United Kingdom > West Midlands > Finance
Banking and finance
Banking and finance
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- DLA Piper UK LLP Birmingham
- Pinsent Masons LLP Birmingham
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- Eversheds LLP Birmingham
- Gateley Birmingham
- Martineau Birmingham
- Squire Sanders Hammonds Birmingham
- Wragge & Co LLP Birmingham
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- Browne Jacobson LLP Birmingham
- Cobbetts LLP Birmingham
- Else Solicitors LLP Birmingham
- Freeth Cartwright LLP Birmingham
- Shakespeares Birmingham
- Shoosmiths Birmingham
DLA Piper UK LLP has a ‘strong and well-established team’ which provides ‘robust and commercial advice’ on large transactions, and is recommended for its experience in leveraged finance and asset based finance. Key partners are the ‘very responsive’ Brian Woolcock and Stephen Bottley, who has ‘strong technical knowledge’. The group advised Barclays, RBS and Santander on the acquisition funding for the Extra MSA motorway service station group. It also acts for Lloyds TSB and Lombard. James Crellin joined as a legal director from Eversheds LLP.
At Pinsent Masons LLP, the ‘very experienced’ Alice Broadfield and Matthew Heaton provide ‘grounded advice’, and legal director Graeme Walton ‘works towards a solution with clients’. The firm advised Santander and RBS on facilities for Birmingham International Airport, and advised Barclays Bank on corporate facilities for the University of Leicester. Other clients include Matrix and Lloyds Banking Group. The diverse practice is noted for its expertise in leveraged financing transactions, and in cross-border transactions.
Eversheds LLP has a ‘strong team’ under lead partner Pat Johnstone, who is recognised for her experience in leveraged financing and corporate lending. It advised Yorkshire Bank on the acquisition funding for the £60m management buy out of Synseal Extrusions by HIG Capital. It also acts for Birmingham International Airport and RBS, and has considerable cross-border capabilities. The ‘very competent and hardworking’ Patrick Davis was promoted to partner.
Gateley, under the leadership of the ‘consistently reliable’ Andrew Madden, secured numerous national panel appointments and is recommended for his experience in asset based lending and asset finance. The team advised Bank of Scotland, as agent, on financing the $65m acquisition by Dechra Pharmaceuticals of Dermapet Inc. The team attracts praise for its availability; ‘there is always someone on hand to deliver’.
Martineau has a ‘first-class team’ under the leadership of the ‘very experienced’ Ian Baker. Core areas of expertise include leveraged finance, asset finance and property finance, and it is experienced in high-value restructuring and turnaround transactions. Active clients include Santander and Yorkshire Bank. Naomi Tudor and David Doogan are ‘strong negotiators with a high degree of commercial flair’. The firm is on the panel of 12 banks.
Squire Sanders Hammonds has a ‘well-organised team’. Jon Bew, who ‘always finds a way of getting things done’, specialises in pan-European asset-based finance, and the ‘very practical’ David Adams advises on a broad range of national and cross-border deals. Standout matters included acting for Gresham LLP on the financing aspects of the £32.8m management buyout of Team Telecom Group.
Wragge & Co LLP’s international practice operates across Birmingham, London and Paris. A ‘highly respected and successful’ partner-led practice, its key individuals include Paula Laird and Chris Brierley, who ‘always delivers no matter how complicated the deal’. It advises on the full range of banking issues including UK and cross-border mid-market acquisitions, debt and leveraged finance deals, and Islamic financing transactions. Clients include BNP Paribas.
The ‘experienced’ Paul Ray at Browne Jacobson LLP leads a team that has received increased instructions in refinancing and restructuring matters and also in healthcare work, and is continuing to build its asset-based lending experience. It acted for the vendor on the banking aspects of the £80m sale of Synseal Extrusions. Active clients include AIB and RBS.
Cobbetts LLP advised NatWest on the provision of £18m development facilities to Drayton Manor Park Hotels. It acts for borrowers and lenders, and secured a number of key bank panel appointments in 2010. Ian Ilersic is ‘very experienced’, and has particular expertise in acting for banks in funding transactions in the healthcare sector.
