The Legal 500

United Kingdom > London > Corporate and commercial > Partnership

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

Index of tables

  1. Partnership
  2. Leading individuals

An ‘acknowledged leader in the professional practices arena’, Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s ‘energetic group always adds value’ in contentious and transactional partnership matters, and ‘continues to put clients ’ needs at the heart of its strategy’. 2010 saw Richard Linsell hand over leadership of the practice to William Wastie, on his retirement. Rachel Kiara, Aster Crawshaw and managing associate Jon Cheney ‘provide specialist strengths that combine to service the widest possible range of needs’.

‘Justifiably regarded as one of a select number of top-flight partnership firms’, Fox Williams LLP has ‘an extremely good knowledge of the legal sector and a great depth of practical advice’. Headed by ‘pragmatic and effective negotiator’ Tina Williams, the team’s work in 2010 included advising on the first trial of an unfair prejudice petition brought in respect of a LLP. Gavin Foggo is a ‘highly efficient and popular litigator’, and rounding out the group is the ‘utterly charming’ Douglas Preece. Tax head Emma Bailey joined in March 2010 from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP.

Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP’s professional services practice delivers advice in a manner ‘that is engaging and responsive and that puts other firms to shame’. The ‘practical and client-focused’ Richard Turnor leads a team that is ‘at the cutting edge’ of partnership issues affecting the professional services industry and other sectors such as financial services. Litigation partners Jenny McKeown and Helena Berman both joined from HR consultancy Mercer in 2010.

Boutique employment and partnership practice CM Murray LLP is ‘an ideal firm for partners in city investment businesses, particularly for those with profit share/bonus disputes’. Focusing on contentious matters, ‘leading partnership practitioner’ Clare Murray is ‘a class act, combining intellectual capability with the best people skills in the business’. Bettina Bender and senior associate Susanne Foster are also recommended.

Clients ‘have no hesitation in recommending the excellent partnership team’ at Farrer & Co. The wide-ranging, five-partner professional services practice provides advice on non-contentious matters such as LLP conversions, as well as high-value disputes. William Dawson took over as head of the practice in 2010 from James Thorne, who remains a consultant at the firm. Clients recommend Jonathan Haley for his ‘smart and good grip on commercial realities’.

Contentious partnership matters are a cornerstone of Fox’s practice, which delivers ‘outstanding levels of service, as one would expect from a leader in its field’. It handles disputes for both individual partners and professional services firms, with ‘wise, thoughtful and incisive’ senior partner Ronnie Fox enjoying a reputation as ‘a leading lawyer’ in the area.

Herbert Smith LLP provides ‘excellent’ transactional advice to professional services firms, hedge funds and fund managers, but it is on the contentious side that it garners most praise. Alan Watts jointly heads the practice alongside Malcolm Lombers, and is considered ‘an expert in partnership matters, with bags of experience’. Gary Milner-Moore is also recommended. Clients include Atticus Capital LP and PwC.

Lewis Silkin LLP has built up a ‘quality partnership team that is a genuine pleasure to work with’. The practice straddles both contentious and non-contentious matters, jointly led by ‘sensible, commercial and experienced’ litigation partner Clive Greenwood and ‘top-flight non-contentious expert’ Fergus Payne. Newly promoted and ‘easy-to-work-with’ partner Miguel Pereira rounds out the team.

Finers Stephens Innocent LLP has been active advising in relation to forced departures and renegotiations of partnership terms. It also has strong non-contentious partnership structuring capability, handling a significant number of commercial and family transactions involving partnership vehicles. Robert Craig heads the practice.

Lynne Abbess’ partnership practice at Hempsons is ‘highly recommended for any individual who is considering setting up a medical partnership’, and is consistently rated for its ‘top-class service’. Her team advises both private and public third-sector clients on a range of contentious and non-contentious partnership matters, and also advises individual solicitors and architects.

At Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP, Jane Howard provides non-contentious, transactional expertise, while Geraldine Elliott, Andrew Hodge, who recently joined from Wragge & Co LLP, and Cath Thorpe handle contentious matters. Collectively the team ‘applies excellent commercial sense in its legal advice’. Barry Stimpson left for Davies Arnold Cooper LLP.

Slaughter and May’s strengths on the corporate front translate into a broad range of transactional advice in relation to partnership and LLP structures, and particular strength in the use of partnership structures for investment vehicles, pension funds and joint ventures. Jeff Triggs and Paul Dickson are the key figures.

Peter Bohm is recommended at Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP.

Andrew Cromby at Bracher Rawlins LLP has ‘moved into the small inner circle of experts truly focused on and experienced in partnership law and practice’.

Bristows’ team includes Iain Redford, who took over as practice head from John Lace in 2010, and ‘intellectually and technically strong’ partner Marek Petecki.

Alon Domb’s team at Davenport Lyons ‘compares favourably on personal service and cost grounds’.

Kingsley Napley LLP was boosted by the arrival of ‘real star’ Michelle Chance from Fox.

The ‘highly impressive’ Graham Barber and Jonathan Lewis are recommended at Olswang.

Stephen Ralph joined Penningtons Solicitors LLP from Dawsons LLP, and is a leading figure for contentious matters.

Winckworth Sherwood has ‘taken a quantum leap in its partnership practice’, thanks to the lateral hire of Jo Keddie from Dawsons LLP.

Search News and Articles

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

Press Releases in the UK

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to
© 2012 www.legal500.com