The Legal 500

Addleshaw Goddard LLP was engaged in many of the year’s standout deals, including advising the Co-operative Group on its £1.57bn acquisition of Somerfield, and assisting Cheshire Building Society on its merger with Nationwide Building Society. Other highlights for the ‘strong‘ team include acting for ATP International Group on its £74m secondary buyout. The firm was recently appointed to the Rolls-Royce legal panel. Jim Tully, Tim Hamilton and Richard Lee are recommended. Richard Thomas was recently promoted to partner.

DLA Piper UK LLP is widely recognised for the quality of the work it attracts. The ‘first-rate‘ team is led by Jonathan Watkins, who ‘develops long-term relationships and is technically excellent‘. M&A expert Stephen Devlin ‘has an outstanding and sharp intellectual mind coupled with an excellent negotiation style‘. Other recommended individuals include James Kerrigan and Yunus Maka who are ‘professional, approachable, knowledgeable and responsive‘. New clients this year included Crown Paints and Warwick Chemicals.

Eversheds LLP provides ‘excellent, comprehensive and well-judged advice‘, and Simon Masters’ ‘stamina and judgement are exceptional‘. Recent highlights include acting for Bodycote on the for £417m disposal of its testing business to a US private equity fund. Clients also include Barclays Private Equity, Kellogg’s, and London Scottish Bank plc. Edward Pysden leads the practice, and Alistair Cree is also singled out for praise by clients.

Halliwells is ‘able to deliver demanding requests in short time and under high pressure‘. Mark Halliwell is the national group head, while James Sheridan is among the partners singled out by clients. Craig Chaplin ‘has the right blend of technical, drafting and commercial skills‘. Recent highlights include advising the shareholders of Pontin’s Limited on its sale to Ocean Parcs. The group also advised the shareholders of luxury travel business, Carrier, on its disposal to Kuoni, the global travel group. Mark Dawson was promoted to partner in 2008.

Hammonds LLP’s corporate team is led by Darren Warburton, while the commercial practice is headed by Tom Bridgford, an expert on supply chain matters and franchising. Recent standout transactions include advising Money Controls on a manufacturing agreement relating to China worth £60m, and the firm has also been advising SSL (Durex) on commercial matters. Peter Donaldson, an expert in outsourcing and procurement, was promoted to partner in June 2008.

Pinsent Masons LLP advised AMEC on the £126.6m sale of its UK wind development business, and has further strengthened its private equity practice with the arrival of Gregg Davison from Hammonds LLP. The team advised new client win Phones 4 U on a £5m investment in the MBO of St Andrew’s Membership Services from HBOS. Helen Ridge is ‘very commercial and extremely organised‘, while Stephen Levy is ‘one of the best corporate/M&A practitioners in the market‘.

Brabners Chaffe Street LLP ‘gives practical, commercial advice‘, assisting clients on mid-sized corporate deals. Key mandates included assisting Sky Blue Sports and Leisure on its public offer for the acquisition of Coventry City FC, and advising on the £30m disposal of Flowcrete to US firm RPM International. Tony Harper is experienced at handling ‘complex issues‘ and is highly rated by peers. Mark Brandwood is recommended, and David Bowcock, who recently joined from Eversheds LLP, has ‘outstanding ability and understanding‘.

Cobbetts LLP has been active in the private equity arena, including acting for a consortium of investors for the acquisition of a London-based restaurant. The team also advised Salford City Council in connection with the Salford Innovation Park Project. Ian Riggs is singled out by clients for his industry knowledge, and ‘ability to empathise with clients‘. Paul Johnson is the lead partner.

DWF LLP has recently handled a range of M&A work, venture capital deals and public company work. Practice head Andrew Needham advised the directors of Vista Group on a recommended offer by Acorn Capital Partners on behalf of Purple Spot to acquire Vista Group.