Else Solicitors LLP’s key contact is Stephen Maskell. The team advises on issues ranging from security validation and perfection to factoring and invoice discounting.
Freeth Cartwright LLP’s clients include NAB Group and Santander. Phil Baigent and John Heaphy are joint heads of the department.
Vicki Simpson heads the team at Shakespeares, and has considerable experience in property financing. Major clients include West Bromwich Commercial and Islamic Bank of Britain. The practice also covers corporate banking and LPA receiverships.
Shoosmiths has recently been advising clients such as HSBC, Derwent Housing Association and Toyota Financial Services (UK). Helen Wilson is ‘efficient and committed’.
Insolvency and corporate recovery
Insolvency and corporate recovery
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1
- DLA Piper UK LLP Birmingham
- Eversheds LLP Birmingham
- Gateley Birmingham
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- Squire Sanders Hammonds Birmingham
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- Wragge & Co LLP Birmingham
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- Clarke Willmott LLP Birmingham
- Cobbetts LLP Birmingham
- Harrison Clark LLP Worcester
- Higgs & Sons Brierley Hill
- Martineau Birmingham
- Shakespeares Birmingham
- Shoosmiths Birmingham
- Sydney Mitchell Birmingham
- The Wilkes Partnership Birmingham
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- Beswicks Solicitors LLP Stoke on Trent
- Blakemores Birmingham
- Brindley Twist Tafft & James Coventry
- FBC Manby Bowdler LLP Wolverhampton
- Irwin Mitchell LLP Birmingham
- KJD Freeth LLP Stoke on Trent
- Knights solicitors llp Newcastle under Lyme
- Nicholls & Co Birmingham
- Pinsent Masons LLP Birmingham
- Wright Hassall LLP Leamington Spa
DLA Piper UK LLP, under the ‘very level-headed and experienced’ Huw Dolphin, handles a considerable amount of lender-driven restructuring and property-related insolvency work. Key mandates included acting for PwC/Bank of Scotland in the administration of a property holding company which holds various bingo halls around England and Wales; and advising HSBC/BDO on the administration of a chain of furniture retailers based in and around London. Other clients include Begbies Traynor, KPMG and Baker Tilly.
Eversheds LLP’s ‘strong team’ includes the ‘gifted and innovative’ Gemma Curtis and the ‘dependable’ Andrew Jordan, who is ‘someone you would want next to you in the trenches’. A successful year saw it advise on the restructuring of a number of high-profile corporates. A key mandate was acting for Begbies Traynor in the administration of the Wedgwood Museum Trust following the failure of the Wedgwood group. The team has an excellent reputation for restructurings in the real estate sector, and counts Lloyds Banking Group, PwC and Deloitte as clients.
Gateley’s sizeable team has an ‘excellent reputation’, and features the ‘top-notch’ Brendan McGeever and Mark Wilson. It acted for the joint administrators of Birmingham Development Company in relation to the Cube, a new mixed-use development scheme in the centre of Birmingham, and acted for the liquidator of a leading automotive manufacturer in the successful conclusion of a claim against its former administrators. Clients include Lloyds TSB, Deloitte and Zolfo Cooper.
At Squire Sanders Hammonds, the ‘very knowledgeable’ Stephen George heads a three-partner practice and is noted for his expertise in pensions deficit issues. Also recommended are the ‘very experienced’ Devinder Singh and the newly promoted Daniel French, who is ‘always available’. The firm advised PKF as administrators of Super Aguri F1, the Formula One motor racing team.
Wragge & Co LLP has a ‘very responsive team’ which includes Vicki Conway, who ‘gets the deal done’. It recently advised the administrators (John Whitfield, Paul Clark and Paul Williams) on the sale of the business of Legion Group and Legion FM. Jasvir Jootla has been promoted to director.
Clarke Willmott LLP has a ‘commercial and pragmatic approach’. It counts major names such as Bank of Ireland, BDO Stoy Hayward and Butcher Woods as clients, and continues to receive regular instructions on the personal insolvency side. Newly promoted partner Stephanie Slinn is a ‘strong team leader’.
