What we say about the firm's legal practice in London
Corporate and commercial
Within Financial services, tier 4
Finers Stephens Innocent LLP’s ‘highly rated’ Philip Rubens advises brokers, hedge fund managers and investment bankers in enforcement proceedings.
Within Flotations: small and mid-cap, tier 4
Ashley Reeback at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP advised Cenkos Securities as NOMAD and broker on a £7.75m placing of shares on AIM. Issuer clients include Mirada and Jelf Group.
Within M&A: smaller deals up to £50m, Finers Stephens Innocent LLP is a second tier firm,
Finers Stephens Innocent LLP has ‘good strength in depth’. It advised Yell Group on the acquisition of the share capital of Trusted Places. Practice head Ashley Reeback has ‘excellent commercial acumen’, and Brian Slater has ‘superb tax technical knowledge’.
Within Partnership, Finers Stephens Innocent LLP is a third tier firm,
Finers Stephens Innocent LLP has been active advising in relation to forced departures and renegotiations of partnership terms. It also has strong non-contentious partnership structuring capability, handling a significant number of commercial and family transactions involving partnership vehicles. Robert Craig heads the practice.
Crime, fraud and licensing
Within Crime Crime
Within Fraud: civil , tier 4
The team at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP represents claimants against banks, financial institutions and financial advisers. Civil fraud expert Steve McCann joined from Peters & Peters Solicitors LLP at the start of 2010. Sue Thackeray has ‘a fantastic strategic mind’, and ‘encyclopaedic knowledge’.
Within Fraud: white-collar crime , Finers Stephens Innocent LLP is a third tier firm,
Finers Stephens Innocent LLP is ‘a top-class outfit with a high-profile client base’. Ian Ryan has ‘established a real reputation as one of the best solicitors in this field in London’; he acts in many significant fraud investigations, and regularly appears as defence advocate at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.
Dispute resolution
Within Commercial litigation, tier 6
In addition to its commercial litigation expertise, Finers Stephens Innocent LLP has a white-collar criminal and regulatory team led by Ian Ryan, as well as civil fraud specialists Sue Thackeray and Steve McCann, and contentious insolvency expert Tim Bignell. Thackeray attracts high praise from clients, and McCann is ‘always calm in a crisis’. Andrew Wigston led the team in advising Fashion TV Russia in relation to claims arising out of a licence agreement. Group head Philip Rubens is also recommended.
Within Defamation and privacy, Finers Stephens Innocent LLP is a second tier firm,
Headline matters for the ‘exceptional’ team at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP included advising Julian Assange in relation to the legal difficulties surrounding Wikileaks; and advising the governments of Jamaica and Mauritius regarding a review and restructuring of their libel laws. The three-partner team is ‘very knowledgeable, and has exceptional expertise in UK libel law’. Mark Stephens is ‘first rate’, and Sue Thackeray is also highly recommended. Nicola Solomon left for a role as general secretary of The Society of Authors.
Within Professional discipline, tier 4
Noted for his ‘ability to fight hard for his clients’, Ian Ryan heads the team at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP.
Human resources
Within Employment, tier 8
Media sector specialist Finers Stephens Innocent LLP saw a growing workload in remuneration, redundancy, and discrimination matters in 2010. Practice head Carolyn Brown ‘devises workable strategies for moving forward’.
Private client
Within Contentious trusts and probate, tier 4
The ‘knowledgeable’ Emily Mailer and Alan Kaufman head the contentious team at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP, which complements the firm’s private client practice.
Within Family, tier 6
Alan Kaufman at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP has an impressive reputation for his ‘practical and client-centred’ attitude.
Within Heritage property, Finers Stephens Innocent LLP is a third tier firm,
IP and media specialist Mark Stephens handles heritage property matters at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP. The team regularly acts for well-known galleries, private individuals and trustees. Recent work includes advising the Museum of Art, Oxford on the digitalisation of its archive, and sculptor Mark Wallinger on his public commission at Ebbsfleet, Kent. Daniel McClean, formerly of Withers LLP, now acts as an art consultant to the practice.
Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, tier 4
Finers Stephens Innocent LLP has a well-rounded private client practice which predominantly advises clients drawn from the sports, media and arts spheres on personal tax, trusts and related matters. Practice head Liz Palmer is considered ‘very good technically: a pleasure to work with’; and Michael Lewis ‘comes up with practical solutions’.
Public sector
Within Education: institutions, tier 5
Finers Stephens Innocent LLP’s ‘responsive and pragmatic’ team acts for clients such as Havering College of Further and Higher Education and the University of East London. Practice head Michael Kutner is ‘highly experienced, knowledgeable, very approachable and responsive’.
Real estate
Within Commercial property, tier 5
Retail and leisure are key features of the ‘very good’ practice at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP, and the team advised X-Leisure on selling two leisure parks, Grant’s of Croydon (£32.5m) and Five Ways Birmingham (£27m). The group continues to advise longstanding clients Pizza Hut and Tragus on acquisitions. Martin Smith, Stephen Lewis and Julian Hindmarsh (‘very approachable, knowledgeable’) are recommended.
Within Property finance, tier 5
Finers Stephens Innocent LLP is ‘very knowledgeable about not only legal matters but also corporate requirements’. It gained a panel place for a key lender and advises a number of financial institutions. Graham Reid and Mark Johnstone are recommended.
Within Property litigation, tier 5
Finers Stephens Innocent LLP saw a rise in residential work and disputes resulting from insolvencies in 2010. Amanda McNeil is ‘ready to fight for clients but conciliatory when needed’.
TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
Within Media and entertainment, Finers Stephens Innocent LLP is a second tier firm,
Mark Stephens at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP recently advised Bloomberg on data protection and freedom of information matters. He also acts for the Associated Press, and advised Julian Assange on issues relating to Wikileaks and his autobiography. Other clients include The New York Times Company, CNN, and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton. Robert Lands is a key figure in the team. Nicola Solomon has moved to a role as General Secretary at the Society of Authors.