnson Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Andrew Mellor Shakespeare Martineau LLP Jason Jackson Shoosmiths Chris Plumley Trowers & Hamlins LLP

Dawn Hilton Eversheds Sutherland

Claire Waring, Wright Hassall

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY: ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS Kevin Styles George Green LLP Cherry Elliott Higgs LLP Mark Miller Lodders Solicitors LLP Clare Regan MFG Solicitors LLP Sue Albini Pickerings Solicitors Claire Waring Wright Hassall LLP David Slade Wright Hassall LLP CONSTRUCTION Andrew Millross LLP Stephen Malley Peter Scurlock Helen Andrews Michael O’Shea Richard Green Andrew James Martino Giaquinto Nigel Blundell Patrick Garner Philip Harris

CONTENTIOUS TRUSTS AND PROBATE Craig Ridge Higgs LLP Robert Weston MFG Solicitors LLP Kamal Majevadia Sydney Mitchell LLP

Kamal Majevadia Sydney Mitchell LLP

Lee Clifford Freeths LLP

CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL: BIRMINGHAM Charles Cook DLA Piper Noel Haywood DLA Piper Tim Lake DLA Piper John Campion DWF Catherine Eley Eversheds Sutherland Lee Clifford Freeths LLP Tom Durrant Gateley Plc David Vaughan Gowling WLG Nicole Livesey Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Kavita Patel Shakespeare Martineau LLP CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL: ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS Neil Jones Ansons Paul Bennett George Green LLP Arpinder Dhillon Harrison Clark Rickerbys John Heaton Higgs LLP Gareth Burge Thursfields Solicitors Robert Lee Wright Hassall LLP CORPORATE TAX Andrew Noble Jon Stevens Lee Nuttall Kevin Lowe Becky Rees Lisa Stevenson Kate Featherstone

Browne Jacobson LLP DWF Gowling WLG Mills & Reeve LLP Parisi Tax LLP Parisi Tax LLP Shoosmiths

Larry Coltman Coltman Warner Cranston LLP

Lee Nuttall, Gowling WLG

Anthony Collins Solicitors DLA Piper Eversheds Sutherland Fieldfisher Gowling WLG Gowling WLG Harrison Clark Rickerbys Mills & Reeve LLP Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Shoosmiths Wright Hassall LLP

DEBT RECOVERY Larry Coltman James Baird Dee Kundi Alan Hamblett

Coltman Warner Cranston LLP Gateley Plc Knights Shakespeare Martineau LLP

HEALTH Tracey Lucas Jill Mason Jog Hundle

Nick MacKenzie, Brown Jacobson LLP

Jane Fielding Gowling WLG

EDUCATION Nick Mackenzie Richard Freeth Nick Abbott Gayle Ditchburn Smita Jamdar

Browne Jacobson LLP Browne Jacobson LLP Mills & Reeve LLP Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Shakespeare Martineau LLP

EMPLOYMENT David Sykes Sandra Wallace Benedict Gorner Jane Fielding Tim Jones Nick Jew Richard Santy Jonathan Coley Linda Jones Charlie Rae Charlie Frost

Averta Employment Lawyers DLA Piper Gateley Plc Gowling WLG Higgs LLP Keystone Law Mills & Reeve LLP Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Shoosmiths Squire Patton Boggs

ENERGY, PROJECT FINANCE & PFI James Larmour Freeths LLP Gus Wood Gowling WLG Didar Dhillon Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP ENVIRONMENT David Egan Ruth Armstrong Andrew Litchfield Lee McBride

Ruth Armstrong, Gateley Plc.

DWF Gateley Plc Gowling WLG Lodders Solicitors LLP

Diane Benussi Benussi & Co

FAMILY: BIRMINGHAM Elizabeth Wyatt Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Jas Tamber Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Diane Benussi Benussi & Co Limited Rayner Grice Clarke Willmott LLP Kevin Harris-James Harrison Clark Rickerbys Clare Wiseman Irwin Mitchell Zahra Pabani Irwin Mitchell Beverley Morris Lodders Solicitors LLP Karen Moores Sydney Mitchell LLP FAMILY: ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS Tracy Cross Band Hatton Button LLP Linda Jones Brethertons LLP Andrew Caldicott Harrison Clark Rickerbys Philip Barnsley Higgs LLP GENERAL CRIME & FRAUD Ben Henry Jonas Roy Bloom Steven Jonas Jonas Roy Bloom Hamraj Kang Kangs Solicitors James Turner Tuckers Solicitors

Matthew Giles Capsticks LLP Mills & Reeve LLP Mills & Reeve LLP

HEALTH AND SAFETY Ruth Armstrong Gateley Plc Andrew Litchfield Gowling WLG Sean Elson Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Hayley Saunders Shoosmiths INSOLVENCY AND CORPORATE RECOVERY Stephanie Slinn Clarke Willmott LLP John Jeffreys Freeths LLP Daniel French Gateley Plc

Sam Payne Harrison Clark Rickerbys

Mark Wilson Sam Payne Stephen George Amy Flavell Andrew Taylor Aaron Harlow Devinder Singh

Devinder Singh Squire Patton Boggs

Gateley Plc Harrison Clark Rickerbys Irwin Mitchell Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Shakespeare Martineau LLP Shoosmiths Squire Patton Boggs

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Mark Daniels Browne Jacobson LLP Simon Barker Freeths LLP Kate Swain Gowling WLG IT & TELECOMS Stephen Ollerenshaw Craig Armstrong David Jackson Stuart James

Codified Legal Shoosmiths Shoosmiths Squire Patton Boggs

LICENSING Stephanie Perraton Squire Patton Boggs LOCAL GOVERNMENT Olwen Brown Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Derek Adamson DWF Didar Dhillon Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Amardeep Gill Trowers & Hamlins LLP

Emma King Eversheds Sutherland

PENSIONS Emma King Gary Delderfield Sarah Franklin Michael Collins Elizabeth Gane Paul Carberry Richard Lee Nick Stones Glyn Ryland

Olwen Brown Anthony Collins Solicitors

Eversheds Sutherland Eversheds Sutherland Eversheds Sutherland Gateley Plc Gowling WLG Gowling WLG Gowling WLG Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Squire Patton Boggs

Squire Patton Boggs

PERSONAL INJURY: CLAIMANT TPhilip Edwards Clarke Willmott LLP Inez Brown Harrison Clark Rickerbys Andy Shaw Higgs LLP Clive Garner Irwin Mitchell Emma Rush Irwin Mitchell Hilary Wetherell Irwin Mitchell Luke Daniels Irwin Mitchell Stephen Nye Irwin Mitchell Kay Kelly Lanyon Bowdler Neil Lorimer Lanyon Bowdler Phil Barnes Shoosmiths PERSONAL INJURY: DEFENDANT James Harvey BLM Richard Stallard DAC Beachcroft Ken Young Keoghs LLP David Tuck Weightmans Henry Bermingham Weightmans PERSONAL TAX, TRUSTS AND PROBATE Lesley Davis Shakespeare Martineau LLP PLANNING Howard Bassford Trevor Ivory

Howard Bassford DLA Piper

DLA Piper DLA Piper

Lucy Thomas Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

Paul Maile Lucy Thomas Simon Stanion Tim Willis John Gregory

Eversheds Sutherland Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Shakespeare Martineau LLP Shoosmiths Wright Hassall LLP

PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE Julian Smart BLM Eamon Mooney Kennedys David Gooding Mills & Reeve LLP PROPERTY LITIGATION Lisa Barge Eversheds Sutherland Clive Chalkley Gowling WLG Paul Barker Gowling WLG Alicia Foo Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Martin Edwards Shakespeare Martineau LLP Paul Knight Shoosmiths SOCIAL HOUSING Baljit Basra Peter Hubbard Victoria Jardine Jacqueline Knox David Perry Andrew Dudley

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Gowling WLG Shoosmiths Wright Hassall LLP

TRANSPORT Darren Kenny Giles Clifford

DWF Gowling WLG

The Legal 500 West Midlands 7

WEST MIDLANDS

FIRMS ARE LISTED A-Z WITHIN TIERS

BANKING & FINANCE

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DLA Piper Eversheds Sutherland Gowling WLG Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Gateley Plc Shakespeare Martineau LLP Shoosmiths Squire Patton Boggs Browne Jacobson LLP Freeths LLP Mills & Reeve LLP Aaron & Partners LLP DWF George Green LLP Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited Wright Hassall LLP DLA Piper’s Birmingham banking and finance team forms part of the firm’s wider European finance department and as such, routinely acts on highmagnitude cross-border transactions; examples include leveraged, venture and real estate finance, syndicated corporate finance and syndicated asset-based lending. Stephen Bottley, pictured, is a star name locally for corporate group financings, financial sponsorbased acquisitions, growth finance and key bank documentation projects. The team benefits from formidable strength in-depth beyond partner level locally as exemplified by Gemma Rooney, an associate well-versed in real estate finance, and legal director Gemma Lawrence who demonstrates a capacity for leveraged and large corporate transactions.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP has expertise covering a range of corporate, real estate and leveraged finance matters. Patrick Davis leads the local practice, which is closely integrated with the wider firm’s expansive national and international networks; both he and Ben Tumelty directs their focus towards acquisition finance, restructurings, refinancing and a wealth of lending matters.

Gowling WLG’s team handles a wide variety of banking and finance matters, from traditional banking matters, such as bilateral and syndicated transactions, through to private equity, corporate and project finance, funds work and debt capital market affairs. Practice head Chris Brierley has notable prowess in balance sheet corporate lending and off-balance sheet project financing which he supplements with strong sector-specific knowledge in the health, social housing, franchising and renewable energy fields. The other key partner locally is Navin Prabhakar whose practice spans acquisition, social housing and general corporate finance transactions. The group generates a considerable amount of work locally 8 The Legal 500 West Midlands

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in addition to routinely supporting its London and overseas-based colleagues on matters of national and international significance.

At Pinsent Masons LLP, ‘there is always a good depth of personnel to cope with the rigours of a complex deal’.

The firm’s workload revolves around corporate, leveraged and real estate finance, asset-based lending, syndicated and securitisation transactions, as well as debt capital markets work.

Spearheading the offering is David Doogan, pictured, a lawyer who ‘goes the extra mile’; he has been particularly busy over the bast year advising banks and borrowers alike in relation to governmentbacked lending schemes. The team is also made up of structured finance experts, Victoria Baker and Edward Sunderland, along with legal director Esther Parkes who is proficient in corporate acquisition finance transactions and senior associate Oliver Morgan who ‘smoothly guides transactions’. A key point of differentiation for the group is its leading expertise in a number of industries, namely education, advance manufacturing, technology, healthcare and travel.

Gateley Plc’s banking and finance practice is tailor-made to handle matters relating to private equity, acquisitions and structured finance, with a particularly prominent reputation in the field of asset-based lending. Andrew Madden fronts the local department and is a specialist in leveraged buy-outs, project finance and restructuring, leveraging his past experience as a corporate and private equity transaction lawyer. Carol Betts spearheads the real estate finance offering while Chris Jones’s experience in aviation and rail-related asset finance is a critical point of differentiation.

Beyond partner-level, ‘thorough and detailed’ associate Alison Davidson-Cox is an up-and-coming name for sponsorbacked acquisitions.

At Shakespeare Martineau LLP, Naomi Tudor acts on a wealth of corporate and property finance matters in addition to syndicated transactions; she is supported by debt finance specialist Christopher Gayle, along with John Rice who has been principally busy in the field of short-term and bridge financing of late. Elsewhere, Helen Readett is the key contact for healthcare and development lending while Mohammed Saqub fronts the Islamic finance offering which is primarily active on commercial property investment and development fronts. Beyond its transactional support, the group also has the capacity to support lending clients with risk and governance, credit policy and security functions issues.

A ‘diverse team with experienced partners and associates’, Shoosmiths LLP is home to a lender-focused practice with wide-reaching expertise, acting on a range of matters including acquisition, real estate, project, education and pensions finance in addition to assetbased lending and general corporate banking. Practice head Jon Bew, pictured, is extensively experienced in international and syndicated transactions in addition to domestic bilateral facilities; he is closely supported

by Natalie Barnes and the pair are praised as ‘at the absolute top of their profession’. David Adams is another partner of prominence and is noted for ‘adding value to transactions with a capacity to work through challenging scenarios’.

Roy Grist is Squire Patton Boggs’s key finance partner in Birmingham; he is highly acclaimed for his proficiency in asset-based, real estate and acquisition finance, as well as general bank lending.

His practice is fully integrated with both the firm’s national and international banking and finance department, which is also particularly formidable in terms of cross-border corporate acquisition finance, leveraged and sponsor-backed acquisition finance and the amendment and restructuring of existing facilities, among other matters. The firm enjoys an excellent reputation within the education, sporting and pensions sectors.

At Browne Jacobson LLP, the banking and finance practice is founded upon three key pillars - the first of which is private equity transactions, handled on behalf of banks, private equity houses and management teams; the second is property finance work which is centred around both development and investment transactions, principally those in the residential housing space.

Lastly, West Midlands practice head Emma Hinton, pictured, is an expert in the field of healthcare financing, complementing the firm’s transactional, property and regulatory activity in the sector.

James Dyson is the key Birminghambased contact at Freeths LLP; he caters to all market players including banks, funders and borrowers and pays particular attention to structured finance and corporate lending transactions such as leveraged buy-outs and general commercial lending. The national practice demonstrates notable sector expertise in the healthcare, public sector and real estate sectors and is especially well-versed in project, acquisition and mezzanine financing transactions.

Mills & Reeve LLP is engaged for a large amount of acquisition finance and debt transaction work; David Varnham, pictured, a structured and corporate finance transaction specialist, leads the banking & finance team in Birmingham. Varnham also fronts the firm’s international finance department and is therefore primarily active on the cross-border front, notably acting for a number of US-based banks. Other distinguishers for the practice include its proficiency in representing university, public body and charity clients.

At Aaron & Partners LLP, Shrewsburybased Hugh Strickland leads the banking and finance practice which sits within the firm’s wider corporate and commercial division; his team has been particularly active on the borrower front of late, handling refinancing and additional finance transactions in addition to working on CBILS and bounceback loans.

Richard Holmes is DWF’s key contact in Birmingham for banking and finance matters; he is principally focused on commercial real estate and hospitality finance, both development and investment-related, and enjoys a prominent reputation for distressed property transactions. A distinguished of note is the group’s tendency to act for challenger banks in addition to alternative and non-bank lenders.

Operating from Cradley Heath, Philip Round fronts George Green LLP’s banking and finance offering with a particular focus on short-term lending and bridge finance. The group is also engaged for all varieties of cashflow and asset-based lending including real estate and acquisition finance, as well as growth capital. The other key partner is Alex Jayne-Lowe, a specialist in commercial and residential real estate development lending.

At Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited, Dudley-based Colin Rodrigues represents several prominent banking clients and supports on their activities in the manufacturing, IT, leisure, hospitality, pharmaceutical and care home fields; prominent examples from the workload include real estate secured lending, corporate acquisitions and MBOs. Wright Hassall LLP’s team is primarily known for its real estate finance work including development and social housing funding, in addition to financial restructuring work such as asset-based and receivables finance. The ‘exceptional’ Lucie Byron fronts the department, handling a range of non-transactional matters such as template and precedent documents, as well as security structures.

CHARITIES AND NOT FOR PROFIT Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Mills & Reeve LLP VWV Higgs LLP Lodders Solicitors LLP Shakespeare Martineau LLP Thursfields Solicitors Browne Jacobson LLP

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complex internal disputes and supports national charities that promote physical activity.

Dominic Curran, above, leads the charities team at Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP that is particularly known for its faith-based charities work as well as for its national and international reach. Curran is praised for being ‘ unequivocally committed to providing excellent client care’. Other strengths include assisting social care charities and advising on financing issues by way of grant work, social investment and secured lending. The first-class team acts for 12 of the top 15 third sector residential care providers and four of its lawyers are approved as Interim Managers by the Charity Commission.

Anna Dabek advises charities on complex employment law issues.

Mills & Reeve LLP has a wellestablished national reputation for its work with charities and advises many of the UK’s biggest and most prominent charities. Cambridge-based Neil Burton leads the department that includes Adam Williams and Lucy Howard, pictured, both of whom are principal associates in Birmingham.

Williams acts for various charities and specialises in governance and charity law regulation.

He also advises a number of high-profile philanthropists. Howard routinely advises charities on the validity of will provisions and also acts for charities in relation to any claims that are pursued under the Inheritance Act 1975.

VWV has a large and specialist team that acts for a diverse range of clients in the UK and overseas. It advises more than 1,000 charities and has particular strength in health and social care charities as well as educational charities.

In addition it assists many public sector bodies on charity law and trusteeship issues and acts for a large number of arts charities and faith-based charities.

Head of team Shivaji Shiva frequently works with faith charities to resolve

Higgs LLP is renowned for its experience in governance, constitutional and regulatory work for charity and not-for-profit clients. Philanthropy also continues to be a focus of the group. Under the leadership of Kirsty McEwen who has an ‘outstanding knowledge of the charity sector’ the practice acts for many established charitable and not-for-profit organisations specialising in faith in addition to non-denominational religious organisations, educational charities, sports bodies and heritage charities. McEwen acts for smaller as well as larger regional and national organisations. Ellie Williams routinely advises on complex restructures and charity registrations as well as advising trustees following intervention from the Charity Commission.

Lodders Solicitors LLP advises highprofile national and regional charities as well as more discreet charitable trusts, breed societies and ancient foundations.

Mark Lewis, pictured, heads the team that advises on general charity law matters as well as governance and constitutional issues. In addition it is well placed to handle complex restructures and reorganisations. Lewis has particular expertise in advising ecclesiastical, agricultural, equine and engineering charities in addition to membership bodies and various breed societies. Steven Baker advises numerous regional and educational charities on their property portfolios.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP is best known for its wide-ranging work in the social housing and education sectors and acts for a number of noteworthy educational charitable bodies. Corporate and governance work remain a key area of growth for the practice and it is also adept at advising charities on issues regarding legacies. Leicester-based Andrew Wilkinson heads the team.

Anne Tromans regularly acts as a professional trustee and provides advice to lay trustees on their reporting requirements and trustee duties. Lesley Davis specialises in setting up and managing charitable trusts, foundations and CIOs. Newly-promoted partner

Rachel Gwynne has a wealth of experience in advising on charity law, regulation and governance.

Thursfields Solicitors has a number of long-term full service retainers with various charities and not-forprofit organisations and works with numerous regional and national

charities. The skilled team advises on the full spectrum of matters from the establishment of charities through to mergers and governance issues. Jenny Smith, pictured, heads the practice that has recently noticed increased referrals

from law firms that do not have their own charities specialisms. Katherine Ellis has an emphasis on legacy fundraising and management as well as contested probate claims and charity project management issues. James Monk is also recommended.

Under the leadership of Catherine Rustomji the practice at Browne Jacobson LLP continues to flourish. Recently it has been busy advising on governance matters and has increasingly been advising on family and corporate foundations. The team advises charities, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises as well as charity trustees and individuals who wish to establish charities both regionally and nationally.

Clare Auty is particularly knowledgeable about trading charities in the health and social care sector.

The Legal 500 West Midlands 9

WEST MIDLANDS

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10 The Legal 500 West Midlands

an even more comprehensive proposition and a holistic approach to financial planning. One that can help support them through the personal challenges they face as a business owner, and beyond sale into the type of retirement they’ve worked hard to create.

Pre-sale – Will I be able to make my money last?

In this article, we focus on how, together, we can guide business owners as they consider selling their business, whilst taking care of loved ones and achieving their desired lifestyle and retirement goals.

We will consider how holistic financial planning can be supported by scenario building provided through cashflow modelling, budgeting, and effective tax management to help them achieve their goals.

The initial stage of the planning process is all about getting the business in the right shape, and this is where we work together with you, and your client.

Prior to the transaction, we engage with the solicitor to ensure that their Articles of Association are upto-date, employment contracts are in place and any health implications that could affect the seller are considered. Prior to sale, it will also be important that wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney are in place, and even keyman insurance and directors’ shareholder protection, just to ensure all eventualities are covered during the process.

We do this by focusing on three simple questions aligned to key stages of the business ownership lifecycle. This helps form the foundation of how we can support you and your clients throughout and help create a clear plan that grows and adapts as their needs change along the way.

When a business owner is looking to sell their business, the primary concern is losing their main source of income. We consider how much they require from the sale to achieve all the things they plan to do next, by understanding their current lifestyle and what they envisage for the future.

SPECIAL FEATURE

TO SOLICITORS AND THEIR BUSINESS CLIENTS. TOBY CARPENTER

This is a major change in their lives and having peace of mind that all will be well is a good starting point.

Market shocks can be incorporated into the modelling approach: both individual shocks and general stock market movements like those witnessed between 1998 and 2020. This means pragmatism and “defensive financial engineering” can be fully incorporated into the approach.

This exercise can provide useful insight into how much they might need. It can sometimes show the business owner that they could sell for less and still be comfortable, allowing them to make an informed decision when an offer comes in and possibly sell sooner. We make sense of the variety of complexity to give the client’s financial future a clear direction.

Selling – How will the sale of my business impact my tax position?

LORRAINE DENTON

Prior to sale, we would want to ensure that all allowances are utilised such as maximising pension contributions and carry forward any contributions that exceed the annual allowance and still benefit from tax relief. This may be an opportunity to reduce cash held on the balance sheet.

When selling the business, Capital Gains Tax (CGT) may need to be paid on any profit. This can include anything involved with the business, such as land and buildings, machinery and even shares. It may be possible to reduce the potential tax bill using Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR).

To qualify for BADR, which replaced Entrepreneur’s Relief in 2020, a business must have been owned for at least two years. If applicable, BADR can be used to reduce the CGT owners pay on qualifying assets down to 10%. This can be applied to the value of the business and its assets up to a lifetime threshold of £1 million.

If they are looking to retire, this is the time to understand what that retirement looks like. What do they plan to do? They will need to understand how long their capital can support their income needs.

This is where cashflow modelling, which will form an important part of the whole process, can help business owners understand where they are and better visualise the future to be. They will have been so focused on building the business that often their personal affairs are not at the forefront of their minds. For them the two things are inextricably linked yet need separate focus and this is where they rely on having a ‘good team’ around them.

When discussing the future, we use cashflow modelling to play out a variety of “what if?” scenarios to help them understand how much money they will need to achieve their dreams and aspirations. This conversation is about what are they going to do next.

Any gains that don’t qualify for BADR, or are above the £1 million threshold, will be charged at 10% or 20% for higher rate taxpayers, subject to any annual exempt amount and depending on the availability of the individual’s basic rate band.

Once all taxes have been covered on exit, it is now time to transition clients from the world of Corporate Tax to Personal Tax. Post-sale, our role as Planners is to ensure that all their allowances are used to provide the most taxefficient income in retirement. If they are a married couple, then we have two sets of allowances to work with. This means that the gross income in retirement may not need to be as high as they may think, to achieve the net income required each year. We have their personal allowance, dividend allowance, savings allowance, capital gains tax exemption and tax-free cash from pensions, which combined can help to provide the most tax-efficient income in retirement.

The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise. An investor may not get back the amount of money that they invest. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. We do not provide legal or tax advice. Please consult any appointed advisers on the possible tax, legal and other consequences of you holding any of the investments contained in this article. Unless indicated otherwise, comment and opinion in this article is based on HMRC’s tax regulations for 2021/22 tax year and tax treatment depends on the individual’s circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.

Another tax to consider is Inheritance Tax (IHT).

During ownership of many trading business, Business Relief would apply upon death, meaning that the value of the business will be partly or wholly outside the IHT net on death. Once the business is sold, all the proceeds, without any planning, would normally fall back into their estate for tax. Although we can often arrange life policies in trust as a useful way of providing liquidity in the short term, we work with our clients to make longer term plans for this, with a range of options including qualifying reinvestments and gifting, either outright or into trusts.

Post-sale – Can I take care of my loved ones and live the kind of retirement I would like?

Once the sale is complete, there is time to bring their plan together by structuring investments to make sure they provide the level of income required to maintain their desired lifestyle going forwards. One key element of this is establishing attitude to risk. At this point in their lives, it will be based upon how much risk they need to take rather than the risk appetite they had when building their business.

This is where we dovetail goals and objectives with Inheritance Tax planning. Now that the cash from the sale forms part of their estate, we want to protect as much as we can and help against the need to pay 40% IHT on death, thereby helping to ensure the maximum legacy for their family.

Cashflow modelling will again support this part of the journey as this is the time when we can consider gifting, whilst at the same time securing their own future needs. Ongoing advice is important at this stage as there may be changes in circumstances, legislation, and investment markets, which must be considered, year on year.

Working together We can’t achieve any of the above without collaborating with solicitors and other professionals and utilising their specialist services. Working together as a team supporting business owners, we can help ensure the best outcome is achieved for our clients.

Contact us Punter Southall Wealth has had a presence in Birmingham for over 20 years and our local financial planners will be delighted to discuss any questions you may have.

Please get in touch with Toby Carpenter at toby.carpenter@puntersouthallwealth.com or 0121 230 1937 and Lorraine Denton at lorraine.denton@puntersouthall.wealth.com or 0121 230 1915.

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FIRMS ARE LISTED A-Z WITHIN TIERS accidents at work to asbestos and industrial disease claims and military actions. With the ‘very responsive and

CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE CLAIMANT

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Irwin Mitchell Lanyon Bowdler Shoosmiths Harrison Clark Rickerbys Higgs LLP FBC Manby Bowdler LLP GHP Legal Sydney Mitchell LLP Thompsons NI Solicitors Wright Hassall LLP Brethertons LLP Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP fields a well-respected team of specialist lawyers who have built up a strong national reputation for working on a range of matters from modest value to complex multi-million pound cases and associated public law, abuse and human rights matters. It also represents people at inquests. The practice is praised for its ‘first-class client-based focus’ and has developed all round-experience in related areas such as mental capacity and court of protection matters.

Head of department Rankeshwar Batta, pictured, specialises in clinical negligence and personal injury litigation.

Batta has extensive experience of all types of cases including maximum severity/catastrophic injury as well as professional negligence work. Sarah Huntbach handles all aspects of clinical negligence claims including nerve injuries following surgery and infection leading to amputation and birth injuries. Ann Houghton has extensive experience of cases with a foreign jurisdictional element. Victoria Fullilove does professional negligence work arising out of clinical negligence and personal injury matters to addition to her main practice of clinical negligence and personal injury claims.

David Evison has established a niche in abuse and human rights claims for both children and adults and receives instructions from the Official Solicitor.

Irwin Mitchell has market-leading offerings for both clinical negligence and personal injury. Luke Daniels heads the ‘brilliant’, large and ‘forward thinking’ clinical negligence team that specialises in the most complex, varied and high profile cases such as birth injury claims, stillbirths, neonatal deaths, cosmetic/ dental surgery as well as spinal and brain injuries, cancers and mental health. The department is committed to rehabilitation and attempts to secure early interim payments for its clients. Lisa Jordan is highly regarded and has particular expertise in cerebral palsy claims. Emma Rush is another 12 The Legal 500 West Midlands

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notable member of the team. The personal injury department handles a substantial caseload of high-value claims supporting children and adults who have sustained brain injuries and those who have suffered spinal cord injuries, limb loss and multiple orthopaedic traumas. It is regularly instructed in cases involving fatalities, psychiatric injury, severe burns and loss of vision.

The child abuse team is well-regarded and deals with cases against individuals, local authorities, schools, religious and other organisations. Its specialist mesothelioma and lung cancer team garners praise too. The dedicated industrial disease/workplace illnesses group is also recommended. In addition the practice has a large personal injury team that handles cases for those who have suffered serious injuries while abroad.

Lanyon Bowdler has two distinct and outstanding departments that deal with personal injury and clinical negligence claims. These teams work from seven offices throughout Shropshire, Herefordshire and North Wales. The clinical negligence department is led

by Kay Kelly. The group has extensive experience across a wide range of medical negligence claims including birth, brain and spinal injuries, fatalities, amputations and delay in diagnosis.

Other strengths lie in advising on negligent surgery, ophthalmic and vascular conditions. Lucy Small has considerable experience in dealing with a range of complex clinical negligence claims. Its highly skilled and specialist personal injury team handles a broad range of claims from accidents abroad,

excellent’ Neil Lorimer at the helm other areas of expertise include fatal accidents, RTAs and amputations as well as brain and spinal injuries. Debbie Humphries and Dawn Humphries are also recommended. The department is praised for its holistic approach to claims and for its strong track record of achieving excellent results in tough and complex cases.

Shoosmiths LLP has a large, experienced and well-established clinical negligence team under the leadership of the ‘very impressive’ Phil Barnes. It has a varied case load of high-value and complex claims with particular expertise in birth and spinal injuries as well as amputations. It also deals with fatal claims and associated secondary victim claims and represents its clients at inquests. Kashmir Uppal has particular expertise in dealing with claims against ‘rogue surgeons’ and managing multiparty actions. Nicholas Tubb is vastly experienced in surgical errors, spinal and brain injuries as well as complex birth injury cases. London-based Richard Follis is also recommended.

Principal associate Richard Bannister works on a range of complex cases and is an accredited CEDR mediator. The personal injury team works closely with its clinical negligence team. Head of team Chris McKinney specialises in spinal and brain injury cases as well as amputation claims and is developing a reputation for his work on claims involving novel areas of personal injury law. Senior associate Kate Price-Marson frequently helps claimants where the defendant cannot be traced or there is a company that is no longer trading.

