United Kingdom > North West > Private client
Agriculture and estates
Agriculture and estates
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- Aaron & Partners LLP (Chester)
- Addleshaw Goddard LLP (Manchester)
- Brabners Chaffe Street LLP (Liverpool, Preston)
- Hibberts LLP (Nantwich)
- Hill Dickinson LLP (Chester)
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Cullimore Dutton (Chester) -
Napthens LLP (Preston) -
Neil Myerson LLP (Altricham) -
Oglethorpe Sturton & Gillibrand (Lancaster) - Walker Smith Way (Chester)
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Aaron & Partners LLP’s Richard Forrester and Simon Ellis provide advice across a broad range of areas. Key matters included advising farmers on refinancings and development options. It also acted for Denbighshire County Council on auctioning two farms to generate funds for upgrading a remaining agricultural estate.
Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s Alan Sturrock has considerable experience in agricultural and rural issues. The practice acts for a number of major estates, recently advising on a proprietary estoppel matter concerning a multimillion-pound estate and farm.
A ‘leader in landlord and tenant matters’, Brabners Chaffe Street LLP is also strong on other property issues. Rupert Jackson ‘cuts directly to the heart of the problem and provides practical solutions’; and John Withinshaw has ‘a wide range of skills relevant to the diverse matters that arise in agriculture’.
Hibberts LLP’s practice continues to flourish, with notable work including advising in relation to high-value dairy/mixed farms. Senior partner David Young is recommended.
Hill Dickinson LLP has a growing agriculture practice, led by Robin Jones. It retains links with agricultural mortgage lenders such as NFU Mutual and HSBC, and also acts for private individuals on matters including restructuring and partnership formation.
Cullimore Dutton advises on tenancies, rural diversification and options. David Mason and Rory Lea are both recommended.
Geoff Tomlinson heads the rural team at Napthens LLP, which advises on a range of both personal and commercial issues. Clients include the NFU.
Neil Myerson LLP receives instructions from a variety of agricultural clients in the region. Richard Lloyd is recommended
Oglethorpe Sturton & Gillibrand provides specialist advice, and has a long history in the area. Martin Gillibrand is an agricultural expert.
Walker Smith Way’s Richard Williams is recommended, and acts for several estates in the region.
Charities
Charities
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- Brabners Chaffe Street LLP (Liverpool, Preston)
- Hempsons (Manchester, Harrogate)
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- Addleshaw Goddard LLP (Manchester)
- DWF LLP (Liverpool)
- Pannone LLP (Manchester)
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- Aaron & Partners LLP (Chester)
- Hill Dickinson LLP (Manchester)
- Kuit Steinart Levy LLP (Manchester)
Clients are ‘impressed and delighted at the level of service’ at Brabners Chaffe Street LLP, which has an experienced charities partner in Stephen Claus. 2011 brought an increase in merger and transfer work, for clients such as Tullie House Museum. Another highlight was acting for PFA Benevolent Fund trustees in a tribunal case concerning the Attorney General’s recent reference on benevolent charities.
The team at Hempsons has ‘high standards and excellent communication skills’. New client wins include Heart Research UK and The Message Trust, and it continues to handle significant work for Christie’s. The ‘excellent’ Catherine Rustomji is based in Harrogate, and is praised for her ‘can-do attitude’.
Recent work for Addleshaw Goddard LLP includes advising charities increasing their involvement with commercial lenders and sponsors. Alan Sturrock is recommended.
DWF LLP draws on a cross-departmental team to advise on charity law matters. Notable work included advising the East Lancashire Masonic Charity on property development issues, and the Liverpool and Merseyside Theatres Trust on corporate governance matters.
Pannone LLP’s team is praised for its ability to convert ‘legal jargon into plain English’. It handles the full range of matters, including the transfer of services to the voluntary sector, and governance, development and funding issues. It continues to act for UK Biobank Limited and Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust.
At Aaron & Partners LLP, Simon Ellis deals with non-contentious charity matters.
Hill Dickinson LLP’s Mark Fitzgibbon advises on formation, regulatory compliance and restructuring matters, and is trustee and chair of all charities in The Big Life Group.
Kuit Steinart Levy LLP’s Graham Wood advise charities on tax issues, and also acts for sports clients on establishing charities.
