The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Birmingham, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP is a ‘"one-stop shop" for comprehensive pan-European legal advice’. The team is experienced in complex deals, recently acting for Sims Group in its acquisition of Dunn Brothers and for E.ON UK in its sale of Corby Power to ESB International. Its impressive roster of clients includes Mitchells & Butlers, National Grid, Rolls-Royce and HSBC Private Equity. James Trevis is ‘practical and commercial’, and Keri Rees is ‘hardworking and bright’. The ‘commercial and robust’ team is also recommended for its private equity expertise.

Within Corporate tax, tier 4

Eversheds LLP’s Andrew Quayle divides his time between Manchester and Birmingham, and has particular expertise in employee share incentive arrangements. Damian Shirley heads the indirect tax unit, and has extensive experience in capital projects in the education sector.

Within EU and competition, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Richard Prowse is a key contact at Eversheds LLP. The team advised Dover Harbour Board on the s31 Harbour Act proceedings under which the ferry operators challenged the level of the 2010 and 2011 harbour duties. Other significant clients include Severn Trent and Birmingham Airport. The firm remains active in the areas of investigations, dawn raids and state aid.

Within Licensing Licensing

Within Banking litigation, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Notable for its international reach and focus on complex work, Eversheds LLP has a ‘very strong team’ acting for clients such as Barclays, HSBC and National Australia Bank. Head of department Chris Busby provides ‘clear, commercial and pragmatic advice’. He has led on a number of high-profile matters, including providing strategic advice on PPI litigation claims and advising four high street banks on FSA regulatory issues. The team acted for a major bank on a £50m-plus lending fraud case involving a large portfolio of companies.

Within Commercial litigation: Birmingham, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP provides a ‘first-class service’. It has considerable expertise in the energy and utilities sectors, advising clients such as National Grid and Severn Trent. It is also renowned for its experience in inquiries and investigations. It is advising Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Public Trust in the inquiry regarding Mid Staffordshire Hospital. Other major clients include the Volvo Group UK and Dover Harbour Board. Chris Busby is a ‘master tactician’, and the ‘very knowledgeable’ Mark Surguy is recommended on the fraud side. Diane Bennett left to join Harvey Ingram LLP.

Within Banking and finance, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP has an ‘accessible and responsive team’ with particular expertise in asset based lending. It advised Bloor Homes/Triumph Motorcyles on a large refinancing by a banking syndicate; and also advised RBS on the refinancing of Cordant Group. The ‘vastly experienced’ Patrick Davis is a ‘problem solver’, and Alistair Hardie is ‘very commercial’. Clients include Santander, Handelsbanken and Barclays. Senior associate Richard Davies is ‘very competent’.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP’s team ‘remains commercial and focused’ under the leadership of the ‘clear and concise’ Andrew Jordan. The team works with the main clearing banks, assets based lenders and the big four accountants on large-scale restructuring assignments. Key mandates included advising Barclays and Grant Thornton as administrators on the pre-pack sale of the business and assets of parts of the Orchestra Group to Communisis. Deloitte, Santander and RBS are also clients. Gemma Curtis is praised for her technical ability.

Within Employment, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP’s team is ‘very responsive’; the ‘very bright and personable’ David Beswick is highly recommended, and Audrey Elliott is ‘exceptional’. Severn Trent and Rolls-Royce are clients, along with new gains Johnson & Johnson and Honda. A highlight was advising Unipart Group on the sale of Unipart Automotive. Teresa Dolan joined the team from Squire Sanders LLP, while Mark Hammerton is now at DWF LLP. The practice includes business immigration advice.

Within Health and safety, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP has the well-known David Young at the helm, and the ‘extremely experienced’ Katharine Vickery has been promoted to partner. Highlights included acting for Marks & Spencer in a prosecution by the HSE following the removal of asbestos at three of its stores during major refurbishment works. Rolls-Royce, Barclays and Nestlé are also clients.

Within Pensions, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Squire Sanders LLP saw a number of changes at senior level; the ‘fantastic’ Georgina Rankin is now a partner and Helen Miles recently joined the team from DLA Piper UK LLP, while Sarah Franklin, Emma King and Francois Barker are now at Eversheds LLP. The team acted for the trustees of the IMI pensions scheme on a derisking exercise, and gained Jaguar Pensions and Weetabix as clients. Practice head Ian Forrest ‘develops pragmatic solutions’.