Harrison Clark Rickerbys has an excellent clinical negligence team that assists clients with varied and complex clinical negligence matters involving birth injuries, delayed diagnoses and surgical errors. Other areas of expertise include claims concerning mental health issues and dental negligence claims.

The team is managed by Inez Brown who specialises in brain injury cases.

Ally Taft is another accomplished practitioner who is skilled at handling claims relating to surgical errors as well as delayed diagnosis cases. In addition Taft has recently concluded several difficult fatal claims.

Charlotte Measures is also wellregarded.

Under the supervision of Clare Langford and Liz Hickman, the clinical negligence team at Higgs LLP is particularly noted for its expertise in

serious birth injury claims and other claims involving delayed diagnosis and cerebral palsy. Langford has extensive experience of cerebral palsy, spinal and brain injury claims and is particularly interested in cases involving a delay in diagnosing meningitis and loss of vision.

Hickman handles a wide variety of complex claims including tetraplegia and delayed cancer diagnosis. Sue Allen is another first-rate practitioner. Andy Shaw leads a large and nimble personal injury practice that is known for its expertise at handling claims involving major traumas such as brain and spinal cord injuries, amputation and serious orthopaedic injuries. It also handles claims involving severe psychological injuries and fatal accidents. Associate Steven Santy has a particular emphasis on ensuring that clients gain early access to rehabilitation.

Tim Gray leads a large and dedicated serious injury team at FBC Manby Bowdler LLP that is well-placed to handle complex brain and spinal injuries including those that arise from the mismanagement of births.

Gray routinely handles high-value and complex multi-track cases and is regularly involved in head and spinal injury and amputation cases. Susan Todhunter, pictured, has extensive experience of acting for child and adult claimants who have suffered traumatic brain injury.

Todhunter works closely with the firm’s court of protection team to ensure that clients have access to deputyship services where they are unable to make financial and long-term care decisions themselves.

GHP Legal has a specialist team of lawyers with a wealth of experience in dealing with clinical negligence and personal injury claims. The group has experience across the full gamut of accident and injury cases ranging from accidents in public, on holiday or in the workplace, to road traffic and motorcycle accidents, injury from defective products, serious brain injuries, criminal assault, and claims arising from abuse whilst in the care of others. It has experience in some of the most difficult cases including major psychiatric injury cases and acts for adult survivors of child sexual abuse as well as stress at work and wrongful diagnosis claims. The group also covers all aspects of clinical negligence work and acts in negligence claims against the NHS and private hospitals, as well as misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment claims. Robert Williams and Claire Parfitt are the main contacts. John Hulme is also recommended.

Mike Sutton, pictured, leads the department at Sydney Mitchell LLP; the team handles both personal injury and clinical negligence cases, with particular strength in cases relating to cancer. It has also advised on several cases involving fatalities and has dealt with numerous claims involving elderly patients who have suffered falls in hospital often resulting in hip fractures with life-changing consequences.

David Lydon advises on a broad array of personal

injuries; the team has a track record of handling cases involving work accidents and road traffic accidents resulting in very serious injury.

Thompsons Solicitors LLP is part of a strong national offering and is a recognised name for its work with various trade unions. Its clinical negligence team is well-equipped to handle group and negligent actions against surgeons in the Midlands.

Linda Millband is a key member of the department that is currently representing claimants in over 40 cerebral palsy cases and 20 cases involving injuries of maximum severity.

Karl De-Loyde heads the serious injury teams in Birmingham and Nottingham; he typically handles cases with values exceeding £1m, and has particular strength in brain injury and spinal cord injury cases. The team continues to recover millions in damages every year, and covers the whole range of claimant PI work, including workplace accidents, road traffic cases, sporting activity and product liability. The firm’s asbestos and industrial disease team also receives plaudits.

Jeanette Whyman leads the medical negligence team at Wright Hassall LLP; the practice advises on all types of clinical negligence cases and is involved in a number of high-profile group actions. The group has specific expertise in cases where the mother and/or the baby have suffered severe birth trauma and also boasts considerable expertise in late or missed diagnoses of cancer as well as orthopaedic cases. Whyman also represents clients at inquests.

Brethertons LLP focuses exclusively on injuries of the utmost severity, with a particular focus on spinal cord injury claims. Jonathan Rees is a notable figure and specialises in both higher and lower level spinal cord injuries including tetraplegia and paraplegia. Rees has settled numerous significant compensation claims involving spinal cord injury arising from road traffic accident collisions, accidents at work/public places and through clinical negligence. In addition he is adept at advising on other life changing injuries such as amputation and brain injury. Senior associate Sian Buxton is recommended too for her work with people who have suffered serious injuries as a result of clinical negligence and accidents.

Tim Hodgetts, pictured, leads a stellar clinical risk team at Bevan Brittan LLP. Hodgetts acts for NHS Resolution and many NHS trusts and also represents numerous leading insurers on various medical malpractice issues. Joanne Easterbrook is another recognised name for her work on cases involving brain injury and novel mental health and human rights issues. In Birmingham Adrian Dagnall heads the Midlands clinical negligence team and is an NHS Resolution nominated partner.

Dagnall is best known for his work on high-profile indexation, periodical payment and high-value quantum cases.

Penelope Radcliffe is praised for her work on substantial cerebral palsy and neurological claims. Nicola Pegg has a particular focus on brain injury at birth claims and other catastrophic injury cases.

CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE DEFENDENT

Bevan Brittan LLP Browne Jacobson LLP Weightmans Kennedys

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Browne Jacobson LLP has a large national defendant clinical negligence practice that handles the full array of claims ranging from missed fractures to claims relating to avoidable brain damage for every type of healthcare provider. It continues to be on the NHS Resolution panel and in 2020 the team was immersed in the legal challenges that were presented by the covid-19 pandemic. It acts as sole provider to the MPS on high value/complex work and also acts for a wide range of independent healthcare providers.

Among the key contacts for clinical negligence work are Sarah White,

pictured, Jonathan Fuggle and Sarah Manning. On the personal injury side of the practice catastrophic brain and spinal injury claims as well as complex employer’s liability and public liability claims remain at the cornerstone of the practice along with sports, disease and abuse claims. Kevin Lawson is a notable figure for his work on catastrophic injury claims while Bridget Tatham is a key member of the adult social care practice. Matthew Harpin continues to garner praise for his work on local authority claims. Rachel Lyne heads up the Birmingham regulatory team and the firm’s public inquiry team. Cynthia Watts is also recommended.

Weightmans LLP is well-known for its work with NHS Resolution and for its large number of trust clients.

The agile team frequently handles high-value, repercussive and complex cases as well as advising on mediation and ADR. It has many first-rate

practitioners. Deborah Bannister handles all types of catastrophic injuries, misdiagnosis, birth injury and surgical errors as well as fatal accidents. Tony Yeaman is recommended for his work on cases of the utmost severity that are media sensitive involving multiple parties - Bannister and Yeaman both oversee NHS claims under their Nominated Partner status. Sarah Hopwood excels in advising on cases involving fraud. Jasmine Armstrong particularly specialises in managing periodical payment claims following brain injury at birth. Navdip Wilson has a wealth of experience in chronic pain claims. David Tuck heads the Birmingham disease team – he has a particular focus on asbestos induced injuries, asthma and allergy claims. Henry Bermingham specialises in social care claims and other areas such as employers’ liability, stress and public rights of way claims. Penelope Marshall handles a wide range of litigation on behalf of local government and public sector clients. Bruce Ralston is knowledgeable about all aspects of sports liability and Chris Webb-Jenkins leads the social care and safeguarding practice.

Kennedys is regularly instructed on complex and multi-faceted cases of national significance that are frequently

under media scrutiny. Ian Davies, pictured, is the firm’s product head of motor claims and advises some of the UK’s largest insurers. James Shrimpton leads a team that specialises in employers’ and public liability claims and has considerable expertise in leisure industry cases. Philippa Craven is recommended for her occupational disease work especially for asbestos disease litigation. Mark Walsh receives plaudits for his work on a variety of high-value and catastrophic injury claims. Christopher Malla (who splits his time between London and Birmingham) is at the helm of the clinical negligence team, which has considerable experience of a wide range of claims and undertakes all types of NHS Resolution claims from the Birmingham office. Avinder Sidhu primarily acts for NHS Trusts and Katie Tonks also acts for NHS Resolution for both NHS Trusts and GPs – both are senior associates.

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COMMERCIAL LITIGATION DLA Piper DWF Eversheds Sutherland Fieldfisher Gowling WLG Mills & Reeve LLP Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Shakespeare Martineau LLP Shoosmiths Squire Patton Boggs Freeths LLP Gateley Plc Sydney Mitchell LLP Trowers & Hamlins LLP Weightmans Bell Lax Limited Bevan Brittan LLP BLM Clarke Willmott LLP With ‘a Rolls Royce ‘City’ service at West Midlands’ prices’, DLA Piper’s commercial litigation practice is a key name to note. The group is adept at handling the full range of national and international disputes, including international arbitration proceedings.

The ‘excellent’ Neil Bowker, pictured, leads the team and acts for leading plcs and multinational businesses in a range of disputes.

Other names to note include the ‘brilliant and unflappable’ Nicholas Bamford, who is particularly well known for handling contractual claims and allegations of financial misconduct in the hospitality and financial services sectors, and the ‘ferociously hardworking’ Phillip Kelly, who is noted for his ‘very strong technical knowledge’.

DWF’s ‘excellent international practice’ handles a range of cross-border disputes, with a particular focus on Russia and the CIS region. The group is particularly wellknown for handling cases with fraud and embezzlement elements. The ‘inventive and pragmatic’ Andrew Leach leads the group and is frequently instructed by ultra-highnet-worth individuals in Russia; he also counts BT, Severn Trent and Ukrainian Deposit Guarantee among his new client wins. Darren Kenny, pictured, and director Ben Griffin (who has niche expertise in commercial agency issues) are other names to note for Russia and CIS region-related disputes. The group also benefits from an in-house forensic accounting team, which is particularly useful in high14 The Legal 500 West Midlands

1 2 3 4 value litigation, investigations and fraud disputes. Senior associate Matthew Goodwin joined from Wright Hassall LLP. Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP’s ‘pragmatic and commercial’ litigation and dispute management practice ‘instils confidence in both its experience and judgement’ across a range of local and international commercial disputes. The group is jointly led by the ‘exceptional’ Rich Lloyd, who frequently represents industrial engineering and energy and utilities sector clients in litigation and arbitration; Adam Fisher, pictured, who is particularly strong for fraud-related matters, automotive claims and technology and outsourcing disputes; head of public inquiries and investigations Sarah Jones, and Nottinghambased Louise Howarth.

Principal associates Ridah Iqbal and Helen Amison are names to note for technology, and aerospace and defence sector disputes respectively, while ‘excellent senior associate’ Victoria Callicott focuses the utilities sector.

Fieldfisher LLP’s ‘excellent’ dispute resolution team is ‘fast-developing a major reputation for working on substantial high-value cases’ with particular expertise in manufacturing, engineering, IT, energy, financial services and agency disputes. The group is adept at handling cross-border litigation and frequently acts for clients based across the CIS region, Germany (recently promoted partner Ellie Pinnell, who has particular expertise in competition follow-on damages claims, is a key

contact), France and the Nordic countries. ‘Terrific’ recently promoted director Zaakira Allana is also developing particular experience in acting for clients based in the Middle East. Ann Benzimra is popular among IT, manufacturing and energy and infrastructure clients, while Richard Waugh focuses on energy disputes. Other names to note include Adam Sturt for his experience in cases involving fraud and requiring injunctive relief, and Stephen May for commercial disputes with regulatory or public law issues, including competition, foreign law and public procurement disputes. Jonathan Hofstetter retired.

Gowling WLG’s ‘superb team of dedicated lawyers’ are experienced in a range of commercial and corporate disputes and post-M&A disputes. The group is ‘highly proficient in the IT disputes world’ — Patrick Arben and Helen Davenport are key names to note — and counts health and safety, insurance, procurement, data privacy, bribery, corruption and fraud disputes among its other areas of expertise.

Contentious regulatory expert Andrew Litchfield leads the team, which includes Tom Price, who handles a range of crossborder disputes and ‘has substantial CIS region expertise’; Andrew Smith, who has particular experience in contractual disputes; and Davinia Gransbury, who focuses on corporate governance, civil fraud, directors’ responsibilities and duties, and contentious insolvency matters.

Mills & Reeve LLP’s regulatory, public and commercial disputes group attracts praise for being ‘equally comfortable managing domestic disputes as well as litigation or arbitration with an international angle’. This is reflected in its impressive client roster, which includes leading local, national and global corporates. ‘Very strong all-round commercial disputes lawyer’ Steve Allen, pictured, who is particularly strong for automotive, advanced manufacturing and technology disputes as well as shareholder and product liability litigation, leads the group. Other names to note include ‘superb principal associate’ Anthony Minnis and sports dispute specialist Phil Hutchinson.

Pinsent Masons LLP’s ‘very tenacious’ litigation practice has ‘high-quality lawyers at all levels’. The group is adept at advising national and international corporates and public sector clients on a range of disputes. Jim Richards leads the ‘technically strong and commercially aware’ team, which includes head of the Birmingham office Greg Lowson, pictured, and Andrew Herring, who is ‘hugely respected’, particularly for disputes involving international civil fraud allegations and asset recovery issues.

Legal directors to note include Jason Kirwin, who is praised for his ‘large amounts of tactical acumen’, and ‘tactically astute’ legal director

Faye Moore, while associate Nicola Seymour is noted for procurement disputes.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP’s ‘tenacious’ litigation services and dispute resolution team handles the full range of contractual, commercial and corporate disputes, as well as procurement litigation and database misuse claims, defamation claims and issues concerning urgent injunctive relief.

Among its sector specialisms, it counts manufacturing, finance, IT and telecoms and energy disputes; Andrew Adams is a name to note for the latter. Adams and associates Ben Humphreys and Catherine Savage are also praised for their ‘deep knowledge of the higher education sector’. Managing director Mark Beesley and ‘vastly experienced litigator’ Barry Jarvis jointly lead the team, which includes James Woolstenhulme, who is particularly active in partnership issues, and shareholder and procurement disputes.

With ‘Magic Circle quality at regional prices’, Shoosmiths LLP handles corporate and commercial disputes for its impressive roster of plcs, well-known corporates and high-profile individuals.

‘Excellent tactician’ and practice head Alex Bishop, pictured, is ‘simply a superstar’ with expertise across a range of corporate and commercial disputes, fraud and internal investigations and cases involving injunctive relief; she also has a growing international arbitration practice. The group also has a particular focus on cyberattacks and crisis management work, technology and financial services disputes, and reputation management issues; the ‘excellent’ Mark Elder and associate Rebekah Finch have a breadth of experience in phone hacking disputes. Among the group’s other ‘first rate’ associates is Charlotte Healey, who excels in financial services and fraud-related disputes, and Will Carr, who handles a range of fraud issues, contractual disputes and arbitrations.

Squire Patton Boggs’ litigation practice attracts praise for its ‘excellent service’ across a range of UK and cross-border disputes. Practice head Simon Garbett, who ‘always has an eye out for the commercial and pragmatic element of any dispute’, focuses on automotive and manufacturing supply chain disputes, including product liability and delay issues.

The group also counts IT sector litigation, for which director Ian Skinner is noted, financial services disputes, including film finance issues, and pension disputes among its areas of specialism.

Other names to note include senior associate Mariyam Harunah, pictured, whose experience spans pension, defamation and reputation management disputes, and ‘technically sound’ associate Rose Chaudry. Garon Anthony joined Harrison Clark Rickerbys.

Freeths LLP’s ‘dynamic’ commercial dispute resolution team attracts praise

for its ‘innovative thinkers, especially around litigation funding’.

The group is known for its ability to handle group litigation, professional negligence claims and partnership disputes, as well as claims involving applications for urgent injunctive relief.

‘Sharp thinker and experienced litigator’ Richard Coates leads the team, which includes the ‘exceptional’ Louise Wilson.

Alex Johnson, who joined from Squire Patton Boggs, adds experience in major infrastructure, energy and oil and gas project disputes, while ‘truly excellent’ recently promoted managing associate Michael Hoskins has experience in insurance disputes.

Gateley Plc’s commercial dispute resolution team handles the full range of commercial and corporate disputes with particular experience in the manufacturing, retail and sports sectors.

The ‘tactically superb’

Stephen Goodrham, pictured, leads the practice and counts M&A disputes, restrictive covenant enforcement issues and professional negligence claims among his areas of specialism. The ‘extremely talented’ Neil Warner is particularly popular among sports sector clients, including premier league football clubs, and frequently handles restrictive covenant and breach of confidentiality claims. The ‘fantastic’ Kate Canning, the ‘extremely smart’ Safeea Shafiq and the ‘exceptional’ Thea Maertens are among the senior associates to note.

Sydney Mitchell LLP’s dispute resolution team ‘punches well above its weight’ according to clients, which include local corporates and SMEs. ‘Master tactician’ Dean Parnell is ‘outstanding’ and has experience spanning shareholder and partnership disputes, warranty claims, injunctive relief issues, and contractual disputes; he leads the team alongside Shirley-based Kamal Majevadia, pictured. Senior associate Emma Birch is ‘assiduous and hardworking in difficult litigation’ with particular experience in financial and manufacturing disputes.

Trowers & Hamlins LLP’s ‘excellent’ commercial litigation team has particular experience in corporate and commercial disputes involving allegations of civil fraud, bribery and cybercrime. Helen Briant, who counts private companies, public bodies and charities among her clients, leads the practice, which also includes ‘thoughtful litigator’ and senior associate Jamie de Souza, who is ‘a future star’ for commercial litigation involving fraud allegations. The group also has particular expertise in group litigation and obtaining litigation funding, and counts breach of contract claims, contentious insolvencies and restrictive covenant disputes among its other areas of expertise.

Weightmans LLP’s ‘small but effective’ commercial dispute resolution team has experience across a range of corporate, commercial and insolvency litigation.

It is also praised for being ‘right at the forefront of competition law work’, handling the high-profile trucks pricefixing cartel follow-on damages group claim on the behalf of owners and lessees of over 600,000 trucks. ‘Strong litigator’ Mark Surguy leads the practice and counts disputes involving a civil fraud angle among his areas of specialism.

He is also praised as ‘an authority on e-discovery and how to use technology in disclosure’. ‘Very talented’ senior associate Emily Sharples is another name to note.

pictured, leads the national practice and is particularly known for disputes arising out of the delivery of public infrastructure projects.

BLM’s ‘always commercial’ dispute resolution team is particularly wellknown for its ‘breadth of experience in insurance claims’. Other areas of specialism include manufacturing sector litigation and disputes involving fraud elements, asset tracing and injunctive relief. Julian Smart, Caroline Kane and Jagdeep Hayre jointly lead the team.

Clarke Willmott LLP’s commercial and private litigation team is praised for its ‘good, solid, practical advice’. The group is particularly strong for shareholder disputes, which is a focus of ‘seasoned litigator’ Peter Brewer, who also handles other corporate and contractual litigation and professional negligence claims.

Brewer leads the practice, which includes Paul Griffiths and ‘efficient’ associate Richard Howell.

Bevan Brittan LLP’s commercial litigation team attracts praise for its ‘very practical and pragmatic approach to dispute resolution’. Adam Kendall,

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COMMERCIAL LITIGATION:

ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS

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FBC Manby Bowdler LLP George Green LLP Harrison Clark Rickerbys Wright Hassall LLP Band Hatton Button LLP Beswicks Legal Freeths LLP Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited Higgs LLP Lanyon Bowdler MFG Solicitors LLP Thursfields Solicitors Ansons Enoch Evans LLP FBC Manby Bowdler LLP's large team has particular expertise in insolvency, company law and real estate litigation.

Praised as a 'efficient and hands-on litigator', Charlotte Clode manages a diverse portfolio of commercial disputes, including private wealth litigation.

Recently, she defended an individual in a high-value estate claim, resulting in a favourable settlement. Guy Birkett, pictured, is also a key member of the team, with notable strength in shareholder litigation. In the Redditch office, 'bright and diligent' lawyer Gareth Ruddock is a key contact.

George Green LLP's commercial litigation group, which is praised for its 'great technical knowledge and strategic ability', handles a wide variety of highstakes cases, including shareholder, professional negligence, banking, insurance and IP litigation. 'Determined' group head Neil Williams, pictured, recently handled a major procurement dispute and a complex conspiracy to defraud claim, while Liam Owen is currently involved in a dispute relating to a trust worth over £8m. 'Calm and assured' practitioner Morgan Rees is noted for his role in business critical litigation, including defamation, debt recovery and complex derivate claims.

With offices across the West Midlands, the team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys is best known for its strong track record in litigation involving defence, financial services and agriculture clients, including complex crossborder fraud claims and PPI disputes. Elizabeth Beatty, pictured, (Worcester), who sits as a Deputy District Judge at the Birmingham Civil Justice Centre, continues to handle an impressive array of commercial disputes. Richard Morgan (Hereford), who also sits as Deputy District Jude at the Birmingham Civil Justice Centre, is well known for his success in complex litigation involving defence and security 16 The Legal 500 West Midlands

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companies. 'Hardworking and practical' partner Hefin Archer Williams (Wye Valley) excels in partnership disputes and professional negligence cases.

Wright Hassall LLP's 'thoughtful and dedicated' team specialises in commercial litigation in the technology and financial services sectors. While the team has a broad offering, its expertise in shareholder disputes, tax litigation and reputation management work is particularly strong. Gemma Carson, pictured, stands out for her strong track record in professional negligence claims, whereas Sarah Perry has a wealth of experience in fraud, shareholder and partnership disputes. Associate Matthew Goodwin specialises in financial services litigation, including professional negligence and breach of contract disputes.

Band Hatton Button LLP's 'pragmatic and diligent' practice excels in property litigation, which is supplemented by further expertise in insolvency, professional negligence, IP and shareholder disputes. The team has also been instructed on a notable volume of work arising from the pandemic, including force majeure disputes and matters related to the moratorium imposed on residential possessions.

Group head Jon Wilby acts for clients in various sectors in construction disputes, while Malcolm Thomas stands out for his strong reputation in will and trust litigation, in addition to restrictive covenant disputes.

Freeths LLP has handled numerous disputes involving employment law arising from the pandemic, including termination, shareholder and acquisition claims. Its wider offering encompasses mining and minerals disputes, probate and trust litigation and contentious real estate matters. The 'commercially astute' Stephen Hadley has notable expertise in shareholder disputes and warranty claims, while associate Zalena Vandrewala, pictured above, is known for handling various disputes in the County Court and High Court, with an emphasis on property litigation and contentious probate mandates.

Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited's 'very responsive and thorough' practice specialises in litigation involving manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, IT and insurance companies. It is also well known for its expertise in disputes

relating to tax and employment law, given the firm's historically strong position in these areas. Harminder Sandhu, pictured, has a wealth of experience in shareholder, partnership and contractual disputes across various sectors; she is currently representing Headline Overseas in a high-value claim against a property developer.

Higgs LLP's practice focuses primarily on breach of contract disputes, warranty claims and shareholder litigation. Julia Lowe, who leads the team, is well known for representing clients in substantial disputes before the High Court, Court of Appeal and in arbitration and mediation proceedings. Matt Dudley is also recommended.

Lanyon Bowdler has particular strength in manufacturing, construction and engineering disputes; it is also highly regarded for its strong track record in debt recovery proceedings, with an emphasis on the agriculture industry.

Andrew Pegg, who is noted by clients for his 'thorough and concise' approach to cases, is highly regarded for shareholder and unfair prejudice litigation, in addition to his strong track record in insurance and construction disputes. Associate Claire Yardley is also a key member of the practice, and is recognised for her broad practice, which encompasses general commercial litigation and disputes in the agriculture sector.

MFG Solicitors LLP's 'tenacious and determined' team handles a wide range of commercial disputes, including

property, employment, energy, technology and IP matters. It is also a strong firm for clients engaged in family law disputes, including divorce proceedings, trust disputes and probate litigation. Tom Esler frequently acts for shareholders and directors of SMEs regarding company, insolvency and IP law matters. Samuel Pedley is recommended for his diverse work in the field, which includes high-value debt recovery, bankruptcy and insolvency litigation.

Praised for its 'great tenacity and client care', Thursfields Solicitors frequently handles significant shareholder and partnership disputes. It also possesses notable expertise in professional negligence, fraud and breach of contract litigation. 'Very smart' litigator Stephen Rome, who was promoted to director in 2020, stands out for his track record in disputes involving breach of fiduciary duty and advanced push payment fraud elements. 'Fantastically capable' associate Georgia Morris is also recommended.

Ansons has recently seen a major uptick in disputes relating to insolvency and boardroom issues, while its broader offering includes construction and breach of contract litigation and claims in various industries. Martin de Ridder who joined the firm in 2021 - specialises in guiding large regional and national companies through insolvency and shareholder disputes. 'Thorough and reliable' practitioner Adam Pike is also a core member of the team, with a diverse commercial litigation practice.

Enoch Evans LLP's 'commercial and efficient' team is led by Stephen Nixon, who specialises in breach of contract, partnership and shareholder disputes.

He is also well-versed in professional negligence claims and IP litigation.

SPECIAL FEATURE

NO ONE THINKS THEY ARE THE BAD GUY Sydney Mitchell’s litigation team is renowned for fighting its clients’ corner and always try to get the best result for its clients. The dispute resolution team achieve this by understanding their client, their client’s business and how the dispute arose.

However, they also look at the dispute in a more objective way, as often there isn’t a “bad guy” on the other side; it is just a matter of perspective. As such the key is to understand the other party’s rationale behind their position, why they feel so strongly in that position and what outcome would work for both parties.

By understanding the motivations driving the other party it would allow the identification of common ground, which in turn would result in the dispute being resolved sooner than would otherwise be the case; ultimately saving the client time and money.

Whilst Sydney Mitchell believes its Commercial Litigation team provide an excellent first class service to its clients, it is always rewarding to receive external recognition that this is the case. At the Birmingham Law Society Awards the litigation team was short-listed in the Excellence in Client Service for Business Clients (in two separate years); and yet again the team has received some fantastic feedback from their clients where they are acknowledged as “punching well above our weight”. Sydney Mitchell thanks all of its clients and contacts for the tremendous feedback.

For help or advice on litigation matters, contact Dean Parnell, Head of Dispute Resolution on 08081668827.

beneficiaries for reasonable financial provision under the Inheritance Act.

CONTENTIOUS TRUSTS AND PROBATE MFG Solicitors LLP Sydney Mitchell LLP FBC Manby Bowdler LLP Harrison Clark Rickerbys Meridian Private Client LLP Wright Hassall LLP Freeths LLP George Green LLP Higgs LLP Lanyon Bowdler Mills & Reeve LLP Shakespeare Martineau LLP The Wilkes Partnership Thursfields Solicitors The contentious probate practice at MFG Solicitors LLP is led by the 'outstanding' Robert Weston . 'Whilst it is a key player in the West Midlands market, its reputation goes well beyond that: it is a stand-out outfit'. It is best known for its specialism in dealing with contentious probate matters for both claimants and defendants. It excels at advising on a variety of issues such as promissory estoppel claims, claims about the validity of wills and maladministration claims. Other strengths lie in advising on Beddoe applications as well as applications for directions about a disputed administration. The group also frequently advises on applications to remove personal representatives.

Suzanne Lee and senior associate Andrew Chandler are also wellregarded.

Kamal Majevadia, pictured, leads a thriving practice at Sydney Mitchell LLP that continues to receive a steady flow of referrals from its excellent private client offering and from returning clients. It has been busy advising on disputes about the ownership of private companies and advising on a growing number of potential negligence claims. It is advising on a significant number of TOLATA cases and several cases dealing with the distribution of trust assets. Majevadia has considerable experience of advising on estates where there are cross-border assets and those involving company shares.

Tracy Creed heads up the private client team. It offers 'pragmatic, commercially driven advice which helps its clients see the wood for the trees'.

Angie Manley, pictured, and Kimberly Mears lead a specialised team at FBC Manby Bowdler LLP that deals with all aspects of disputed probate and trust work.

The team is well-placed to

1 2 3 advise on a broad range of complex, high-value and multi-jurisdictional matters with experience in Court of Appeal proceedings as well as issues surrounding challenges to wills, 1975 Act claims, breach of trust actions and emergency injunction applications.

It frequently advises beneficiaries and personal representatives on all contentious issues that arise during the course of the administration of an estate or a trust.

With Beth King-Smith at the helm, the disputed wills, trusts and estates team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys is a recognised name for its work across all sections of the high-net-worth community regionally. It has been busy advising long-established farming families through to high-net-worth individuals on a range of complex trust disputes and Inheritance Act claims. It also frequently advises on the removal of executors. Senior associate Alyson McGowan works alongside King-Smith in Worcester.

Meridian Private Client LLP is a specialist private client practice that spans three disciplines - estate and trust administration, estate and tax planning to high-net-worth individuals as well as contentious trusts and probate matters. Mark Abrol has a particular interest in disputes between executors , trustees and beneficiaries and matters that include a property-related element. Mark Terrar frequently advises on complex trusts and tax structures as well as matters with an overseas element. It is a 'niche practice with outstanding expertise and experience coupled with a commitment to achieving the best results for its clients’.

Wright Hassall LLP fields a large team with considerable strength and depth in this area. It has three ACTAPS members and three associate members (one of whom is STEP qualified). Head of team Martin Oliver specialises in inheritance disputes and has acted in numerous high-profile matters. Oliver is skilled at helping families where the deceased lacked mental capacity to make a will or was subject to undue influence.

