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The ‘excellent’ Osborne Clarke continues to dominate the transactional market, with a large team that is praised for its ‘tireless efforts’ and ‘reliable, reasonable and pragmatic advice’. It advised new client Kerridge Commercial Systems on its £12.4m management buyout, and also represented Affiliated Computer Services in its £8.75m acquisition of the share capital of Spur Information Solutions. In July 2010, James Massy-Collier advised Avanti Communications on its £70m AIM placement to repay a PIK bond and fund a new satellite. Sara Valentine and Russell Bowyer lead on the corporate and commercial sides respectively. Robert Wood made partner in 2010, and is noted for private equity and venture capital work.

Shoosmiths has a superb reputation for its ‘excellent service’ and ‘immediate responses’, and is particularly noted for private equity work. The ‘cost-effective, professional and experienced’ team delivers ‘appropriate and genuinely commercial advice’, with clients singling out the ‘knowledgeable and efficient’ Nigel Thorne, who offers a ‘very high level of personal service’ and is ‘always able to find the answer to any issues’. Thorne recently led in advising Provexis on a £25m equity facility. Emma Gibson has private equity expertise and acts for Maven Capital Partners and August Equity, with ‘very commercial and pragmatic’ partner Paul de Vince acting for blue-chip companies including IKEA and Mattel. Jon Bartley is also recommended.

‘One of the best law firms’ in the region, Blake Lapthorn has a ‘broad range of skills and depth of experience across all areas of business’ and fields a ‘responsive’ corporate team in Oxford, which can call on region-wide resources for support where necessary. Corporate finance expert Edward Lee is ‘straight, honest, highly intelligent’ and ‘contactable day or night’. Nicola McConville, who has a ‘pragmatic approach’, advised the University of Oxford and the founder shareholders of Intelligent Sustainable Energy regarding its share disposal. The team also has notable green energy expertise.

Boyes Turner fields six partners who focus on corporate and commercial matters, with Robert Rice heading up the corporate team, and the ‘excellent’ Mark Blunden leading on the commercial side. The ‘very professional’ group delivers ‘rock-solid advice’, and advised Culligan on the sale of its subsidiary company to Austrian water technology company BWT. New clients include Cambio Healthcare and 2heads Global. The ‘impressive’ Rachel Fitzpatrick is ‘excellent in every respect’ and has ‘great skill and diplomacy’. Philip Tranter is also recommended.

Manches LLP’s ‘very strong’ practice provides ‘clear and trusted advice’, and is split into a six-partner corporate team led by the ‘experienced’ David Tighe, and a three-partner commercial team headed by the ‘decisive and clear’ Chris Shelley. On the corporate front, the team recently advised Williams F1 on its proposed listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and continues to advise a host of universities in funding deals and related venture capital work. The commercial group advises clients from the IT, life sciences and technology sectors. The Reading office fields ‘very good’ partners Justin Starling and Rob Hayes, and in Oxford Patrick Baddeley is ‘excellent’. Catherine Rohll made partner in 2010.

The highly regarded Andrew Peddie heads up the team at Pitmans LLP, which has particular strength in the technology sector. It advised 2e2 Group on the terms of its joint venture with O2 and Telefónica, and added Luther Pendragon Holdings to its client roster in 2010. Stephanie Perry acted for car dealership group Ridgeway on its £4.5m acquisition of VW dealerships, and the ‘very good’ Adam Dowdney advised on the management buyout of Guralp Systems backed by Primary Capital. Former practice head John Hutchinson remains at the firm, but now focuses on private equity work.

Blandy & Blandy LLP retained its place on the Lloyds TSB and Cemex legal panels in 2010; additional highlights included advising the shareholders of FE Mobile on the sale of share capital to Temenos (UK), and representing Just Kampers in a management buyout. Nick Burrows and David Few are singled out for their experience, and commercial contracts expert Deborah Brett is a ‘good communicator’ with a ‘high level of understanding’. Clients include PreVisor UK and Post Haste Group.

