What we say about the firm's legal practice in London
Corporate and commercial
Within Financial services, tier 6
Farrer & Co recruited Robert Guest from Rosenblatt Solicitors, where he was head of financial services. The team obtained authorisation for a UK-domiciled Qualifying Money Market Fund structured as a UK OEIC. Grania Baird is ‘knowledgeable and responsive’.
Within M&A: smaller deals up to £50m, Farrer & Co is a first tier firm,
The ‘first-rate’ team at Farrer & Co is ‘attentive and caring’. Adam Walker is ‘the commercial lawyer’s commercial lawyer’; Jai Bal is ‘consistently astute’; Richard Lane is ‘business savvy’; and Jeremy Tizzard is also well regarded. Client wins in 2010 included BPP Holdings and Oxford University. The team advised Serabi Mining in an investment by way of a £3.6m private placement of shares in the company by the Brazilian-based Eldorado Gold.
Within Partnership, Farrer & Co is a second tier firm,
Clients ‘have no hesitation in recommending the excellent partnership team’ at Farrer & Co. The wide-ranging, five-partner professional services practice provides advice on non-contentious matters such as LLP conversions, as well as high-value disputes. William Dawson took over as head of the practice in 2010 from James Thorne, who remains a consultant at the firm. Clients recommend Jonathan Haley for his ‘smart and good grip on commercial realities’.
Crime, fraud and licensing
Within Fraud: civil , Farrer & Co is a third tier firm,
Simmons & Simmons is praised for its ability to seamlessly co-ordinate large cases. Team head Nick Benwell ‘knows all there is to know about frauds’; and Richard Bunce is ‘punchy, focused and with the results to prove it’. Louise Delahunty and Robert Turner are recommended. Gavin Bacon left to join Farrer & Co.
Dispute resolution
Within Commercial litigation, tier 6
Farrer & Co’s core areas are commercial and financial litigation. Team head Jeremy Gordon is ‘a disarmingly courteous and diplomatic litigator’; James Price ‘simply gets on with what needs to be done without pretension or ego’; and Adrian Parkhouse is ‘a brilliant all-round litigator’. Gavin Bacon joined from Simmons & Simmons.
Within Defamation and privacy, Farrer & Co is a first tier firm,
The team at Farrer & Co delivers a ‘high-quality service’, and is ‘extremely efficient’ and ‘pleasant to deal with’. Headline work included defending News Group Newspapers (News of the World) in relation to ongoing allegations of phone hacking by newspaper journalists. It is also advising The British Library on the legal issues relating to the digitising of its hard copy newspaper archives. Key individuals include the ‘exceptional’ Julian Pike, and the ‘first-rate’ Benjamin Beabey. Associate Michael Patrick is ‘highly recommended’, alongside solicitors Patrick Callaghan and Rowena Cordrey.
Finance
Within Investment funds Investment funds
Human resources
Within Employment, tier 4
The ‘excellent’ team at Farrer & Co is ‘thorough, with a good tactical awareness’, advising employers in the education, institutional and professional services sectors. David Smellie and William Dawson have a solid reputation among peers for their representation of senior executives in the financial and FTSE 100/250 sector. Jonathan Eley impresses with ‘his calm approach and ability to see the wider picture’; public sector specialist Rachel Lewis is ‘professional, commercial and pragmatic’; and Anna Gregory is singled out for her ‘dedication and tough negotiating style’.
Within Overview,
One area which has continued to show a high level of activity is litigation, in both the High Court and the employment tribunals. The number of trials relating to team moves, restrictive covenants, bonus schemes, and all kinds of discrimination has increased, with employees striving to maintain scarce jobs, and employers taking action to stem the flood of claims. Firms such as Linklaters LLP; McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP; Herbert Smith LLP; Farrer & Co; Fox Williams LLP and Simmons & Simmons have been at the forefront for finance houses and executives, and have witnessed the development of a new thread of litigation – data breaches and privacy issues in defections to competitors. Discrimination in all its forms has also been in the spotlight, with notable cases being fought by Leigh Day & Co; Bindmans LLP; and Russell Jones & Walker.
