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The large Eversheds LLP team wins plaudits from clients for its ‘cost-tracking, communication and accountability’ while attaining favourable results in actions for clients such as Lookers plc, easyJet and Capital One Bank. The firms delivers time and again in disputes ranging from class-action nuisance to complex loan note actions, including cases with an international aspect. ‘Down-to-earth’ practice head Paul Worth is a fraud expert with a wide range of corporate clients, and the ‘dedicated’ Jonathan Tardif brings IT specialisation.

Highlights for Browne Jacobson LLP’s busy dispute resolution group last year included handling a multimillion-pound telecoms dispute for Siemens, and successfully pursuing litigation against Knorr, based in France. Dominic Offord is the key contact, and clients also note Gavin Cummings’ expertise.

Notable for its consistently successful outcomes for clients in sectors ranging from insurance, construction and food and drink, to local authorities and charities, Freeth Cartwright LLP has some stand-out individuals such as the ‘consistently thorough’ Philippa Dempster, and ‘outstanding mediator’ Charles Powell.

Flint Bishop Solicitors has handled some high-value commercial disputes during the last year, in matters ranging from financial regulation to breach of contract, and has consolidated its commercial insurance litigation profile.

Geldards LLP has achieved ‘satisfying results in complex and messy cases’, for clients who value ‘tenacity’ and the ability to ‘push the boundaries of what can be achieved’. New partner Jonathan Butler particularly impresses, and is noted by one client as ‘leaving no stone unturned in protecting our position’. Butler and Paul Hackney are currently instructed on the defence of a major construction company in a £14m breach of contract dispute.

Despite the departure of two partners, Nelsons’ dispute resolution team continues to attract instructions in a wide range of contentious areas from fraudulent misrepresentation to substantial mortgage fraud and minority shareholder claims.

Actons continues to represent its owner-manager client base on matters including partnership disputes and issues arising from business sales, and has a developing niche in equine law cases, which has resulted in instructions on several substantial disputes. Mediation is the method often best suited to clients of Chris Murratt and insolvency specialist Richard Leman.

‘Very effective in dispute resolution’, Berryman’s team has particular experience in professional negligence, product liability, contested probate and debt recovery cases, and recently achieved a £1m-plus settlement in an acrimonious shareholder dispute. Clients praise practice head Steven Skiba’s ‘insight and extreme clarity of purpose’.

Richard Hammond’s clients at Rothera Dowson say ‘it is great to know you have the back-up of a real legal eagle’; he is ‘successful every time’. The team handles the full range of commercial business disputes, especially for SMEs and the road haulage industry.

One international client of Fraser Brown notes the firm’s ability to ‘quickly assess complex legal issues and provide us with timely legal advice’.

Roythornes added former Nelsons partner Andrew Shipley and Chris Parslew to its 18-strong team, which has real depth of experience in agriculture, food, property, land and construction, and handled a range of multimillion-pound cases in 2008.

The ‘impressive’ Russell Davies has been joined by new partner Bally Atwal in Derby to service Smith Partnership’s impressive roster of clients - including the likes of Balfour Beatty and Enterprise Inns - in matters ranging from a complex multimillion-pound family trust dispute to property possession actions for HSBC.

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