Hill Dickinson LLP has attracted a large number of new clients including Rapid Realisations Fund. On the private equity side, deal highlights included the acquisition of Crown Paints from Akzo Nobel. Darryl Cooke leads the Manchester team and specialises in private equity transactions. Jane O’Sullivan is also recommended.

Pannone LLP is active in the mid market, and recently acted for Chevron Limited on the sale of part of its business to GB Oils for £21.9m. Amanda Howlett has acted for Kellogg’s on a range of contracts. In 2008 George Maynard joined the team from Addleshaw Goddard LLP; Stephen Roper joined from DLA Piper UK LLP; and Claire Alden was promoted to partner.

Beachcroft LLP’s Leila Porter is ‘a capable lawyer with the charm and people skills needed to help achieve the best result‘. The ‘professional‘ team, which is co-led by Ian Roberts, is focused on smaller plcs, private equity and M&A, and is on the panel of RBS, the Northwest Regional Development Agency, and Lloyds TSB Development Capital.

George Davies Solicitors LLP acts for clients across a variety of sectors including pharmaceuticals and retail, and advised Phoenix Healthcare on its purchase of Munro Wholesale Medical Supplies. The team also acted for the shareholders of a plant and equipment hire company on the £20m sale of its share capital. Chris Wilkinson heads the practice.

Robert Levy heads Kuit Steinart Levy LLP’s corporate and commercial practice and has recently carried out work for a property portfolio management company as well as advising a major high street clothing retailer. Clients include RBS, Accurist Watches Limited and financial services group AWD Group plc.

Mace & Jones ‘prides itself on delivering a great service to clients, and impressing them on each and every occasion‘. The ‘well-connected and commercial‘ Paul Raftery leads the team, which advised on the MBO of a division of GV Instruments. Alan Thompson ‘excels in maintaining client relations‘, while Sarah Walton ‘is a new partner already making a great name for herself‘. The team recently advised Slush Puppie on its acquisition of Quench Dispensers. Assistant Nancy Ryan is recommended by clients.

Laytons is ‘good at emphasising what is important commercially and what are the “nice to haves”, adopting a realistic legal view of what can be achieved‘. David Sefton and Barney Leaf are recommended by clients.

Nexus Solicitors recently advised on the £5m sale of Multidesign Holdings Limited to Mott McDonald Group, and acts for a number of clients in the media sector. Practice head Jamie Lloyd is recommended.

Turner Parkinson LLP is ‘an excellent mid-size firm providing value for money services across a broad range‘. Andrew Sturge demonstrates ‘foresight and “real world” best-practice application of the law‘.

Berg Legal’s practice head Stephen Foster continues to advise The Co-operative Bank. On the commercial side, the department has gained several clients in the medical care and manufacturing sectors.

Lawson Coppock & Hart has won a number of new instructions from overseas clients, and advises on commercial matters and shareholder disputes. Stephen Attree is the lead partner.

Lockett Loveday McMahon (LLM) has recently assisted with a number of MBOs, M&A transactions, restructurings and joint ventures. Ed Foulkes is ‘impressive, easily contactable and responds quickly to queries‘, and Paul Lockett and Rob Loveday ‘have a wealth of experience‘.

Stephensons Solicitors LLP assists owner-managed businesses. Kay Waddington heads the team.

Brabners Chaffe Street LLP’s nine-partner team ‘gives good advice with the right commercial focus‘, and recently acted on the sale of Neptune Hotels Limited. Mark Rathbone and Jeff Gilbanks are ‘very personable and friendly to deal with‘, while Nik White is ‘very commercial and highlights key issues well‘. Denise Walker heads the practice.

DLA Piper UK LLP regularly acts for regional clients such as Liverpool FC, which the team assisted on the buyback of its broadband business for £20m. The team, led by David Cadwallader, also advised on the acquisition of Crown Paints from Akzo Nobel Group, and assisted clients in Zimbabwe, Kenya and Angola.