Family
Family
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1
- DWF LLP (Manchester, Liverpool)
- Mills & Reeve LLP (Manchester)
- Pannone LLP (Manchester)
- Weightmans LLP (Knutsford, Liverpool, Manchester)
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2
- Brabners Chaffe Street LLP (Liverpool, Manchester)
- Gateley (Manchester)
- Hill Dickinson LLP (Liverpool)
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JMW Solicitors LLP (Manchester) - Laytons (Manchester)
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Linder Myers LLP (Manchester) - Russell Jones & Walker part, of Slater & Gordon Lawyers (Manchester)
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Stephensons Solicitors LLP (Manchester)
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3
- Aaron & Partners LLP (Chester)
- Forbes (Blackburn, Preston, Chorley)
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George Davies Solicitors LLP (Manchester) - Irwin Mitchell (Manchester)
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Morecrofts LLP (Liverpool, Crosby, Birkenhead) - SAS Daniels LLP (Stockport)
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Stowe Family Law LLP (Altrincham)
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Cullimore Dutton (Chester) -
Gorvins (Stockport) -
Hague Lambert (Manchester)
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James Maguire & Co (Wilmslow) - KBL (Bolton)
- Slater Heelis LLP (Sale)
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- Hall Smith Whittingham LLP (Crewe)
- Hibberts LLP (Crewe)
- Walker Smith Way (Chester)
‘A market leader’, DWF LLP’s team has an overall ‘dedication to client care’. David Pickering is an ‘excellent tactician’, and has recently handled matters involving assets totalling over £100m; and Lesley Smythe has extensive experience in complex financial structures. Pauline McNamara maintains a strong reputation in Liverpool, and is a member of the Law Society’s Adult and Children’s Panel.
Mills & Reeve LLP provides an ‘excellent level of service’ to high-net-worth and high-profile clients. Nigel Shepherd is experienced in international issues, and the ‘kind, thoughtful and knowledgeable’ Alison Bull is also recommended.
Although it saw a number of departures in 2011, Pannone LLP still has a sizeable and experienced (and ‘refreshingly different’) team. Department head Andrew Newbury specialises in complex financial cases and is valued for his ‘calm manner and sensible approach’. Fiona Wood provides ‘expert guidance’, and Louise Halford specialises in child abduction matters.
Weightmans LLP’s team is led by Deputy District Judge Carole Atkinson, who has a ‘calm exterior, yet works furiously hard for her clients’. Atkinson handles high-value and complex claims, recently acting in a case involving assets worth over £50m. Fiona Davidson and Tina Dunn are noted for their ‘exemplary professionalism and client care’.
Brabners Chaffe Street LLP’s team, led by Helen Marriott, has seen an increase of instructions from high-net-worth clients. Paula Milburn joined from Hill Dickinson LLP, and has experience in representing business owners.
Gateley’s ‘client care is second to none’. Practice head Elizabeth Hassall is ‘extremely knowledgeable and professional’, and deals with high-value ancillary relief cases, often involving international elements.
The ‘very experienced and pragmatic’ Tricia Cottrell re-joined Hill Dickinson LLP’s Liverpool team from JMW Solicitors LLP. The practice represented a high-profile sports client in a Children’s Act matter, and is increasingly assisting on high-profile prenuptial agreements.
JMW Solicitors LLP hired Beth Wilkins and Catherine Jones from Pannone LLP, who are both considered leaders in the field. The team acts for several high-profile individuals, and is ‘proactive, professional, empathetic yet efficient’.
Although it has a relatively small team, Laytons provides a full service, regularly acting for high-profile clients and recently handling numerous high-value matters, including cases involving assets worth over £300m. Christine Barker heads the team, and Emma Gill is also recommended.
Linder Myers LLP provides ‘excellent service and support’, and is well respected for complex children matters. The practice is led by Janet Fleming, while Colin Davies has a partner liaison role. The firm’s merger with Rowlands Field Cunningham LLP added a number of lawyers to the team, including Tony Broadley.
Russell Jones & Walker, part of Slater & Gordon Lawyers’ department head Amanda McAlister is at the ‘top of her profession’. The team attracts high-profile clients in the areas of divorce and ancillary relief, and has invested in mediation services. It has also hired a specialist to assist with shari’ah law matters. Sarah Thompson is ‘extremely professional and also approachable’; and Lorraine Harvey is also recommended.
Stephensons Solicitors LLP advises clients in the Greater Manchester area, handling both Legal Aid and privately funded work. The team is led by Mike Devlin, who is a leading figure in his field.
Aaron & Partners LLP’s Richard Barge represents business owners/shareholders and their spouses. Notable cases included a first-of-its-kind application for a ‘show cause’ procedure, which was used to enforce an agreement regarding child financial provisions.
Forbes has a busy family practice, with David Parkinson and Dawn Baker both acting in high-value divorces.
George Davies Solicitors LLP’s department head Robin Charrot is ‘good at seeing the big picture’, and leads a team which is ‘focused, with a personable approach’. It has experience in high-value divorces, and in pre and post-nuptial agreements.
Irwin Mitchell’s ‘fabulous’ team was boosted by the arrival of the ‘tenacious’ Ros Bever from Mace & Jones, who continues to attract high-level work.
Morecrofts LLP’s full-service family law offering includes acting for Legal Aid clients and advising on children issues. Managing partner Helen Broughton is highly recommended.
SAS Daniels LLP is noted for its ‘strength in depth’. The highly experienced Shelley Hesford sits as a Deputy District Judge. Liz Bottrill and Shelley Chesworth are also recommended.
Marilyn Stowe at niche firm Stowe Family Law LLP is recommended.
