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Higgs & Sons ‘compares well with established City firms on ability, but charges provincial rates’. Lucy Obrey and Robert Leek are ‘extremely good lawyers’: ‘sensitive, understanding, efficient, and most of all, knowledgeable’. Nick Moxon is ‘personable, hardworking and diligent’.

Lodders Solicitors LLP has been busy advising on the reorganisation of family trusts, particularly for property clients, and is currently advising on setting up a family investment company worth over £10m. Martin Green and Stephen Brignull ‘always put the client’s interests first’.

Martineau regularly advises clients worth tens of millions of pounds, and recently advised on the establishment of death-in-service trusts for several plc pension fund trustees. The team is ‘prompt, efficient and responsive’, and can ‘explain complex trust arrangements in plain English’. Keith Dudley and Lesley Davis are recommended.

Mills & Reeve LLP advised on the restructuring of a £60m family investment company/trust arrangement, and acted on the demerger of a private investment company worth £100m into two companies. Gary Barber leads the team.

Cobbetts LLP advised on setting up trusts to receive death-in-service benefits, and assisted a US lawyer with inheritance tax planning for UK and US based clients. Terry Cooper is ‘unflappable and very thorough’.

Knights solicitors LLP advised on a number of tailor-made tax planning schemes, and acted for a number of estates worth in excess of £20m. Lindsey Howland is ‘good, thoughtful and supportive’, while Charles Jones is an ‘outstandingly professional solicitor with a mix of good technical skill and human understanding’.

Pinsent Masons LLP largely acts for trust companies, and recently advised the trustees of a large offshore unit trust on issues arising from a proposal to refurbish the trust property. Janet Hoskin leads the team.

Shakespeares’ Clare Laird focuses on tax planning for high-net-worth individuals, while Anne Tromans has extensive experience in advising private clients on onshore and offshore matters in Bermuda. The team was strengthened by the firm’s merger with Needham & James, which brought Finula Allen on board.

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP is best known for trust work related to personal injury/clinical negligence trusts. Consultant Jon Lloyd ‘responds promptly, is fully up to date, and gives appropriate advice’.

Against the background of the loss of the firm’s family practice in Birmingham, Robert Smeath’s team at Clarke Willmott LLP hired senior associate Gursharan Bunger from Young & Lee, and was appointed as successor to Arnold & Co Solicitors. Its focus is on advising Islamic clients.

FBC Manby Bowdler LLP’s Ian Fallon and Andrew Vernon ‘have wide knowledge and experience’, and ‘a high level of professional integrity’. Fallon is ‘very sensitive in his dealings with elderly clients’.

At Gateley, ‘very approachable and knowledgeable’ senior associate Adrian Mabe advised the beneficiaries of an £8m offshore trust.

Edward Rees’ team at Lanyon Bowdler successfully concluded the winding up of the CG Benstead Trust, and saw an increase in Court of Protection work and instructions relating to lasting powers of attorney.

Wright Hassall LLP’s team focuses on tax and estate planning for business owners, farmers and rural landowners. Charles McKenzie leads the team.

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  • Could Britain have tried Saif Gaddafi?

    Geoffrey Bindman comments on the limits of universal jurisdiction
    - Bindmans LLP

  • Procurement update: Court of Appeal rules on service concessions and implied contract claims

    In JBW Ltd v Ministry of Justice [2012] EWCA Civ 8 (16 January 2011), the Court of Appeal has analysed and applied recent Court of Justice case-law on the definition of “services concession” contract and made an important ruling on the availability in procurement litigation of claims based on an implied contract created by an invitation to tender.
    - 11KBW

  • Bindmans partner Tamsin Allen achieves High Court victory for phone hacking victims

    Tamsin Allen , who heads the firm’s media practice, has secured settlements against News Group Newspapers Ltd for the former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, Chris Bryant MP, Denis MacShane MP, journalists Joan Smith and Tom Rowland and Christopher Shipman.
    - Bindmans LLP

  • Greenwich Community Law Centre: High Court upholds withdrawal of funding from law centre

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2011] EWHC 3463 (Admin), the Administrative Court (Cranston J) has dismissed a challenge by a leading law centre to the decision by Greenwich Council to withdraw its funding of around £200,000 per year.
    - 11KBW

  • Pannu and ors v Geo W King Ltd and ors UKEAT/0021-23/11/DA

    The EAT has delivered judgment in this the first case to consider the “supply of goods” exception to the service provision change rules in the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (“TUPE”). The case concerned the supply of axle assemblies for vans built by a company within the General Motors group. James Goudie QC and Holly Stout appeared for two out of the three respondents. Instructing Solicitor was Jon Taylor of EMW Picton Howell LLP.
    - 11KBW

  • Clear Edge UK Ltd v Elliot and others [2011] EWHC 3376 (QB)

    Akhlaq Choudhury was junior counsel for the Claimants in this application for springboard injunctive relief in a team move context. The case was unusual in that the “team” comprised only three people and all of them had given due contractual notice of their termination (which notice had already expired in respect of two of the Defendants by the time of the application).
    - 11KBW

  • Kettling judgement disappoints protesters

    Protesters expressed disappointment with a Court of Appeal decision today to overturn a Divisional Court judgement on kettling and use of violent force against climate protesters on April 1 2009. The Divisional Court headed by its President, Sir Anthony May, and Mr Justice Sweeney, had concluded the police operations were “not lawful.”
    - Bindmans LLP

  • 11KBW welcomes David Stead as its Chief Executive

    11KBW is delighted to announce that David Stead will be joining Chambers as Chief Executive with effect from 18th January 2012. David is currently the Director of Marketing and Business Development at Gill Jennings & Every LLP, having held similar positions at Field Fisher Waterhouse, Eversheds and KPMG.
    - 11KBW

  • Marcus Pilgerstorfer joins 11KBW

    We are delighted to announce that Marcus Pilgerstorfer has joined 11KBW, Chambers and Partners Employment Set of the Year 2011.
    - 11KBW

  • Protest continues at Parliament Square

    Long standing protest continues at Parliament Square and efforts yesterday evening by the Metropolitan Police (supported by Westminster) to clear the area have not ended protest at this iconic location.
    - Bindmans LLP
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