Providing ‘bespoke services’ to technology sector clients in Oxford, Charles Russell LLP impresses with its ‘quality of staff’, ‘high-quality legal advice’, and ‘reasonable fee levels’. The team acted for new client P2i on a venture capital funding matter, and also represented AIM-listed Transense Technologies on a £2.5m placing and offer for subscription. The ‘very knowledgeable and responsive’ William Axtell has a ‘practical approach’, and Mark Howard is ‘technically very good, commercially aware and pragmatic in his approach’. Peter Elliott relocated to the firm’s Geneva office in 2010.

The team at Clarkslegal LLP is noted for its growing experience in the clean technology sector. In 2010, practice head Kevin Byrne advised Dutch company Royal Ten Cate on its £10m acquisition of AML Group. The group also added AIM-listed eg solutions to a client roster that includes Trada Technology and Carillion.

With expertise in tax, corporate restructurings and private equity, the ‘excellent’ team at Field Seymour Parkes ‘communicates effectively’ and is ‘consistently accurate and professional’. The group’s response times ‘exceed expectations’, and practice head Mary Pears is ‘competent, intelligent, consistent and dedicated’. ‘Pragmatic and commercial’ partners Jeremy Parkes and Ian Wood-Smith are also recommended. Key clients include Sackville Property Developments.

Henmans LLP’s team, led by Malcolm Sadler and assisted by the very able Rachel McCullough, is known for advising entrepreneurs, SMEs and technology sector clients. Sadler recently advised on the MBO of Oxford Cryosystems, and also assisted the shareholders of Radcliffe Publishing in its sale to Electric Word.

‘Outstanding in every way’, Morgan Cole’s team provides a ‘high level of service’. It advised gaming business Rank on the disposal of its railside pitch portfolio, and also advised Scalable Communications on its £7.5m acquisition by Alternative Networks. Michael Stace is a ‘very commercially minded lawyer’. Guy Constant and Bruce Potter are also recommended.

‘The best law firm in Newbury by a long way’, Thomas Eggar LLP won Centrix, Rebound Technology and English Provender as new clients in 2010. Led by John Riddick, the team advised AIM-listed company Lonrho on a $70m convertible bond issuance. It also advised Parker Knight Holdings on its sale to Survitec Group. Leon Arnold relocated to the firm’s Southampton office in 2010.

Spratt Endicott impresses with its ‘professional and effective approach, varied expertise and sensible fee structure’. John Spratt and Hitendra Patel are ‘outstanding’, and the team is rated for its ‘consistent, high-quality advice’.

White & Black Legal LLP is ‘pragmatic’, ‘able to give focused and practical advice’, and ‘always prepared to go the extra mile’. Providing ‘swift and understandable advice’, John Allen and Phil Riman are both ‘very commercial and to the point’. Riman is rated for his technology sector expertise. Phil Thompson and Mark Hodac are recommended.

Brian Auld’s team at Brethertons LLP delivers ‘excellent service’, and has experience advising on MBOs and advising schools on becoming academies.

Clifton Ingram LLP’s reputation for ‘great personal service’ is in part due to the ‘very diligent and flexible’ Bill Annan, who has experience advising European and US-owned businesses.

‘Excellent on all counts’, Darbys Solicitors LLP regularly acts for shareholders on M&A matters. Nick Hedges advised Cross Country Caravans on the £3.2m sale of Fayre Oaks Home Park to another home park provider. Associates Jonathan Williamson (who ‘maintains ownership of the task until completion’) and Sian Champkin (who is ‘very professional and friendly’) are recommended.

Derek Rodgers’ team at Gardner Leader LLP advised Highclere Enterprises on the location agreement for ITV drama Downton Abbey. Other clients include investment fund manager YFM Equity Partners.

The ‘very approachable and understandable’ Richard Baxter joined Withy King LLP in 2010 from Rochman Landau to head up the corporate team. Clients rate its ‘focused and practical advice’, and include Heat Transfer Technology and Leiki UK.

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Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

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    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
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  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
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  • A justified retrospective

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  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

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  • Public Sector Equality Duty

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  • Immigration update May 2012

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Press Releases in the UK

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