Private client
Within Agriculture and estates, Farrer & Co is a first tier firm,
The ‘clear and concise’ Simon Pring heads Farrer & Co’s landed estates group, which can draw on the allied expertise of the largest property team in London handling work in this sector. The ‘cohesive’ team includes Henry Goulding, James Maxwell and Edmund Featherston-Dilke, who ‘work exceptionally well together’ and have ‘a good balance of flair and industry’. The firm is renowned for its client list of landowners; its recent work includes advising on substantial listed building infringements on the purchase of an estate with a Grade 1 listed mansion house, and on the grant of numerous mineral leases. A welcome addition is Rhoddy Voremberg, who joined the team from Wilsons.
Within Charities and not-for-profit , Farrer & Co is a second tier firm,
Farrer & Co has a high-quality charities practice headed by the ‘excellent, proactive and discreet’ Anne-Marie Piper, whose ‘direct and assured style instils confidence’. The practice has real depth of expertise, regularly advising household names such as the Royal British Legion, Age UK, and Save the Children. Sam Macdonald, James Carleton and Julian Smith provide accomplished and experienced support.
Within Contentious trusts and probate, Farrer & Co is a second tier firm,
Practice head Toby Graham at Farrer & Co is considered an outstanding practitioner, with ‘the highest legal knowledge and skills’ and an ‘extremely pleasant and approachable manner’. He heads an international practice which covers Jersey, Lichtenstein, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands, among other jurisdictions, and can draw on the wealth of expertise in the firm’s private client practice. The high-quality team includes the ‘disarmingly courteous and on-the-ball’ Jeremy Gordon; the ‘superlative’ Mark Bridges; and ‘experienced and tough litigator’ James Price. Associate Peter Steen, who joined from Mourant Ozannes, is one to watch.
Within Family, Farrer & Co is a second tier firm,
Simon Bruce heads the ‘exemplary’ seven-partner practice at Farrer & Co, which is complemented by a strong trusts and tax team. Headline cases in 2010 included pre-nup case Radmacher, and Re Robson. ‘Matters are dealt with commercially, quickly, politely and without hostility or needless point scoring’. Clients recommend the ‘pragmatic’ Claire Gordon, ‘insightful’ Jeremy Posnansky QC, ‘first-class and able’ Mark Fenton, and ‘polished and accomplished’ William Massey. The ‘sure-footed’ Veryan Exelby has returned to the practice.
Within Heritage property, Farrer & Co is a first tier firm,
Farrer & Co has a team of ‘exceptional’ lawyers advising on every aspect of heritage property, encompassing tax exemptions, ownership disputes and complex loans. It benefits from the firm’s expertise across the private client spectrum, and its unparallelled client base of traditional landed estates, as well as art dealers, international and private banks, and cultural institutions. The ‘highly intelligent’ Mike Chantler is the ‘go-to’ lawyer for ‘any matter of national heritage’, and Edward Manisty has ‘boundless energy and drive, and a technical mastery of the law of heritage property taxation without equal’. The ‘knowledgeable’ James Carleton and Adrian Parkhouse are also recommended.
Within Overview,
The market is divided between firms with international offices in fertile hunting grounds for wealthy individuals such as Geneva or the Middle East – the likes of Withers LLP and Charles Russell LLP – and those which operate, very successfully, from a UK office, such as Macfarlanes LLP and Farrer & Co. Withers LLP stands out for its superb international reach, with offices in Milan, Hong Kong, Zurich, Geneva, the British Virgin Islands and the US, and covers every conceivable aspect of private client: multi-jurisdictional pre-nups, charitable legacies, landed estates, complex tax and trust structuring, cross-border probate, succession planning and international trust disputes. Macfarlanes LLP is unusual in its dedication to maintaining market-leading corporate and private client practices, and has a strong entrepreneurial client base. Farrer & Co is well known for advising members of the Royal Family and aristocracy, and is also a forward-looking and comprehensive private client practice with international expertise.
Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Farrer & Co is a second tier firm,
With an 18-partner practice, Farrer & Co provides an ‘impeccable’ service to clients from the old and new worlds of private wealth. The team regularly advises on complex domestic and international tax and trust structuring, and also provides complementary, high-level expertise in charity law and property, particularly for sizeable landed estates. The high-quality team is headed by the ‘dedicated’ Jim Edmondson, and includes the ‘utterly charming and commercially astute’ Mark Bridges; the ‘capable’ Russell Cohen, who chairs the international private wealth group; and the ‘personable’ Sarah von Schmidt.
Public sector
Within Education: individuals Leading individuals
Within Education: institutions, Farrer & Co is a second tier firm,
Farrer & Co’s ‘exceptional’ team advises clients such as Oxford University and Imperial College on employment and constitutional matters, Charity Commission registrations and joint ventures. Julian Smith heads the practice; Peter Wienand is a ‘highly intelligent lawyer, sensitive to clients ’ needs’; and Sam MacDonald and David Smellie both have ‘great depth and breath of knowledge and experience’. The team recently welcomed Frances Barnwell, formerly associate director of legal services of Oxford University.
Within Education: schools, Farrer & Co is a first tier firm,
Farrer & Co continues to provide advice to prestigious independent schools such as Eton College. It handles a range of work, from registrations with the Charity Commission to high-profile bullying, child abuse and disability discrimination cases. The team recently acted for the Independent Schools Council in a judicial review regarding guidance on public benefit. Practice head David Smellie demonstrates ‘real understanding, common sense and pragmatism’ and is ‘highly competent’. Sam Macdonald, Anna Gregory, Katie Lancaster, Jonathan Eley, Anthony Misquitta and Serena Hedley-Dent are also recommended.
Real estate
Within Commercial property, tier 5
‘Innovative but underrated’, Travers Smith LLP acts on high-quality, high-value transactions, such as representing the Peel Group on its £1.6bn sale of the Trafford Centre to Capital Shopping Centres. Julian Bass, Anthony Judge, Simon Rutman and James Styles are recommended. Robin Holmes joined Farrer & Co.
Within Planning, tier 6
Farrer & Co provides ‘commercially astute advice’, and has been acting on urban extension developments outside London, and listed building and highways issues. The World Wildlife Fund is a significant new client. Practice head Karen Phull is highly knowledgeable, and ‘approachable while also being extremely professional, market-aware and technically competent’.
TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
Within Brand management, Farrer & Co is a second tier firm,
Farrer & Co is pre-eminent in sponsorship in the cultural sector. The ‘super-efficient, courteous’ Peter Wienand, who ‘always goes the extra mile’, advised Imperial College on establishing a medical school in Singapore; the ‘thoughtful and intelligent’ Henry Sainty advised on the launch of the ‘Duchy Originals from Waitrose’ brand; and Anthony Misquitta, who is recommended for his ‘robust, practical advice’, assisted the organisers of WordSkills London 2011.
Within Intellectual property, tier 5
Farrer & Co’s ‘small, but strong team’, headed by the ‘clear, fair and commercially minded’ Anthony Misquitta, represents publishing, heritage, culture, and education clients including The Economist, The National Gallery and Age UK. On the corporate side, it is assisting Pilot Drilling Control Ltd in patent entitlement proceedings.
Within Media and entertainment, Farrer & Co is a first tier firm,
Peter Wienand at Farrer & Co continues to advise the British Museum on the digitisation of its archives. Emap is a client of Henry Sainty and associate Paul Jones, who also worked with corporate partner Jeremy Tizzard in advising publisher Bauer Media on various technology contracts. In 2010, Nigel Palmer and associate Lisa Mayo advised the International Film LLC on its completion guarantee with a specialist US film finance lender.
Within Sport, Farrer & Co is a third tier firm,
Julian Pike and the ‘very experienced, skilled and knowledgeable’ Serena Hedley-Dent jointly head Farrer & Co’s ‘excellent’ team, which represents clients including the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and the RFU. Hedley-Dent advises governing bodies on structural and administration matters, and has been advising on restructuring several large sports clubs and associations. The practice remains busy defending claims brought by individual sports persons. Clients also recommend David Hunt and Henry Sainty.