The Legal 500

This Birmingham firm offers comprehensive commercial services, including corporate work, corporate finance, employment advice, property and dispute resolution. It also has one of the largest social housing, charities and community regeneration practices outside London and provides a range of private client services.

The firm: Founded in 1973 as a sole-partner practice, Anthony Collins Solicitors now has almost 230 staff and a national client base. Its ethos continues to be deeply rooted in the community principle, reflecting the original motivations of the founder, Anthony Collins. The firm prides itself on its distinctive, values-centred approach in dealing with both clients and staff. Clients are valued for their individual needs, goals, businesses and aspirations, and staff for their talents, passion, experience and ambitions. The firm recognises the need of staff for work/life balance and believes that strong relationships are the key to success.

Anthony Collins Solicitors places the client at the heart of its business, with a sector-focused structure that aligns the firm’s passions, skills and experience to its clients’ industries.

The firm is achieving significant success and developing strong reputations in adult health and social care, housing, transforming communities, children and young people, commercial enterprise, and faith communities.

Types of work undertaken: Commercial services include agency and distribution, business start-ups, all types of commercial contract, and company law (including administration, setting up, reorganisations, drafting articles of association and joint ventures), as well as corporate finance matters (including mergers and acquisitions, asset sales, share purchases, financing and venture capital).

Intellectual property expertise includes computer-related agreements, licences and maintenance contracts, as well as e-commerce and internet issues.

Commercial dispute resolution services include breach of contract claims, shareholder disputes, directors’ disputes, insolvency and banking.

Professional negligence is a specialism, including actions against solicitors, accountants, surveyors, architects and others. Licensing and regulatory services are also provided.

Employment expertise includes drafting contracts, making employees redundant, avoiding discrimination claims and defending tribunal cases. A full employment service is also provided for employees.

Public sector and housing work includes community regeneration, such as advice for community associations and development trusts, strategic partnering and PFI/PPP, procurement and governance, as well as social enterprises, stock transfers and working with local residents.

Advice for charities includes formation and registration, constitutional issues, fundraising, and reorganisations, acquisitions, mergers and dissolutions.

For individuals, advice is given on matters including personal injury, family law, mental health, wills and probate, and conveyancing.

Breakdown of work %
Social housing 22
Commercial property 14
Local government/projects 10
Clinical negligence/PI 11
Family and childcare 8
Dispute resolution 7
Business law 7
Employment 7
Private client 6
Charities 6
Regeneration 1
Licensing 1

Number of UK partners 20
Number of other UK fee-earners 110
Total staff 230