The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: The West Country, Foot Anstey is a first tier firm,

Foot Anstey advises national and international companies, and many local family-owned businesses. It acted for UBM Information on various disposals, and for Silvergate Media on the establishment of a new international media rights group. Richard Coombs and team head Duncan Sykes are recommended.

Within Corporate tax, Foot Anstey is a second tier firm,

Foot Anstey ‘responds quickly, has good experience and knowledge and always provides practical advice’. It acts for regional SME and larger corporate clients on matters such as company reorganisations, M&A and incentives. It advised China Fleet Country Club regarding a challenge to HMRC. John Pindard’s ‘professionalism, breadth of knowledge and thoroughness never cease to amaze’.

Within EU and competition, tier 4

Other recommended individuals include: Stephen Lister at Bond Pearce LLP; and Rachel Robinson at Foot Anstey.

Within Crime, Foot Anstey is a second tier firm,

Foot Anstey acts in a broad range of criminal matters including fraud, violent crime and child abuse cases. Practice head Nigel Lyons is ‘extremely good with clients’, and is ‘well known and well respected by the courts’. His expertise includes agricultural investigations.

Within Licensing, Foot Anstey is a third tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s Nigel Lyons acts for the full spectrum of businesses requiring licensing advice, and appears in local council licensing hearings. Clients include OPM Club and celebrity chefs the Tanner Brothers.

Within Commercial litigation: The West Country, Foot Anstey is a second tier firm,

David Turner leads Foot Anstey’s five-partner team, which has experience across financial services, professional negligence, breach of contract and contentious probate matters. It successfully acted for clients in a dispute with Noel Edmunds over the proceeds of sale arising from a joint property venture.

Within Debt recovery, Foot Anstey is a third tier firm,

Foot Anstey attracts instructions from clients such as Bank of Scotland and Hitachi Capital. Sian Phillips is ‘particularly good’, and team head Robin Brown is highly experienced.

Within Banking and finance, tier 4

Foot Anstey’s ‘highly responsive and friendly’ team acted for Argyle Funds SPC on finance facilities for Pulse Cashflow Finance. The key partners are Robin Brown for litigation, and Richard Sutton for general banking and finance matters.

Within Employment: The West Country, Foot Anstey is a first tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s ‘high-calibre’ lawyers provide ‘tailored commercial advice’, and act for employers including Devon and Cornwall Housing plus major national clients such as Kingfisher. Matthew Huddleson has tribunal and TUPE expertise and is recommended along with Patrick Howarth.

Within Health and safety, Foot Anstey is a third tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s Nigel Lyons prosecutes on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive, and has picked up some defence work from panel appointments.

Within Pensions, Foot Anstey is a third tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s Comron Rowe is ‘highly knowledgeable’ and ‘good value for money’. The team acts for schemes with up to £50m assets, and advised trustees of the Trillium Pension Plan on a recent pension plan merger. Other clients include employers such as Odeon Cinemas and Plymouth University.

Within Clinical negligence: claimant, Foot Anstey is a first tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s ‘outstanding’ and exceptionally busy team listens ‘carefully and empathetically’ to clients. Practice head Robert Antrobus has particular expertise in birth injuries. Claire Stoneman is also recommended.

Within Personal injury: claimant, Foot Anstey is a third tier firm,

Chris Thorne at Foot Anstey recently won a landmark case ensuring a right to claim compensation for lost frozen sperm samples. Juliette Clarke ‘robustly but fairly pursues the client’s interests at every stage of the case’.

Within Regional review, tier 4

Elsewhere in the region, Charles Russell LLP has excellent corporate abilities in Cheltenham. Clarke Willmott LLP has regrouped following past troubles and grew with several lateral hires, including Peter O’Brien from Osborne Clarke; traditional strengths of the practice include agriculture and estates and private client. Foot Anstey has followed the example of several Exeter firms and opened a Bristol office; its broad practice is admired but, in a flat market, it remains to be seen how the new office will fare in an already crowded city. Lester Aldridge LLP in Bournemouth has a wide-ranging practice that leads the market locally and across Dorset. Exeter-based Michelmores LLP has an excellent, comprehensive offering. Thrings LLP has formidable expertise and coverage along the M4 corridor and has seen growth in insolvency and commercial litigation. Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a dependable firm with longstanding expertise in education, general commercial and health matters for regional SME clients. Stephens Scown LLP is a good regional firm covering Cornwall and Exeter, and has a loyal following locally. Bath-based Withy King LLP has seen growth in personal injury, clinical negligence and Court of Protection work.

Within Agriculture and estates, Foot Anstey is a second tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s practice is now led by Joel Woolf, who joined from Burges Salmon LLP in October 2011. The team acted for the Newnham estate trust in relation to a planned tungsten mine, and also advised the Tregothnan estate and the NFU. The ‘superb’ Richard Bagwell has ‘wide knowledge’ of property litigation matters.

Within Charities, Foot Anstey is a third tier firm,

At Foot Anstey, dedicated charities specialist Anna Roderick ‘works tirelessly to achieve positive outcomes’. James Evans leads the team, which represents clients such as the Donkey Sactuary and international relief charity ShelterBox Trust.

Within Family, Foot Anstey is a second tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s department is headed by highly regarded childcare specialist Helen Bull, who is ‘an excellent advocate’. Mark Chanter handles high-value matrimonial finance work and recently acted in a case involving a substantial pension and inherited assets, which is expected to go to the Court of Appeal.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Foot Anstey is a third tier firm,

Angela Bridges’ team at Foot Anstey is ‘very good and efficient’, and ‘reasonably priced for the quality of work’.

Within Education, Foot Anstey is a third tier firm,

Julia Green’s team at Foot Anstey is noted for its ‘superb response times’ and ‘thorough and professional’ approach. Newton Abott and Exmouth College are among 60 new school clients instructing the team.

Within Local government, tier 4

Gareth Pinwell at Foot Anstey gives advice that is ‘very commercial and good value for money’. He specialises in planning and development, with an emphasis on environmental and highway matters for public sector clients.

Within Commercial property: The West Country, Foot Anstey is a first tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s eight-partner team is ‘excellent in all respects’, but has particular strength in development, property finance, leisure, and retail and investment. It acted for Mills & Reeves LLP on the relocation and development of its new headquarters in Cambridge. New team head Richard Walford joined from Burges Salmon LLP, and specialises in corporate occupier and infrastructure matters.

Within Construction, tier 5

Chris Hoar’s ‘highly regarded’ team at Foot Anstey acts on contentious and non-contentious matters in construction and procurement.

Within Planning, tier 4

Gareth Pinwell is recommended at Foot Anstey.

Within Property litigation, Foot Anstey is a third tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s ‘truly exceptional’ team advised Drake Bideford on an extension to Atlantic Village Bideford, and Azules on the development of land in Cornwall. Richard Bagwell is recommended.

Within Intellectual property, Foot Anstey is a third tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s ‘efficient and professional’ team represents Northcliffe Media Group and Halfords. Marlene Howels leads the team.

Within IT and telecoms, tier 4

Foot Anstey’s IT team was recently appointed to the Halfords panel, and handled outsourcing work for Lufthansa. Practice head Edmund Probert is a ‘safe pair of hands’, and Marlene Howels recently made partner.

Within Media and entertainment, Foot Anstey is a first tier firm,

Foot Anstey’s widely respected media team is headed by Chris Worrell. It acted for UBM Information in a series of high-value disposals, and also represents Northcliffe Media and new client Silvergate Media. Tony Jaffa and Cathryn Smith are recommended for their quick response times and business acumen.