The Legal 500

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

At Eversheds LLP, leading individuals include the ‘pragmatic’ Sue Lewis; the ‘exceptionally skilled’ Keri Rees; and associate Steven Hacking. The group is highly rated for its capital markets and private equity expertise. It acted for Amin Tajani, Selim Tejani and others in selling LPC Group to Sofidel Spa to create one of the largest privately owned paper businesses in the world. Other key clients include Rolls-Royce, Severn Trent and Barclays Private Equity. The team is appreciated for its ‘willingness to work out of hours to accommodate different time zones’.

Within Corporate tax, Eversheds LLP is a third tier firm,

Eversheds LLP’s team includes Andrew Quayle, who divides his time between the Manchester and Birmingham offices and specialises in employee share incentives, and director Damian Shirley, who heads the firm’s indirect tax practice. The firm advised Defence and Security Systems (part of EADS) on its acquisition of Kercado, while other active clients include Savills and Centrica. Janet Jones has left the firm.

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

Eversheds LLP’s impressive roster of clients includes household names such as PPG, Dairy Crest and Specsavers. Its investigation practice remains active, and its dawn raid and state aid teams also enjoyed a busy year. Richard Prowse is recommended.

Within Crime, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP’s David Young and Katherine Vickery are ‘standout criminal practitioners’. The team regularly acts in HSE and police investigations, and is noted for handling criminal cases for corporate clients.

Within Licensing Licensing

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

Eversheds LLP’s offering was enhanced by the addition of Mark Surguy (a ‘dogged litigator with a quality brain’) from Pinsent Masons LLP. Other recommended partners include the ‘very organised and efficient’ Diane Bennett and Chris Busby, who is noted for his risk management advice to financial institutions. Highlights included advising Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Public Trust on the public inquiry regarding Mid Staffordshire Hospital. Other clients include the Department for Transport and Hampson Industries. The team is complimented for its ability to ‘quickly understand industry-specific issues’.

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

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.

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

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.

Within Employment, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP’s team is credited as ‘knowledgeable and personable’. Its client base includes Centrica, Rolls-Royce and Diageo, and recently expanded to include Imperial Tobacco and Johnson Controls. The group advised Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council on the introduction of Single Status terms and conditions. David Beswick is a clear market leader, and Mark Hammerton is recommended as ‘professional and very knowledgeable’.

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

Eversheds LLP’s David Young has a strong reputation as one of Birmingham’s leading health and safety experts. His team represented Hertfordshire Oil Storage in the Buncefield case, and defended Marks & Spencer against HSE prosecution regarding its asbestos management regime during refurbishments at several stores.

Within Pensions, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP was appointed to advise the trustees of Stein Atkinson Stordy Pension and Life Assurance Scheme, and acted for Holden UK Retirement Benefits Plan on the scheme’s merger with the ICI Pension Fund. Liz Fallon is ‘good at explaining and executing work on complex pension issues’.

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

Eversheds LLP’s corporate team has been involved in some of the largest deals in the region, and its commercial property department is very well regarded, acting for blue-chip clients such as Hammerson and Mitchells & Butlers. Its property litigation team is also highly rated.

Within Energy Energy

Within Private Finance Initiative (PFI), Eversheds LLP is a third tier firm,

Eversheds LLP advised Staffordshire County Council on a £1bn waste PFI with Veolia Environmental Services. Adrian Turner, based in Nottingham, is a key contact.

Within Education, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP recorded expansion in the university and further education sectors, adding new clients such as Manchester Metropolitan University, City University London and Barnet College. Highlights included advising UCL on the establishment of the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation. Clients appreciate Janet Knowles’ ‘knowledge and breadth of experience’.

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

Eversheds LLP provides ‘timely, professional and appropriate advice’. The group advised Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council on the introduction of single status terms, and acted for Birmingham City Council on the development of Eastside. Mark Hammerton is recommended for employment matters for local government clients.

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

At Eversheds LLP, Iftkhar Ahmed is ‘commercial’, with a ‘strong client base’ among corporate occupiers, and David Jones is ‘very experienced’ on all aspects of commercial and mixed-use developments. The seven-partner practice sees a steady flow of complex and sizeable transactions. It advised Land Securities on the sale of Stratford Shopping Centre London, and Mitchells & Butlers Retail on its disposal of the Hollywood Bowl ten-pin-bowling business. Other clients include HSBC and Hammerson. Practice head Helen Annable is well regarded.

Within Construction, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP is highly regarded for its work in major construction and utility-led infrastructure projects. The ‘well-thought-of’ Peter Scurlock is recommended for non-contentious work, while Amrik Kandola is a lead partner on the contentious side. The firm advised RWE npower on the gas turbine upgrade project at Little Barford Power Station, and Birmingham International Airport on the multi-phase project to convert the two current terminals into one terminal.

Within Environment, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP has a ‘very knowledgeable and professional team’. Highlights included advising Lloyds TSB Development Capital on the environmental aspects of the purchase of AIM Aviation, while other clients include Halliburton. Manchester-based Elizabeth Shepherd and regulatory investigations and enforcement expert David Young are recommended.

Within Planning, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP has ‘heavy hitter’ Rod Bull, who ‘gets the job done’. Major clients in the residential development sector include Taylor Wimpey, and the firm secured significant instructions in the energy, utilities and minerals sectors, from clients such as Tarmac. The firm advised REG Windpower on the promotion of seven onshore wind farm projects in 2010.

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

Eversheds LLP’s three-partner team includes the ‘very fair and professional’ Paul Moorcroft, who is the firm’s national head of real estate litigation; newly promoted partner David Feist, who offers ‘practical rather than just theoretical advice’; and Lisa Barge, who is well respected for her work in residential property litigation and in the leisure sector. Able to ‘see the bigger picture’, it counts Next and Anglian Water as clients, and is notable for its experience in agricultural law, energy and wayleaves.

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

The team at Eversheds LLP is ‘dedicated to driving projects to completion in a commercial way’, and is currently advising the Olympic Park Legacy Company on a range of agreements and long term naming rights. The team is led by James Fry, and acts for clients such as Mary Quant and Omnibus Systems.

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

Eversheds LLP’s Charlotte Walker-Osborn is ‘very thorough, and punches well above her experience’. The team acted for Mitchells & Butlers Retail on its reprocurement of outsourced data, telecoms and computing services, and advised a leading life assurance company on negotiating an actuarial system.

Within Transport , Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP is advising Birmingham Airport on the proposed extension of the runway, and continued to act for the Department for Transport on the fallout from the handback of the East Coast Mainline franchise. Anne Harris and Richard Prowse are recommended.