Personal tax, trusts and probate
Personal tax, trusts and probate
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1
- Addleshaw Goddard LLP (Manchester)
- Brabners Chaffe Street LLP (Liverpool, Manchester, Preston)
- DWF LLP (Liverpool, Manchester)
- Hill Dickinson LLP (Liverpool, Manchester)
- Pannone LLP (Manchester)
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2
- Aaron & Partners LLP (Chester)
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George Davies Solicitors LLP (Manchester) -
JMW Solicitors LLP (Manchester) - Kuit Steinart Levy LLP (Manchester)
- Mills & Reeve LLP (Manchester)
- Weightmans LLP (Knutsford, Manchester, Liverpool)
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3
- Forbes (Preston)
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Gorvins (Stockport) - Laytons (Manchester)
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Linder Myers LLP (Manchester) -
Neil Myerson LLP (Manchester) - SAS Daniels LLP (Macclesfield)
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Stephensons Solicitors LLP (Leigh)
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Cullimore Dutton (Chester) - Hibberts LLP (Nantwich)
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Knights solicitors llp (Alderley Edge)
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Lawson Coppock & Hart (Manchester) - Stripes Solicitors (Manchester)
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Addleshaw Goddard LLP advises high-net-worth individuals on tax and trust issues, often handling work with an international element. The team also has expertise in succession planning matters for owner-managed businesses. Practice head Alan Sturrock delivers ‘excellent support’, and ‘very good-quality outputs’. Yorke Eaton is ‘very knowledgeable in trust law, and very user friendly’.
Brabners Chaffe Street LLP has the largest dedicated private client team in the North West. It acts for a number of sports personalities, and is highly regarded for its trusts work. The team was recently instructed on a range of complex tax and will planning matters. Mark Feeny, Richard Bate, Stephen Marriott lead the teams in Liverpool, Manchester and Preston respectively.
DWF LLP’s ‘excellent and very through’ team acts for various high-net-worth clients. Graham Ball leads the team and is praised for his ‘strong technical knowledge’. Paul Davies provides tax planning expertise, and recently handled a notable case involving a substantial will dispute.
The team at Hill Dickinson LLP advises in relation to substantial estates, the restructuring of settlements and international tax planning. Practice head Paul Baker is ‘very trustworthy and measured’. Sean Williams joined the team from Addleshaw Goddard LLP, and has ‘exceptional technical expertise’. Ian Sydenham was promoted to partner.
Hugh Jones leads a large, dedicated Court of Protection team at Pannone LLP, which deals with diverse mental capacity issues. Liz Braude leads the wills, trust and probate team, which was boosted by the arrival from Addleshaw Goddard LLP of Jane Lee, who has expertise in offshore trust and taxation issues. The firm has an ‘excellent rapport with clients, and provides excellent communication and extreme efficiency’.
Recent work for Aaron & Partners LLP includes assisting with the establishment of charitable trusts and capital tax planning. Clive Pointon is recognised for his Court of Protection work, and is also a notary public.
George Davies Solicitors LLP advises on charitable legacies and tax planning structures, and is noted for its ‘dedicated specialist services to the elderly’. The well-respected Tony Hall is a trustee for many family trusts. Zahra Siddiqui is recommended for her ‘clear, jargon-free manner’.
JMW Solicitors LLP is ‘a joy to work with’. Head of department Elaine Roche has an ‘accurate understanding of her subject, and can articulate very well’, and recently advised in a £200m cross-border tax matter. The team has also been advising on estate and succession planning matters.
Kuit Steinart Levy LLP acts for high-net-worth individuals including sports personalities. The team recently advised a number of clients with personal injuries wishing to establish trusts, involving complex mental capacity issues. Graham Wood handles all aspects of tax and trust law.
Mills & Reeve LLP’s knowledgeable’ team includes Deborah Clark, who ‘looks at matters from the whole perspective’. She advises entrepreneurs on complex tax issues, and is regularly instructed by high-net-worth individuals. Kathryn Graham joined the team from Cobbetts LLP.
Weightmans LLP’s experienced team handles the full range of tax, trusts and probate matters. The team continued to expand during 2011, with the hire of Shahida Jogi from Russell Jones & Walker, part of Slater & Gordon Lawyers and Richard Dobell from Cobbetts LLP.
Forbes’ team is led by Ian Howard. Recent highlights include advising on wealth protection and estate planning issues.
Gorvins’ Moira Percival is a Court of Protection deputy. David Cooney joined from Aaron & Partners LLP.
Laytons’ private client team includes Philip Laidlow, who specialises in tax matters, including offshore and estate planning.
Linder Myers LLP’s team is ‘very impressive’. Led by Andrew Cusworth, it provides a full service, and ‘excels in Court of Protection work’. Simon Heapy is also recommended.
Neil Myerson LLP works on the administration of high-value estates. Department head Amanda Freeman is ‘very competent and efficient, and a nice person to deal with’.
SAS Daniels LLP’s ‘very well-qualified team’ focuses on providing services to elderly clients. Recent work includes high-value estate planning and complex wills matters. Practice head Justine Clowes is ‘knowledgeable, and excellent at communicating’. Helen Kelly and Bik-ki Irving are also recommended.
Stephensons Solicitors LLP’s Olwen Williams is a Court of Protection deputy, and assists vulnerable clients. The department also deals with estates on a nationwide basis, via referrals from a national brokerage firm.