The ‘outstanding‘ Sue Russell heads Halliwells’ Liverpool practice. Jonathan Brown and Craig Scott recently assisted one of the UK’s leading transport companies on several transactions including the £21m acquisition of London Southend International Airport.

DWF LLP’s Kieran Donovan advised Chemetall plc on its acquisition of the NDT business of Ely Chemicals, and the shareholders and management of the Vitaflo International Group on a £16m debt and equity investment.

Hill Dickinson LLP’s deals included the reorganisation of the WF Group and subsequent disposal of Woodward Foodservices Limited. Practice head Mike Jones is highly recommended, and has particular expertise in joint venture work. The team features several well-known names in the market, including Glyn Dale-Jones. Kathy Holuba and Roger Pointon have been promoted to partner.

Mace & Jones assisted Huws Gray on the acquisition of Wrekin Builiding Supplies. Bruce Robinson’s ‘strength lies in his detailed knowledge, giving clients confidence in his ability‘. Ian Hodgkinson is ‘sensible, commercial, pragmatic and makes every effort to work with the client‘.

O’Connors LLP is a specialist firm which combines corporate finance and corporate insurance expertise. Co-founding partner Mark O’Connor ‘is one of the best corporate/commercial minds in the North West‘.

Weightmans LLP’s team, led by Ian Vicary, is noted for its ‘commercial approach‘. A team led by John Schorah recently advised on the £4m sale of International Safety Group.

Lees Lloyd Whitley has a ‘capable practice‘ led by Tim Polding.

Aaron & Partners LLP has recently advised a number of local clients on mergers, demergers and reorganisations. The team ‘has the ability to act on its own initiative where appropriate, which indicates a level of trust which is helpful in securing deals‘. Lead partner Stuart Scott-Goldstone is noted for his ‘fast response times‘. The firm has recently opened an office in Manchester.

Keith Melling at DWF LLP’s Preston office recently acted for Leyland Exports on the acquisition of the share capital of Leyland Bus Parts.

Daniel Milnes heads Forbes’ broad corporate and commercial practice, which recently advised on the principal sponsorship deal for Blackburn Rovers FC. The team has also assisted with a number of acquisitions and disposals over the past year.

Gorvins regularly assists on corporate sales, purchases and reconstructions. Recent highlights include acting for the shareholders in the £12.5m sake of KDC Contractors Limited to management. The team is led by Paul Lupton and Andrew Curwen, who is ‘technically strong‘ and ‘a good negotiator, with good communication skills‘.

Jonathan Shorrock is the lead partner at Kippax Beaumont Lewis, where Phil Stephenson is also recommended.

Stephensons Solicitors LLP is ‘one of the top firms regionally‘ and recently won the panel work to provide legal services to Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust. Nick Yates is ‘efficient and adaptable‘.

Highlights for Brabners Chaffe Street LLP’s Preston team included assisting HBOS in its £7m funding of the acquisition by Taylor Hotels of Westmorland Hotels. John Boydell is the lead partner.

Corporate Blue is a specialist corporate firm based in Bolton.

Hill Dickinson LLP recently advised local client Chester Zoo on the Chester Superzoo project.

At Neil Myerson Solicitors, M Akeel Latif acts for a number of travel and leisure clients, as well as several charities.

Lees & Co provides ‘valued service, accuracy and expertise‘.

At Napthens LLP, Andrew Clare heads a team which recently welcomed James Allison from Pannone LLP.

Slater Heelis Collier Littler’s Peter Townsend and Jeremy Orrell are ‘accessible, knowledgeable and go beyond what is expected of them to achieve results for their clients‘.

Elaine Hurn is the key figure for Taylors.

Ed Jenkins leads Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s tax practice, which counts British Telecom, Capita, Aviva, and Sainsbury’s as clients, and is noted as ‘proactive, helpful, and easy to deal with‘. It advised the Co-operative Group on its acquisition of Somerfield. Justine Delroy was promoted to partner in 2008.