Katie Alsop has a broad range of experience with a particular emphasis on agricultural litigation relating to estates and on post-death proprietary estoppel claims.

Freeths LLP is best known for its work on high-value contentious trusts and probate litigation in addition to its contentious court of protection work.

The team’s reputation for acting as replacement trustees/administrators/ deputies has continued to grow and the practice benefits from Mark Keeley’s, pictured, status as a busy mediator for private wealth disputes.

Keeley leads the practice that has been busy advising wealthy farming clients on numerous disputes involving farming estates and on cases with an international dimension. Senior associate Max Orbach has a varied caseload of contested trust and probate disputes.

Neil Williams, pictured, leads an experienced team at George Green LLP that deals with all types of contentious probate matters, 'readily competing with the Birmingham offices of national law firms in terms of the quality of its work and lawyers'. The group receives a regular flow of instructions from individual beneficiaries, executors, administrators and trustees.

The versatile team is also skilled at advising on disputes arising from negligently drafted wills and actions concerning the construction of wills and trusts. Liam Owen is another notable practitioner.

Higgs LLP has an excellent reputation for its work on will challenges, executor disputes and general probate litigation. In addition it has gained particular recognition for its expertise in high-value familial trusts, for its work on independent personal representative appointments and for its skill at rectifying improperly administered estates as is evidenced by its regular flow of instructions from solicitors, financial advisors, barristers and other professional contacts. The 'exceptional' Craig Ridge leads the team. Ridge is praised for his 'sound tactical awareness, great client skills and an encyclopaedic knowledge of this area of law'.

Under the leadership of associate solicitor Claire Vale, the team at Lanyon Bowdler has been advising on a wide spectrum of cases from claims under the Inheritance Act, through to applications to remove executors and administrators. It has also been busy advising on claims by disappointed

Mills & Reeve LLP has an excellent national offering with a specialist estate, trust and wills disputes team. Recently promoted partner Lucy Howard, pictured, is a well-regarded member of the team that continues to be busy dealing with a broad spread of disputes from issues surrounding the validity of wills, through to actions involving trustees and executors in addition to acting for a number of charities that are involved in contested legacy matters.

Clients include high-net-worth individuals, various substantial charities and institutions (such as trust companies) as well as universities, hospital trusts, insurance companies and professional trustees.

Senior associate Kim Ryan is also recommended.

Alistair Spencer at Shakespeare Martineau LLP is an ACTAPS member and a member of the Agricultural Law Association. Spencer specialises in dealing with high-value agricultural inheritance disputes. Leicester-based Andrew Wilkinson is the national head of the team and is a full member of ACTAPS. Wilkinson is adept at dealing with complex legacy disputes and highnet-worth trust disputes involving cross border elements, and frequently deals with estates worth up to £200m.

Kevin Lynch leads a team at The Wilkes Partnership that specialises in the resolution of contentious probate disputes – most of the disputes are litigated in the Chancery Division of the High Court. Typical cases it has worked on include probate claims, professional negligence claims against solicitors in the preparation of wills as well as trust disputes. Associate Jack Ackrill continues to deal with a wide range of disputes.

The nimble team at Thursfields Solicitors focuses on high-value and complex trusts and estates disputes and has recently been attracting a significant rise in the volume of work in the Worcester and the West Midlands area. As well as advising a sizeable number of individuals on large estates it also provides advisory services to trustees and executors. Under the direction of Lauren HartiganPritchard the group also receives a regular stream of work from local law firms and from local estate agents, accountants and financial advisors.

Senior associate Pam Deol, pictured above, is another key member of the department.

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COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Eversheds Sutherland Gowling WLG Gateley Plc Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP DLA Piper Fieldfisher Shoosmiths Trowers & Hamlins LLP Bevan Brittan LLP Browne Jacobson LLP DWF Freeths LLP Irwin Mitchell Shakespeare Martineau LLP Squire Patton Boggs Capsticks LLP Clarke Willmott LLP Knights Roythornes Solicitors The Wilkes Partnership Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP is engaged for a broad array of commercial property work including major developments and redevelopments, headquarter relocations and highvalue property leasing, dispositions and acquisitions transactions. The Birmingham market is particularly pivotal to the firm and is home to its global head of real estate, Gurjit Atwal, pictured, a development and investment specialist with expertise of all mainstream asset classes from retail through to industrial. David Jones fronts the firm’s commercial development practice from Birmingham and another local name, Philip Medford spearheads the national residential development group.

Beyond its big-ticket investment and development workload, the practice is also extremely active in the field of corporate real estate where Dawn Hilton and Iftkhar Ahmed respectively act on significant portfolio and occupier matters.

The real estate practice at Gowling WLG provides ‘a broad range of services with noteworthy depth of resources and capability’. Its investment work, handled on behalf of a number of global institutional work, consists of acquisitions, disposals, asset management and letting while development activity is centred around major mixed-use, retail, industrial and regeneration projects. The third key pillar of the practice is its corporate occupier matters which includes strategic real estate projects, acquisition programs and general estate management.

Practice head Richard Bate is a 18 The Legal 500 West Midlands

1 2 3 4 5 residential development specialist who enjoys a track record in largescale consortium developments and a prominent position within the house-building sector; his team enjoys formidable strength in-depth at partner level and also includes US and overseas investment expert, John Burns, as well as Matthew Walker whose asset knowhow encompasses student accommodation in addition to mainstream classes such as retail, industrial and office.

Home to ‘exceptional knowledge and experience’, Gateley Plc gears its practice towards residential developments, urban regeneration, property finance and large-scale logistics projects. Rebecca Sherwin, pictured, fronts the real estate department, advising banks, borrowers and funders on commercial and residential financings while Callum Nuttall leads the residential development sub-practice and frequently supports on new settlement, urban extension and regeneration schemes. The group also includes large-scale residential tower, industrial and retail development expert, Chris Adams in addition to Richard Pettifor, a specialist in the industrial and logistics specialist hailed as ‘one of the top lawyers in the country’; it has made a conscious effort to ramp up its activity in the PRS, modular homes, retirement and later living sectors of late.

Pinsent Masons LLP has expertise across large local development and regeneration schemes, high-magnitude housing schemes, investment and asset management, as well as restructuring

transactions. Practice head Tom Johnson is a veteran of many commercial, mixed-use and residential development schemes and is supported by regeneration, energy and infrastructure project expert, Kultar Khangura, pictured, along with asset management and investment lawyer, Lisa Middleton. David Meecham leads the firm’s public sector development practice, acting on significant projects throughout the country while at the more junior end of the partnership spectrum, Carl Scott is a propertyrelated restructuring expert and Tom Eastwood enjoys a prominent reputation in respect of healthcare assets.

Home to ‘extensive knowledge of the property market’, DLA Piper is engaged on everything from large scale developments and transport and infrastructure projects through to highvalue investments and landlord and tenant projects. Practice head Monique Sutherland, pictured, provides input at each stage of energy, housing, leisure, office and mixed-use projects and holds distinguished expertise in respect of brownfield land considerations; she is supported at partner-level by Roger Collier who oversees office, industrial and warehouse premises on behalf of his clients, as well as Katie Jacobson who predominantly focuses on mixeduse schemes and retail developments.

Sernior associate Rachel Williams is also integral to the offering and is noted as a ‘source of knowledge in large infrastructure projects and land transactions’.

Fieldfisher LLP has recently attracted a number of new clients in the regeneration and development field, and has also enjoyed a particularly busy year in the real estate finance and homebuilder markets. The practice is also geared to handle high-value property investment and dispute matters and is headed by Sue Simpson, a lawyer with a track record in numerous local regeneration and redevelopment schemes of significance, including those in the logistics sector. Elsewhere, Mark Lee handles has a history of handling retail park, shopping centre, distribution and warehousing portfolio transactions while Merle Wray provides the team with expertise in healthcare facilities and forward funding deals.

Shoosmiths LLP fields a ‘one-stop shop’ commercial property practice,

supporting on a range of commercial developments including logistics, warehouse, student accommodation and care house schemes in addition to substantial residential projects.

The practice also consists of a corporate occupier group which acts for hospitality, retail and non-retail clients and is active on the real estate finance and investment fronts. Jason Jackson, pictured, has overseen several complex development projects in the logistics space over the past year and fronts the team which includes the ‘excellent’ Tim Flight, head of the real estate finance department. A further key component of the department is the specialist corporate support team which supports US and London-based law firms as co-counsel in real estate due diligence affairs.

Praised as ‘quick to respond and succinct with their advice’, lawyers of Trowers & Hamlins LLP are active in all facets of the real estate market, from residential developments, public regeneration and commercial projects through to asset management, corporate support and property disputes. Recently appointed practice head Fiona Thomson is well-versed in both public and private sector schemes with a particularly keen eye for industrial-related projects; her team also includes Chris Plumley, a lawyer with a track record in town centre generation and mixed-use development projects, and Digby Morgan who fronts the affordable housing practice and routinely handles regeneration projects, RP-led and S106 developments, portfolio sales and leasing matters within the housing sector.

Bevan Brittan LLP has a track record of work on complex projects, including regeneration schemes, handled on behalf of local authorities, registered providers, universities and healthcare clients. Rebecca Pendlebury, pictured, leads the department and is a specialist in public sector-led development projects, including those with a joint venture element; she is also engaged for property acquisitions and disposals in the public sector and is supported by property disputes lawyer, Mark Robertson.

Browne Jacobson LLP’s ‘extremely commercial team’ is extremely adept in regional development and regeneration projects which intersect both the public and private sectors.

In addition, the group also generates a considerable amount of investment and financing work, acting for various councils and local authorities in addition to private investors. The practice is also home to a specialist bulk plots sales team and delivers a full lifecycle service for residential and mixed-use developments in addition to acting for a number of occupiers in the health, residential, retail, leisure and manufacturing sectors. Practice head Dominic Swift is a prominent figure within the education sector having advised on several academy conversion and strategic site assembly projects.

Hello, I’m Duncan Craig, Head of Licensing at Citadel Chambers in Birmingham where I have been practising as a barrister since 2013; during that time I have built my practice up to be one of the busiest licensing lawyers in the country.

Prior to my call to the bar, I had a 20-year career in the drinks and licensed trade, working for national and regional brewers, pub companies and eventually operated my own group of pubs, bars and restaurants in Nottingham.

I appreciate the challenges, frustrations and rewards of running your own hospitality business and I understand the unique problems that my clients are currently facing. Among those issues are problems with commercial landlords and associated lease disputes In recent months I've noticed a huge increase in the number of instructions I’ve been in receipt of concerning licensed businesses in order to advise them or represent them in relation to their commercial leases. I expect this work to continue to increase in volume as the date for the end of the commercial lease rent forfeiture moratorium approaches. Clearly the pandemic has changed the whole landscape of the commercial world and leases that operate within that are certainly no exception. At one time I held eight leases on licensed businesses and I certainly recall very vividly some of those landlords were eminently reasonable people to deal with and always happy to engage in some give and take when it was appropriate, but equally one or two of the others certainly did not fit that description - and so I'm unsurprised that not all commercial landlords have been realistic or reasonable throughout the pandemic and certainly that's been my experience dealing with it on a practical level.

I do believe that after 25th March 2022, for businesses that are in arrears, landlords are not going to find lease forfeiture as straightforward as they would have done two or three years ago.

The first reason for that is that courts are going to be much more accommodating to tenants who are in arrears than previously; and quite frankly, if all rents arrears as of 25th March 2022 are strictly enforced by the courts then the economic system we live under may simply collapse. The second reason landlords are going to find forfeiture more challenging after that date is a practical one; the courts are going to be overwhelmed with claims when we get to the other end of this and it simply won't be straightforward for landlords to get court hearing dates in order to effectuate forfeiture; and I think a third reason is that there aren’t going to be the same number of quality operators looking to take these properties on at the other side of this – and many landlords must now surely appreciate this.

I am conscious about how busy many solicitors who operate in the commercial property market are going to be when the moratorium ends (as it surely will) in March 2022 - so if you represent a licensed business and they are experiencing some difficulties, or are expecting to after 25th March 2022, feel free to contact me and I’m certainly happy to have a no obligation conversation about their situation and to see if I can be of service at what will be an exceptionally busy time in the commercial property sector.

My commercial background and operational experience in hospitality, coupled with my eight years of practise in the licensed sector and my track record of reaching settlements all mean I am suitably equipped to take instructions and resolve disputes with landlords, particularly within the hospitality industry.

I take a practical, but robust approach to dealing with commercial landlords and I have a huge passion for the industry which makes me determined to get the best result for my licensing clients in disputes with their landlord, be that via resolution through sensible dialogue, or litigating the matter at court.

Duncan Craig. Citadel Chambers 190 Corporation Street, Birmingham, B4 6QD duncan.craig@citadelchambers.com Tel: 07544 987300

licensingbarrister

duncan-craig-95724133

WEST MIDLANDS Melanie Williams spearheads DWF’s global real estate practice from Birmingham, leveraging her track record in local authorityled regeneration schemes and prowess in tax-driven, real estate fund matters; she also leads the firm’s hospitality practice and is frequently instructed on hotel-related acquisitions, refurbishments and developments. Charlotte Ward and Stephen Hickling are also active in the retail space where the team handles acquisition, development and letting matters at shopping centres and other retail venues.

Freeths LLP delivers a ‘complete service combining planning, finance, development and landlord and tenant’ expertise. Managing partner Richard Beverley heads the practice and is principally experienced in land assembly and mixed-use development projects with further expertise in supporting prominent fashion retailers on their real estate requirements.

The ‘excellent’ Mitchell Ball, pictured, is also a ‘standout’ due to his proficiency in food retail developments and site acquisitions, as well as his expertise in town planning.

Irwin Mitchell is primarily active in the field of residential and commercial developments where department head Ben Acheson, pictured, supports at every stage of the project lifecycle, from site assembly through to planning and disposal. The team is also regularly engaged for investment transactions and owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, has been particularly active in terms of supermarket acquisition work of late. Other workstreams include secured lending real estate finance matters and corporate occupier portfolio management.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP’s residential development practice is headed by Neil Gosling, a specialist in respect of large-scale housing, regeneration and new town projects; his team counts a number of leading house builders among its client list and also frequently acts on high-rise PRS, student accommodation and care home developments. Adrian Bland leads on the commercial projects front, overseeing a team active on industrial, distribution, office, retail and leisure-led schemes. The group is also relied upon for corporate occupier and commercial investment work and includes Andrew Mellor, a specialist in pre-letting, joint venture and forward funding agreements.

The team at Squire Patton Boggs handles complex regeneration projects, calling upon its reputed infrastructure 20 The Legal 500 West Midlands

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and environmental expertise to serve as a onestop shop. The practice is also active in the field of corporate real estate where department head Nick Green , pictured, handles investment and portfolio matters in the hotel, hospitality, retail and healthcare sectors. Other prominent figures include Neil Taylor who represents commercial developers, plc housebuilders and regeneration specialists, along with Kevin Nagle who is primarily active in the residential development sector, acting for house builders on significant national housing project.

Clients praise Capsticks LLP for its ‘unrivalled concentration of knowledge and experience in healthcare’; the team has a distinguished level of focus within the sector and frequently acts upon hospital developments, portfolio management, disposals, acquisitions and of late, Covid-19-related leasing and licence matters for testing centres.

Henry Matveieff, pictured, co-heads the team which is also extremely active in the social care and emergency services sectors.

Clarke Willmott LLP has a notable focus on retail development projects in which it supports at every stage of relevant schemes; the other key pillar of the practice is its secured lending work handled on behalf of high street lenders, which sees it engaged on complex, high-value commercial property finance and re-financing transactions. Jonathan Morton also frequently acts for borrowers on portfolio secured lending while Iain Harrison is thoroughly experienced in mixed-use regeneration projects; the pair lead the team together with Fiona Rendell, a landlord and tenant and portfolio management specialist.

Roythornes Solicitors is principally focused on development projects, acting on land purchase, development agreements, warranty and JCT build contracts, among others. Bhavesh Amlani leads the firm’s national real estate practice from Birmingham; his team is particularly knowledgeable of the residential sector and is also engaged from acquisition, disposal and landlord and tenant matters in addition to property-related tax and disputes affairs.

The Wilkes Partnership caters to a client roster of both local and national clients. The ‘extremely pragmatic and commercial’ Tim Coplestone and Mark Hodgson are the key contacts in Birmingham; the former hones his focus on development, refinancing and restructuring, investment, portfolio and site assembly matters while the latter is a specialist in property matters within the leisure, motor trade and retail fields, predominantly catering to a client base of OMBs.

specialist Kevin Joynes from Higgs LLP in summer 2021; he has joined the Solihull office.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS Lodders Solicitors LLP Higgs LLP MFG Solicitors LLP Wright Hassall LLP Ansons Band Hatton Button LLP George Green LLP Lanyon Bowdler Shakespeare Martineau LLP FBC Manby Bowdler LLP Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited Pickerings Solicitors Thursfields Solicitors The Stratford upon Avonheadquartered Lodders Solicitors LLP provides ‘excellent service and out-of-the-box thinking’ in respect of land development projects for landowner consortia and landed estates, investment-related acquisitions and disposals, portfolio management, commercial leasing and real estate finance. Mark Miller, pictured, fronts the department and is primarily focused on strategic land work as well as projects in the renewable energy space though is also well-versed in a wealth of residential, retail, industrial, healthcare and office schemes. He is supported by Caroline Nemecek who leads the dedicated town and country homes department, as well as Victoria Longmore who specialises in propertyrelated due diligence and planning and highway issues. At the more junior end, associate Daniel MacLeod is noted for his ‘hugely proactive’ service in relation to residential development and strategic land matters. The firm also recently boosted its environmental capabilities with the hire of former Gowling WLG practice head Lee McBride.

A ‘large and very professional organisation that still manages to deliver a personable service to its clients’, Brierley Hill’s Higgs LLP provides a full life-cycle service on development projects, from strategic land acquisition and planning through to construction and plot sales. Practice head Cherry Elliott is particularly experienced in new build and substantial refurbishment transactions and her team is also especially well-regarded for mixed-use and student accommodation schemes, financings, letting and landlord and tenant matters. Clients include national retailers, corporate occupiers, landed estates, commercial and residential developers, investors and international banks.

A practice which ‘stands out as a team of exceptional experience with outstanding experience and knowledge’, MFG Solicitors LLP

1 2 3 4

demonstrates a broad scope of expertise. The team handles a variety of development, strategic land, finance, investment, landlord and tenant, corporate occupier, finance and leasing matters with distinguished knowhow in the church and charities, public, leisure, renewable, retail and warehousing sectors. Worcester-based commercial property head Clare Regan is cited for her ‘great subject knowledge’ in respect of occupier and investor-led commercial developments.

Hailed for its ‘well-presented and courteous’ service in addition to its ‘very good response times’, Wright Hassall LLP is home to a land development practice fronted by the ‘exceptional’ Claire Waring, pictured. It is engaged on residential and commercial projects alike, including green and brownfield sites and urban regeneration schemes, advising on everything from strategic land transactions, development and joint venture agreements, planning advice and site assembly. Elsewhere, David Slade leads an investment property service which acts for funds, property companies, charitable trusts and high-net-worth individuals on purchase, funding and disposal matters.

Andrew Jones heads the overall real estate department, honing his focus on acquisition, disposal and property management matters in the industrial, logistics, retail and leisure sectors.

At Ansons, the ‘quality of advice is very good and clear’, namely in respect of asset management, secured lending, investments, developments and a wealth of agricultural, HS2, land, building and firming-related transactions. Richard Saum, the group’s head, is particularly well-versed in landlord and tenant matters as well as those which pertain to land for development; he is closely supported

by Neil Faunch, who focuses on property disputes, housing projects, compulsory purchases and leasing affairs.

Band Hatton Button LLP’s commercial property practice is headed from Coventry by Daniel

At FBC Manby Bowdler LLP, David Grove serves as lead partner within the commercial property department; he serves a broad client roster of residential and commercial property developers, investors and landlord and tenants.

Blood, pictured, a specialist in the charity and retail sectors who also supports on commercial and residential development-related matters from site acquisition through to subsequent disposals. Dina Parmar is another prominent figure whose expertise encompasses property finance, transactions involving healthcare assets and leasehold enfranchisement from both a landlord and tenant perspective. The other key partner in the team is Philip Costigan who is well-connected in the Republic of Ireland property market.

With a team hailed as a ‘credit to the legal profession’, George Green LLP’s commercial property work spans acquisitions and disposals, site purchases and development site ancillary work, landlord and tenant matters, as well as secured lending transactions. Cradley Heath based department head Kevin Styles, pictured, is supported

by Alex-Jayne Lowe, a ‘go-to­’ choice for various bridging lenders. The other key partner in the team is Paul Woodman who specialises in residential development acquisitions and notably counts housing associations, education providers and charities among his client list.

Lanyon Bowdler’s commercial property team is geared to handle the entire lifecycle of projects, including site assembly, funding arrangements and development construction contracts, and is also active in terms of commercial acquisition and landlord and tenant matters. Telford-based department head Praveen Chaudhari leverages transactional experience in industrial, agricultural, retail and public house asset while the ‘always available’ Andrew Evans is the key contact for development matters. Elsewhere, associate solicitor Tania McGee ‘manages complex sales in a timely manner’ while Charlotte Nutting’s arrival from FBC Manby Bowdler LLP has bolstered the group’s hospitality and leisure prowess.

Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited’s workload covers commercial disposals and acquisitions, high-value leasing, property-related corporate support and secured lending handled on behalf of banks, financial institutions, investors and other borrowers.

Colin Rodrigues, pictured, fronts the department which operates across a plethora of asset-types such as industrial and manufacturing sites, farmland, holiday parks, residential care homes.

A ‘fantastic commercial property team’, Pickerings Solicitors is focused on leasing, development and funding matters, also working in tangent with its commercial team to provide corporate support where necessary.

‘Standout’ practice head Sue Albini is ‘unbelievably thorough’ when engaged for residential development site projects and landlord and tenant work; she is supported by the ‘terrific’ Kate Pearce who provides distinguished knowhow in agricultural and equine property matters.

The commercial property department at Thursfields Solicitors enjoys a notable track record in transactions pertaining to healthcare, retail and leisure sectors.

Led by Tony Gibb, pictured, the other key pillars of the practice are strategic land work, which sees it represent land owners and promoters in respect of promotion agreements, in addition to its proficiency in real estate deals which involve pension schemes.

Caroline Irvine is the key contact commercial property contact at Shakespeare Martineau LLP’s Stratford Upon Avon office. She is hailed for her ‘highly knowledgeable, efficient and remarkably quick’ service and runs a broad workload which spans investment transactions, lease granting and acquisitions, break clauses, licenses and buy to lets, among other matters. The firm’s wider offering in the West Midlands is also wellregarded for substantial residential and commercial developments, financings and corporate occupier matters at office, industrial and logistics assets.

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CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL: BIRMINGHAM DLA Piper Eversheds Sutherland Gowling WLG Browne Jacobson LLP Freeths LLP Gateley Plc Mills & Reeve LLP Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Shoosmiths Squire Patton Boggs DWF Shakespeare Martineau LLP The Wilkes Partnership Clarke Willmott LLP Fieldfisher Irwin Mitchell KPMG Law in the United Kingdom Legal Clarity Trowers & Hamlins LLP Known for its ‘excellent transactional capabilities’, the Birmingham team at DLA Piper leverages its integrated ‘One UK’ service model and extensive international footprint to support a broad array of local, national and crossborder M&A mandates. Noel Haywood fronts the local corporate department and is a lawyer with distinguished levels of sector expertise, notably service as global co-chair of the firm’s consumer goods, food and retail practice. The other senior partners are Charles Cook, pictured, a public and private M&A specialist who leads the national practice from Birmingham, as well as Tim Lake , who provides the group with a wealth of private equity expertise. At the more junior end, recently promoted partner Robert Newman’s strengths lie in equity capital market matters while Simon Wright is singled out as an ‘exceptional senior associate’.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP caters to a impressive client roster of bluechip corporates, global businesses and local players on a range of high-magnitude transactions.

Practice head Mark Beardmore is a household name in the field of private equity deals, as is Catherine Eley, pictured, who operates across a variety of deal structures, such as joint ventures, investments, dispositions and acquisitions. Nigel Cooke is also integral to the practice due to his extensive track record in multi-jurisdictional M&A, while Steven Hacking provides the team with distinguished proficiency in equity capital markets. The team is particularly active in the industrial, technology and healthcare sectors and owing to the prominent profile of Theresa-Marie Stodell, is also a go-to for corporate real estate matters.

22 The Legal 500 West Midlands

1 2 3 4 Gowling WLG’s corporate and commercial practice is jointly led by corporate head David Vaughan and commercial contracts head David Lowe, a specialist in international trade, consumer law, procurement and supply chain matters. The team also includes Jeremy Millington who has carved out distinguished expertise in real estate and entrepreneurial-related M&A, as well as Stuart Young and Ragi Singh, specialists in the automotive sector. Elsewhere, Sharon Ayres is the key contact for investment funds while Sarah Riding, former practice head at Irwin Mitchell, is a notable new arrival who excels in relation to franchising, routes to market, outsourcing and manufacturing mandates. The team is frequently engaged for international transactions with the US, Europe and India serving as its key jurisdictions of activity.

The team at Browne Jacobson LLP ‘go the extra mile’ when acting on corporate mergers, acquisitions and disposals. Approximately a third of the caseload includes cross-jurisdictional work, and the group enjoys an excellent reputation in the technology and private equity fields owing to the expertise of Mike Jackson, pictured, and Gareth Davies.

Other industries of activity include the healthcare, automotive, energy, infrastructure and sustainability sectors and the team is also home to a thriving growth and venture capital practice.

Associate Clare Hanna, a specialist in private equity and M&A transactions, is praised as ‘essential to getting deals over the line’ while on the commercial front, Ryan Harrison is hailed as a ‘go-to lawyer’ for a range of matters including distribution, sale and purchase, warehousing and logistics agreements.

Freeths LLP has dedicated departments for both commercial and corporate matters; Lee Clifford, pictured, a private equity specialist, oversees the former while IT and data expert, Mark Neale,

fronts the latter.

The corporate team handles a varied caseload which consists of M&A, MBO and MBI, private equity and transactional due diligence matters in addition to corporate restructurings and reorganisations. As for Neale’s practice, his team is proficient in the full array of commercial contract affairs, particularly those pertaining to the retail, transport and logistics, construction, manufacturing, drinks, hospitality and leisure industries. Kirstin Roberts is ‘an absolute stand-out’, supplying the team with a first-rate knowledge of the waste and sustainability sector.

At Gateley Plc, Tom Durrant, pictured, fronts the firm’s national corporate practice from Birmingham, specialising in cross-border M&A, venture capital transactions and private equity deals. He is supported by Tom Rush who enjoys a prominent reputation for public company transactions.

Clients include management teams, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and corporates.

A key distinguishing factor for Mills & Reeve LLP is its dedicated health and care practice, headed by Julian Smith, which supports some of the sector’s largest names on their strategic acquisitions and disposals. The wider corporate and commercial department is also a major contender in the food and beverage, mid-market, food, automotive, fintech and industrial fields and includes Peter McLintock, a veteran of many international M&A and private equity transactions.

Elsewhere, Jayne Hussey specialises in supply chain projects while principal associate Ruth Andrew is a key contact for outsourcing and collaboration agreements.

The ‘always accessible and very proactive’ corporate lawyers at Pinsent Masons LLP are engaged for a range of big-ticket public and private M&A transactions, joint venture work and corporate transactional advice.

The team is headed

by Nicole Livesey, pictured, who ‘has an excellent way of distilling complex issues’ and also leads the firm’s diversified industrials sector group. On the commercial side, Clare Francis, a lawyer very wellversed in the manufacturing industry, serves as practice head, spearheading a team which is principally acclaimed for outsourcing, supply chain, strategic alliance, collaboration and routes to market affairs. Joanne Ellis is the key contact for healthcare matters while John Tyerman and Rhian Critchell are prominent names in the field of energyrelated corporate transactions.

At Shoosmiths LLP, the workload is ‘characterised by an extremely high degree of diligence, client orientation and speed’ and is centred around

three key pillars - M&A, venture capital and private equity. Ben Turner, ‘an exceptional M&A lawyer’, heads the department and directs particular attention to the German, Nordic and US markets. He is supported in Birmingham by Alastair Peet, who heads the national venture capital practice group and routinely supports venture and growth capital companies and investors on their exit, scaling and funding-related activities.

Daniel Shilvock recently joined from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP, significantly bolstering the group’s private equity offering while Alistair Hammerton garners recurring client praise for his ‘vast knowledge of venture capital’. Beyond partner-level, principal associate Georgina Rennie is a ‘trustworthy advisor for M&A transactions’.

Squire Patton Boggs is highly regarded for mid-market M&A transactions, equity capital markets and takeover code work, as well as private equity mandates.

Practice head Geoff Perry, pictured, praised as ‘an expert in his field’, is primarily active in the industrials and healthcare sectors though the wider team also represents household names from industries such as manufacturing, retail, leisure and football. On the commercial front, the group is adept in the full gamut of contractual affairs and boasts distinguished expertise in the establishment of both inbound and outbound trading arrangements.

Delivering a service ‘comparable to London firms’, DWF’s practice is co-headed by Mark Gibson, a lawyer thoroughly experienced in MBOs and MBIs, acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures in addition to corporate governance and reorganisation matters; he enjoys strong connections in Russia and the CEE region and is supported by ex-DLA Piper partner John Campion, pictured, who has significantly ramped up the group’s equity capital markets focus following his arrival in January 2020. Ben McLeod is the key point of contact for commercial matters, directing a clearcut focus towards IT and outsourcing projects. Key sectors include hospitality and leisure, technology, financial services and industrials.