At Cobbetts LLP, directors Alan Meiklejohn and recent addition Daryl Shorthose (formerly of Shoosmiths) are part of an ‘experienced and capable team’ which provides ‘proactive and robust advice’. Key mandates included acting for Begbies Traynor and RSM Tenon as administrators of Octavian. Zafar Rafiq left the firm.
Harrison Clark LLP, a ‘City-type firm for a provincial price’, has a well-regarded team that includes Jon Whitbread (who ‘comes up with solutions’) and the ‘excellent’ Dan Cambridge (now a partner). Highlights included acting for the management of Adroit Modular Buildings and the administrators of AIM-listed company Henderson Morley.
The ‘very knowledgeable’ David Ellis heads the team at Higgs & Sons, and associate Sunil Abbi is appreciated for his ‘no-nonsense approach’. Clients include Begbies Traynor, and Smith and Williamson. The team has seen a surge in s110 restructurings, and advises on personal insolvencies.
Martineau’s four-partner practice, led by Ian Baker, regularly advises on contentious matters, and restructuring work remains a major focus. The team includes Helen Readett, who is ‘willing to think outside the box’; and Sam Payne, who joined from Freeth Cartwright LLP. It advised King Sturge London on an LPA receivership concerning a development site.
The team at Shakespeares has seen some significant changes at a senior level; Carrick Lindsay and Robin Koolhoven left to set up their own practices, while Andrew Taylor joined from Irwin Mitchell LLP. Taylor is complimented for his ‘thorough advice’ and ‘ability to see the bigger picture’. Active clients include KPMG, Mazars and Islamic Bank of Britain.
Shoosmiths provides a ‘great service’ under the leadership of the ‘commercial’ James Keates. The team regularly advises funders to the automotive industry on distressed lending matters. High-profile deals included acting for MCR on the administration of Vergo Retail. Clients include Anglo Irish Asset Finance, Nationwide Building Society, and RBS Group.
Sydney Mitchell continues to receive sizeable instructions from insolvency practitioners such as KPMG and BDO, and referrals and recommendations from financial institutions such as AIB and West Bromwich Building Society. Kamal Majevadia heads the team, and associate Leanne Schneider-Rose is ‘technically very sound’.
The Wilkes Partnership has a niche, two-partner department which is led by David Cleary and concentrates on the SME market. It recently represented a liquidator in the recovery of funds from a Swiss bank account and in the repayment of unauthorised dividends.
Beswicks Solicitors LLP’s clients include national insolvency practitioners such as KPMG, Moore Stephens and Insolvency Practitioners Direct. Richard Preston is recommended, and the ‘pragmatic’ Richard Anderson joined the team from Grindeys LLP.
At Blakemores, Eddie Flanagan is the primary contact. The team is strong on the contentious side and handles some personal insolvency work.
Brindley Twist Tafft & James advises on a broad range of insolvency issues, from actions for misfeasance to recovery and enforcement. Mohammed Qasim is the main contact.
FBC Manby Bowdler LLP’s work highlights included obtaining a s127 validation order on 36 hours’ notice to preserve the business of a multimillion-pound mobile communications company. Brian Aikman is recommended.
Irwin Mitchell LLP acts for clients such as KPMG, HSBC and Leonard Curtis. Lead associate Michael Bennett is ‘knowledgeable and experienced’. Andrew Taylor left to join Shakespeares.
KJD Freeth LLP is advising on a number of claims against former directors, and has also been handling property acquisitions and sales for insolvency practitioners and other clients. Martin Cook heads the team.
Knights solicitors llp’s clients include Begbies Traynor and Moore Stephens. Areas of expertise include advising on the impact of insolvency on landlord and tenant relationships. Ian White is a key contact.
Nicholls & Co is a boutique practice specialising in insolvency, restructuring and directors’ disqualification. James Nicholls is ‘very straight talking and knowledgeable’.
Pinsent Masons LLP’s practice is primarily focused on bank-led transactional restructuring and insolvency work involving mid-market businesses, and acts for Deloitte and Barclays. Alastair Lomax heads the department.
Wright Hassall LLP acts for clients such as MB Insolvency and Tenon Recovery. The ‘very thorough and consistent’ Andrew Harris is recommended.