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Manchester is the corporate hub of the North West, and home to offices of all of the regional heavyweight law firms. Liverpool is also strong for smaller corporate transactions, public sector work, transport and commercial property. Chester is the centre of the bulk of the significant private client work, particularly agriculture, and northern cities such as Preston and Bolton are home to a number of good commercial firms, servicing the region’s SMEs and owner-managed businesses.

Addleshaw Goddard LLP has strength and depth across the commercial piece, and has the resources to consistently handle many of the region’s most significant matters. Able to tap into the firm’s wider national network, its Manchester-based lawyers are by no means limited to handling work in the region, and are regularly to be found driving work in other geographical areas or as an integral part of a national offering.

With a top-tier ranking in the majority of practice areas, DLA Piper UK LLP has an ‘outstanding reputation’ across the board, and features in many of the region’s most significant mandates, benefiting from strong ties with all the major clearing banks and a raft of top corporates and leading private equity sponsors in the region. Key deals included advising the management team on Pets at Home’s £955m secondary buyout by KKR.

2010 was a year of consolidation for Eversheds LLP following a period of a significant rationalisation nationally. Its strong roster of cash-rich public company clients helped in keeping the firm busy, on a significant number of major refinancings as well as some fairly sizeable acquisitions. Its balance of public and private sector clients has also assisted the firm in withstanding the vagaries of the economic downturn better than most.

Pinsent Masons LLP’s reputation in the region continues to grow beyond its recognised national strength in construction and projects work. The relatively recent recruitment of Matthew Morgan and Gregg Davison on the banking and corporate sides respectively has heightened the firm’s visibility in both areas, and has contributed to the firm now boasting one of the most complete private equity offerings in the region.

Beachcroft goes from strength to strength in the region, reflected in its move to new offices in June 2010. It is well known for the quality of its employment and insurance practices, and grew its property team with the hire of Eve Gregory from Eversheds LLP.

With offices in Manchester, Liverpool and Preston, Brabners Chaffe Street LLP has excellent coverage in the region, and the fact that the firm has not had to make any significant staff cutbacks during the past 18 months is indicative of a strong pipeline of work, particularly in corporate and commercial property. The firm has a very accomplished private client offering, and can also lay claim to one of the best sports practices not just in the region but also nationally.

Although Cobbetts LLP faced some issues as a result of the economic downturn, it has started to see a significant uptick in instructions in property and corporate, its two staple areas of strength. On the property side, the firm is involved in a number of key regional projects, including its ongoing work for Peel Holdings in relation to MediaCity:UK.

DWF LLP continues with its growth strategy, on the corporate side and also in banking, where it recently secured the services of heavyweight Jonathan Edwards from Squire Sanders Hammonds.

Gateley is a new entrant in the market following its absorption of most of Halliwells’ Manchester office, although not its defendant-focused insurance practice, which went to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP.

Hill Dickinson LLP has made tremendous strides in the region, largely as a result of taking on the whole of Halliwells’ Liverpool office, and is now a formidable force in both Liverpool and Manchester, providing a full service to a broad mix of private and public sector clients.

Pannone LLP is deeply entrenched in the fabric of Manchester’s business and private client community. Particularly strong in claimant clinical negligence and personal injury, the firm’s full-service offering also sees it pick up impressive mandates in commercial litigation and employment, among other areas.

Squire Sanders Hammonds’ Manchester office had an interesting year, seeing the firm’s US merger and also appointing a new managing partner in Jane Haxby. It continues to do well in the region across a plethora of practice areas, acting for high-calibre clients such as BASF, INEOS, Manchester Airport, Princes Foods and RBS.

Following its merger with Mace & Jones in May 2011, Weightmans LLP employs more than 770 people in the North West. The combined entity provides a full service, although it has particular strength in private client and insurance.

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