The team at Shakespeare Martineau LLP is well regarded for its ability to ‘balance commercial advice with management of the legal risks involved’.

Distinguishing traits of the practice include its dedicated investment funds practice, proficiency in representing energy companies, entrepreneurs and business owners, as well as its prowess in tax-related investments.

Kavita Patel leads the department; her personal practice is geared towards private equity and corporate finance transactions. The firm is equipped for a wealth of cross-border transactions owing to its membership with Multilaw, a leading global legal network.

The Wilkes Partnership delivers ‘superb advice across a range of

SPECIAL FEATURE

KANG & CO SOLICITORS RAISE FUNDS FOR SENSE, COMPLEX DISABILITIES CHARITY The Kang & Co Solicitors team visited the Sense TouchBase Pears Centre last week to present our donation and take a tour around the facilities of which included tailored learning equipment and activities for people living with a sensory disability or disabilities.

Thomas Wheeler, Director at Kang & Co Solicitors stated; “The Sense TouchBase Pears Centre in Selly Oak is a beacon of the community. Seeing the caring and educational work of their staff helping children with complex disabilities is inspiring and offers real hope to people. It’s a delight to have helped this wonderful charity.”

Sense are a truly brilliant national charity that have supported and enabled the lives of children and adults who have sensory disabilities like deafness, blindness and deafblindness. Their tireless work has helped many people with complex disabilities through their day centres, direct community work and at their state of the art TouchBase Pears centre in Selly Oak. Sense have been the 2021 charity partner of Kang & Co Solicitors. Throughout the year we have raised funds to the sum of £2000, which last week we were delighted to present to the charity in person.

Carl Williams, Fundraising Manager for Sense said; “We were delighted to have been working with Kang

& Co Solicitors in 2021 as their charity partner. The £2000 donation will go a long way to helping us support children and adults with complex disabilities in the region from our Touchbase Pears Centre in Selly Oak and we are truly thankful to them for all of their support.”

Manjinder Kang, a Director at Kang & Co Solicitors was full of praise for the charity; “It has been a privilege to have helped raise awareness and to donate a sum of money to our 2021 charity partner – Sense. It is truly inspirational seeing first-hand the work that has been done by their staff throughout the past year. Their brilliant work has helped enable many within the local West Midlands community and nationally with challenging sensory disabilities.”

During the past couple of years with the emergence of Covid, the disease has created extra challenges for the team at Sense. In many instances, in person activities have had be adapted or moved onto video to enable continue support of the most vulnerable children and adults within Sense’s care.

Carl Williams of Sense explains how Sense have coped during unprecedented times; ‘The last eighteen months have been really tough for our charity and the families we work with due to the pandemic, however we’ve been able to reach more people than before by taking many of our services online.

Our Childrens Team have provided some fantastic resources and support for young people at home to help prevent them from becoming isolated from their community and continue their development.’

If you’d like to find out more about how you can support Sense, visit their website. www.sense.org.uk

services businesses, such as surveyors, architects, lawyers and accountants, for its input on M&A and internal structuring affairs. The practice is fronted by Andrew Lawton Smith, a recent arrival from Gowling WLG who joins with a prominent reputation in supporting entrepreneurs within the manufacturing, business services and technology fields. Also found among the workload are venture capital capital and private equity transactions, often handled by Graham Muth, as well as energy-related corporate matters, for which Matthew Williams is the main point of contact.

matters’, catering to a roster of corporate clients, their owners and funders. Department head Gareth O’Hara ‘leads by example’ when acting on transactions, both local and national, placing particular emphasis on the automotive sector. The ‘technically excellent’ Rick Smyth is highly proficient in mid-market corporate finance, M&A, private equity and investment transactions whereas Kate Hackett ‘stands out’ for her reorganisation, asset and share transactional and general company law prowess.

John Irving leads the practice at Clarke Willmott LLP; he has a broad practice spanning M&A, distribution and franchising and partnership matters, principally those pertaining to the manufacturing, healthcare, capital goods and casino sectors.

The team is also engaged for a broad variety of commercial contracts work and is equipped to support on the financing elements of large corporate transactions, owing to the specialist expertise of Andrew Beedham.

At Fieldfisher, the team is especially well-regarded among professional

The corporate and commercial team at Irwin Mitchell is headed by Nick Dawson, pictured, a lawyer whose practice covers the full array of corporate transactions, especially M&A and private equity deals. His team caters to a diverse client roster of mid-market, growth business, large corporates and private equity-backed businesses with foremost expertise of the food and drink, financial institution, manufacturing and waste sectors. A clear point of distinction for the group is its private wealth practice which it leverages to provide a full-suite service to owner-managers and directors.

Associate solicitor Matt Smith delivers an ‘optimal outcome’, ‘never missing a detail’.

At KPMG Law in the United Kingdom, director Bradley Quin is the key senior contact; he specialises in M&A, buyouts, equity investments and reorganisation; he is particularly knowledgeable of the energy, retail, financial services, media and FMCG sectors.

Boutique firm Legal Clarity is home to a three-partner team specialising in M&A, investments, employee ownership transitions and a wealth of other tax and commercial-led reorganisations. Richard Underwood primarily represents owner-managed businesses providing the team with joint venture, shareholder arrangement and deal structuring expertise. ‘Excellent communicator’ Gary Davie holds esteem in respect of employee buy-out transactions while capital restructuring and group reorganisation specialist, Chris Wright has forged a reputation for GP practice acquisitions.

Home to a ‘very strong, full-service offering’, Trowers & Hamlins LLP is principally focused on M&A, joint venture, private equity and venture capital matters, leveraging a distinguished level of knowhow in the manufacturing, healthcare and start-up sectors. Amardeep Gill, is also engaged on a large number of commercial agreements while fellow department co-head Matthew Harvey has a track record of work for automotive clients.

The Legal 500 West Midlands 23

WEST MIDLANDS

FIRMS ARE LISTED A-Z WITHIN TIERS

CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL: ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS Harrison Clark Rickerbys Higgs LLP Wright Hassall LLP George Green LLP Thursfields Solicitors Ansons Beswicks Legal Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited Lanyon Bowdler Shakespeare Martineau LLP Aaron & Partners LLP Brindley Twist Tafft & James FBC Manby Bowdler LLP Lodders Solicitors LLP MFG Solicitors LLP Pickerings Solicitors Hatchers Solicitors LLP

The ‘fantastic, proactive’ team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys has a varied corporate practice covering public and private M&A, management buyouts, share schemes, fundraising and private equity investment. Managing partner Rod Thomas, dual-qualified and experienced in the US and Canada, fronts the corporate team; his counterpart in the commercial space is Robert Capper, a specialist in all forms of commercial deals, especially those in the advanced manufacturing space. Other prominent names include transaction specialist Arpinder Dhillon, singled out for her ‘amazing passion and knowledge of the law’, as well as dental sector authority Clare Emery and due diligence expert Helen Higginbotham.

The client roster includes SMEs, FMBs, FTSE 100 companies and leading private equity houses from industries as diverse as education, sports, healthcare, defence and technology.

Higgs LLP delivers a ‘commercially orientated’, ‘modern’ and ‘innovative’ service, acting for entrepreneurs, OMBs and corporates - both domestic and international - on a range of transactions. The ‘fantastically knowledgeable’ Richard Griffiths and John Heaton are particularly acclaimed for their corporate finance work, with the former leading the corporate department and the latter heading the wider business services practice.

Their team endeavours to operate as a one-stop-shop, working in close collaboration with the tax and private client departments to advise on all transactional considerations. At the more junior end of the partnership spectrum, Geoff Kettle hones his attention on the healthcare and early childhood education sectors while Jamie Partington is carving out an ‘exceptional’ reputation in the tech and hi-growth space. Clients also single out associate Katie Willems for her ‘common sense approach’.

A ‘tight-knit team which works cohesively together’, Wright Hassall 24 The Legal 500 West Midlands

1 2 3 4 5

LLP predominantly represents local and London-based players, handling work including cross-border transactions in Germany, Italy, Canada and the US. Corporate practice head Steven Halkett, pictured, is a veteran of many M&A, restructuring, group reorganisation and investment matters, providing specialist expertise of the automotive sector; his team is also well-versed in industries such as retail, health, social care, education, rural business and e-commerce and includes Robert Lee, a corporate finance, MBO and MBI and turnaround specialist, as well as senior associate Nathan Lapsley who focuses on tax efficient demergers and group simplifications. The corporate department is complemented by a dedicated outsourcing, technology and commercial practice, headed by the ‘exceptional’ Pete Maguire, which caters to blue chip and technology supplier comments on mandates such as commercial contracts, technology procurement and outsourcing.

George Green LLP is home to an ‘excellent’ practice which predominantly caters to SMEs and OMBs, also regularly acting for large corporates on small to mid-cap M&A transactions.

Practice head Paul Bennett, pictured, - described as being ‘on par with many large firm partners’ - has strong capabilities with regards to succession planning, distressed transactions and private equity deals. He has

been particularly active within the pharmaceutical industry of late; his team also enjoys long-established connections with the local manufacturing market.

Sarah Ward is another prominent name, with a track record in shareholder arrangements, investments, joint ventures and company law. On the commercial front, James Bird ‘leads by example’ on IT and IP agreements, providing a distinguished level of capability in respect of long-term supply contracts in the aerospace and engineering fields.

The ‘outstanding’ and ‘dynamic’ corporate and commercial practice at Thursfields Solicitors advises on M&A, joint ventures, equity fundraising, group reorganisations and venture capital deals in tangent with the full spectrum of commercial contract affairs. The team has been considerably active in the healthcare, events and technology fields over the past year and is headed

by Gareth Burge, pictured, a lawyer who ‘puts the needs of the client first’, and is wellversed in multijurisdictional transactions.

The other prominent partner is M&A specialist Tim Edwards, cited for his ‘outstanding’ and ‘refreshing’ dedication.

Ansons fields a ‘high-calibre’ corporate with ‘prominent specialisms in key niche sectors and a tireless commitment to getting the job done’. Hilary D’Cruz provides ‘extensive experience’ in respect of M&A deals, jointly heading the practice alongside Neil Jones who is ‘knowledgeable of the pitfalls and nuances involved with business sales’; his far-reaching expertise also encompasses private equity, company reorganisations, commercial contracts and joint ventures in addition to to shareholder agreements and partnership matters.

‘Excellent’ associate Emma Benniston

caters to various pharmacy, dental and care home clients and the wider team is also active in the manufacturing, logistics, education, property and technology sectors.

Specialist firm Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited provides ‘an outstanding service in all areas of corporate law’. The group’s foremost field of activity is the M&A arena where it routinely acts for SMEs operating in the manufacturing, engineering, insurance, IT, hospitality and pharmaceutical sectors.

Managing partner and private equity expert Colin Rodrigues, pictured, is the star name, bringing a ‘commercial edge to the table’ when engaged on management buy-outs, sales, mergers, restructuring and tax matters.

A ‘regional firm with a surprisingly broad scope of capabilities’, Lanyon Bowdler’s corporate and commercial team is led from Telford

by Gráinne Walters, a go-to for ‘complex and nuanced matters’. Her practice is centred around M&A, joint ventures, succession planning, corporate reorganisations and private equity investments in addition to international distribution, trading and agency agreements, among other forms of commercial contracts.

The other prominent partner is Edward Burrell whose key strengths include company sale and purchase agreements, employee share schemes, shareholder disputes and software license agreements. Key sectors include agriculture, education, local authority, renewable energy, professional services and not-for-profit.

SPECIAL FEATURE

At FBC Manby Bowdler LLP, James Sage, pictured, is the corporate department’s lead partner, handling shareholder and joint venture agreements, company and business transactions, as well as a wealth of general commercial matters. He has a focus on the manufacturing and banking sectors.

A ‘business-based, practical firm’, Shakespeare Martineau LLP advises on a range of M&A, joint ventures, corporate governance matters, group restructurings and reorganisations, as well as management buy-outs and buyins. The local team is integrated with the firm’s national practice and also often handles work with an international element. Team head Andrew Smith is ‘recommended without hesitation’, acting for a client roster which ranges from start-ups and SMEs through to multinational corporates; his team sets itself apart from the rest of the market through its expertise in the education, housing and charity sectors.

Shrewsbury-based Aaron & Partners LLP acts for OMBs on their local, national and overseas activities, with a particular focus on the Shropshire, Staffordshire and mid-Wales markets.

Stuart Haynes is a contact of note for M&A, management buy-outs and commercial contracts; he is supported

by Hugh Strickland who has a track record in the banking, finance and pharmaceutical sectors.

‘Capable of handling the full spectrum of the client’s business needs’, Brindley Twist Tafft & James is primarily active in Coventry and across Warwickshire, supporting local business with dayto-day contractual affairs, acquisitions, sales and corporate formalities.

The department is helmed by the ‘outstanding’ Samantha Wright, who has a broad practice which often sees her instructed on cross-border director shareholder disputes.

Hailed as a ‘regional firm doing high-quality, big city work’, Lodders Solicitors LLP’s client base includes logistics and pharmaceutical companies, software and IT developers, manufacturers and care home specialists. The ‘extremely supportive’ Kim Klahn, pictured, handles M&A, disposals, reorganisations and management buyouts with a noteworthy niche in the formation of family investment companies. The wider team is also geared for share sale, transactions, business sales and purchases and equity investments in addition to various commercial matters such as supply and distribution contracts, terms and conditions and franchise agreements.

MFG Solicitors LLP supports its clients on acquisitions, disposals, management buyouts and a broad array of commercial matters, often working in tandem with the firm’s commercial property, employment and commercial litigation departments.

Practice head Clare Lang has a strong reputation for her work on specialised capital reduction reorganisation and 110 Insolvency Act demergers while James Hayes is well-regarded for international trade contacts as well as IT-related distribution, valued added and licensing agreements. Stephen Wyer provides specialist knowledge of the education, energy, healthcare and education, supplementing the firm’s long-established food and drink sector expertise.

The team at Pickerings Solicitors ‘know the market intimately and service midlands SMEs expertly’. The team’s primary fields of activity in the transactional space are company sales, purchases and formations, corporate restructuring and reorganisations, joint ventures and venture capital investments. Practice head Craig Davies is also experienced in shareholder agreements, trading terms and conditions, as well as general contractual affairs; he is closely supported by Keri Pointon.

Hatchers Solicitors LLP has been active in the OMB space over the past ear, acting on share sales, business asset transactions, reorganisations and shareholder agreements. Practice head Ann Fisher, hailed as ‘thorough and grounded’, also directs her attention towards SME representation and has specialist knowledge of the manufacturing, charities, not-for-profit, farming and agricultural sectors.

CLERKSROOM: MODERN CHAMBERS APPROACH IN A TIME OF CHANGE

Russell Hobbs

The Covid-19 pandemic forced the entire legal profession to adopt new ways of working. For Clerksroom, who started working online 20 years ago, it has been business as usual. Their unique approach blends the traditional chambers model and the Bar’s unique independence with great client care and innovative use of IT to deliver a modern, forwardthinking Chambers.

Birmingham-based barrister Jonathan Perry joined Clerksroom in 2015.

“The whole Clerksroom set- up works for me,” he comments. “Everyone is so approachable, friendly and easy to get on with. As a Barrister, I am given all the tools I need to do my job. It’s easy, straightforward, and I can get on with representing my clients.”

Cynthia McFarlane, barrister and mediator, recently chose to join Clerksroom at the end of 2021. “The opportunity to work flexibly at Clerksroom really appealed. Since the pandemic, I decided to relocate to the country and prioritise my work-life balance. Working with Clerksroom allows me to work from anywhere. Being able to control my own diary puts me in charge of my own time.”

Founded in 2001, Clerksroom is an award-winning Chambers, recognised by most major directories and trusted by 25,000+ solicitors. As one of the leading providers of barristers and mediators in England & Wales, Clerksroom conducts on average over 1,200 hearings each month, in addition to being one of the largest national providers of advice and drafting. Their unique case management software, Chambers 365, handles over 2,000 cases a month.

Clerksroom has been recognised at the prestigious Family Law Awards 2021, with Clerksroom’s Head of Family Arlene Small receiving an award for her role in the Family Law Case of the Year, Re H-N and Others [2021] EWCA CIv 448. Head of Credit Hire Sunny Virk has recently been elected to the 2022 Bar Council for a three-year term, commencing on 1 January 2022.

If you are a barrister, a group of barristers or a solicitor wishing to transfer and are thinking of a fresh start, Clerksroom would like to hear from you. There is no constitution, no committees, no politics and no liabilities. Barristers and mediators are in complete control, choosing their hours, their rates and the Courts they wish to work at.

Contact Russell Hobbs, Birmingham & North manager, to find out more on 01823 804260 or email russell.hobbs@clerksroom.com.

The Legal 500 West Midlands 25

Record Rankings for Cornwall Street Barristers This year’s Legal500 features a record-breaking seven barristers from Cornwall Street Barristers ranked over nine categories.

The achievement comes on top of further expansion for the set with Maidstone Chambers becoming part of Cornwall Street Barristers earlier this year. The set will continue to offer a mix of Family, Crime and Civil expertise nationwide from offices in Birmingham, Oxford and Maidstone.

Contact James Farmer, Chief Executive, on 0121 233 7500 or on j.farmer@cornwallstreet.co.uk

SPECIAL FEATURE

WEST MIDLANDS CORNWALL STREET – CELEBRATING SUCCESS AROUND THE REGION Jonathan Storey – ‘Jonathan is an excellent barrister: intellectually able, calm and reassuring, and thoroughly prepared’ - Rising Star, Professional and Disciplinary Law, Midlands

Peter Glenser QC: ‘One of the most charming and likeable barristers/ opponents I have come across in recent times. Peter is a minister for justice in the true sense of the word, both fair minded but with equal vigour in his presentation of the prosecution case. A downto-earth approach which makes it hard to defend against because he is immediately liked by both juries and judges. His witness handling of frightened bystanders was a joy to watch, and he is, in my view, a first-class barrister. I would very much like to defend with him too where he will undoubtedly demonstrate his flair in a defence context.’ – Leading Silk, Crime, London

As the impact of Covid continues to be felt across the UK, it’s a matter of some considerable pride to see the way in which the region’s legal professionals continue to rise to the challenge of delivering high quality legal services to clients of all types.

This year’s Legal 500 recognises the variety and diversity of talented professionals who’ve overcome significant hurdles to keep their practices going and to adapt to changing ways of working and to the increasingly complex demands of clients and of the judicial system.

More lawyers and law firms than ever before have been recognised in this year’s directory and Cornwall Street Barristers is delighted to rank among them and to record no fewer than nine barristers being ranked across ten different categories.

YEAR OF ADAPTATION AND GROWTH 2021 has been a year of rapid and positive change for Cornwall Street Barristers with financial results showing a record-breaking turnover. With growth being seen across all the set’s main practice areas – family, crime and civil – levels of work, billing and receipts are now exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

This is particularly remarkable given that, in common with many other practices across the country, the set faced a huge setback when Court work stopped coming in overnight as Covid took hold and lockdown ensued.

Not only has Cornwall Street achieved a record financial performance over the period of the pandemic whilst also being able to provide financial support to its members through the pandemic; it has shown substantial growth. On 1 October 2021 Cornwall Street incorporated Maidstone Chambers creating a 78-member set with offices in Birmingham,

Oxford, and Maidstone. This strategic move creates a new offer called ‘Cornwall Street South’ which strengthens Chambers’ offering across the Midlands and South Eastern circuits.

Supported by the long-established Birmingham base, this move will offer members greater opportunities and enhance the service available to clients wherever they may be based.

RECOGNITION FOR INDIVIDUALS We’re particularly pleased to see several members singled out for recognition in the directory this year including: Timothy Jacques: ‘A most able advocate, efficient and speedy in response to instructions, with a wide knowledge of the relevant areas of law, and a sound problem-solving approach, with extremely good clientfacing qualities.’ – Leading Junior, Personal Injury, Midlands Matthew Bolt – Leading Junior, Crime (general and fraud), Midlands Naomi Dean: ‘Kind and compassionate towards the clients. Excellent drafting skills. Always well prepared.

Approachable. Excellent after care, she will always give advice on the next steps, and a clear note on what happened at a hearing.’

– Rising Star, Family and Children Law, Midlands

Rebecca Chalkely: “Rebecca is a highly skilled advocate, with an exceptional grasp of the law. She is focused and unflappable. She is definitely someone you want on your team when it comes to prosecuting large-scale fraud cases.” – Leading Junior, Licensing, London Rebecca Chalkely: “A great advocate and disclosure expert.” – Leading Junior, Business Regulatory Crime, London Rebecca Chalkely: “A tenacious advocate who commands attention in the courtroom, she is highly organised and efficient and is never on the back foot.”

– Leading Junior, Environment, London Theo Huckle QC: “A charismatic, clear, calm and compelling advocate who can be trusted entirely to do a brilliant job.” – Leading Silk, Personal Injury, Industrial Disease, and Insurance Fraud

For more information, please contact James Farmer T: 0121 233 7500 E: j.farmer@cornwallstreet.co.uk W: www.cornwallstreet.co.uk

WEST MIDLANDS

FIRMS ARE LISTED A-Z WITHIN TIERS former Birmingham senior partner David Beswick has now retired and Nick Jew is now at Keystone Law.

EMPLOYMENT

1

DLA Piper Eversheds Sutherland Gowling WLG Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP

2

Averta Employment Lawyers LLP Browne Jacobson LLP Gateley Plc Mills & Reeve LLP Shoosmiths Squire Patton Boggs

3

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Higgs LLP Irwin Mitchell Shakespeare Martineau LLP VWV Weightmans

4

Bevan Brittan LLP Capsticks LLP Freeths LLP Lanyon Bowdler Pickerings Solicitors Sydney Mitchell LLP Trowers & Hamlins LLP Wright Hassall LLP

5

Aaron & Partners LLP Brethertons LLP DWF Fieldfisher George Green LLP Hatchers Solicitors LLP Harrison Clark Rickerbys Heminsley Law MFG Solicitors LLP The Wilkes Partnership Thursfields Solicitors

6

Ansons Band Hatton Button LLP Pillinger & Associates DLA Piper acts for numerous key local and national clients on all types of employment tribunal litigation from wrongful dismissal to complex whistleblowing and discrimination claims. It has considerable international capabilities under the leadership of the ‘very good technically and commercially’ Emma Phillips, pictured. The team has been involved in a number of significant multi-jurisdictional projects such as restructurings and reorganisations.

Sandra Wallace is highly regarded for her work on business reorganisations, senior executive management issues and has a particular specialism in diversity issues. Other names to note include Robert Forsyth who continues to build an impressive list of US clients. Lisa Hodgson is among the primary contacts for several well-known names in the 28 The Legal 500 West Midlands

high-end retail arena.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP acts for a range of FTSE 100 companies as well as various public sector organisations. Other strengths lie in international and cross-border employment work with a strong US client base. It is also skilled at advising on labour, trade union and employee relations matters. Birminghambased Audrey Elliott , pictured, and Nottingham-based Mark Fletcher cohead the team. Elliott specialises in acting for companies across the energy and utilities sectors. Hannah Wilkins has considerable expertise in the IT sector.

Wie-Men Ho is adept at handling multi-day complex and high profile discrimination claims across the UK. At a senior level there have been some changes;

With Jane Fielding at the helm at Gowling WLG, the ‘responsive’ team advises both national and international private and public sector clients on the full range of employment, labour and equality issues with particular specialisms in manufacturing, real estate, life sciences, financial services, technology, retail and central government. The team is well-placed to advise on workplace investigations and has a strong contentious offering that covers High Court business protection litigation through to complex discrimination and whistleblowing tribunal claims. Martin Chitty acts for some of the UK’s largest housing associations and retailers and advises on all areas of employment law. Jonathan Chamberlain is another seasoned practitioner who is known for his advice to clients on business protection issues.

Jonathan Coley, pictured, who has ‘great client handling skills’, and ‘big hitter’ Linda Jones lead a large team at Pinsent Masons LLP that acts for an array of household name companies on the full range of employment matters from tribunal case management to critical projects such as board level restructuring, pay gap reporting, cross-border jurisdictional projects and industrial action. Coley also leads the national team’s specialist trade union practice. Helen Corden specialises in advising clients in the education and technology, digital and media sectors and continues to lead the national team’s drive on pay gap reporting and pay transparency. Rebecca Stephen is recommended for her work in the higher education and financial services sectors. It is ‘known for its diversity focus as a firm’.

Under the joint leadership of Alan Jones and David Sykes, pictured, the ‘highly effective’ team at Averta Employment Lawyers LLP focuses on the employment law needs of directors, managers, senior executives and other professionals. The specialist employment law firm acts in the public and private sector and increasingly acts for corporate clients.

The firm has also been busy advising groups of employees on employee share plans and other recent cases have included representing individuals facing serious disciplinary investigations, advising on TUPE transfers in addition to contractual and bonus claims. Alan Dark and Charlotte Cooper are among the other key senior members of the practice.

Browne Jacobson LLP continues to see significant growth in both the public and private sectors and most particularly in the healthcare sector. Other key sector specialisms include commercial, education and the insurance domain.

James Tait and Jacqui Atkinson have been leading the group that has been

busy advising clients in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Work has included advising on the redeployment of employees and staff and in the private sector it has been advising on the Job Retention Scheme as well as managing or avoiding redundancies.

Helen Badger is active in the NHS and independent health sector.

The excellent team at Gateley Plc covers a wide range of employment matters from employment tribunal work to cases in the High Court and appellate courts. It is particularly strong on confidentiality and posttermination restrictions.

Practice head Benedict Gorner, pictured, also has extensive experience in TUPE and outsourcing projects. Merran Sewell supports clients with complex disciplinary and grievance issues and change of management programmes.

The team enjoys long-standing relationships with clients in diverse sectors such as retail and sports as well food manufacturing, recruitment and the charitable/not-for-profit sector.

Mills & Reeve LLP acts for a large number of high-profile clients across the private and public sectors and has a strong track record of work on many complex corporate deals and projects.

It has a large health sector employment team. David Mills heads the department.

Jog Hundle has a strong reputation for her work in the health and care sectors. Nick Abbott, pictured, is highly regarded for his expertise in the universities/ higher education sectors as well as further education and multi-academy trusts. Richard Santy is recommended for his experience in the commercial and sports arena and conducts his own advocacy in the employment tribunal. Richard Barker was promoted to the partnership.

Shoosmiths LLP fields a talented and stable team that handles a sizeable number of significant Employment Tribunal cases for many major clients and garners praise for its skill at handling sensitive senior executive exits. Key clients stem from the private, public and third sectors. Head of team Charlie Rae, pictured, receives a lot of plaudits – his key specialisms include advising on senior executive terminations, business reorganisations as well as complex TUPE matters. Adele Hayfield has particular experience in the logistics, manufacturing and retail sectors.

Principal associate Nick Vernon is another experienced member of the team.

Squire Patton Boggs acts for a number of high-profile sports clients and also advises organisations in the technology, healthcare, construction, hospitality,

retail and financial sectors.

It is adept at handling complex restructurings (including advising on offshoring strategies) and large-scale international projects.

In addition the practice also boasts a number of TUPE specialists who advise on the TUPE aspects of corporate transactions. Charlie Frost, pictured, and Ramez Moussa regularly provide employment law advice to the firm’s private equity clients. The group is well-regarded for its strength on the contentious side too.

Anna Dabek, pictured, heads the team at Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP that supports clients across a broad spectrum of areas ranging from high-value Employment Tribunal discrimination/whistleblowing cases and unfair dismissals through to handling large-scale redundancies. It has a core focus on health and social care in addition to housing, education, charities, faith communities and local government.

Matthew Gregson is well-regarded along with Matthew Wort who plays a key role in advising social housing sector clients. Douglas Mullen was promoted to the partnership.

Under the leadership of the ‘very responsive and hands-on‘ Tim Jones, the ‘very knowledgeable‘ team at Higgs LLP continues to advise many SMEs, owner managed businesses and their families, primarily in the West Midlands. It is particularly experienced in the food and drink industry as well as transport, manufacturing and the care sector. The group also continues to advise senior executives on executive terminations. Damian Kelly is another skilled practitioner who specialises in Employment Tribunal advocacy and routinely advises on business re-organisations, restraint of trade provisions as well as executive severances.

Fergal Dowling, pictured, at Irwin Mitchell leads a dynamic team that advises clients across a broad range of sectors such as retail, financial services, education, manufacturing and healthcare. Other strengths include the charitable and not-for-profit sector, healthcare as well as advising individual clients. The practice has particular expertise in advising on confidentiality and restrictive covenants and Dowling has a wealth of experience in tribunal litigation. Elaine Huttley has a broad practice and has a special interest in the employment aspects of shareholder/ director management disputes.

Donna Seferta was promoted to the partnership.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP has considerable strength in the education sector. The group continues to act in some high profile and sensitive matters such as advising on international collaborations between UK universities and partners overseas, large restructuring exercises and senior management departures. In addition it has a flourishing ‘third sector’ client base and has some skilled litigators who are

recommended for their work on large discrimination cases. David Browne has a first-rate reputation for his work with education clients. Tom Long specialises in defending complex Employment Tribunal litigation and Michael Hibbs is another excellent employment practitioner. Matt McDonald joined the team from Pinsent Masons LLP. VWV fields an experienced team that routinely advises clients in the education sector such as academies, independent schools, further education colleges and higher education institutions. It advises numerous charities and public sector clients as well as a vast array of commercial clients. Jane Byford frequently advises on issues such as senior recruitment and employment tribunal litigation. Kathy Halliday, pictured, is experienced at advising on change management projects, TUPE and other issues such as complex high-value litigation. Alice Reeve is also wellregarded.