Within Regional review, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP’s corporate team has been involved in some of the biggest deals in the region and beyond. Major clients of its renowned corporate practice include Centrica, Severn Trent and Sims Group, while commercial property clients include Mitchells & Butlers, Taylor Wimpey, Hammerson and Barratt. The property litigation team also receives significant praise from clients.

Within Energy Energy

Within Project finance and PFI, Eversheds LLP is a third tier firm,

Eversheds LLP acts for local clients such as Sandwell MBC and Stoke on Trent & Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Authority, as well as for national clients such as Balfour Beatty Capital, Hochtief PPP Solutions and Laing O’Rourke. Scott Wagland, who is primarily based in Nottingham, is recommended.

Within Education, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP’s contact partner is Manchester-based Diane Gilhooley. Clients of the practice include nine universities, 31 further education colleges and seven schools/academies; names include University College Birmingham and Stoke on Trent College. Recent highlights include advising a university on the establishment of a branch campus in China in a three-way joint venture.

Within Local government, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP counts a number of local authorities as clients, among them Oxford City Council and Coventry City Council. It is advising Birmingham City Council on the redevelopment of the New Street Shopping Centre. Leeds-based Frances Woodhead is a key contact, and Matthew Storer (a principal associate) is the main contact at the Birmingham office. Mark Hammerton is now with DWF LLP.

Within Commercial property: Birmingham, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP’s ‘proactive team offers real solutions and drives things forward’. It is regularly involved in large strategic deals and developments locally and beyond. It acted for Birmingham City Council in the development of the Pallasades at New Street station and the negotiation of the anchor deal with John Lewis. It also acted for Birmingham Mailbox in its sale of the Mailbox. Practice head David Jones has ‘swathes of experience’, and Iftkhar Ahmed is ‘very technically competent’.

Within Construction, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP has key sectoral expertise in areas such as energy and transport, and acts for clients including Cemex, Network Rail, Severn Trent Water and the Highways Agency. It acted for The Chiltern Railway Company (a UK subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn) on the project to upgrade the Chiltern mainline between London Marylebone and Birmingham. Peter Scurlock ‘gets the deal done’, and Amrik Kandola is recommended on the contentious side.

Within Environment, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP advised SPX Corporation on the environmental aspects of its acquisition of Clyde Union Pumps, while other clients include Halliburton, Samsung, John Deere and Sims Group UK. It has growing expertise in the chemicals sector, and the ‘top-notch’ David Young is highly rated on the contentious side.

Within Planning, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP has particular strength in the renewables sector. It assisted RWE nPower Renewables in obtaining planning permission for a seven-turbine wind farm in South Wales following a public inquiry; and was also instructed by Birmingham International Airport in relation to a major CPO for the proposed runway extension at Birmingham Airport. Stuart Andrews ‘uses plain English’.

Within Property litigation, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘very efficient team’ at Eversheds LLP acts for FTSE 250 clients and household regional names across a range of economic sectors, with niche expertise in agriculture, energy and wayleaves. It is acting for Barclays in a major dilapidations claim, while other clients include National Grid and Severn Trent. Practice head Paul Moorcroft is ‘very knowledgeable and accessible’, and Lisa Barge is ‘calm’ and demonstrates ‘incredible attention to detail’.

Within Intellectual property, Eversheds LLP is a third tier firm,

Eversheds LLP has a strong offering in technology and branding matters, both contentious and non-contentious. Clients include National Grid, Mary Quant, Olympic Park Legacy Company, and Severn Trent. Nottingham-based James Fry is recommended.

Within IT and telecoms, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP acts for Ricoh Europe and its group companies on a variety of technology contracts, and also counts Taylor Wimpey, Siemens Enterprise Communications and Mitchells & Butlers as clients. The team has been active advising on cloud computing solutions. Michael Arnold and Charlotte Walker-Osborn are recommended.

Within Transport , Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP has particular expertise in the rail sector. It advised the Department for Transport on the letting of a new franchise agreement, and other major clients include Network Rail Infrastructure and Chiltern Railway Company. Anne Harris is recommended.