Partnership
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Partnership is not a discrete practice area; the firms listed do a variety of work for their partnership clients encompassing corporate, employment and tax law, and may have a more or less contentious focus to their practice.
The partnership team at Addleshaw Goddard LLP ‘are leaders in their field’, providing clients with ‘excellent service levels’. Non-contentious work for professional partnerships lies at the core of a broader practice, with complex partnership structures and LLP conversions particular specialisms. The firm further strengthened its offering in 2008 with the arrival of Rachel Khiara from Allen & Overy LLP. Richard Linsell is ‘sage, and full of wisdom and experience’, and William Wastie is ‘excellent, easygoing and quick at spotting the issue’.
Contentious matters are a core strength for Fox Williams LLP, but the firm also has significant capability in advisory work, particularly merger and demerger matters for professional services firms. The firm successfully acted for Vestra Wealth in its defence of injunction proceedings brought by UBS relating to a team move, and represented Cluttons on the sale of its rural property division to Smiths Gore. Tina Williams and Douglas Preece are the names to note.
In keeping with its reputation as a premier litigation firm, Herbert Smith LLP provides clients with a ‘first-class’ service in contentious partnership matters, but also demonstrates ‘commercial cutting edge’ on the non-contentious side. It advised Hammonds LLP on its conversion to LLP status and the structure of its international operations, while other clients include PwC, KPMG and Deloitte & Touche LLP. Alan Watts is ‘business-orientated and an excellent negotiator’, and Malcolm Lombers is ‘a quite brilliant lawyer’. Gary Milner-Moore is recommended for his contentious expertise.
Boutique employment and litigation practice CM Murray LLP provides clients with an ‘excellent’ and ‘professional’ service in the contentious partnership field. With a leading practice advising the partners of major City law firms, it is also developing a significant client list in the hedge fund industry. Clare Murray is ‘among the very top partnership practitioners’, and combines ‘charm, energy and a steely determination with an in-depth knowledge of the law’. Susanne Foster is also recommended.
Fox provides mainly contentious partnership and employment advice that is ‘commercial, practical and extremely effective’. Ronnie Fox is a noted innovator in the area; he is ‘truly the guru of partnership law’, with ‘unbelievable experience and an excellent way with clients’. Michelle Chance is also well regarded.
The balanced partnership practice at Lewis Silkin LLP attracts high praise from clients. It advised retail property consultancy firm CWM on its LLP conversion and counts Haymarket, Pensus Funds Management and Jennings Investments among its clients. Fergus Payne heads the non-contentious practice, while Clive Greenwood deals with disputes; both are highly thought of by clients and peers alike. Sara Cohen ‘quickly gains the trust and confidence of clients’.
Launched in May 2009, Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP was born from the private client department of Allen & Overy LLP, and the two firms maintain an extremely close working relationship. Richard Turnor has a wealth of experience in partnership matters across a range of commercial contexts and is praised for his ‘enormous intellectual ability’.
Despite the demerger of its private client department, Allen & Overy LLP maintains partnership expertise in the corporate sphere with particular strength in cross-border joint venture work. John Goodhall and Stephen Mathews are the names to note.
Partnership disputes are at the heart of Dawsons LLP’s well-regarded practice. Stephen Ralph provides ‘a very attentive and high level of service’.
Farrer & Co’s private client expertise is the bedrock of a ‘first-class’ partnership practice. Innovative uses of LLPs in areas such as tax planning, financial services and property development are a key strength. James Thorne is noted for his ‘efficiency and approachability’.
Hempsons leads the market in medical partnership matters, providing an ‘excellent’ service. The ‘knowledgeable and accessible’ Lynne Abbess is recommended.
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP fields a ‘strong partnership team’. The ‘responsive and pragmatic’ Barry Stimpson heads up the non-contentious practice, while Fiona Walkinshaw, who leads the disputes team, is ‘sensible, commercial and capable’.
Slaughter and May is recommended for corporate partnership matters, particularly relating to funds. The firm advised Marks and Spencer on its contribution of further funding to its UK defined benefit pension scheme via an interest in a property-backed partnership; this innovative structure has now been widely adopted in the market. Jeff Triggs is the name to note.
Hugh Craig at Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP is ‘deeply impressive’.
The ‘knowledgeable’ John Lace at Bristows is recommended.
Davenport Lyons’ Alon Domb specialises in innovative partnership investment structures.
Paul Fontes at Eversheds LLP is ‘pragmatic and commercial’.
Nicholas Thompsell at Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is advising the Secretary of State for International Development in relation to investments in the developing world.
Amanda Howard at Nabarro LLP has significant expertise in the real estate field.
The ‘extremely commercial’ Julia Palca is recommended at Olswang.