Weightmans LLP has a superb and growing client base in the hospitality and leisure sectors. It has a dedicated equal pay team and a strong reputation for its work in the education sector, local government and police. Head of department Jawaid Rehman has particular expertise in equal pay claims and frequently deals with cases involving embassies. The nimble team is wellregarded for its work with high profile employers where there are substantial issues of reputation or a risk of adverse publicity.

The Birmingham-based team at Bevan Brittan LLP has considerable expertise in the healthcare and local government sectors. In addition it also acts for a range of clients in the private, education and international arenas. The practice continues to do some interesting work for its NHS clients such as advising on complex employment tribunal claims for NHS trusts that often involve issues of race, sex, disability and whistleblowing elements. Ashley Norman works on both contentious and advisory matters.

James Gutteridge has a particular focus on health sector clients Capsticks LLP provides advice to clients in the NHS, private healthcare and medical technology sector as well as the emergency services. Other strengths lie in education, housing and charity as well as the social care sector and regulatory bodies. It is the sole employment law provider for a number of the largest NHS Trusts in the Midlands and continues to receive new instructions from other trusts nationally. Londonbased Victoria Watson heads the team that includes Birmingham-based Raj Basi who has considerable experience in TUPE matters and other collaboration projects. Associate Chloe Edwards is another key contact locally.

Freeths LLP has a varied client base that acts for a number of major private and public sector clients. Its lawyers frequently conduct their own advocacy at the employment tribunals and have developed a strong reputation for their work

on TUPE issues and restructuring as well as for their advice on the ‘gig economy’.

Rebecca Sawbridge, pictured, is a key member of the team along with Peter Gavin. Managing associate Lynne Ingram is also skilled across all aspects of HR and employment matters.

Lanyon Bowdler has a diverse practice that is recommended for its work on TUPE matters and on the employment aspects of business transfers. It is also skilled at advising schools and colleges.

Head of department John Merry has a strong reputation for his work with farmers and growers. Other strengths lie in the group’s specialist advice to Court of Protection appointed deputies and case managers on the employment of carers. In addition it routinely advises employees on a myriad of other issues such as restrictive covenants and settlement agreements.

The employment practice at Pickerings Solicitors is led by Jonathon Forrester, a solicitor advocate who acts for numerous employers and employees. In addition to its large corporate client base it also advises individuals on all aspects of employment law from disciplinary issues to advising directors on post-termination restrictions. Other strengths include advising on redundancies, TUPE, the unfair deduction of wages as well as whistleblowing claims. Sue Hatton covers all aspects of the employment process from recruitment and selection through to dealing with dismissal.

With Emma-Louise Hewitt, pictured next page, at the helm at Sydney Mitchell LLP the ‘very responsive and supportive’ group has been busy advising employers and employees on a broad spectrum of contentious and non-contentious matters. Dean Parnell is another key figure whose primary focus is acting for companies and senior The Legal 500 West Midlands 29

WEST MIDLANDS employees.

Recently, the group has been involved in a number of judicial mediations which have resulted in settlements of its clients’ claims for significant sums of money. The team is described as ‘going the extra mile for its clients’.

In 2020 Trowers & Hamlins LLP advised over 200 employers on furlough and other Covid related issues. Rebecca McGuirk leads the well-established team that has a broad mix of public and private sector clients with particular sector expertise in housing, charities, logistics, construction/development and retail. McGuirk has a varied practice advising on issues as diverse as trade union issues and restructuring through to dealing with employment tribunal litigation.

Tina Chander, pictured, and Suki Harrar at Wright Hassall LLP specialise in TUPE matters, advising both purchasers and vendors on transactions.

The team is also skilled at representing both employers and employees at the Employment Tribunal. It routinely advises on issues such as whistleblowing claims, constructive and unfair dismissal as well as equal pay and TUPE dismissals. It has a strong track record of successfully handling discrimination claims too. Joanne Duck left the firm and is now at Gateley Plc. The Shropshire based team at Aaron & Partners LLP advises major employers locally, nationally and internationally.

Through newly promoted partner Ben Mason the practice has developed a strong reputation for its work on sports-related matters as well as large scale restructuring, TUPE and corporate support work. It also has considerable experience in the financial, IT and manufacturing sectors. Chester-based Helen Watson has higher rights of audience and is praised for her work on contentious and non-contentious employment matters.

Brethertons LLP is best known for its work on complex, multi-faceted transactional work especially on TUPE and intergroup structures. It frequently works with its corporate department and is also adept at handling complex multi-day tribunal proceedings with Amy Edwards and Shaun Jardine, pictured, at the helm. It has noticed an increase in complex contentious matters such as discrimination, whistleblowing and 30 The Legal 500 West Midlands

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jurisdictional issues. Clients include regional and national companies, partnerships and senior individuals.

“Kate Meadowcroft, pictured, heads a well-respected practice at DWF that frequently supports its corporate, commercial and regulatory teams on transactions.

It has a broad range of sector expertise with particular experience in healthcare work. The group acts for an extensive range of healthcare providers and social care providers. Meadowcroft works with various private and public sector employers on contentious and noncontentious matters and has particular expertise in advising on large-scale change management projects.

The team at George Green LLP is known for its work with owner managed businesses and for providing corporate support to its corporate department. In addition it has solid experience in TUPE and restrictive covenants/confidentiality litigation. Tim Lang leads the team whilst also acting as a fee paid employment judge sitting in the South East. Beverley Smith advises a wide range of businesses on their people issues.

The employment team at Hatchers Solicitors LLP advises individuals in addition to large and small businesses on all areas of employment. It has a strong client base of local, national and international businesses ranging from multimillion-pound turnover to smaller companies, partnerships and individual traders. It also specialises in advising charities and the not for profit sector.

Nigel Harrison heads the team and has a particular interest in advising employers on a diverse range of employment matters.

Worcesterbased Michael Stokes, pictured, leads the large team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys; the firm acts for a range of household name corporate entities on a broad array of contentious and non-contentious matters. The practice also has a specialist senior executive team. Jennifer Jones acts for large employers and senior executives. Rebecca Kirk heads the Hereford employment offering in addition to leading the department’s employment work in the defence and security sector.

Boutique firm Heminsley Law provides a ‘fantastic level of service’ and advises companies on a wide range of people risk issues from employment law to bribery and corruption. It frequently undertakes employment litigation and is recommended for its work on complex and high-risk issues from whistleblowing and discrimination cases to IR35, bonus claims and the enforcement of restrictive covenants. Senior partner Trevor Gibson heads the department. Jemma O’Reilly is also well-regarded.

MFG Solicitors LLP has offices in Worcestershire, Shropshire and

Birmingham and is known for its strength at handling all aspects of employment litigation, HR and corporate related matters. Sally Morris leads a large team that also frequently advises on issues such as service agreements, IR35 on/off payroll changes in addition to acting for claimants and respondents on complex discrimination and unfair dismissal cases.

Christopher Piggott advises various household names (including a Fortune 500 business). The group provides an ‘excellent and personal service’.

James Leo leads the department at The Wilkes Partnership in Birmingham. Leo primarily advises on contentious matters and has many corporate clients. The group acts mostly for employers as well as senior executives on the full range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters and has particular experience in TUPE, discrimination, business immigration and restrictive covenants. Senior associate Pam Sidhu advises on all areas of employment law for mainly employer clients.

Helena Morrissey, pictured, now heads the team at Thursfields Solicitors having joined the team from Squire Patton Boggs.

The group works closely with its corporate department on multi-million pound deals and this has become an increasingly significant part of the team’s work load. Halesowen-based James Monk is recommended along with Worcester-based Lisa Kemp and Solihull-based Jade Linton. The practice has been busy supporting businesses

on the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions, disposals and corporate restructurings.

The employment team at Ansons operates across four offices in Cannock, Lichfield, Halesowen and Sutton Coldfield. The skilled team advises on issues as diverse as disciplinary and grievance matters through to working frequently with its corporate and commercial department on a broad range of issues. In addition it regularly works alongside its dispute resolution department on high-value shareholder disputes. Clients include housebuilders and property developers as well as pharmacy/primary healthcare providers.

Jason Alcock and Martin de Ridder cohead the department.

Mark Ridley heads a strong team at Band Hatton Button LLP that acts for a range of businesses as well as employees who are based primarily in Coventry, Warwickshire and the wider Midlands region. It deals with a caseload of contentious and non-contentious work acting predominantly for commercial clients and high-net-worth individuals.

Ridley is adept at handling a broad range of non-contentious work as well as Employment Tribunal litigation including complex multi-day cases.

Pillinger & Associates is a specialist law firm that receives a steady flow of instructions from other law firms, accountancy practices and HR consultants. Amanda Pillinger is a sole practitioner who represents both employers and employees in cases such as unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and breaches of contract. Pillinger is also experienced at helping employers on ways to avoid disputes.

A PASSION

FOR PEOPLE CENTRAL TO YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS

“

“

Experience, dedication and a commitment to excellence in their advice and support for clients is taking Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ team in Birmingham from strength to strength.

Kevin Harris-James, Partner, Head of Birmingham Office

0121 454 0739 I www.hcrlaw.com Harrison Clark Rickerbys Ltd is authorised and regulated by the SRA

Birmingham barristers scoop record rankings

3PB excel in Legal 500 rankings Talk to us: Ian Charlton or Sam Collins T: 0121 289 4333 E: birmingham@3pb.co.uk

National Chambers 3 Paper Buildings (3PB) has 116 barristers ranked - including 17 new rankings across London, South East, Western, Midlands and Northern Circuits and in 21 categories of law in the latest Legal 500 rankings of UK lawyers.

The set is proud of its success in these latest rankings, which follows hot on the heels of 3PB being shortlisted as Chambers of the Year in both The Lawyer Awards and in three categories in this year’s prestigious Family Law Awards.

‘3PB is a spectacular set of chambers with so much depth and strength.’

Legal 500 testimonial

Colmore Building, 30 Colmore Circus, Queensway, Birmingham B4 6AT

The Legal 500 West Midlands 31

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FAMILY: BIRMINGHAM Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Irwin Mitchell Lodders Solicitors LLP Mills & Reeve LLP Benussi & Co Limited Clarke Willmott LLP Duncan Lewis Solicitors Harrison Clark Rickerbys Shakespeare Martineau LLP Shoosmiths Stowe Family Law LLP Sydney Mitchell LLP The Wilkes Partnership Weightmans

1 2

Fenton garner praise. Senior associate Charlotte Clewes recently joined the team from Shakespeare Martineau LLP.

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP fields a ‘highly professional team of top class lawyers’ who focus on providing matrimonial advice to professionals and business owners in addition to representing children and family members in complex care and private law children proceedings. In addition it has a growing mediation offering. Elizabeth Wyatt ’s main area of expertise is advising people in divorce proceedings where their financial claims are complex and highvalue. Jas Tamber, pictured, heads the children’s team. Christopher LloydSmith predominantly deals with divorce/ separation and complicated financial matters. Lloyd-Smith is an accredited family mediator and a Resolutionaccredited specialist for both financial matters and those involving children.

It has ‘an extremely strong team at all levels and deals with cases with skill and sensitivity’.

Irwin Mitchell has a large team that acts in a broad range of substantial and complex matters.

It acts for a variety of clients including entrepreneurs, landed gentry, high-profile celebrities in addition to vulnerable clients who have received large personal injury settlements. The team under the leadership of Clare Wiseman, pictured, receives a lot of plaudits. Zahra Pabani is recommended for her expertise in ultrahigh-net-worth cases. Sarah Balfour has a particular niche in dealing with complex pre- and post-nuptial agreements while Mark Hands is sought after for his work with an international dimension. At associate level Fiona Farrell and Gemma 32 The Legal 500 West Midlands

Beverley Morris, pictured, heads up the family law department at Lodders Solicitors LLP and is recognised for her strength in financial remedy work. Morris frequently works with high-net-worth individuals and represents trustees where they have been joined to the proceedings or where they may need to become parties to the proceedings. She is, in addition, a skilled advocate. Clients include entrepreneurs, professionals, sole proprietors and sportsmen/sportswomen. Senior associate Vivienne Middleton is equally adept at resolving financial and children cases. Legal director Caroline Dresden specialises in advising clients with very substantial assets and has a particular interest in the pensions issues on divorce. Overall it provides an ‘excellent service’ with ‘top flight performers’.

Mills & Reeve LLP has a wealth of experience regionally, nationally and internationally in a broad range of complex family law matters.

Its recognised family and children team deals with issues as diverse as complex business and trust structures through to highly conflicted children proceedings.

Other areas of expertise include advising on property disputes between unmarried couples in addition to advising on international wealth protection.

Clients include high profile individuals as well as professional and family trustees. Marc Saunderson, pictured, has a caseload of predominantly money matters with the vast majority of the cases falling in the £1-£20m bracket. Principal associate Katherine Kennedy routinely deals with more complex financial matters and continues to build her mediation practice.

Benussi & Co Limited typically acts in cases involving net assets of between £3m -£30m and has extensive experience of cases involving substantially higher assets. Diane Benussi,

pictured, has a formidable reputation for her work on UHNW financial issues as they arise during relationship breakdown.

Helen Jane Arnold specialises in complex UHNW cases where there are business structures and trusts or where there is a variation of the post-nuptial settlements.

Arnold is a trained mediator and collaborative lawyer. Denise McKenna is strong on international family law matters especially those involving crossborder business interests.

Rayner Grice, who provides ‘outstanding client care’, leads a team at Clarke Willmott LLP that has a strong reputation for its work on the whole range of family law issues with a particular focus on complex financial and private law children matters. The team has considerable experience in dealing with family businesses. Clients include sports personalities as well as local professionals. Associate Caroline Young is a known name for her work on financial disputes and private law children matters.

Duncan Lewis Solicitors frequently represents clients who are facing emergency situations as well as advising clients on divorce and separation issues.

The team is skilled at helping clients with significant vulnerabilities and also has considerable strength in international child abduction cases. All solicitors undertake their own advocacy. Krina Parmar and Richard Gray specialise in all aspects of public law children matters. Parmar is a member of the Law Society Children’s Panel and Gray is an accredited member of the Law Society Children’s Panel. The team is wellregarded too for its work on culturally complex cases including Islamic law.

The team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys is led by the ‘exceptional’ Kevin HarrisJames, who is recommended for his skill at handling complex financial disputes as they arise on divorces regionally, nationally and internationally. Andrew Breakwell, pictured, is a known name for his work on financial remedy cases where there are complex trusts and where there are hidden assets. Breakwell is an accredited Resolution specialist in substantial asset cases and a fully qualified arbitrator in family finance. Victoria Fellows specialises in high-net-worth divorces and financial matters and has substantial experience in cohabitation issues.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP has strength in all areas of family law with a particular emphasis on complex financial matters. Mary Kaye is recommended for her work on complicated children matters. Helen Bowns is a highly respected practitioner who specialises in financial remedy cases including those involving farms, overseas assets and partnership disputes as well as business structures. Legal director Prem Ahark is another name to note. Key clients are high net-worth families, high profile footballers, business professionals and CEOs. The family team at Shoosmiths LLP is best known for its work on complex

financial issues as they arise on marital breakdown and other relationships.

Clients include wealthy families, business owners and entrepreneurs as well as sports and TV personalities and other high-net-worth professionals. The team works closely with its court of protection and clinical negligence teams and frequently prepares cohabitation and pre-nuptial agreements for people who have been awarded very large awards of compensation. In Birmingham Adam Maguire, pictured, receives a lot of accolades.

Maguire advises on all aspects of private family law.

With Rebecca Calden-Storr at the helm at Stowe Family Law LLP, the team provides a ‘Rolls-Royce service’, advising clients on divorce, financial settlements, complex Children Act matters as well as Schedule 1 cases. Other strengths lie in advising on domestic abuse cases and issues that arise for cohabiting and same sex couples. Senior lawyer Shelley De’Worringham specialises in financial remedies and private law children matters. Senior solicitor Hollie Orgee joined the team from Irwin Mitchell and focuses on complex Children Act cases, often with an element of physical/emotional abuse.

Sydney Mitchell LLP has a dynamic collaborative law practice with three fully qualified collaborative lawyers. Key focus areas include advising on divorce/ civil partnership dissolution as well as on protective injunctions, child arrangements and cohabitee disputes. Karen Moores is recommended for her work on issues such as matrimonial finance and complex children issues. Mauro Vinti is strong across all aspects of family law including advising on cases where there are international assets or complex pension structures. Teresa Mannion is a member of the Law Society Advanced Family Panel.

The Wilkes Partnership frequently advises professionals and their spouses in addition to owners and their spouses of owner-managed businesses. Aaron Keene is on the Law Society’s Family Law Panel and is a collaborative lawyer.

Ruth Harrison-Byrne leads the childcare team and is a member of the Children Panel. Harrison-Byrne receives complex instructions from parents, other family members and on behalf of children and is currently advising on a number of nonaccidental injury cases as well as several cross-jurisdictional matters. Associate Sian Kenkre is experienced in surrogacy and assisted fertility cases.

The specialist family team at Weightmans LLP has a national reach and is led by Manchester-based Emma Collins. In Birmingham Fiona O’Sullivan and Tania Derrett-Smith are well-regarded. O’Sullivan advises on the financial aspects of relationship breakdown with particular expertise in pensions. A significant proportion of her work comes from referrals from barristers, judges and other members of the legal profession. Principal associate Derrett-Smith’s areas of practice include divorce, pre- and post-nuptial agreements as well as advising on arrangements for children.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Chris Lloyd-Smith

IT’S BEEN QUITE A YEAR FOR THE PRIVATE LEGAL SERVICES (PLS) SECTOR AT ANTHONY COLLINS SOLICITORS (ACS).

Like many solicitors, the last couple of years have been incredibly challenging for us as private client lawyers and as the year ends, we have the opportunity to look back at what we’ve done and hope we’ve helped those we work with.

One of our proudest achievements this year was to be named Family Law Firm of the Year: Midlands and Wales at the prestigious Lexis Nexis Family Law Awards 2021.

The awards recognise the important work of family lawyers and celebrate their successes and outstanding achievements.

In 2020, the ACS family team acted in nearly half (approximately 48%) of the issued applications for a care order in the family court sitting in Birmingham.

Of those issued applications, in approximately 35% of them, the team was instructed on behalf of the child(ren). With accredited family mediators in the team, (two fully accredited and the third working toward accreditation), they also supported 51 separating couples through mediation. The team also includes two child inclusively trained family mediators who are able within mediation to speak to children directly and ensure they have a voice in discussions.

In matrimonial proceedings, the team supported over £30m worth of assets as part of pre-nuptial agreements and several cases were settled where total assets exceeded £10m. The judges were particularly impressed with how our matrimonial lawyers dealt with cases, ensuring the Resolution protocol (to adopt a non-confrontational approach in negotiations) was used wherever possible to provide separating families and their children with better outcomes.

The judges noted the overall staff turnover at ACS being very low, with only one solicitor having left to pursue an opportunity elsewhere in the last 16 years.

Everybody else either retired, relocated, or took judicial appointments. Internal staff development also received high praise, with it being recognised that almost half of the fee earners trained with the firm.

ACS is also proud of its initiatives and services which benefit the local community, including supporting the Birmingham Legal Advice Clinic and providing approximately three days of free legal advice per year to those who cannot access legal aid, as well as offering 250 paid social purpose volunteering days.

The firm is also proud to have representatives on the Local Family Justice Board and on several user groups within the family court sitting in Birmingham.

This allows the firm to influence and shape family law practices and policies that affect both lawyers and lay parties alike.

The award is not the only highlight in 2021, ACS’s family team has recently seen one of its partners, Chris Lloyd-Smith, appointed as Chair of Resolution in West Midlands. Resolution is the largest membership organisation advocating for a non-confrontational approach to resolving family law issues. Chris leads the West Midlands branch of more than 300 members,

providing training and education to help members support families and individuals during difficult times.

Alongside Chris, solicitor Matthew Saunderson has also been appointed to Resolution’s National Dispute Resolution Committee, they are tasked with formulating a way in which members of the public and solicitors can access alternate dispute resolution to reduce conflict.

The Family Law Awards accolade follows the PLS team being awarded the Birmingham Law Society Excellence in Client Service – Private Clients 2020/21 and the family team at ACS being ‘commended’ as the firm was named in the Times Top 200 Law Firms 2022. Earlier this year, ACS also won Law Firm of the Year: The Independents at The Lawyer Awards 2021.

As further recognition of the team's experience and knowledge the ACS family team have maintained their Band 1 ranking in Chambers and Partners and Tier 1 in Legal 500 with Jas Tamber, Maria Ramon, Chris Lloyd-Smith, Sally Jones, Liz Wyatt, Rankeshwar Bhatta, Ann Houghton and Sarah Patrice also all individually named for their expertise.

If you would like any further information about ACS private legal services or wish to speak to one of our solicitors, please call 0121 200 3424 or email info@anthonycollins.com.

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FAMILY: ELSEWHERE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS Brethertons LLP FBC Manby Bowdler LLP Harrison Clark Rickerbys Higgs LLP Thursfields Solicitors Lanyon Bowdler Mercy Messenger MFG Solicitors LLP Wright Hassall LLP Alsters Kelley Solicitors Ltd Band Hatton Button LLP Pickerings Solicitors Aaron & Partners LLP Baches Solicitors LLP George Green LLP Wadsworths Solicitors Brethertons LLP has a firstrate team that specialises in children law and collaborative law. It advises on a broad spectrum of matters from child abduction, domestic violence and honour based violence through to public law and advice on relationship breakdown where there are significant personal and business assets.

Other strengths lie in international children work such as relocation, surrogacy and international adoption matters as well as complex care proceedings. Linda Jones, pictured, has developed a strong reputation for her work on a myriad of financial disputes.

Kim Lehal is particularly recommended for her work in international child abduction proceedings. It is ‘one of the premier out-of-London firms’.

FBC Manby Bowdler LLP has a team that excels at dealing with high-networth and complex family matters where there are diverse assets, property portfolios, business assets and other issues such as trusts and overseas property. It also has several experienced solicitors who deal with Children Act cases. Team head Anne Thomson, pictured, is a deputy district judge and specialises in high-level financial remedy cases. Philip Cowell is highly regarded for his experience in complex agricultural cases and is collaboratively trained. Newly promoted partner Sarah Millington concentrates on financial issues following separation/ divorce as well as in pre-nuptial agreements.

Harrison Clark Rickerbys has one of the largest family law teams in the country, with 40 lawyers in seven locations that advise high-net-worth individuals, members of the farming community and business owners. It is also adept at advising active and retired members of HM armed forces and 34 The Legal 500 West Midlands

1 2 3 4 their spouses on a myriad of complex issues such as pensions and child arrangements.

Head of department Andrew Caldicott, pictured, has a well-established reputation for his work on high-net-worth-financial disputes and complex children act matters.

Nadia Davis is a recognised name for her work on difficult financial disputes while Anita Hennessey is best known for her work on children act matters.

Senior associate James Osborne is also recommended.

With Philip Barnsley at the helm at Higgs LLP, the established team advises an array of clients, including owner managed businesses, entrepreneurs and wealthy families. The team covers all aspects of family wealth protection as well as family relationship protection.

Other strengths lie in advising on child protection issues such as Children Act proceedings. Barnsley focuses on complex and high-value financial cases and substantial nuptial agreements.

Rhian Gray continues to grow a strong wealth protection practice for high-networth families and owner/managers of businesses. Associate Sioned Fitt is experienced in advising on complex child arrangements.

Shane Miller, pictured, leads a team at Thursfields Solicitors that advises on a wide range of matrimonial matters including complex financial cases, separation, children matters as well as post and pre-nuptial agreements.

Lorna Tipple is highly regarded for her work on all aspects of family law such as divorce and financial

matters, wealth protection and arrangements concerning children.

Philip Rea specialises in relationship breakdown, divorce, financial remedy, pre- and post-nuptial agreements and private law children matters. Laura Williams and Hannah Nicholls are also well-regarded. The team is well-placed to advise on matters with a complex international dimension. It is ‘in an elite group of top family teams in the country - it is Champions League quality!’.

Lanyon Bowdler advises on matters involving financial remedy, children and divorce. It is skilled at handling cases where there are business structures, trusts, multi-jurisdictional asset portfolios and farming partnerships and is experienced in children matters involving internal and external relocation cases and cases where there are significant welfare issues and public law factors. Practice head Sue Hodgson is known for her work on complicated matrimonial matters and sensitive child disputes. Hereford-based Philippa Pearson is also recommended. It is ‘a very strong regional practice with a good grounding in its local area and a real familiarity with the community that it serves’.

Mercy Messenger is a specialist firm that advises on all aspects of family law with a particular focus on dealing with family businesses and supporting on children matters under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989. Mercy Messenger heads the team that deals with many multi-million pound cases and has recently noticed increased instructions in maintenance and variation orders. Messenger is highly regarded for her work with nonmarried parents (with mothers in particular). Harpreet Saund specialises in cases involving children. Lauren Parton is particularly strong on the financial aspects of relationship breakdown.

Claire Backler heads the department at MFG Solicitors LLP that offers specialist family advice across its six offices in Worcestershire and Shropshire as well as in the centre of Birmingham. It is well-known for its skill at handling divorce cases (in particular complex finance cases) in addition to a myriad of other issues including child arrangement orders, pre- and post-nuptial agreements as well as cohabitee disputes and living together arrangements. Worcester-based Gurdip Kaur Brring deals with high-net-worth clients. Bromsgrove-based Alison Webber has particular experience of dealing with cases involving complicated family trusts and limited companies.

Wright Hassall LLP is a known name for its work on a range of complex and high-value cases and predominantly acts for clients in the agricultural and commercial sectors. The able team also acts for individuals in private applications relating to children such as top-up maintenance and school fees’ orders. It continues to be increasingly busy advising on pre-and post-nuptial agreements involving both UK and international assets. Justin Creed, pictured, leads the team and is a qualified collaborative lawyer. Peter Lowe advises

on all areas of family and divorce law.

Dal Heran has particular experience in complex financial disputes.

Alsters Kelley Solicitors Ltd has an excellent reputation throughout Warwickshire. Headed by Erica Kemp, who is a trained mediator and a collaborative lawyer, the group routinely attracts high-value and complex instructions on financial matters following divorce. Its care department is also thriving and is led by Catherine Stephens. Stephens is a qualified representative for children and advises on issues such as adoption applications and judicial review applications against local authorities.

At Band Hatton Button LLP Tracy Cross, pictured, and Peter Martin are experienced advocates who regularly represent clients at hearings in complex children’s and financial cases. In addition the lawyers are collaboratively trained and the team has an experienced and accredited mediator. Cross heads the department and is qualified to undertake direct child consultation work within the mediation process. The practice regularly handles cases involving companies and family businesses.

The family team at Pickerings Solicitors is led jointly by Susan Davies and Richard Westley. Davies is equipped to handle all aspects of divorce and separation and is a collaboratively trained lawyer. She regularly deals with high-net-worth matrimonial cases (often where businesses and pensions are involved) in addition to pre-and post-nuptial agreements. Westley leads the children team and has particular expertise in public law proceedings. The group is often instructed by the children’s guardians to act in the most serious and complex cases.

Richard Barge and Neil Hobden lead a team at Aaron & Partners LLP that frequently handles high-value financial matters and complex children cases. It attracts instructions from clients with diverse backgrounds from ‘old money’ through to those in manufacturing, IT, media, leisure and agriculture. It also garners praise for its expertise in jurisdictional disputes. The majority of its clients live outside Shropshire and many come from London and the South East. It has also been receiving an increasing number of instructions from overseas.

Mark Vandaele, pictured, leads the team at George Green LLP that covers all aspects of family law.

The majority of its cases involve divorce, separation and the financial aspects of relationship breakdown but it also advises clients dealing with Children Act applications as well as receiving instructions from intervenors in family cases seeking to protect third party interests. Associate Rachel Baker is well-regarded.

GENERAL CRIME AND FRAUD Jonas Roy Bloom Kangs Solicitors Tuckers Solicitors Cartwright King Alsters Kelley Solicitors Ltd BLM DWF Gateley Plc GQS Solicitors Kang & Co Solicitors Keoghs LLP Lanyon Bowdler Jonas Roy Bloom has ‘lawyers who are forward thinking’ with particular expertise in defending motoring and money laundering offences. Other strengths lie in defending sexual offences and child pornography in addition to handling all aspects of business crime. Key members of the team include Steven Jonas who is a Higher Courts Advocate ( all proceedings) and supervises all human rights, judicial review and Criminal Cases Review Commission matters.

Ben Henry is a ‘solution finder’ who focuses on fraud and white-collar crime. Matt O’Brien is another name to note for his work with high-net-worth individuals who are facing complex fraud prosecutions. Fergal Bloomer is also a seasoned practitioner.

At Kangs Solicitors the ‘extraordinarily committed and vastly experienced’ Hamraj Kang, pictured, heads the large team that is adept at handling serious and white collar crime. It has ‘very bright individuals at all levels who know the system inside out’. The team has substantial experience in multi-jurisdictional criminal and financial regulatory investigations. It has an established reputation for its work in defending complex fraud allegations and is well-known for advising professional football clubs and sports personalities in matters involving criminal liability. John Veale is praised for his work on complex fraud cases. Helen Holder heads the Crown Court Department. Timothy Thompson garners praise for his work on high-value cases that often involve substantial cross-border elements.

