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.