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Banking and finance

At ‘first-class firm’ Mills & Reeve LLP, the ‘responsive, flexible and efficient’ team documented £48m in loan facilities for RBS in 2011. The ‘professional, accessible and patient’ William Roles, Laura Holdaway and Zak Virgin are recommended alongside Sarah Seed and Matthew Howling, who ‘take a proactive and commercial approach’.

The ‘always responsive’ team at Birketts LLP has ‘excellent knowledge of structures’, and acted for Lloyds TSB Commercial in a £90m refinancing, while other clients include Santander UK and HSBC. The ‘realistic’ Mark Henry has ‘excellent commercial knowledge’.

In 2011, Hewitsons LLP advised The Co-operative Bank on funding a £4.2m new hotel development; Santander UK on large MBO and refinancing deals; and many private investors on secured lending transactions.

‘Very approachable, offering sound advice’, Steeles Law LLP’s Nigel Lubbock and James Tarling advised on ten deals totalling £50m in 2011, including redrafting a complex £25m inter-creditor agreement.

Taylor Vinters ‘provides high-quality advice to lenders and borrowers’, and recently advised a hedge fund on a £22m revolving credit facility. James Allen, Steven Beach and Kathrin McClintock feature in a team that counts Triple Point LLP among its new clients.

Ashton KCJ’s Ron Clare is ‘meticulous, helpful, hands-on and willing to put in extra effort’. Edward O’Rourke and Luke Hibbert are ‘approachable and helpful’; associate Genie Barham has ‘excellent personal skills, patience and experience’. Highlights included a £4.6m bank security deal for Handelsbanken.

Howes Percival LLP provides ‘consistently good, helpful advice at fair rates’. Tessa Haskey is ‘personable, helpful and has excellent knowledge’, and Robert Colman is ‘consistently thorough and efficient’. Clients include Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale Bank.

Leathes Prior benefits from Paul Warman’s niche banking expertise. The firm is on the Lloyds Banking Group panel.

Penningtons Solicitors LLP recently hired Helen Drayton from Hewitsons LLP, where she built a solid track record on financing deals and a reputation as a partner who ‘maintains good control’ of her practice.

The ‘knowledgeable and proactive’ Keith Vincent at Prettys is noted for his ‘excellent service, quick responses and competitive fees’.

Insolvency and corporate recovery

Hewitsons LLP’s team includes Simon Biggin and Jason Williams. It advised the liquidators of a car dealership on the recovery of directors’ loans exceeding £500,000.

Howes Percival LLP fields ‘one of the most legally and tactically sharp’ teams, which includes Nick Oliver on the contentious side; John Bradshaw, who has ‘huge technical knowledge’; and Alex Thompson, who has ‘huge talent and a fantastic work ethic’. Highlights included a £40m case for HMRC, and the £100m Asil Nadir bankruptcy.

Mills & Reeve LLP provides ‘clear and definitive advice from a friendly team’. Jamie Wheatley, Laura Holdaway and Lino di Lorenzo feature in a large team that counts HSBC and Baker Tilly as clients. In 2011 it acted for Grant Thornton in the administration of WWR Group.

Alistair Bacon at Prettys has 20 years’ pure insolvency experience, which he brings to bear for clients such as Saab Great Britain. Property-based receivership appointments, for clients including BNP Paribas, are an additional source of work for the team. Corporate partner Ian Waine has a busy non-contentious practice.

Adam Bradley’s ‘dedicated, thorough and communicative’ team at Taylor Vinters handles insolvency matters for longstanding clients such as KPMG, as well as new client Marsh Hammond. Highlights included advising the administrators of Ultra Motor Taiwan.

Ashton KCJ’s multi-disciplinary team provides advice that is ‘always value for money’. Highlights included defending the directors in a £3.5m dispute concerning alleged intent to defraud creditors. The ‘polite and prompt’ Luke Hibbert and experienced litigator Michael Frape are recommended.

Matthew Atkins’ team at Birketts LLP acts for clients such as KPMG and Larking Gowen, and recently acted for directors in a wrongful trading claim. Greg Allan provides a ‘excellent, friendly, client-focused service’.

London-based insolvency firm Isadore Goldman hired Frank Brumby from Leathes Prior and Simon Loome from Birkett Long LLP to head up its newly opened Norwich office, which has attracted clients such as McTear Williams & Wood. It advised on the sale of shares in Farnborough Football Club followings its former owners’ bankruptcy.

‘Helpful and good to work with’, Buckles Solicitors LLP excels in asset recovery and protection. In 2011 it acted for the receivers in a £4.2m contentious matter. James Maxey and Nick Porter are noted for their ‘flexibility and thoroughness’.

Greene & Greene’s Michael Batty, Kate Chandler and litigator Andrew Kinnison act for a number of insolvency practitioners as well as insolvent companies and individuals. Highlights included a complex case involving a deceased debtor.

Hegarty LLP’s Kally Singh represented a large biotech firm on a purchase of assets from a liquidator, and provides ongoing advice to Bulley Davey.

Adam McCaw’s team at Leathes Prior ‘has good strength and is practical, technical, and calm in a crisis’. Clients include Parker Andrews and Ensors.

At Nicholsons Solicitors LLP, ‘very astute’ licensed insolvency practitioner Mark Nicholson and the ‘talented, pragmatic’ Gareth Lamb are ‘true specialists in their field’. Highlights included a £150,000 claim against directors of East Park View.

Rogers and Norton’s Peter Hastings regularly represents insolvency practitioners in high-value directors’ disqualification claims, and recently defended a Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration (CDDA) claim for a director with debts exceeding £2.5m.

Steeles Law LLP is noted for ‘excellent response times and value for money’. Team head Richard Bailey and James Tarling assisted a Danish law firm in relation to a £200,000 debt owed by a UK company.

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