The Legal 500

Addleshaw Goddard LLP has strong senior and experienced talent in John Joyce and Ged Barnes. Clients include major corporates, traditional banks such as RBS and HSBC, and Big Four accountants. The firm is also representing distressed investors on a more frequent basis. In 2008, it advised a group of investors on the purchase of HSBC’s debt and security in relation to the Dipford Group.

Placed on many of the national clearing bank and asset based lender panels, DLA Piper UK LLP maintains a leading practice in the North West. The ‘responsive‘ team, led by highly regarded partner Peter Somekh, recently represented Ernst & Young as administrators of entertainment retail chain Zavvi. Martin Keates is also recommended.

With seven full-time partners in its Manchester and Liverpool offices, Halliwells has the largest insolvency department in the North West. It boasts representation on many of the asset based lender and clearing bank panels, and in 2008 gained new positions on Lloyds TSB’s and HSBC’s panels. Andrew Buchanan heads the national practice from Manchester.

The ‘excellent‘ and ‘knowledgeable‘ Andrew Gregory heads the business recovery unit at DWF LLP. It provides an ‘excellent level of service‘ and is equally known for personal insolvency work, with the firm frequently representing the Trustee in Bankruptcy. Paul Marsh is also recommended.

Eversheds LLP continues to be instructed on many of the headline insolvencies in the region and nationally. Having worked on the administration of Kwik Save in 2007, it advised the administrators of BS Construction and Sleep Depot in 2008. David Gray leads the team.

Manchester partner Susan Kelly is national head of Hammonds LLP’s ‘focused‘, ‘efficient‘ and ‘results-oriented‘ department. She has an excellent standing in the North West, where in 2008 she advised the management of David McLean (Holdings) on pre-administration options and the subsequent MBO of sections of its business from administration. Jeremy Reilly has joined Hill Dickinson LLP.

Sean McGrath heads Cobbetts LLP’s business restructuring department, which recently assisted MCR Corporate Restructuring on the high-profile administrations of Dipford Group plc and Duffer of St George Limited. Litigation partner Robert Turner also specialises in insolvency.

‘Prompt‘, ‘practical‘ and ‘cost conscious‘, George Davies Solicitors LLP is recommended for insolvency and restructuring matters in the sports sector. It is often engaged by the Professional Footballers’ Association in relation to clubs going into administration, an area in which Mark Hovell is ‘very knowledgeable‘ and experienced.

After a series of partner arrivals and departures, Hill Dickinson LLP was buoyed by the arrival of licensed insolvency practitioner Jeremy Reilly from Hammonds LLP in 2008. With the contentious abilities of Geraldine Ryan and Helen Rooney’s promotion to partner, the department now has an impressive senior echelon, known for its broad representation of local corporates.

Despite the departure of the widely respected Tom Cunnah, Mace & Jones retains a well-respected practice that represents several major IPs. Dominic Vincent joined the team from Halliwells in 2008, and links up with ‘very experienced‘ partner Graeme Jump. Clients acknowledge the ‘strength in depth‘ of the team and highlight its construction sector knowledge.

Pannone LLP’s recent highlights include a sequence of major retail sector restructurings and administrations, and an appointment to Nationwide Building Society’s business recovery panel. Richard Glithero heads the four-partner department, which is also recommended for personal insolvency work.

Pinsent Masons LLP is ‘proactive‘, ‘responsive‘ and ‘understands the business needs and processes‘ of clients. In 2008, the firm was appointed to Bank of Scotland’s corporate high risk panel and represented the administrators of Bowater Home Improvements (Zenith Staybrite). The ‘proactive‘ and ‘experienced‘ Jamie White heads the team.

The ‘can-do‘ attitude and ‘fast-to-react‘ approach of Turner Parkinson LLP has impressed many IPs in the region. Department head Mark Lund has a good ‘understanding of the legal and practical issues‘ that IPs face. The firm recently hired personal insolvency specialist David Higgins (‘approachable‘, ‘sound‘, and ‘effective‘) from the Leeds office of Cobbetts LLP. Clients include Leonard Curtis and MCR.

Aaron & Partners LLP is recommended for contentious oriented work and provides ‘excellent service‘ that is ‘great value for money‘. Nick Clarke is described as ‘an exceptional find‘ who provides ‘thorough‘, ‘clear and concise‘ advice.

Bermans has a strong profile in Manchester, with Philip Farrelly having an excellent reputation with insolvency practitioners such as Begbies Traynor.

Relatively new to Manchester, Freeth Cartwright LLP’s Joey Byrne represents a number of well-known national and regional IPs.

Gorvins has demonstrated a keen understanding of corporate turnaround and administrations, with Mark Deverell and Paul Lupton covering contentious and non-contentious matters respectively.

Laytons is widely recognised for its contentious capabilities, with Daniel Izza very much at the fore. The firm gains many of its instructions from IPs and has a particularly good record in the construction and retail sectors.

Nexus Solicitors has made good progress since the arrival of Andrew Tonge. Clients include KPMG, BDO and Leonard Curtis.

Blackburn’s Taylors is recommended for restructuring and corporate turnaround mandates. Department head Andrew Livesey is very experienced.

Clients have traditionally turned to Weightmans LLP for personal insolvency work, but its ‘good level of service‘, ‘commercial‘ approach and ‘good value for money‘ has led to a greater volume of corporate work. Michael Green is ‘commercial‘, ‘tenacious‘ and ‘quick to act‘, while Robert Jones is ‘approachable‘ and ‘knowledgeable‘.