The highly experienced team at Tuckers Solicitors is well-equipped to advise on complex white-collar and regulatory matters. It receives a steady flow of instructions from major corporate entities as well as private individuals and also holds a Legal Aid contract. The group has particular strength in advising on corporate offences, money laundering regulations and criminal connivance. It has a thriving road traffic offence practice too. James Turner is an ‘exceptional

1 2 3 advocate’. Alex Atkins manages the Magistrates’ Court department at the Birmingham office. Coventry-based Karl Brankin is also recommended. At associate level Inderdeep Bhomra is a Higher Court Advocate and Gareth Beynon specialises in the defence of serious crimes. Sharon Bailey is another key member of the team.

Michael Balmer heads a talented team at Cartwright King that often defends investigations and prosecutions for clients such as directors, senior employees and the management of multinational companies. Other areas of expertise include advising on online and cyber-crime and it is regularly instructed by high profile hackers.

The ‘super bright’ John Allchin has developed specialist expertise in defending heavyweight criminal cases and is a grade “A” supervisor under the VHCC arrangements. Sue Swan represents clients at all stages of an investigation and in court proceedings.

Alsters Kelley Solicitors Ltd has a primary focus on the Coventry and Warwickshire area. Jas Thiara has Crown Court Higher Rights and leads the team, which is skilled at representing clients at the police station all the way through to the Magistrates and Crown Courts. Thiara has been representing clients on a wide range of matters including breaches of food safety regulations, professional conduct matters, motoring offences and criminal defence work. She also has experience in representing vulnerable clients with mental health and learning difficulties.

Nazir Vania is particularly adept at defending motorists.

BLM handles a broad array of claims fraud in the insurance sector and has developed niche expertise in advising tour operators in the area of unconfirmed sickness claims.

Head of practice Sarah Hill, pictured, has considerable experience in advising on all aspects of fraud from large scale organised fraud to high-value exaggerated fraud cases. Daniel Thomas represents various leading insurance companies and deals with staged and contrived accidents as well as fraudulent exaggeration claims.

Naomi Grant covers all aspects of motor claims fraud.

DWF fields a large and experienced team that works across all sectors of fraud and financial crime.

The group acts for nine large composite insurers as well as the Lloyds market, corporates and self-insureds and has substantial experience in other sectors such as financial, technology, retail and logistics.

Lorraine Carolan, pictured, advises on all areas of financial risk and fraud.

Mike Henman represents motor insurers in the defence of fraudulent third-party and first-party claims. Miles Hepworth has extensive expertise in counter-fraud and claims validation and in the defence of suspected fraudulent insurance claims.

Gateley Plc has a strong and diverse UK-wide civil and criminal fraud team that regularly works on complex and high-value domestic and international fraud matters. It has considerable strength in fraud recoveries and fraud prevention in the financial services sector as well as a growing reputation for advising foreign regulatory authorities. The team has substantial experience in advising on insolvency related fraud too. It is also adept at advising on Russian and CIS related matters. Ruth Armstrong, pictured, is recommended for her work on fraud and financial crime.

Mark Wilson frequently works on complex fraud-related litigation. Victoria Portman is well-regarded.

GQS Solicitors has a diverse practice, under the leadership of Ishfaq Qadir and Ahmer Sattar, that represents clients who are charged with the most serious offences such as

murder, terrorism and drug importation as well as complex fraud cases including boiler room fraud and money laundering cases. It is adept at defending individuals who are being investigated by law enforcement agencies. It also has a specialist team of regulatory solicitors and routinely helps motorists who are at risk of losing their driving license.

Kang & Co Solicitors is recommended for its private criminal defence work.

It frequently represents clients across the full range of offences from accusations of assault, up to murder and manslaughter charges. Manjinder Kang and Thomas Wheeler co-head the team that has been busy defending clients facing section 47’s, section 18 (GBH) and common assault charges.

The practice also represents clients in regulatory, transport and licensing matters where clients are facing enforcement action by the local authority or the DVSA. Keoghs LLP has a strong national crime and regulatory team that deals with all aspects of regulatory investigations and prosecutions arising from incidents in the workplace, on the road or in public places. Coventry-based Tim Ingram is a key member of the dedicated team that defends both commercial and domestic drivers who are involved in serious road traffic accidents - many of these accidents result in catastrophic and fatal injuries.

Shrewsbury-based Adrian Roberts leads an experienced team at Lanyon Bowdler that represents clients at the police station through to the Crown Court. It is adept at advising on the full spectrum of offences from summary to indictable offences. Roberts is a High Court Advocate and has experience of dealing with court martials and Court of Appeal matters. Stephen Scully is recommended for his work on motoring offences. Another core strength of the team is dealing with Environment Agency and health and safety prosecutions.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY DAC Beachcroft Gowling WLG Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Shoosmiths Bevan Brittan LLP BLM Browne Jacobson LLP DWF Eversheds Sutherland Gateley Plc Kennedys Weightmans Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Keoghs LLP Plexus Law Squire Patton Boggs DAC Beachcroft LLP has a strong national health & safety offering, which has had a busy year advising key clients in the care and manufacturing sectors in particular. Other strengths lie in construction, transport and retail.

Sally Roff, pictured, heads the team that includes Steven Harrison; he has significant experience in representing clients in all aspects of regulatory investigations and prosecutions. He handles cases involving investigations into corporate and gross negligence manslaughter. Harrison also acts for clients in high-profile and complex inquest proceedings. The team’s experience spans environmental prosecutions and food safety cases too.

Andrew Roach is now a consultant.

Pinsent Masons LLP has a first-rate health and safety practice that operates across all jurisdictions across the UK. The team, with the ‘very committed and excellent’ Sean Elson at the helm, is regularly instructed by clients in high hazard industries such as construction, manufacturing, waste and energy. It also boasts many excellent litigators in addition to having considerable strength in advising on preventative measures.

Louise Mansfield has been working on some of the firm’s key cases which have also included some fatal accidents. It is well-placed to advise clients facing various investigations such as police/ HSE/EHO and it continues to notice considerable growth in instructions on fire/building safety matters.

Shoosmiths LLP fields an outstanding team under the leadership of Roy Tozer, pictured. Tozer continues to lead the firm’s team involved in the Grenfell Tower inquiry. Due to the Covid pandemic it has witnessed a myriad of instructions from new regulatory clients and its non-contentious advisory work has also 36 The Legal 500 West Midlands

1 2 3 increased. It has niche expertise in a number of sectors such as defence, petrochemical, automotive and health care and it has also been appointed to advise on several inquests and numerous ongoing manslaughter investigations. Hayley Saunders garners praise – her practice spans contentious and non-contentious work and she regularly conducts her own advocacy.

Principal associate Claire Morrissey is an accomplished health and safety practitioner.

Bevan Brittan LLP has a broad practice that represents local authorities in health and safety prosecutions as well as defending independent and public sector organisations from HSE or CQC investigations and enforcement actions. It has particular strength in the public sector as its supports well over 100 NHS trust clients (including many ambulance trusts). The nimble team continues to develop its fire safety expertise advising a range of its housing clients on their fire safety obligations and other matters. Adam Kendall, pictured, has a wealth of experience in this area.

The Birmingham team at BLM consists of specialist criminal regulatory lawyers who manage a busy work load that is focused on defendant based health and safety, environmental and health and safety manslaughter cases. It also excels in motor defence work involving serious driving offences and on complex fatal accident investigations. The group provides a cross-sector regulatory service for private and public sector clients and has a strong presence in sectors such as manufacturing, construction, transport and logistics. Head of department Robert Davies, pictured, specialises in criminal regulatory work and in coronial proceedings

With Nottinghambased Andrew Hopkin at the helm at Browne Jacobson LLP, the team acts for many private sector organisations as well as public sector clients. It also advises on a myriad of other health & safety issues that arise from food safety, environmental, the care sector and road traffic work. Rachel Lyne, pictured, advises corporate clients directly on health and safety policies and documentation, fatal accident protocols as well as the management of bespoke risks such as legionella, asbestos and chemicals. It also prosecutes health and safety cases for local authorities and fire authorities.

David Egan, pictured, heads the regional group at DWF that frequently works alongside its national team on some of the most high-profile health and safety investigations in the country.

Other members of the team include associates Caroline Depledge and Simon Naylor. The department receives regular instructions from significant clients to act in some major cases that are brought by the HSE, local authorities and police forces.

It receives a steady flow of instructions from both insurers and directly from large corporates across a wide range of sectors such as energy, retail, transport and education as well as healthcare, construction, local government and manufacturing.

Ruth Armstrong leads an excellent team at Gateley Plc that is an integral part of a strong nationwide team. It provides a one-stop fatality and major incident/crisis management service to a national client base. The team has significant proven expertise across a number of sectors including housebuilding, construction and transport and acts for 19 of the top 20 housebuilders in the UK as well as many blue-chip companies and household names, SMEs and owner-managed businesses. It also excels at advising on complex multi-defendant Magistrates and Crown Court trials. Senior associate Kate Oliver is also recommended.

The Birmingham health and safety offering at Kennedys is headed by James Shrimpton, pictured. The practice advises defendants facing police, HSE and local authority prosecutions, as well as providing advocacy at inquests and is adept at advising on all stages of investigations and prosecution.

Of note is the fact that the large team is experienced at advising clients and their insurers on any associated civil claims for damages too. Naomi North, who is a higher rights advocate, leads the motor crime team and receives instructions from insurers, brokers and corporate clients.

Weightmans LLP has a specialist team that is known for its work on cases involving a public interest component

such as mental health and has significant sector expertise in areas as diverse as transport, logistics, public sector and local government. Other strengths lie in advising on environmental issues and business crime. It has a broad client base of public, commercial, sports and charity bodies as well as clients in the insurance sector. Birmingham-based Andrew Brammer is part of a strong national offering; he has expertise on both the contentious and non-contentious side.

Under the leadership of Tim Coolican, pictured, at Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP, the regulatory department frequently assists its social housing, health, social care and education clients as well as clients in the social business and local government sectors on various matters. It advises and represents clients in police, CQC and HSE investigations and prosecutions as well as during inquest proceedings. The team also regularly advises clients on how to comply with their health and safety obligations.

Keoghs LLP is best known for the defence of high-profile and serious regulatory breaches across all service sectors for corporate entities, insurers and individual directors. It deals with the entire range of regulatory cases, adverse event investigations, inquests and prosecutions that are brought by the CPS, HSE, fire and food authorities in addition to the Environment Agency, local authorities, CQC and other regulators. Chris Green has a wealth of experience in the defence of major and complex multi-party fatality prosecutions.

Plexus Law has extensive experience in advising organisations and individuals in all areas of health and safety and environmental legislation. It is particularly skilled at assisting in the aftermath of workplace accidents and incidents as well as in the defence of HSE, EA and local authority investigations and regulatory prosecutions. The practice is also recommended for its work on corporate and individual manslaughter investigations, inquests and serious case reviews. Its clients include insurance companies, corporates, self-insureds, local authorities and individuals. Anthony Bushell and Damon Burt head the department, which also recently added Julia Messervy-Whiting to its ranks from Shakespeare Martineau LLP. Squire Patton Boggs is recognised for its work in defending large corporate organisations and directors in the most serious health and safety matters and for its accident and investigation work both nationally and internationally. It has specialist industry experience across a range of sectors such as entertainment, food and drink, retail, waste and manufacturing. Other specialist areas include chemicals, construction, life sciences and the charity sector. Rob Elvin leads the team, working with director Gary Lewis in Manchester. Senior associate Robert Biddlecombe is among the key contacts in Birmingham.

IMMIGRATION Sydney Mitchell LLP VWV Wright Hassall LLP Bevan Brittan LLP Duncan Lewis Solicitors Eversheds Sutherland Shakespeare Martineau LLP Senior associate Andre Minnaar, pictured, heads the team at Sydney Mitchell LLP. Minnar along with Melissa Southall are lauded for their work in private fee paying immigration matters of a personal and human-rights based nature. The practice is skilled at assisting on all types of entry clearance applications from abroad as well as country extension applications, renewal applications and appeals. Minnaar is an experienced tribunal advocate. Southall provides extensive personal immigration advice to clients on matters such as spousal visas, applications for children, asylum and European applications for citizenship. ‘Great customer service and attention to detail. All the work was completed perfectly’.

1 2 Under the leadership of Tom BrettYoung at VWV its immigration practice continues to thrive. In 2020 it received a steady flow of instructions from employers spanning a diverse range of sectors such as financial services, healthcare, fashion, tech law, charities and education. Its independent schools client portfolio is expanding as it acts for various independent day and boarding schools in addition to working with numerous higher education institutions.

Its corporate immigration practice has been busy too advising multinational companies on matters such as skilled worker sponsorship issues. Brett-Young is recommended for his work on both business and personal immigration.

Wright Hassall LLP has a well-established reputation under the direction of Matthew Davies, pictured, . Davies has a strong

client base of leading names in retail, advertising, food and confectionary as well as financial and professional services and communications. He is recommended for his work where there is a cross-over between immigration and employment law especially cases where there are allegations of illegal working.

The practice also advises some major law firms on their internal immigration issues and the group has been working closely with its corporate and employment departments by advising on the management of sponsor licence applications and on sponsor migrant status.

Bevan Brittan LLP has a strong national offering that is particularly known in the NHS, healthcare and university sectors. It had a busy year advising on the implications of Brexit and has won some significant new clients recently in addition to having strong links with Magic Circle law firms. Ashley Norman leads the team out of Birmingham. Norman regularly advises clients from different sectors on immigration compliance and audits, certificates of sponsorship as well as right to work issues. Associate Jaspal Basra advises numerous organisations with a particular focus on universities and NHS trusts.

Duncan Lewis Solicitors has a large immigration offering across the UK; the Birmingham team has significant experience in immigration, asylum and judicial review claimant matters. Its particular strength lies in the provision of publicly funded immigration services.

The team has developed a number of specialisms representing vulnerable clients such as victims of torture or

trafficking as well as detained asylum cases. It has substantial experience of representing clients in judicial review immigration cases before the High Court and in unlawful detention cases. Practice head Ahmed Aydeed is highly regarded.

The national immigration practice at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP is led from Birmingham by the hugely experienced Audrey Elliott, pictured, who ‘has a wealth of knowledge on both UK and cross-border immigration and employment’. The firm has a strong focus on combining its employment and immigration specialisms to offer a more rounded service to clients, which include major companies in the retail, food and drink, logistics and energy sectors.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP acts for businesses across a diverse range of sectors with specialist expertise in the education sector. It advises leading UK universities and further education colleges on sponsor licence management as well as on the recruitment of specific skills from overseas. The group also frequently advises on the prevention of illegal working practices in the UK. Head of team Tijen Ahmet divides her time between London and Birmingham and routinely advises multinationals on skilled worker sponsor licences in the education, creative and healthcare sectors.

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INSOLVENCY & CORPORATE RECOVERY DLA Piper Eversheds Sutherland Gateley Plc Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Shoosmiths Freeths LLP Gowling WLG Harrison Clark Rickerbys Irwin Mitchell Shakespeare Martineau LLP Squire Patton Boggs Clarke Willmott LLP FBC Manby Bowdler LLP Sydney Mitchell LLP The Wilkes Partnership Thursfields Solicitors Wright Hassall LLP DLA Piper is instructed for matters of local, national and international significance, delivering a sector-focused service which encompasses the manufacturing, automotive, hospitality and leisure, food production, real estate and financial services industries. Huw Dolphin, pictured, serves as practice head and handles an array of financial structure, reconstruction and workout matters on behalf of companies, lenders and investors; he is also regularly engaged by accountants working on restructuring assignments and is thoroughly experienced in advising boards of directors in paramount negotiations and crisis management. The other key name is recently promoted legal director Deborah Brown, a specialist in working with real assets involved in formal appointments, financial restructures and distressed business disposal.

A ‘forward-thinking, commercial’ practice, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP caters to a client roster of banks, mezzanine and assetbased lenders, private equity and distressed funds, as well as corporates and insolvency practitioners.

The team has been involved in several significant insolvencies in the retail and casual dining space over the past year and, owing to the sector expertise of the ‘exceptionally good’ Andrew Jordan, pictured, is also an active participant in the automotive supply chain, education, energy and healthcare industries. Jenna Poulton coheads the department alongside Jordan and is acclaimed for her work on real estate, senior, mezzanine and solvent restructurings in addition to asset-based lending. Beyond partner level, legal 38 The Legal 500 West Midlands

1 2 3 director Anne-Louise Lawrence earns acclaim for her ‘in-depth knowledge’ of real estate-related restructurings.

Gateley Plc ‘combines technical expertise with a highly commercial approach’; the team enjoys a formidable capacity for contentious insolvency proceedings and has acted on a number of international disputes in Ukraine, Russia and Cyprus, among other jurisdictions, of late. The group also advises on financial and organisational restructurings, security structures, enhancement and enforcement, business sales and exits, as well as corporate simplification. ‘Strategic thinker’ Mark Wilson, pictured, is primarily experienced in litigation involving offshore entities, allegations of fraud and breach of duty whereas Daniel French, ‘one of the leading restructuring advisors in the Midlands’, is particularly busy in the retail and real estate fields. Other key sectors include healthcare, leisure, construction, manufacturing and logistics.

With a restructuring and insolvency practice that is ‘well-thought of in the Midlands and nationally’, Pinsent Masons LLP enjoys a formidable reputation among major clearing banks, assetbased lenders and various insolvency practitioners. Practice head Amy Flavell, hailed as a ‘market leader’, supports on all facets of solvent and insolvent restructurings with specialist knowledge of retail CVAs, tourism, automotive, education and charities-related matters.

Elsewhere, Edward Sunderland fronts the asset-based lending and structured finance practice, regularly acting on related restructuring and recovery matters, while Samantha Palmer is well-versed in restructuring affairs within the professional services sphere.

The team also enjoys notable depth beyond partner level with associate Sarah Jennings and senior associate Stuart Taylor, hailed as ‘well-known and well-respected’. Other key points of differentiation for the practice include

its dedicated restructuring dispute resolution and asset recovery practice, as well as its prowess in the debt trading and pensions fields.

Shoosmiths LLP is a major player in the retail sector, where it has been involved in a number of prominent CVAs and administrations in recent months. The practice is fronted by James Keates, pictured, who is well-regarded by banks, asset-based lenders, company directors, private equity holders and insolvency practitioners for the full-spectrum of distressed lending, corporate recovery and corporate insolvency affairs; he is supported by Aaron Harlow, a financial services sector expert, as well as Charlotte Duce who recently joined from DLA Piper and arrives with a history of handling financial restructurings on behalf of major clearing banks.

Freeths LLP has a well-established reputation for contentious insolvency and asset recovery work led by Mike Gilmour, pictured, who has many year of experience handling litigation relating to corporate failures and bankruptcy.

The ‘technically excellent, commercially savvy and cost-effective’ practice received a significant boost in August 2020 with the arrival of John Jeffreys, formerly of DLA Piper; he is tasked with overseeing the firm’s expansion into the non-contentious front, leveraging his renowned expertise in transactional, restructuring, accelerated M&A, formal insolvency procedure and distressed property affairs.

Payne pictured, spearheads the firm’s national practice, dividing his time between Birmingham and London - he represents a broad spread of clients from boutique insolvency practices through to names from the Big 4 such as KPMG. Payne is supported at partner level by Alan Meiklejohn, who acts for office holders, secured creditors and other stakeholders on the full array of recovery and insolvency options, as well as turnaround specialist Jon Whitbread.

Irwin Mitchell counts asset-based lending as the core pillar of its practice and routinely advises on security issues, risk and credit reviews, option reviews for distressed businesses and every stage of related formal insolvency processes.

Practice head Stephen George enjoys a prominent reputation for pensions deficit-led restructuring and insolvency assignments and is supported

by Amy Keogh, pictured, an up-and-coming senior associate with a track record of acting for major corporates, institutional lenders, creditors and practitioners.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP is instructed by insolvency practitioners, lenders and corporates for transactional, advisory and project matters, in addition to contentious affairs, and is particularly knowledgeable of the banking and financial services, energy and education sectors. The ‘highly technical’ Andrew Taylor leads the department, running a broad workload which consists of restructuring and turnaround options and formal insolvency work such as asset sales and undertakings, validity of securities and directors’ conduct affairs; he is supported by Sheena Tandy, a legal director particularly knowledgeable of distressed asset sale, validity of appointment and security documentation matters.

At Gowling WLG, Jasvir Jootla now serves as head of restructuring and corporate recovery; former practice head Julian Pallett recently stepped down as partner but has remained at the firm in a consultancy role. Jootla is extensively experienced in corporate recovery, debt restructuring and relevant advisory work. The pair split their time between the Birmingham and London offices and frequently collaborate with colleagues in Asia, Canada and the Middle East on multi-jurisdictional affairs.

The team serves a notably broad client base, handling distressed and insolvency matters on behalf of lenders, insolvency practitioners, government departments, company directors and pension trustees.

A key differentiator for the group is that it excels in the handling of IP rights within the context of restructurings.

Noted for its specialist knowledge of the high-street, hospitality, retail, education, pensions and automotive sectors, Squire Patton Boggs operates on a local, national and international scale; the restructuring and insolvency team has recently been active across Spain, Sweden, the UAE and US, among other jurisdictions. The ‘excellent’ Devinder Singh, pictured, leads the group and is particularly busy on the contentious front, acting for major clearing banks, insolvency practitioners, asset-based lenders, corporates and creditors alike.

The team also includes Russell Hill, hailed as an ‘excellent restructuring adviser’, along with ‘important’ senior associate Oliver Ward-Jones.

The team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys is renowned for its ‘highly experienced’ and ‘commercial, concise advice’, is particularly active in the construction, defence and security, finance, healthcare and education sectors. Sam

At Clarke Willmott LLP, Stephanie Slinn is praised for being ‘excellent to work with and knowing the market well. She has a particular focus on contentious, property and construction-related insolvency matters. Slinn’s workload is primarily drawn from insolvency practitioners though she also represents stakeholders and purchasers, frequently supporting on corporate recovery mandates in addition to business and asset sales.

A ‘very professional set-up with bright solicitors and strong support teams’, FBC Manby Bowdler LLP handles contentious and non-contentious restructuring and insolvency matters alike, working in tangent with the firm’s employment, property and IP departments where applicable. The group is particularly acclaimed for its expertise in director and officeholder claims, misfeasance and other forms of asset recovery work and is headed by Gareth Ruddock, hailed as a ‘clever litigator, well-rehearsed in complex insolvency litigation’. James Sage, pictured, is also prominent figure, owing to his track record in corporate deals arising from administrations and liquidations.

Sydney Mitchell LLP is extremely active on the contentious front, acting for insolvency practitioners on proceedings including preference and director’s misfeasance claims, as well as transactions defrauding creditors. Practice head Leanne Schneider-Rose is also instructed by directors faced with disqualification, companies dealing with financial difficulties and banks seeking asset recovery; she is also an authority in the field of receivers, regularly giving seminars on the topic.

The Wilkes Partnership has a dedicated business recovery and turnaround team fronted by ‘charismatic’ department head David Cleary; he advises all stakeholders, including officeholders, directors, shareholders and creditors, on all components of corporate insolvency and restructuring matters. Cleary’s expertise is complimented by the contentious prowess of Andrew Garland and John Cooper, well-versed in substantial reviewable transactions as well as relevant property, business and asset disposals.

At Thursfields Solicitors, department head Stephen Rome, pictured, has a track record of work on multimillionpound insolvency claims and is acclaimed as a ‘clever litigator with a good breadth of experience’. His team is also active on the non-contentious front where it provides business rescue and restructuring advice and also supports office holders, buyers and liquidators on disclaiming leases and asset sales.

Wright Hassall LLP supports insolvency practitioners on a broad range of matters and is known for offering a ‘full package’ of services, with a ‘coherent team ethic’. The team also routinely advises on antecedent transactions, including those with a TUV and multi-jurisdictional element.

Department leader Caroline Benfield ‘formulates clear advice on complex matters’, overseeing a team which is also well-versed in all aspects of personal insolvency as well as contentious wrongful trading, misfeasance and directors’ duties proceedings.

PENSIONS Eversheds Sutherland Gowling WLG Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP Squire Patton Boggs Gateley Pl Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Mills & Reeve LLP

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Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP fields a large team that advises the trustees of many of the most prominent pension schemes.

The first-rate team advises a large number of employers on their pension obligations in addition to advising various Midlands based LGPS pension funds. Gary Delderfield heads the national public sector pensions offering. Emma King continues to be involved in pension scheme restructurings and other issues such as liability management projects for various key clients. Sarah Franklin, pictured, is a primary contact for the specialist pension education sector team. Georgina Rankin and Gavin Paul are also well-regarded.

Gowling WLG has a heavyweight team with approximately 50 pensions lawyers who act for numerous household names in addition to defined benefit and defined contribution pension schemes that have billions of pounds worth of assets. Key names include Richard Black, who advises the trustees of some of the largest schemes in the UK; Paul Carberry advises a broad mix of trustees and employers on a wide range of pension matters and Richard Lee who heads up the combined human resources

team of lawyers who specialise in pensions, employment and benefits law. Elizabeth Gane ’s practice is primarily trustee focused. Christopher Stiles and Joanne Tibbott are other key members of the ‘very responsive and technically excellent’ team.

Pinsent Masons LLP has a ‘very well organised team’ that covers a broad spectrum of matters from advising on master trusts, DB/DC occupational pension schemes to life companies and pension providers. In addition it has a proven track record of handling a significant number of high profile and high-value projects.

Simon Laight leads the national insured pensions practice and specialises in pension products for insurers and other providers. Nick Stones regularly advises trustees and corporate sponsors. Stones is also recommended for his public sector pension work and for his expertise in the education and commercial sector.

Daniel Shelley advises trustees and employers of defined benefit and hybrid pension schemes specialising in schemes in excess of £1bn.

Squire Patton Boggs has a robust team nationally and internationally that is strong in the public and private sector and ‘deals with complex matters while explaining options clearly’. Key specialisms

include advising on regulatory compliance, investment, disputes and data protection issues. The group has a significant market presence in regulated utilities (especially water, nuclear and electricity sponsored schemes) and also has many notfor-profit clients, clients in the faith sector, industry bodies as well as trade associations and trade unions.

Matthew Giles, pictured, is a seasoned practitioner who leads the practice that includes Philip Sutton and former Gowling WLG practice head Glyn Ryland, who joined the Trustee Corporation - a professional independent trustee company which is part of the firm - in 2020. Newly promoted partner Victoria Jeacock co-ordinates its national public sector pensions group.

Michael Collins leads the team at Gateley Plc that advises trustees and their employers on their duties and liabilities as well as supporting companies on any pension issues as they arise during corporate transactions. The group has been busy advising on DB schemes with assets ranging from £500,000 to over £1.7bn as well as advising on DC occupational pension schemes, contract based schemes, SSASs and SIPPS. Kate Lloyd also plays a pivotal role in the team and has particular expertise in assisting clients in the resolution of historic issues with their pension schemes in addition to advising on issues such as pension plan funding and pension plan reconstructions.

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP has particular experience in advising on public sector pension schemes and frequently advises on local government, firefighters, teachers and national health service pension schemes. The team that is led by Anna Dabek is vastly experienced in advising on social housing pension schemes as well as the universities superannuation scheme. Other strengths include helping charities on the management of their pensions and the firm is renowned for its expertise in the health and social care sectors. Newlypromoted partner Douglas Mullen, pictured, receives plaudits for his social housing and local government sector expertise.

Mills & Reeve LLP has a national reach with a wealth of experience on both the trustee and the employer side. The team advises in many sectors from financial services, automotive, agribusiness as well as in the charities/not-for-profit sector, health and education. It also garners praise for its work on public sector pension schemes such as LGPS, the TPS, the CSPS and the NHSPS. Clare Grice heads the department and has particular strength in the charities, not-for-profit, health and education sectors. Senior associate Sarah Gosling recently joined the team from Squire Patton Boggs.

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FIRMS ARE LISTED A-Z WITHIN TIERS a significant personal injury award. Senior associate Lisa Whitehouse also garners praise.

PERSONAL TAX, TRUST AND PROBATE Lodders Solicitors LLP Mills & Reeve LLP Shakespeare Martineau LLP Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Lanyon Bowdler Sydney Mitchell LLP Wright Hassall LLP Aaron & Partners LLP Band Hatton Button LLP DWF Gateley Plc Harrison Clark Rickerbys Higgs LLP Mander Hadley Solicitors Meridian Private Client LLP MFG Solicitors LLP Pickerings Solicitors The Wilkes Partnership VWV Alsters Kelley Solicitors Ltd Ansons Brethertons LLP FBC Manby Bowdler LLP George Green LLP GHP Legal Talbot & Co The team at Lodders Solicitors LLP has a wealth of experience across a wide spectrum of private client matters. It has particular expertise in advising on the eligibility for agricultural and business property relief and other strengths lie in advising on all aspects of the creation, variation and termination of trusts. Louise Igoe, pictured, heads the department. Martin Green is an experienced trustee and deputy while John Rouse is known for his work with business owners, farmers and highnet-worth individuals. Sofia Tayton is a recognised name for her work on cases involving NHS care funding and for dealing with mental capacity issues.