David Thompson is the lead partner in DLA Piper UK LLP’s corporate tax practice in Manchester, while associate Stephen Jones splits his time between the firm’s Manchester and Liverpool offices. The team has assisted with private equity tax planning, general corporate matters, and M&A support, and recently assisted Modus Properties Limited on the establishment of its property fund and various acquisitions.

Eversheds LLP runs a Northern tax team, with Deneze Hastings the lead partner in Manchester. Strengths include private equity.

Hammonds LLP recently advised Lucite and its shareholders on the tax and share incentive aspects of its US$1.6bn sale to Mitsubishi Rayon. Fiona Sutherland is the lead partner, and the team includes associate Patrick Ford, who recently advised on the tax aspects of the sale of Manchester City Limited.

Pannone LLP advised the shareholders and directors of Taylormade Betting on the tax aspects of investment into the company. Simon Moulden is the lead partner.

Cobbetts LLP’s ‘excellent‘ tax practice benefits from the ‘strength‘ and ‘technical knowledge‘ of practice head Haydn Rogan. The team assisted with the drafting and preparation of a US$200m share scheme for a Russian listed utilities group.

Bernard McIlroy recently arrived from Hammonds LLP to lead Halliwells’ tax practice, while Tony Hennessy has retired from the firm. Recent highlights include advising a large international group on National Insurance arrangements and mitigation.

At Hill Dickinson LLP, Saad Ahmed is noted as ‘good at communicating the tax issues on warranties in non-technical language to ensure all members of the team understand‘. The ‘efficient and competent‘ team provided tax advice to the management in the MBO of Crown Paints.

Pinsent Masons LLP’s team is ‘on top of detailed issues and follows up on time in a calm and pragmatic manner‘. Lead partner Lynette Jacobs is ‘very approachable and a “breath of fresh air”, with strong verbal reasoning and analytical skills‘. Senior associate Ian Fyffe, who recently joined from Olswang, has a ‘clear and precise written communication style‘.

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s practice spans mergers, competition litigation, cartels, and contentious and non-contentious EC procurement work. Phil McDonnell heads the eight-partner national team, which provides ‘a high level of service and expertise coupled with a good commercial empathy‘. The team recently acted for Albion Chemicals on the Competition Commission inquiry into the BOC/Ineos chlorine packaging merger. New clients include Manchester City Council.

Leeds-based Adam Collinson heads Eversheds LLP’s northern competition practice. Investigatory work has dominated this year, spanning cartels, abuse of dominance and market enquiries. The group has also handled merger control work, including obtaining clearance for Dairy Crest in its acquisition of East of England Cooperative’s milk business. Clients also include Centrica, and Transport for London.

Hammonds LLP’s competition team is led by the ‘excellent‘ Diarmuid Ryan, whose ‘client skills are second to none‘. The team offers cross-jurisdictional capacity and has been very active in 2008. Highlights included representing Aldi Stores before the Competition Commission, and advising Illinois Tool Works on its unsuccessful US$2.1bn bid to acquire Enodis plc.

DWF LLP recently advised Kwik Save in obtaining OFT clearance for its disposal of stores to Tesco, and has developed a niche in advising clients on competition inquiries into the groceries market. Laurence Pritchard is the lead partner.

Amanda Howlett is the lead partner at Pannone LLP, where clients include Chevron, Stirling Lloyd and The Society of Podiatrists. In 2008, Tim Hayes continued to act in relation to the SFO prosecution’s of an alleged cartel in the pharmaceutical industry.

Cobbetts LLP’s practice was bolstered by the 2008 arrival of former Hammonds LLP Brussels partner, Jonathan Branton. The team has recently been handling merger control and public procurement work, and advised Leeds City Council in relation to the public procurement of a developer partner for an arena in Leeds.

At Halliwells, Jonathan Moakes recently advised a major retailer in relation to a competition enquiry by the OFT into the tobacco industry.