The Legal 500

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s position in the market remains strong and the corporate team continues to garner some classy mandates. The group has standout expertise in the building society sector, having acted on all 15 of the last building society mergers. Regional strength is clear too, with the team advising SSP Holdings on the £198m LBO by Hellman & Friedman, one of the largest deals done in Leeds in 2008. Paul Devitt heads the team, which features the highly capable Yunus Seedat, Adam Bennett and Ian McIntosh.

‘Cool under pressure‘, Jonathan Procter leads a team at DLA Piper UK LLP that is described by clients as ‘one of the most professional around. Its business-focused attitude and responsiveness to client needs differentiates it from its competitors’. The team attracts a broad base of work, including some of the most enviable pieces of work going. Most notably, the team advised Foodvest on the £1.2bn sale of Foodvest Equity, one of the largest private equity deals of 2008.

Keith Froud’s six-partner team at Eversheds LLP handles work on a regional, national and international scale. Instructed across a wide variety of mandates, in 2008 the group advised SPX Corporation on the £250m acquisition of APV from Invensys. The team also handled a significant amount of work for regional client Spice, notably advising it on a £300m move to the Official List. Robin Johnson and Robin Skelton are recommended. David Strachan left the firm in 2008 to join Schofield Sweeney Solicitors.

Pinsent Masons LLP offers ‘excellent service and strength in depth’, and practice head Andrew Kerr is ‘very client focused, realistic and ensures a valuable service’. Rob Hutchings and Martin Shaw ‘both demonstrate broad commercial knowledge’, while Martin Priestley is ‘very responsive and personable’. 2008 highlights included advising Asda Wal-Mart on the high-value auction sale of Gazeley to Economic Zones World. The firm attracts a varied and high-quality client base, which includes the Metropolitan Police Service, SIG and Yule Catto. ‘The firm is an excellent fit for companies seeking first-class work on a national basis’.

Walker Morris’ impressive corporate department focuses on three main areas; private equity, public company and M&A work. In 2008, the group advised Tunstall on its £514m acquisition by private equity firm Charterhouse Capital Partners. The team, which is led by the highly regarded Peter Smart, also acted for Cattles on its £200m rights issue. Ian Gilbert is recommended for his excellent private equity know-how.

Hammonds LLP is traditionally known in the Leeds market for its private equity strength, an area which has undoubtedly taken a hit over the past year. However, the firm has remained active, and 2008 saw it advise Gartland Whalley and Barker on a complex transaction involving the recommended cash offer and capital reduction of the company by scheme of arrangement. Clients say the team is ‘excellent in personalities, quality of advice and responsiveness’, with department head Steven Glover is singled out for particular praise. Nick Watson left the firm in 2008.

The team at Cobbetts LLP had a very busy year and is a real alternative to Leeds’ ‘Big Six’. Highlights included acting for Leeds-based Ultralase on a series of heavyweight transactions, including its £174.5m acquisition by 3i. Department head Guy Jackson offers ‘experience, commerciality and a common-sense approach’. Although the firm lost Piers Burgess, who left in 2008 to go in-house, it was boosted by the arrival of Daniel O’Gorman from Clarion Solicitors LLP. Maurice Cowen and Patrick Mitchell are rated. ‘The key difference is that they are able to bring a practical application of their legal skills to any transaction.’

Watson Burton LLP fields a ‘responsive and proactive team that takes time to get to know its clients’. The group is led by Lester Wilson, who is described as ‘simple to deal with and great at focusing on the commercial points’. The team handled some high-profile Yorkshire-based work during 2008/9, including acting on the BIMBO of Birkby’s Plastics, and benefited from the arrival of Duncan Reid from Ward Hadaway. ‘A calming influence in a stressful situation, they are very personable as well as professional and knowledgeable’. Andrew Walker is well respected in the region.

Led by Nigel Hoyle, the ‘flexible and consistently timely’ Brooke North LLP corporate team has seen a rise in the level of restructuring work, particularly within the food and drink industry, and is increasingly working nationally. Highlights included advising Masternaut in the sale of a series of businesses to Homeserve.

Clarion Solicitors LLP’s corporate offering is led by Richard Moran. This strong regional practice is recognised as up and coming in the market, having handled some good work over the past year, including advising the shareholders of WB White Foundry on its multimillion-pound disposal to the management. New clients for 2008 included Academy Leisure and the Cedar Court Hotels Group.

John Holden leads Gordons LLP’s Leeds and Bradford-based corporate teams. Recent highlights include advising Warwick International in a £129m buyout, and the team continues to be kept busy by key client Morrisons. Other significant work included acting for Brulines on a series of corporate transactions.

Irwin Mitchell LLP’s Leeds-based corporate offering was strengthened by the recent arrival of Paul Johnson, previously of Keeble Hawson. Kevin Cunningham heads the four-partner team, which also features the extremely capable James Bullock and Simon Cuerden. Standout work for 2008 included advising Seven Seas on the disposal of its pet and animal healthcare division to Bob Martin UK.

Langleys enjoyed an active year and, despite difficult conditions, won some significant new clients, including Sheppee International, Longhawk Insurance Group and Gutteridge Haskins & Davey. Andy Kay leads the four-partner team, which was strengthened in 2008 by the recruitment of Tony Maione formerly of Warwickshire County Council. Recent highlights include advising on the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Sheppee International Limited by its management.

Led by Bob Harrap, Lupton Fawcett LLP’s ‘competent and practical’ corporate department enjoyed a good standard of regional work during 2008, including acting for CR Marsden on the sale of Marsden’s Caterers of Sheffield. The group also advised Lidget on the acquisition of Lindapter from Tyco.

Denison Till’s three-partner team is led by Alistair Duncan, and features Andrew Lindsay and Martin Frost. Although much of the work the firm handles is regional, standout transactions for 2008 included advising on the cross-border sale of the entire issued share capital of Hanson Resource Management.

Led by the well-respected Philip Ashworth, Dickinson Dees LLP’s relatively young corporate team is making real strides in the region. Recent highlights include advising Soil Machines Dynamic on the £70m IBO by Inflexion. Other Yorkshire-based work includes acting for Horwarth Clarke Whitehill on its merger with Baker Tilly. According to one client, the team is ‘extremely professional and efficient. It is reassuring to work with such highly knowledgeable and trained professionals’.

Harrowells LLP’s corporate work is by no means confined to Yorkshire and is fairly broad in scope. Top-quality work for 2008 included acting for the vendors in the sale of Simpson Bros Auto Salvage to US salvage specialists Copart, as well as providing ongoing commercial advice to the Business Internet Directory. David Black leads the team.

The accomplished Jonathan Oxley leads Lee & Priestley LLP’s increasingly prominent corporate team. 2008 saw some great work, including advising on the £60m MBO of the Exemplar care home group. The partners ‘demonstrate a thorough knowledge and enthusiasm’, ‘exceed expectations’, and offer ‘an unusually good level of commercial experience’. Jonathan Priestley is recommended.

Schofield Sweeney Solicitors’ six-partner corporate team is increasingly making waves in the region and was recently boosted by the arrival of David Strachan from Eversheds LLP. The ‘down-to-earth and precise’ team handled some standout work in 2008, including advising on the MBI of SBV Fabrications and Site Services. The very able Chris Schofield leads the team.