The Legal 500

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

Eversheds LLP has a reputation for understanding businesses from large multinationals such as Rolls-Royce to start-ups in the renewable energy sector. The team, headed by the ‘supersmart’ Stephen Kitts, consistently demonstrates its status as the region’s pre-eminent plc, equity and capital markets team, and acted on Experian’s sale of its customer analytics database to BSkyB. Stephen Hill assisted Homesun in the financing and structuring one of the UK’s first solar PV offerings; and the ‘proactive’ Jon Cox-Brown advised the offeror on Sulzer’s £128m takeover of Castle Support Services.

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

Eversheds LLP’s corporate tax group is now led from its Manchester office.

Within Commercial litigation: Nottingham and Derby, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP stands out for its expertise in the financial services sector. National group head and ‘superb negotiator’ Paul Worth assists clients such as Santander and Lloyds Development Capital. ‘Exceptionally astute’ senior associate Rebecca Nicholas acts for a number of healthcare clients, and also Nationwide. ‘Pragmatic, business-focused’ senior associate Steve Dunseath, who transferred to Nottingham from Manchester, gained a victory in the Court of Appeal for RBS in a case relating to the enforcement of personal guarantees.

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

Eversheds LLP’s banking team is concentrated in Birmingham. Stephen Kitts assisted Yorkshire Bank with the £60m funding of the MBO of Synseal Extrusions by HIG Capital.

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

Eversheds LLP is a restructuring powerhouse. It acted on the administrative receivership of Trent Concrete in the region’s highest-profile matter of 2010, assisting the receivers to complete contracts for the Olympic village. Mark Wood’s dedicated team is on a host of bank panels for restructuring and also acts for IPs. It is ‘very professional, proactive; slightly expensive, but good dynamic advice and options/strategies are proposed’.

Within Employment, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP’s experience in the education, public and financial services sectors extends to the co-ordination of pan-European employment matters. Nicola Bennison leads on the education side, while Mark Fletcher’s in-house experience is invaluable for retail and financial services sector clients such as Bradford & Bingley, which was advised on the transfer of 1,500 employees from Northern Rock.

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

Eversheds LLP is highly rated nationally for its health and safety practice.

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

Eversheds LLP Nottingham office is home to several of the national firm’s centres of excellence and is particularly strong in corporate, litigation, IP/IT and planning.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI), Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

At Eversheds LLP, Nottingham PFI experts Adrian Turner and Scott Wagland advised the winning consortium, comprising Morgan Sindall, Robertson and Sewell, on Hull’s BSF project in 2010; while renewables specialist Stephen Hill advised HomeSun in one of the first large-scale residential solar developments to be third-party-funded in the UK.

Within Education, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Part of Eversheds LLP’s national education group, HR partner Nicola Bennison leads on student issues in the higher education and further education sector, and has recently advised on various pensions issues.

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

Eversheds LLP has a national team advising local authorities, and draws on expertise in the Nottingham office for employment, regeneration and development, planning and IP/IT matters.

Within Commercial property: Nottingham and Derby, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP is involved in major developments nationally, including the Bargoed retail and leisure scheme, in which the Nottingham team, headed by Brendan Walsh, has a major part. Stephen Hill’s renewable energy practice also generates instructions for the real estate group.

Within Construction, Eversheds LLP is a third tier firm,

Eversheds LLP’s team is Birmingham based, but includes two solicitors in Nottingham. Rebecca Warden was involved in advising RWE Npower Renewables on contracts for the Gwynt y Môr offshore windfarm in 2010.

Within Environment, Eversheds LLP is a second tier firm,

Eversheds LLP has a ‘very knowledgeable and professional team’ that includes Louise Howarth in Nottingham.

Within Planning, Eversheds LLP is a first tier firm,

Eversheds LLP is a leading firm nationally for residential development planning instructions, and is expanding its profile in relation to renewable energy, utilities and minerals projects for new clients EDF, REG Windpower, Anglian Water and Tarmac. Partly based in Birmingham, Stuart Andrews is noted for his skills as a strategist and advocate; he acted for Catesby Properties in a challenge to the Secretary of State’s decision regarding a housing site in Bude, and also advised it in relation to a development involving 5,000 homes and a relief road in Newark.

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

James Fry heads Eversheds LLP dedicated practice, which spans technology and branding instructions; contentious issues; and strategic advice for clients such as Mary Quant and Siemens. It advised The Olympic Park Legacy Company on branding agreements in 2010.

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

Eversheds LLP has a key role for public sector bodies looking for outsourcing and innovation in their IT provision. Nigel Sternberg is a key figure, advising clients such as Bournemouth Borough Council on a strategic procurement of technology for the provision of services, with a project value between £160m and £240m. He has ‘the ability to explain complex legal issues in plain English’.