Ian Flavell has niche expertise in heritage property. At associate level Jennifer Russell joined the team from Wright Hassall LLP. The team at Mills & Reeve LLP excels at advising business owners such as family businesses, wealthy individuals, families and landed estate clients on the full range of estate planning and wealth structuring matters. The practice has been busy advising on family investment companies and is also adept at providing international estate planning and wealth structuring advice to families with properties and businesses as well as individuals who are abroad. Matthew 40 The Legal 500 West Midlands

1 2 3

4 Hansell, pictured, and John Grundy are highly regarded for their work on a range of complex matters. Lucy Howard is another key figure along with principal associate Sarah Wood.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP has a specialist team that is ‘second to none’.

It advises on all aspects of wealth, tax and succession planning for families, landed estates, entrepreneurs and business owners. It also has considerable expertise in elderly client matters and helping those with personal injury trusts.

The lawyers frequently act as personal representatives of estates and as trustees of life-time settlements and trusts. Anne Tromans heads the firm’s wealth group and Lesley Davis heads the private client team in the Birmingham office. Verity Kirby is well-regarded and Hannah Tait was promoted to the partnership.

The group provides ‘excellent and professional advice in a friendly and helpful manner’.

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP is best known for its estate and capital tax planning work for medium to high-networth families in addition to its work with vulnerable adults and on compensation protection trusts. Other strengths lie in court of protection work covering finances and welfare, trust administration; capital tax planning and it frequently assists the firm’s corporate, housing and third-sector client base on various matters. Head of department Donna Holmes, pictured, regularly acts as a professional trustee and court deputy for individuals who have received

Lanyon Bowdler works with clients across Shropshire and Herefordshire and has expanded its services in North Wales through the opening of an office in Conwy. It now has a dedicated trusts team as well advising on a broad spread of matters such as estate planning, powers of attorney, court of protection, tax planning and contentious probate.

Edward Rees has a wealth of experience in advising on trusts, high-net-worth estate administration (many involving significant agricultural and business property), powers of attorney as well as complex tax planning issues.

Sydney Mitchell LLP advises on all aspects of wealth preservation as well as elderly client matters with particular expertise in NHS Continuing Health Care issues. Other strengths lie in complex administrations and unusual applications to the court of protection. Under the leadership of Tracy Creed, pictured, a significant proportion of its work stems from returning clients and other professionals. In addition the team regularly works with its strong contentious trusts and probate offering.

Shelley Collingbourne has been promoted to senior associate.

Wright Hassall LLP acts for high-net-worth individuals and families on a variety of complex tax and succession planning matters and is well-regarded for its work with elderly/ vulnerable clients. Other strengths lie in advising business owners and private companies as well as acting for landowners, farmers, landed estates and agribusinesses. Senior associate Tracy Ashby, pictured, now heads the team. Other names to note include Susan Floyd who is particularly skilled at advising wealthy clients on a range of complex capital taxes and trusts.

Lynda Richards at Aaron & Partners LLP is a full member of STEP and is particularly known for her experience in dealing with taxable estate and capital tax planning matters. The department has particular strength in providing succession planning and business planning advice to rural families and businesses with a range of farming interests and also advises and administers various charitable trusts. Associate Ben Brassington is well-regarded and senior associate Vlad Macdonald-Munteanu is recommended for his work on contentious matters.

Chester-based Clive Pointon is also well-regarded.

Band Hatton Button LLP now has four fully qualified STEP members in the team. The group is skilled at advising on all aspects of wealth protection and inheritance planning for individuals and their families which includes advising on wills and estate planning as well as powers of attorney and court of protection matters. Michelle Gavin leads

the department and routinely advises high-net-worth individuals on the most appropriate way to structure their wills from a tax perspective.

The team at DWF frequently deals with capital tax planning, the preparation of wills, trusts and lasting powers of attorney in addition to estate and trust administration. It is also adept at advising on family investment companies, limited partnerships and family offices for its large and varied client base and is part of a strong national offering. Jon Gould leads the national private capital team from Newcastle. In the Birmingham office, Roger Williams is another key figure; he has considerable experience in private client and real estate work for HNW individuals in addition to considerable expertise in court of protection matters.

Under the leadership of Dawn Oliver, pictured, the team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys advises on a significant number of private wealth matters on a regional, national and international level.

Oliver has been increasingly advising on the use of private family charitable trusts to mitigate inheritance tax. The team was pleased to add Laura Banks to its ranks to head the Birmingham wills, trusts and estates team from Thursfields Solicitors. Beth King-Smith is wellregarded for her work on contentious trusts and probate while Shirley Rabbetts has a niche practice in advising farmers on a broad range of inheritance issues. Senior associate Annabelle Kay is recognised for her work with older and vulnerable clients.

Mander Hadley Solicitors attracts a steady stream of instructions on personal tax matters ranging from inheritance tax planning to mitigation in addition to advising on trust and probate matters. Through its offices in Coventry and Kenilworth it has also been busy providing older care services acting as deputies appointed by the Court of Protection and advising on lasting powers of attorney. Head of team David Webb is a fully accredited member of STEP and Solicitors for the Elderly, and acts for HNW clients.

Meridian Private Client LLP has an excellent private client offering that specialises in diverse areas such as complex estate and trust administration where there are cross-border issues and an array of shareholder tax planning matters. It also frequently advises on other issues such as residence and domicile, historic employee benefit trusts and investment holding structures (including family investment companies).

Drummond Kerr and Jon Croxford cohead the department that was pleased to add Eamonn Daly to its ranks from Wright Hassall LLP. The team at MFG Solicitors LLP is well regarded for its work in traditional private client such advising on wills, powers of attorney and estate administration. It continues to work closely with its agricultural department.

Valerie Robinson heads the busy department and focuses on the administration of large and complex estates as well as the preparation of wills for wealthy individuals. Gary

SPECIAL FEATURE

Priest routinely deals with inheritance tax and capital gains tax planning matters. Amanda Piper heads the growing care team while also dealing with estate administration, wills and lasting powers of attorney. Giles Scott joined the group from Lanyon Bowdler.

The practice at Pickerings Solicitors handles the full array of private client matters with Emma Harrison at the helm. Three of the solicitors are full members of STEP and two are members of the Solicitors for the Elderly. Lucy Cooling specialises in wills and probate, tax and estate planning.

Marie Tisdale, who joined from Ansons, is particularly experienced in the administration of high-value probates.

Based out of its three offices in Birmingham and Solihull, The Wilkes Partnership advises clients across the West Midlands and further afield.

Andrew Hasnip has an established reputation for his work on trusts, complex inheritance tax planning as well as estate work. Ellie Holland has a similar focus in addition to advising on succession planning matters for business owners. Ann-Marie Aston leads the Court of Protection offering.

The team at VWV is part of a strong national offering. Rachael Armstrong, pictured, is the primary contact in Birmingham.

Armstrong acts for a variety of clients including farmers, musicians, entrepreneurs, company directors and high-net-worth individuals. Armstrong is recommended for her work on inheritance tax, estate administration and other areas including drafting powers of attorney and deputyship applications. Senior associate Jennifer Morries regularly assists with crossborder estate administrations.

Alsters Kelley Solicitors Ltd has wellrespected private client department in the Coventry and Warwickshire area.

Private client head Neil Raiseborough deals mainly with complex will, estate and tax planning matters predominantly for high-net-worth individuals, and is currently dealing with several sizeable estates in excess of £1m. He frequently advises on estates that contain discretionary trusts and is a known name for his work on protective trusts for clients with children who have learning or physical disabilities. In addition he regularly acts as a deputy and attorney for numerous long standing clients.

The team at Ansons is led by consultant solicitor Simon James. It continues to handle a broad range of high quality private client work and has a particular emphasis on estate planning for farmers, landowners and business owners in addition to working closely with its corporate, residential property and commercial property teams. Associate director Sarah Nash and senior associate Tracey Lane are full members of STEP. Brethertons LLP is adept at wills drafting, advising on the administration of high-value estates and at trust creation and administration.

In addition it regularly makes successful applications to the court of protection for the appointment of a deputy, statutory wills and permission to sell property. Linda Jones heads the department that includes Emma Stewart, pictured, and Sarah Horton. Key clients include high-net-worth individuals, including those with agricultural property or significant business assets.

FBC Manby Bowdler LLP is known for its work with business owners and farmers.

The nimble team frequently advises on complex IHT planning and on business succession matters. Kim Carr, pictured, leads the team that has been busy recently advising on family trusts and on the protection of family wealth from divorce.

It also provides specialist estate planning advice for second marriage families as well as advising on other complex issues such as the administration of estates where there are foreign / business assets or farming estates. The ‘very professional’ Graham Fuller is another key member of the team.

Claire Pottinger, pictured, leads the department at George Green LLP that advises on a wide range of private client matters for local business owners and managers. Pottinger is a full member of STEP, a fully accredited member of the Solicitors for the Elderly and a Dementia Friend. She is skilled at advising on a myriad of issues from the creation and administration of trusts through to lasting powers of attorney as well as inheritance tax and capital gains tax mitigation. Associate Louise Axford is another key member of the team.

Operating from each of its four offices the team at GHP Legal advises on a wide array of matters from simple wills and LPAs to tax planning, complex estate administration, Court of Protection matters in addition to the provision of long term care advice.

Oswestry-based Victoria Wilson heads the team and specialises in noncontentious probate and inheritance matters in addition to capital gains tax and trust work.

Talbot & Co has acted for generations of families on a wide spectrum of private client matters including trust and estate administration, tax planning and wealth management. The firm’s client base is national and international with a particular following in London and the Home Counties. Tom Bramall oversees the department and advises on a variety of complex contentious and noncontentious taxation and trust matters as well as wills and probate.

RISING STARS AND TOP TIER FOR SYDNEY MITCHELL'S IMMIGRATION TEAM Andre Minnaar and Melissa Southall are a shining light for their clients recognised as 'rising stars' in the Legal500.

Excellent service, attention to detail and unwavering determination to reach their goals for their clients has taken the department into to the 'Top Tier'.

With the constant change on immigration laws it is very important to have a knowledgeable and quality advocate working for clients to ensure the best result possible.

Whilst Andre and Melissa only joined the firm just over 2 years ago to start a brand new immigration department, it is an extraordinary achievement to gain Top Tier status in such little time. The Sydney Mitchell Immigration team is now one of just a few firms that falls within this top tier status for Immigration.

Andre and Melissa have been working together in a team for many years and their combined experience has gained them an excellent reputation and they have a dedicated following of clients.

Throughout the pandemic and lockdowns, they continued to assist their clients and find solutions to achieve successful immigration outcomes, despite all the obstacles thrown at them. As travel restrictions constantly change, the future looks bright for the team who hope to continue helping many more clients with their immigration needs.

For help or guidance on Immigration matters, you can find no better advisers – contact Andre Minnaar or Melissa Southall on 08081668831. www.sydneymitchell.co.uk/services-individuals/immigration

BIRMINGHAM FAMILY LAW TEAM KNOWN FOR THEIR EXCELLENCE

HCR’s family law team in Birmingham, “excellent practitioners in their field”, garnered high praise from the Legal 500, confirming its place at the heart of the city’s legal community.

The team, led by the “exceptional” Kevin Harris-James, are described by one client as working “tirelessly for the pursuit of [their] clients’ interests.”

Kevin himself is named by the directory as a leading individual. One client said that Kevin “is a tough operator who always fights his client’s corner hard,” and another that “in Kevin Harris-James, HCR has the market leader in financial remedy work.”

Across the rest of the team, Andrew Breakwell is noted for being “a known name for his work on financial remedy cases where there are complex trusts and…hidden assets.”

Georgina Burrows is described as “stands out…as passionate, knowledgeable and exceptionally proficient.” Victoria Fellows is also noted as specialising in “high-net-worth divorces and financial matters and has substantial experience in cohabitation issues.”

Shereen Chohan is referred to as “worthy of a special mention, an undoubted star in the making.”

While the family team have been a key to the firm’s success in Birmingham, HCR offers businesses a wide range of expertise from the city, from real estate and construction and engineering to corporate, banking and finance and immigration advice and help.

From employment or dispute resolution to regulatory issues or health and safety, HCR’s team bring experience and a commercial focus to their work.

Contact Kevin Harris-James at khjames@hcrlaw.com The Legal 500 West Midlands 41

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FIRMS ARE LISTED A-Z WITHIN TIERS

PERSONAL INJURY: CLAIMANT Irwin Mitchell Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP Lanyon Bowdler FBC Manby Bowdler LLP Higgs LLP Clarke Willmott LLP Slater and Gordon Thompsons NI Solicitors Brethertons LLP GHP Legal Shoosmiths Sydney Mitchell LLP Thursfields Solicitors Irwin Mitchell has market-leading offerings for both clinical negligence and personal injury. Luke Daniels, pictured, heads the ‘brilliant’, large and ‘forward thinking’ clinical negligence team that specialises in the most complex, varied and high profile cases such as birth injury claims, stillbirths, neonatal deaths, cosmetic/dental surgery as well as spinal and brain injuries, cancers and mental health. The department is committed to rehabilitation and attempts to secure early interim payments for its clients.

Lisa Jordan is highly regarded and has particular expertise in cerebral palsy claims. Emma Rush is another notable member of the team. The personal injury department handles a substantial caseload of high-value claims supporting children and adults who have sustained brain injuries and those who have suffered spinal cord injuries, limb loss and multiple orthopaedic traumas. It is regularly instructed in cases involving fatalities, psychiatric injury, severe burns and loss of vision. The child abuse team is well-regarded and deals with cases against individuals, local authorities, schools, religious and other organisations.

Its specialist mesothelioma and lung cancer team garners praise too. The dedicated industrial disease/workplace illnesses group is also recommended. In addition the practice has a large personal injury team that handles cases for those who have suffered serious injuries while abroad.

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP fields a well-respected team of specialist lawyers who have built up a strong national reputation for working on a range of matters from modest value to complex multi-million pound cases and associated public law, abuse and human rights matters. It also represents people at inquests. The practice is praised for its ‘first-class clientbased focus’ and has developed all roundexperience in related areas such as mental capacity and court of protection matters.

Head of department Rankeshwar Batta, pictured, specialises 42 The Legal 500 West Midlands

1 2 3 4 5 in clinical negligence and personal injury litigation. Batta has extensive experience of all types of cases including maximum severity/catastrophic injury as well as professional negligence work. Sarah Huntbach handles all aspects of clinical negligence claims including nerve injuries following surgery and infection leading to amputation and birth injuries. Ann Houghton has extensive experience of cases with a foreign jurisdictional element. Victoria Fullilove does professional negligence work arising out of clinical negligence and personal injury matters to addition to her main practice of clinical negligence and personal injury claims. David Evison has established a niche in abuse and human rights claims for both children and adults and receives instructions from the Official Solicitor.

Lanyon Bowdler has two distinct and outstanding departments that deal with personal injury and clinical negligence claims. These teams work from seven offices throughout Shropshire, Herefordshire and North Wales. The clinical negligence department is led

by Kay Kelly. The group has extensive experience across a wide range of medical negligence claims including birth, brain and spinal injuries, fatalities, amputations and delay in diagnosis.

Other strengths lie in advising on negligent surgery, ophthalmic and vascular conditions. Lucy Small has considerable experience in dealing with a range of complex clinical negligence claims. Its highly skilled and specialist personal injury team handles a broad range of claims from accidents abroad, accidents at work to asbestos and industrial disease claims and military actions. With ‘ the ‘very responsive and excellent’ Neil Lorimer at the helm other areas of expertise include fatal accidents, RTAs and amputations as well as brain and spinal injuries. Debbie Humphries and Dawn Humphries are also recommended. The department is praised for its holistic approach to claims and for its strong track record of achieving excellent results in tough and complex cases.

Tim Gray, pictured, leads a large and dedicated serious injury team at FBC Manby Bowdler LLP that is well-placed to handle complex brain and spinal injuries including those that arise from the mismanagement of births. Gray routinely handles high-value and complex

multi-track cases and is regularly involved in head and spinal injury and amputation cases.

Susan Todhunter has extensive experience of acting for child and adult claimants who have suffered traumatic brain injury.

Todhunter works closely with the firm’s court of protection team to ensure that clients have access to deputyship services where they are unable to make financial and long-term care decisions themselves.

Under the supervision of Clare Langford and Liz Hickman, the clinical negligence team at Higgs LLP is particularly noted for its expertise in serious birth injury claims and other claims involving delayed diagnosis and cerebral palsy. Langford has extensive experience of cerebral palsy, spinal and brain injury claims and is particularly interested in cases involving a delay in diagnosing meningitis and loss of vision.

Hickman handles a wide variety of complex claims including tetraplegia and delayed cancer diagnosis. Sue Allen is another first-rate practitioner. Andy Shaw leads a large and nimble personal injury practice that is known for its expertise at handling claims involving major traumas such as brain and spinal cord injuries, amputation and serious orthopaedic injuries. It also handles claims involving severe psychological injuries and fatal accidents. Associate Steven Santy has a particular emphasis on ensuring that clients gain early access to rehabilitation.

Clarke Willmott LLP has a major focus on brain injury claims. Philip Edwards is the team leader in Birmingham and has handled some very high-value claims.

In addition Edwards is an accredited specialist for APIL. Other core areas of expertise include amputation claims and the full range of serious injury cases, spinal cord injuries, fatal injuries and multiple orthopaedic injuries and burns.

The Birmingham team at Slater and Gordon primarily deals with serious, catastrophic and fatal accident claims usually arising out of road traffic accidents. It covers the whole of the Midlands and the South West and has particular expertise in dealing with complex fatal claims and claims to the MIB. Associate solicitor Jayne Campbell helps accident victims who have suffered life changing injuries such as brain and spinal injury, serious orthopaedic injuries and amputations as well as significant losses or bereavement.

Thompsons Solicitors LLP is part of a strong national offering and is a recognised name for its work with various trade unions. Its clinical negligence team is well-equipped to handle group and negligent actions against surgeons in the Midlands.

Linda Millband is a key member of the department that is currently representing claimants in over 40 cerebral palsy cases and 20 cases involving injuries of maximum severity. Karl De-Loyde heads the serious injury teams in Birmingham and Nottingham; he typically handles cases with values exceeding £1m, and has particular strength in brain injury and spinal cord injury cases. The team continues to recover millions in damages every year, and covers the whole range of claimant PI work, including workplace accidents, road traffic cases, sporting activity and product liability. The firm’s asbestos and industrial disease team also receives plaudits.

Brethertons LLP focuses exclusively on injuries of the utmost severity, with a particular focus on spinal cord injury claims.

Jonathan Rees, pictured, is a notable figure and specialises in both higher and lower level spinal cord injuries including tetraplegia and paraplegia.

Rees has settled numerous significant compensation claims involving spinal cord injury arising from road traffic accident collisions, accidents at work/public places and through clinical negligence. In addition he is adept at advising on other life changing injuries such as amputation and brain injury. Senior associate Sian Buxton is recommended too for her work with people who have suffered serious injuries as a result of clinical negligence and accidents.

GHP Legal has a specialist team of lawyers with a wealth of experience in dealing with clinical negligence and personal injury claims. The group has experience across the full gamut of accident and injury cases ranging from accidents in public, on holiday or in the workplace, to road traffic and motorcycle accidents, injury from defective products, serious brain injuries, criminal assault, and claims arising from abuse whilst in the care of others. It has experience in some of the most difficult cases including major psychiatric injury cases and acts for adult survivors of child sexual abuse as well as stress at work

PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE Kennedys Mills & Reeve LLP BLM Shakespeare Martineau LLP DWF Wright Hassall LLP Gateley Plc Sydney Mitchell LLP Kennedys continues to enjoy a steady flow of high-value and complex work across a wide range of professional indemnity matters, with recent highlights including notable cases in the High Court. It frequently defends accountants on various tax related claims as well as representing construction professionals, directors, officers and solicitors on substantial multi-party litigation. Other strengths lie in advising on numerous complex coverage investigations. Head of team Eamon Mooney receives plaudits for his work on construction claims and accountants matters in particular. Patric Rouendaal is noted for his D&O claims work and Paul Chaplin has a wealth of experience of working with various major professional indemnity insurers and their insureds. Steve Oates is also recommended.

and wrongful diagnosis claims. The group also covers all aspects of clinical negligence work and acts in negligence claims against the NHS and private hospitals, as well as misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment claims. Robert Williams and Claire Parfitt are the main contacts. John Hulme is also recommended.

Shoosmiths LLP has a large, experienced and well-established clinical negligence team under the leadership of the ‘very impressive’ Phil Barnes, pictured. It has a varied case load of high-value and complex claims with particular expertise in birth and spinal injuries as well as amputations. It also deals with fatal claims and associated secondary victim claims and represents its clients at inquests. Kashmir Uppal has particular expertise in dealing with claims against ‘rogue surgeons’ and managing multiparty actions. Nicholas Tubb is vastly experienced in surgical errors, spinal and brain injuries as well as complex birth injury cases. London-based Richard Follis is also recommended. Principal associate Richard Bannister works on a range of complex cases and is an accredited CEDR mediator. The personal injury team works closely with its clinical negligence team. Head of team Chris McKinney specialises in spinal and brain injury cases as well as amputation claims and is developing a reputation for his

work on claims involving novel areas of personal injury law. Senior associate Kate Price-Marson frequently helps claimants where the defendant cannot be traced or there is a company that is no longer trading.

Mike Sutton, pictured, leads the department at Sydney Mitchell LLP; the team handles both personal injury and clinical negligence cases, with particular strength in cases relating to cancer.

It has also advised on several cases involving fatalities and has dealt with numerous claims involving elderly patients who have suffered falls in hospital often resulting in hip fractures with life-changing consequences. David Lydon advises on a broad array of personal injuries; the team has a track record of handling cases involving work accidents and road traffic accidents resulting in very serious injury.

Thursfields Solicitors offers the full range of claimant personal injury advice, dealing with all types of claims that arise from road traffic accidents, tripping/slipping accidents, accidents at work as well as criminal injuries. It is also adept at advising on product and public liability issues, industrial disease and clinical negligence cases. Senior associate Bernadette Mackie is the department head and has substantial experience of traumatic brain injury and amputation claims.

Mills & Reeve LLP is a recognised name for its work in the professional indemnity market and regularly deals with substantial claims and coverage disputes - the team is well regarded for its ‘commitment to excellence and standout client service’. Angus Turner focuses on solicitors’ negligence claims and related coverage issues. Neil Frankland concentrates on construction and brokers’ negligence claims while David Gooding is skilled at defending accountants and solicitors’ negligence claims as well as advising insurers on various coverage issues. In addition Gooding deals with claims against other financial professionals including IFAs and trustees.

BLM continues to be instructed by a broad range of insurers and corporates on a variety of high-value and complex claims. It represents professionals of all disciplines and is skilled at handling professional indemnity litigation in addition to advising on a whole host of complex coverage issues. Recently the team has seen an increase in ‘farmed’ claims against professionals that are prompted by claims management companies particularly in relation to claims about mortgage advice, pension mis-selling and financial advice. Julian Smart leads the experienced team that includes Lucy Tolond who specialises in handling professional indemnity and financial claims. Alison Siniver covers claims against various professionals such as accountants, surveryors and solicitors.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP acts for claimants across a wide range of professional negligence cases, many of which are funded using conditional fee agreements. The claims range in value from tens of thousands of pounds to millions. Head of team Mark Beesley deals with a variety of complex claims and primarily acts in claims against

1 2 3 4 independent financial advisors, solicitors and accountants but he also represents defendants. Director Michael Young is leading the firm’s efforts in building the new lower value claim instructions practice under the Lime brand.

DWF has a growing reputation in sizeable accountancy negligence claims that supplements its historic expertise in claims against construction professionals and public authorities. The Birmingham team has strong relationships with some of the UK’s leading insurers and has substantial niche expertise in areas where professional negligence overlaps with other areas such as criminal law, health and safety and public law. Derek Adamson specialises in insurance policy interpretation and in mesothelioma, abuse, legionnaires disease and product liability claims.

Wright Hassall LLP has a large claimant professional negligence department. Its agile team acts for some major UK lenders in the recovery of losses against negligent solicitors and valuers as a result of mortgage fraud or significant losses.

Sarah Perry advises on claims against professional advisers across all sectors with specialist expertise in negligent tax planning and investment advice. Gemma Carson, pictured, is recommended for her work on complex and high-value claims against all professional advisers often involving elements of irregularity and deceit.

Gateley Plc has an active practice advising on claims against a wide range of professionals including solicitors, financial advisers, insurance brokers, accountants, insolvency practitioners as well as architects, engineers and surveyors. Mark Wilson frequently advises on complex fraud-related litigation. Peter Davies advises on claims against construction professionals and in particular against geotechnical and geo-environmental engineers. Stephen Goodrham regularly advises on many successful claims against solicitors, accountants and financial advisers.

The group at Sydney Mitchell LLP continues to act on a number of high quality professional negligence cases ranging from advising individuals who have personally suffered from solicitor negligence to commercial organisations that have been wrongly advised by their valuers on property transactions. Sundeep Bilkhu acts for a substantial number of leading lenders and individuals in bringing professional claims against surveyors, accountants and architects.

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REGIONAL BAR MIDLANDS CIRCUIT LEADING SETS BUSINESS AND REGULATORY CRIME (INCLUDING HEALTH AND SAFETY) LEADING SETS 1 No5 Barristers Chambers’ regulatory group is recommended as ‘a very progressive set, paying particular attention to promoting equality and diversity.’ Chambers is home to a number of strong practitioners, with a broad range of expertise across regulatory law including health and safety, environmental enforcement, insurance-related work and more. Tim Pole, pictured, prosecuted the owners of Oak Furnitureland, which was fined £400,000 for conditions in a warehouse that created a risk of an explosion, while Bernard Thorogood successfully represented a famer in overturning aspects of an animal disqualification order.

St Ives Chambers is a ‘modern and approachable set’ with a strong regional reputation for its local authority prosecution and private defence work in matters of regulatory enforcement.

Kevin Saunders, pictured, defended in a VHCC concerning multi-million pound investment fraud allegations. Tony Watkin is regularly instructed by local authorities and recently successfully prosecuted a case regarding fraudulent trading of thermographic imaging devices used to detect breast cancer.

LEADING SETS 2 St Philips Chambers’ regulatory practice handles a range of prosecution and defence instructions, covering both work including consumer matters and . Ben Mills is recommended for his expertise in trading standards work, having on behalf of Warwickshire County Council prosecuted for fraud a builder who accepted payment for projects and then abandoned them, citing a nonexistent stroke. James Puzey is an experienced health and safety practitioner, with recent work including cases after industrial fatalities.

CHANCERY, PROBATE AND TAX LEADING SETS 1 The Chancery team at No5 Barristers Chambers has ‘clerks that are quick, responsive, and helpful, and barristers that are very knowledgeable ad reliable’. The set maintains a strong position across all areas with particular expertise in contentious probate, estate administration and trusts. Rising stars Imogen Halstead, pictured, and Samir Amin continue to build expertise in within the inheritance and property spheres.

Complex traditional chancery work in the Business and Property Courts is regularly done by senior members of chambers including Mark Anderson QC. Alexander Heylin contributes offshore expertise.

St Philips Chambers’ chancery offering provides a number of highly-recommended individuals who are regularly instructed on Inheritance Act claims and other contentious matters. John Randall QC’s recent instructions include work in the Cayman Islands, a number of property owners in a dispute over land registration before the Financial Services Division. Andrew Charman’s recent work involves acting for a petitioner in a s994 unfair prejudice petition.

LEADING SETS 2 3PB ’s Lydia Pemberton, pictured, is a specialist in contentious probate matters, with significance experience 44 The Legal 500 West Midlands

in TLATA cases. Recent instructions include Inheritance Act 1975 claims, will validity challenges and claims arising in relation to the administration of estates. Rising star Oliver Ingham ’s practice specialises in traditional Chancery litigation, with an emphasis on Inheritance Act claims, with one recent highlight involving defending a claim based on acquiescence estoppel.

CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE LEADING SETS 1 Headed by Chris Bright QC, No5 Barristers Chambers ’ clinical negligence team is one of the most comprehensive in the Midlands. Work done here is often complex and sensitive, with practitioners specialising in brain and spinal injuries, delayed diagnosis, mental health, birth injury, and matters arising from hospital deaths.

Chambers saw David Tyack QC and John Coughlan QC take silk in the 2021 round. Chambers head Jonathan Jones QC currently represents the claimant for a claim in excess of £5m against a hospital where liability was admitted for failure to diagnose spina bifida on an antenatal scan. Jones QC also led Jamie Gamble in JB v Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, a wrongful birth claim arising out of a failure to diagnose microcephaly during antenatal scanning, securing a £6m settlement for the claimants.

LEADING SETS 2 Described as an ‘excellent chambers with a number of excellent counsel’, Kings Chambers ‘ clinical negligence team offers counsel experienced in all related matters such as catastrophic birth injury, surgical, psychicatric, and dental negligence and more. Chambers is also home to Satinder Hunjan QC. Ropewalk Chambers offers a ‘reliable and learned service’. Members primarily act for claimants and defendants in NHS cases. The set became the first at the English Bar to be ISO:27001 accredited which is positive for clients with sensitive claims. Jason Cox, pictured, and Rochelle Rong regularly appear in cases related to spinal injury.

LEADING SETS 3 St Philips Chambers’s clinical negligence team is praised by clients for both its barristers and clerking team. Often instructed from the outset of cases, the set’s practice spans delayed diagnosis, birth injury, brain and spinal injury claims among other matters. Andrew Evans has developed a specialism in claims arising from cosmetic surgery procedures.

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION LEADING SETS 1 No5 Barristers Chambers’ commercial litigation team ‘offers considerable choice at all levels of experience’. Chambers as a whole has a broad commercial practice and members are regularly instructed in high-value, complex disputes.

Head of chambers Mark Anderson QC’s , pictured, recent instructions include a £20m partnership claim. Mohammed Zaman QC has also been busy, having recently defending a food manufacturing company in a dispute concerning an alleged breach of a manufacturing agreement, involving a six-day application for committal of the defendant’s managing director to prison for contempt of court.

St Philips Chambers is considered to be a ‘go to set’ with a strong commercial litigation practice. The set is a regular fixture in the Business & Property Court from junior to senior levels of call and are supported by a ‘communicative and efficient’ clerking team. James Morgan QC recently acted for the defendant in Primus

International Holding Company v Triumph Controls - UK Ltd - a multi-million-pound breach of warranty case and contractual interpretation which reached the Court of Appeal issue on the meaning of ‘goodwill’. John Randall QC represented Sheffield Wednesday FC in Football League disciplinary proceedings concerning the club’s sale of Hillsborough and the Championship Profit and Sustainability Rules.

CRIME: GENERAL & FRAUD LEADING SETS 1 No5 Barristers Chambers houses a balanced and robust practice both in terms of size and call. Described as ‘approachable and friendly with the ability to tailor service to ones needs’, the set has particular expertise in cases of serious violence, corporate manslaughter, organised crime cases and complex fraud. Michael Duck QC prosecuted four defendants, who were aged sixteen and seventeen of the time of the offence, who were convicted of the murder of a teenage boy as part of tensions between two Wolverhampton “postcode gangs, while Michelle Heeley QC represented former England footballer Paul Gascgoine, who was acquitted on sexual assault charges. Turning to the set’s juniors Harpreet Singh Sandhu recently prosecuted in a firearms case involving a home being converted into a workshop where blankfiring pistols were converted into lethal firearms, and Sophie Murray, who has a niche practice in serious sexual offences.

Kevin Hegarty QC, pictured, leads the crime group at St Philips Chambers, which is praised for ‘enormous depth’ in its criminal practice. He recently prosecuted two metal detectorists for the theft of a Viking hoard worth £3m which they extracted without consent of the land owner and, without notifying the relevant authorities, sold on the black market.

Jonathan Barker prosecuted a man who was convicted on fourteen counts, including of buggery and rape, concerning the sexual abuse of his niece in in the 1980s.

Chambers is also home to Richard Atkins QC, chair of the Bar in 2019 - he is joined in the set’s silk ranks by Lee Marklew QC, who was appointed in the 2021 round.

LEADING SETS 2 London-based, Midlands reaching set 7BR have an established criminal presence and practice in the East Midlands. Predominantly a prosecution set, Adrian Langdale QC has been several high-profile cases for the region, including the prosecution of a Roman Catholic priest who sexually and physically abused a boy in the noughties, including locking him in a crypt and beating him with a hurley. James House QC recently secured an acquittal for an individual charged with murder in a gang-related retaliation attack. Other names of note are Gareth Weetman and Alex Young, the latter advising the police in Operation Caldon - a prosecution of OCG following a campaign of over fifty commercial burglaries.

St Ives Chambers has a strong reputation for ‘strength throughout all levels of seniority in criminal work’. Head of the criminal group Rebecca Wade specialises in rape and serious sexual offence cases. Justin Jarmola ’s practice focuses on serious gang and drug-related crime, with recent instructions including being led junior a high-profile prosecution for multiple stabbings in Solihull, and Birmingham, and a joint enterprise shooting in Birmingham.

Over half of London set The 36 Group’s members have a regular Midlands practice. Praised as ‘progressive and modern’, chambers maintains a depth in their practice across all areas of criminal law while developing a niche in cybercrime matters. Mary Prior QC, pictured, recent instructions include high-profile terrorism, murder, and serious violence cases. Notable names from the junior end of chambers include Nadeem Holland and Samuel Skinner, whose recent instructions include large scale drugs and firearms conspiracies, and Sarah Gaunt, who has handled a number of cybercrime cases. Simon Ash QC also took silk in the 2021 round while David Herbert QC was appointed to the circuit bench.

“Modern and approachable set”

“One of the leading sets of chambers on the Midland Circuit”

Established in 1965, our ethos is to work in partnership with our clients in order to ensure consistent excellence. Chambers prides itself on our attention to detail, approachability, efficiency and skill.

We are a modern multi-disciplinary set renowned for its exceptional mix of barristers at all levels of experience, with particular specialism across our core practice areas of: Dispute Resolution Business & Property Crime Family (children and matrimonial finance) Housing Personal Injury Regulatory Our expertise in advocacy is supported by a professional, skilled and efficient clerking service.

www.stiveschambers.co.uk | +44 (0)121 236 0863 | @StIvesChambers St Ives Chambers, 1-3 Whittall Street, Birmingham, B4 6DH

DESPITE BEING FRAUGHT WITH THE NEW CHALLENGES AND CURVEBALLS WE ALL HAD TO CONTEND WITH, 2021 PROVED TO BE A HUGELY SUCCESSFUL ONE FOR ALL AT ST PHILIPS BARRISTERS. We are proud that the culture and entrepreneurial flair that we have for years fostered, put us in an enviable position when it came to the quick thinking and proactivity that has been required since Covid hit. It is in the face of adversity that a business gets the opportunity to shine; proving its ability to innovate, to be nimble and react and evolve to meet the developing needs and demands of its clients.

In the context of this rapidly changing working environment, we were delighted to have once again received recognition of our industry leading levels of service and expertise through our ranking as a “Leading Set” (Tier 1) in the 2022 edition of The Legal 500 rankings.

This accolade for Chambers was accompanied by seventy-four barrister rankings across thirteen of our practice areas, including a newly ranked inclusion in the form of “Costs”.

Our Top Tier set rankings incorporated the areas of Chancery, probate and tax, Commercial Litigation, Company and Insolvency, Crime (General and Fraud), Employment, Family and Children Law, Professional Negligence and Property and Construction.

We saw fourteen new rankings for barristers across all disciplines including seven barristers brand new to the rankings and two named as Rising Stars at the Bar. Likewise, we were similarly thrilled to be “Top Ranked” by Chambers and Partners in their 2022 UK Bar Guide, again with significant recognition for our dedicated group practices and individual barristers.

Chambers Director, Joe Wilson commented at the time of the ranking’s release: “We strive to be at the very forefront of the profession, providing the best legal services through an environment that combines first-class advice and advocacy with ultimate support.

Once again, the tireless work of our barristers and staff allows us to further enhance our exemplary standards. I am delighted that this goal has been independently recognised again this year. These results are a shining endorsement of the talent that we can boast. Congratulations to all those members of chambers who are ranked; and thank you to our loyal clients for their continued support.”

Along a similar vein, we are equally hugely proud of the feedback received by our clerking teams.

The sterling work of our clerks, which enables our barristers to excel, can often be lost when the directory rankings are released but we do not take for granted the tremendous work undertaken by our clerks and, indeed, the whole of the St Philips Barristers staff.

processes to ensure that we remain at the very forefront of the evolution of Barristers’ Chambers.

So, what do we have planned for 2022?

With the revitalisation of our marketing and business development team underway, alongside newly created positions focussed on compliance and regulation, we are set on a path of continued and sustainable growth. With COP26 also still clear in our collective memories, operating Chambers as a good citizen both locally and internationally in a truly sustainable manner now and long into the future is of utmost importance.

With a reputation for excellence to uphold, we cannot afford to be a set that rests on its laurels or luxuriates in its past successes. We have set a firm path for continued investment into our people and

Finally, here’s hoping for a more stable 2022.

We certainly wish all businesses within the West Midlands a bright and productive twelve months ahead.

As 2021 drew to a close we were delighted to see both Lee Marklew QC and Sara Lewis QC finally take the trip down to Westminster Hall to be sworn in as Queen’s Counsel and we welcomed five new pupils to Chambers.

46 The Legal 500 West Midlands

For more information about St Philips Barristers, you can call us on 0121 246 7000, email enquiries@st-philips.com or visit us at www.st-philips.com

Advocates of Excellence An award winning multi-disciplinary set of barristers, widely recognised as one of the most forward-looking chambers in the UK.

St Philips provide an exceptional service Legal 500 2022

A stellar set comprised of counsel of exceptional ability Chambers & Partners 2022

E: enquiries@st-philips.com | T: 0121 246 7000 | st-philips.com 55 Temple Row, Birmingham B2 5LS | St Pauls House, 23 Park Square, Leeds LS1 2ND

WEST MIDLANDS COMPANY & INSOLVENCY LEADING SETS 1 The market presence and strength of No5 Barristers Chambers’ company and insolvency team members see the set involved with significant high-value cases in the Midlands. Mark Anderson QC continues to attract complex shareholder disputes, while .Yasmin Yasseri is considered an insolvency specialist with recent instructions including a multi-jurisdictional matter with elements in the Czech Republic. Alexander Heylin’s experience with cross-border and Offshore instructions has led recent instructions acting for a Russian company with litigation potentially in three jurisdictions.

Well regarded in the Midlands as a set with depth across its insolvency practice, St Philips Chambers houses barristers of all levels of call. James Morgan QC currently acts for applicant liquidators in a £1m misfeasance claim, while John Randall QC, pictured, current practice includes company law matters. Marc Brown has a practice featuring both personal and corporate insolvencies, as well as shareholder disputes: in one, unled, he represents claimants including a a former senior policy adviser to Bill Clinton in a dispute with a Liechtenstein anstalt over the governance of an English company.

COSTS LEADING SETS 1 Ropewalk Chambers’ costs team handles the full spectrum of costs work including inter-party disputes, regulatory issues, and advisory work. Andrew Lyons currently represents Celtic BioEnergy in a detail assessment arising out of an arbitration currently scheduled for appeal in the High Court. Shilpa Shah is also recommended, with recent work attending highvalue detailed assessments in high-value disputes in the health care space. Shilpa Shah is also recommended and has a strong solicitors’ costs practice with disputes regularly valued in the six-figure range.

COURT OF PROTECTION & COMMUNITY CARE LEADING SETS 1 Described as a ‘good and reliable set with expertise in Court of Protection matters’ No5 Barristers Chambers court of protection practice is the choice for many local authorities in the Midlands. Abid Mahmood, pictured, recently represented a local authority in an application for an injunction to protect a child victim of a “county lines” gang. In more property-oriented cases, Keri Tayler has a substantial presence in financial abuse cases, representing the official solicitor in a case where a woman lacking capacity was taken by her son from Kent to the Republic of Ireland.

EMPLOYMENT LEADING SETS 1 The employment offering at No5 Barristers Chambers is a preferred set of chambers for many, with a number of key instructions coming from the West Midlands’ key employers, including NHS bodies. Mugni Islam-Choudhury , the head of the practice group, represents Kuehne + Nagel in an age discrimination case concerning redundancy payments to former civil servants who transferred to the company. Senior junior Helen Barney continues to have a wide practice of both public and private sector employers, having recently represented Jaguar Land Rover in a case concerning the application of the pensions exemptions to age discrimination law.

48 The Legal 500 West Midlands

St Philips Chambers ’ is described as one of the ‘preeminent sets in Birmingham’, with ‘appropriate counsel to suit every type of employment work’. Chambers offers counsel experienced in restraint of trade, wrongful dismissal, breach of contract, discrimination and TUPE cases. Senior junior Sophie Garner recently successfully represented an employer defending a claim alleging disability-discriminatory constructive dismissal. Edmund Beever leads the practice group.

FAMILY & CHILDREN LAW LEADING SETS 1 St Ives Chambers has a large and powerful presence in the Midlands family law sector, with a wide range of expertise in public and private child law. Elizabeth Isaacs QC and Jeremy Weston QC deal with complex child cases and care proceedings, and act for both local authorities, parents and children. Family finance and divorce focussed members of chambers regularly work with across all values of cases: head of group Jayne Mullen regularly works for high net-worth individuals in matrimonial finance alongside colleagues Nicholas Starks and James Picken, who in addition has a private law children practice which includes crossborder cases.

St Mary’s Chambers are considered by many as a ‘first choice’ for cases involving matrimonial finances, cohabitation matters and private child law. Leading juniors Nigel Page, pictured, and Gareth Jacques represent high-net worth and high-profile individuals, including in cases related to agricultural estates. The children law team is regularly instructed by local authorities, parents, and guardians, with recent instructions including cases involving forced marriage and female genital mutilation. Judy Claxton and Sara Davis recently both acted for local authorities in cases involved in allegations and findings of serious sexual abuse and trafficking of children.

LEADING SETS 3 3PB ’s family and child offering has a strong group of counsel, covering both the full range of matrimonial work as well as complex public and private law child work, including cases involving the most severe allegations of abuse. Elizabeth McGrath QC’s recent instructions include parental alienation and crossborder private law issues. while group head Vanessa Meachin QC also has a balanced child and financial remedy practice, frequently acting for individuals with large asset portfolios and in cases where there are accusations of harm. Aimee Fox has a specialised and praised niche practice of disability-related children disputes, with recent instructions featuring crossborder elements.

St Philips Chambers’ family law practice group is split between the children team and the financial remedies team and continues to offer ‘excellent options in terms of barristers for all areas of family law’. The financial remedy team is regularly instructed in cases concerning pension arrangements, personal assets, and company assets both domestically and internationally. Juliet Allen and Davinia Riley have particular experience acting in cases involving large asset portfolios. In matters regarding children, members are involved in sensitive cases concerning disputes over children’s quality of life, neglect, and child death. Nicholas Brown is regularly instructed in care proceedings, representing local authorities, parents and children. William Horwood continues to build his rising star status acting unled in cases involving allegations of extremely serious child abuse.

INQUESTS AND INQUIRIES

LEADING SETS 2

LEADING SETS 1

As a set, Harcourt Chambers is home to a number of practitioners well-versed in the intricacies of care cases involving complex medical issues and allegations of serious harm to babies and children. Among the set’s silks John Vater QC, pictured, and Aidan Vine QC have had recent instructions involving child deaths, complex head injuries, and sensitive cases with challenging medical evidence.

Alex Forbes regularly deals with cases involving parental alienation both in the UK and internationally, while Matthew Brookes-Baker is regularly instructed in cases relating to serious sexual abuse and parents with significant learning disabilities.

No5 Barristers Chambers’ inquests and inquiries offering handles many cases, a number of which in workplace, custodial and medical contexts. Head of chambers Adrian Keeling QC and Richard Grimshaw are regularly instructed on Article 2 jury inquests.

No5 Barristers Chambers is regarded as a ‘highquality set of public law family practitioners who are highly skilled and effective’. Covering both public and private children law and financial remedy, the set offers practitioners able to take on some of the more complex cases and disputes. Ashley Wynne heads the practice group, which includes a significant number of juniors who regularly and comfortably deal with complex, high-value cases. The public children law contingent is headed by Lorna Meyer QC, and also includes at silk level Stefano Nuvoloni QC, whose expertise in this area crosses over with Court of Protection matters. Adreeja Chatterjee is also recommended for international child law matters.

Joint heads of Northampton’s Senate House Chambers, Lianne Murphy and Michelle Christie lead a group of ‘well-respected’ specialists able to advise and represent local authorities, parents, guardians, and children in complex and sensitive care proceedings.

Daniel Sheridan and Rachel Watkins recent instructions have involved serious non-accidental injuries and sexual and psychological harm to children in several complex and unusual cases. Samantha Reddington continues to act on behalf of children, parents, guardians, and local authorities in cases involving allegations of sexual abuse, among others.

KCH Garden Square is one of the largest chambers in the East Midlands with a strong family and child contingent. Moira Ashton-Walsh regularly represents parents in a wide range of child law cases, including ones regarding international relocations. Karen Kabweru-Namulemu is known for public law child work, and Zoe Henry is also of note, and developing a specialism in cases involving parents with personality disorders, learning difficulties and mental health conditions.

The inquests team at Ropewalk Chambers acts for all interested parties including but not limited to bereaved families, public and private bodies, local authorities, and health care professionals. Edward James has recently been active in health and safety jury inquests. Georgina Cursham, pictured, who is also active in this death in custody cases, recently represented a family in an inquest into the death of a vulnerable person with a disability who drowned in a reservoir while under social care supervision. Thomas Herbert and Richard Seabrook are also recommended for work pertaining to care home deaths.

PERSONAL INJURY LEADING SETS 1 Considered as a leading set in the West Midlands, No5 Barristers Chambers’ offers one of the largest personal injury teams in the circuit. The personal injury group has individuals appropriate for a range of claims, and the team is regularly instructed in spinal, brain, physiological and fatal injury cases, as well as ones concerning amputation and chronic pain conditions.

David Tyack QC and John Coughlan QC were 2021 Silk appointments. Praised for its depth in the junior end, chambers is also home to Jamie Gamble and Esther Gamble, both praised for their work in legally complex and intricate cases with recent work including cases in the wake of severe road traffic accidents and catastrophic spinal injuries respectively.

SPECIAL FEATURE

ST IVES CHAMBERS: A ‘MODERN AND APPROACHABLE SET’ throughout Chambers. Included in this number is Peter Cooper, who sadly passed away in September 2021. Peter was a much valued colleague and a wonderful advocate. He is greatly missed by all.

The Family Team is highlighted by Legal 500 as a ‘large and powerful presence in the Midlands’, with a wide range of expertise. The Social Housing Team are noted to ‘always go above and beyond’ and their Crime Team reflects the ‘strength throughout all levels of seniority’ in Chambers.

Given the challenges that the last 18 months have brought, they are also particularly pleased that their clerks continue to be recognised for their unsurpassed levels of service.

Chambers is further proud of:

• Legal directory Chambers and Partners 2022 rankings, including 26 members of Chambers ranked across 5 practice areas.

St Ives Chambers are delighted to announce the appointment of their former Head of Chambers, Jeremy Weston QC, as a circuit judge in October 2021; offer their congratulations and thanks to him for his tireless service as Head of Chambers over the last six years. Their reputation as ‘an excellent Chambers that has gone from strength to strength’ (Chambers and Partners 2022), continues under the new Head of Chambers, Elizabeth Isaacs QC, who joined Chambers in 2006 and who is supported by Gregory Rogers as Deputy Head of Chambers.

St Ives continues to thrive in unprecedented times. The Legal 500 in particular, boasts 37 rankings across 6 practice areas, enjoying top tier ranking in Family Law (children and matrimonial finance), Social Housing, and Business and Regulatory Crime. We are proud that rankings cover the full spectrum of experience from silk (Elizabeth Isaacs QC), to thirty-three leading juniors and three rising stars, demonstrating the wealth of talent

The Birmingham office of 3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) continues to go from strength to strength and is by some margin, the fastest growing chambers in Birmingham; even despite the challenging conditions presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

• The appointments of Nicholas Allen QC and Ben Douglas-Jones QC as Deputy High Court Judges and William Douglas-Jones as Fee Paid Judge of the First-Tier Tribunal.

• Chambers offer of tenancy to our three exceptional pupils.

• At a time when many chambers are reducing the number of pupillages on offer, we have increased our offer from three to up four pupillages for 2022-2023.

• Our continued commitment to Equality and Diversity through the implementation of the FreeBar Charter into all of our policies and practices.

Chambers continues to welcome applications from skilled and dedicated practitioners in our core practice areas.

3PB GROWTH IN BIRMINGHAM Vanessa Meachin QC

Elizabeth McGrath QC

Since 3PB opened in Birmingham in 2016, talented barristers across all areas of law have swelled their ranks to its current complement of 30 counsel based in the City. Over the last 18 months alone, some nine new barristers have chosen 3PB as their professional home with new recruits including former solicitors and those from in-house public sector roles.

The Colmore Building-based chambers also acts as the Midlands ‘home’ for many of 3PB’s 200 other barristers who are based at the other 3PB offices in London, Bristol, Bournemouth, Oxford and Winchester.

Elizabeth McGrath QC and Vanessa Meachin QC, family - Silks and founder members of 3PB’s Birmingham office, said: “We are delighted to see 116 of our barristers ranked in Legal 500 this year and in particular to see 17 ranked for the first time.

This shows great strength-in-depth across our chambers and that mix of expertise is reflected in the barristers who are based full-time in Birmingham. It has been especially pleasing to be able to welcome new colleagues despite the challenges presented by Covid-19”.

In November, 3PB welcomed new senior civil clerk Sam Collins to the Birmingham team as practice director. Sam was eight years at one of Birmingham’s largest chambers and worked for the last five years

as a Team Leader in a top-ranked London chambers.

Sam will have a particular emphasis on developing Commercial, Construction, Employment and Property & Estates work within Birmingham and surrounding areas. Described by Legal 500 as “responsive and easy to work with” and “extremely helpful”, Sam has been exceptionally busy since starting with 3PB. 3PB is committed to supporting the local charity, The Birmingham Children’s Trust. In recent years barristers and staff in Birmingham have joined together at Christmas to grant Christmas Wishes for children in care with Birmingham Children’s Trust.

Christmas can be a difficult time of year for a lot of children and young people in the UK’s second city, so the Christmas Wishes initiative brings some festive magic to children and young people in the care of the Trust. Last year the 3PB team bought gifts for 18 children and young people at two residential homes in Birmingham. Birmingham Children’s Trust exists to make a positive difference for children, young people and families.

We wish you and yours all the joys of the season and the very best for 2022. For all our clients and friends, 3PB hugely appreciates your support and your business over what has continued to be an unusual and challenging year.

The Legal 500 West Midlands 49

WEST MIDLANDS PERSONAL INJURY CONT’D LEADING SETS 1 Nottinghamheadquartered Ropewalk Chambers’ personal injury offering is considered an ‘excellent service together with outstanding barristers’. Chambers has particular specialism related to the areas of industrial disease, as well a team able to advise and represent individuals and insurers in a full range of personal injury cases. The set is home to Jayne Adams QC and Richard Gregory, pictured, who are known for their industrial disease claims expertise; in this space Patrick Limb QC currently represents a number of airlines in claims brought by employees who allege a condition named aerotoxic syndrome. Damian Powell acted for six defendants in a case where the court is to determine whether welding plume inhalation can cause COPD. LEADING SETS 2 St Philips Chambers’ covers both claimant and defendant personal injury work in both physical and psychiatric injuries, with a number of instructions concerning particularly vulnerable individuals.

Sofia Ashraf, pictured, was recently instructed by a local authority in a case concerning an injury to child during a school break time. Lorna Badham is instructed almost exclusively for claimants in multi-track international accident and illness work, while Andrew Evans is also a name of note, specialising in injury claims from the hospitality and leisure industry.

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT LEADING SETS 1 “Considered the ‘go-to’ set by many, No5 Barristers Chambers is a well-established set for planning and environmental matters, with good strength and talent in both across all levels of call. On the planning side, members of the group offer strategic advice and provide representation, with Paul Cairnes QC, pictured, recently instructed Torbay & South Devon NHS Trust in a judicial review challenge funding arrangements surrounding planning permission for a strategic development of in excess of a thousand houses. In environmental practice, Satnam Choongh successfully represented the agency in Environmental Agency v Lawrence, an appeal case concerning the interpretation of the Environmental Sentencing Guidelines.

LEADING SETS 2 Kings Chambers planning and environmental law offering is backed by its members expertise in highprofile planning matters in the Midlands. Chambers is home to Paul Tucker QC and Sarah Clover, among others.

PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINARY LAW LEADING SETS 1 No5 Barristers Chambers has ‘an impressive selection of counsel who specialise in disciplinary work’ and is home to a number of well-known practitioners regularly instructed by the Police Federation and police forces. Head of chambers Adrian Keeling QC recent 50 The Legal 500 West Midlands

instructions include successfully representing an officer charged with unlawfully shooting an innocent man in the face with a Taser.

PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE LEADING SETS 1 No5 Barristers Chambers professional negligence team offers high-level, specialised expertise from a team of well-respected and competent barristers across a range of negligence, indemnity, and insurance matters. Mark Anderson QC is regularly involved in cases concerning negligence claims against solicitors as is Stephen Goodfellow, pictured. David Mitchell deals with disputes in real property, trusts, and estates, recently acting for claimants who purchased a property to then discover that their proposed new home would be subject to rights to mine.

‘Strong across the board’, St Philips Chambers offers professional negligence expertise in its business and property team with John Randall QC and John Brennan continuomg to act in long running, complex and high-value disputes involving legal professions, accountants and wealth managers among others.

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION LEADING SETS 1 No5 Barristers Chambers’ real estate team ranges ‘from junior to senior and has diversity in terms of style and skill set’. The group has wide a wideranging expertise, with members involved in all types of disputes including conveyancing, land acquisition, restrictive covenants, proprietary estoppel and various tort claims. Mark Anderson QC has been involved in many high-value matters over the year, recently acting for the claimant in a partnership action valued at £20m. David Taylor practices almost exclusively within the realms of real property landlord and tenant issues, currently representing a developer in a dispute affecting means of access to a development site.

St Philips Chambers’ property group continues to be instructed in high-value, complex cases, and are a regular fixture in the Business and Property Court. John Randall QC recent instructions involve major property development, acting for the proprietors in Cayman Shores Development Ltd and anor. v Registrar of Lands and ors in the Cayman Islands. John Brennan, pictured, and Anthony Verduyn are also a property development specialists, alongside Gavin McLeod whose recent instructions include boundary disputes.

LEADING SETS 2 Ropewalk Chambers’ members assist their clients in across their expertise in land purchases and sales, agricultural law issues, property financing, and boundary issues. Tom Carter is known for his expertise in Japanese knotweed cases, representing the claimants in Walker v The Environment Agency which will test the scope of the decision in his previous successful case in 2018, Williams v Network Rail. Chambers is also home to ‘skilled advocate’ Jonathan Owen and ‘approachable and articulate’ John Campbell.

St Ives Chambers’ business and property group covers the full spectrum of construction and property cases, including boundary disputes, adverse possession, mortgage-related litigations, and easements. The group is led by senior junior Tony Watkin who recently successfully acted for the operators of the Radisson Blu Hotel in Liverpool in an insurance charge dispute with its landlord. Michelle Caney represented Wolverhampton City Council in litigation concerning the issue of contra mundum injunctions in favour

of local authorities to protect sites from traveller encampments.

SOCIAL HOUSING LEADING SETS 1 St Ives Chambers social housing team is led by Michael Singleton, who successfully defended a social landlord in a disability discrimination challenge to its allocation policy brought by a litigant in person. Anya Newman, pictured, represented a housing association which was granted possession of a property which was let to a married couple, one of whom was serving a prison sentence for sexually abusing a child in the property and wished to return at the conclusion of his sentence.

LEADING SETS 2 KCH Garden Square’s social housing team primarily act on behalf of private clients and local authorities both in advisory and litigation capacities. Oliver Nunn specialises in disputes and claims relating to possession and anti-social behaviour, regularly appearing in County Court. Ben Chapman is noted for his new presence on circuit and ability to find innovative and bespoke solutions to client needs.

RISING STARS CHANCERY, PROBATE, AND TAX Oliver Ingham 3PB Imogen Halstead No5 Barristers Chambers Jason Perrin No5 Barristers Chambers Samir Amin No5 Barristers Chambers CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE Nicholas Truelove Kings Chambers Thomas Herbert Ropewalk Chambers COMMERCIAL LITIGATION Jason Perrin No5 Barristers Chambers Samir Amin No5 Barristers Chambers Thomas Herbert Ropewalk Chambers COURT OF PROTECTION & COMMUNITY CARE Benjamin Harrison No5 Barristers Chambers CRIME: GENERAL Lucinda Wilmott-Lascelles EMPLOYMENT Joel Wallace Lorna Badham

St Ives Chambers

St Philips Chambers St Philips Chambers

FAMILY AND CHILDREN LAW Naomi Dorothy Dean Cornwall Street Barristers Ben Chapman KCH Garden Square Frida Dahlqvist KCH Garden Square Rebecca Cross St Ives Chambers William Horwood St Philips Chambers PERSONAL INJURY Nicholas Truelove Kings Chambers Thomas Herbert Ropewalk Chambers Lorna Badham St Philips Chambers PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT Killian Garvey Kings Chambers PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINARY LAW Jonathan Storey Cornwall Street Barristers PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION Imogen Halstead No5 Barristers Chambers SOCIAL HOUSING Ben Chapman KCH Garden Square Aadhithya Anbahan St Ives Chambers

Some lead, others follow.

As one of the largest sets of barristers’ chambers in the UK with over 260 members including 35 Silks, we have the quality and depth of expertise to meet your legal needs.

Throughout its 100 year history, No5 Barristers’ Chambers has developed a reputation for breaking new ground and continues to be regarded as a progressive and forwardthinking set.

With offices in Birmingham, London, Bristol and Leicester we are well placed to provide expertise at all levels throughout the UK and overseas.

Heads of Chambers:

Adrian Keeling QC & Jonathan Jones QC

Chief Executive & Director of Clerking: Tony McDaid

0845 210 5555

info@No5.com

No5 Barristers’ Chambers provides services on an equal opportunity basis.

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If you want to join a modern and friendly chambers built for the future, please contact us to discuss how we can service and expand your practice. We can speak to you in person in London, Taunton, Birmingham, or Manchester.

Or, of course, virtually.

Kevin Morrow (London/The South) t: 020 3150 1491 e: kevin.morrow@clerksroom.com Russell Hobbs (Birmingham/The North) t: 01823 804260 e: russell.hobbs@clerksroom.com Greg Speller (Senior Clerk, Taunton) t: 01823 804250 e: speller@clerksroom.com

www.clerksroom.com 01823 247 247 24/7