The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Bristol, Bevan Brittan LLP is a third tier firm,

Bevan Brittan LLP provides ‘timely, commercial and insightful’ advice, and Anthony Young and Chris Harper in particular ‘apply common-sense rather than giving theoretical advice’.

Within EU and competition EU and competition

Within Commercial litigation: Bristol, Bevan Brittan LLP is a third tier firm,

Bevan Brittan LLP consistently delivers ‘good-quality work’, with joint team heads Emily Heard and Ed Husband both recommended. Highlights included acting for a council in a claim for judicial review of the Secretary of State’s decision to stop funding BSF projects, and for Primecare regarding a challenge against Tees PCT.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, tier 4

Recent work for Bevan Brittan LLP includes acting for 123 UK local authorities which had placed deposits with Icelandic banks in seeking to recover over £1bn. Ed Husband heads the practice.

Within Employment: Bristol, Bevan Brittan LLP is a second tier firm,

Bevan Brittan LLP provides an ‘excellent’ service and exhibits a ‘real “can-do” attitude’. The team acts for private and public sector clients including Plymouth City Council, Wincanton Logistics and University College Falmouth. Julian Hoskins heads the team, in which the ‘very likeable’ Sarah Lamont is also recommended.

Within Clinical negligence: defendant, Bevan Brittan LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘faultless’ team at Bevan Brittan LLP has ‘a wonderful ability to explain and analyse complex legal issues in an understandable and unambiguous way’. Team head Joanna Lloyd is ‘professional’ and ‘delivers the best possible service’, and Simon Lindsay ‘adds gravitas to all issues’. The team acts for public sector clients including the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust, the NHS Litigation Authority, and Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Within Personal injury: defendant, Bevan Brittan LLP is a second tier firm,

Bevan Brittan LLP delivers an ‘excellent service at competitive rates’. ‘Robust, intelligent, pragmatic and personable’ head Paul Taverner is an expert in catastrophic head and spinal injury cases, Adrian Neale is ‘up and coming’. Clients include Provident Insurance and Lloyds TSB General Insurance.

Within Regional review Regional heavyweights

Within Charities Charities

Within Energy, Bevan Brittan LLP is a third tier firm,

Bevan Brittan LLP advised Covanta Energy on its fuel use procurement bid, and Viridor Waste Management on an energy-from-waste facility. Christopher Jarman is a projects and waste technology expert.

Within Private Finance Initiative (PFI), Bevan Brittan LLP is a first tier firm,

Bevan Brittan LLP advised the North Bristol NHS Trust on a £430m redevelopment, and acted for BAM PPP UK as sponsor of a BSF deal. Sharon Renouf provides a ‘timely and high-quality service’, and commands an ‘outstanding industry contact base’; and clients have ‘absolute trust’ in Christopher Jarman, who is ‘up-to-date with industry issues’.

Within Education, Bevan Brittan LLP is a third tier firm,

Maintaining a ‘high service level’, Martin Howe’s team at Bevan Brittan LLP has a notable niche in BSF projects. It acted for Sandwell MBC in seeking a judicial review of BSF cancellation. The practice also acts on many school conversions.

Within Health, Bevan Brittan LLP is a first tier firm,

Bevan Brittan LLP’s ‘superb, professional and responsive’ team is headed by Stephen Hughes, and acted for North Bristol NHS Trust on the £430m redevelopment of Southmead Hospital. As part of the Transforming Community Services agenda, it has advised PCTs, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts on 27 schemes across the country. Joanna Lloyd provides the ‘best possible’ support.

Within Local government, Bevan Brittan LLP is a first tier firm,

Bevan Brittan LLP’s team is headed by the ‘outstanding’ Bethan Evans, and has an enviable reputation. Areas of expertise include shared services, outsourcing, asset rationalisation, employment, and probity and standards. Clients include Bristol City Council, Plymouth City Council, Cornwall Council and Stroud District Council. Peter Keith-Lucas is ‘highly admired’.

Within Commercial property: Bristol, Bevan Brittan LLP is a third tier firm,

Mark Calverley heads Bevan Brittan LLP’s team, which advised Barnet Primary Care Trust on the £30m Finchley Memorial Hospital redevelopment, and Arcadia Housing Group on acquisition matters. Torbay Borough Council and Bristol City Council are also clients.

Within Construction, Bevan Brittan LLP is a second tier firm,

Bevan Brittan LLP acted for Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council on repairs-and-maintenance services outsourcing and provides construction advice to the University of Southampton. Duncan Weir leads the team.

Within Planning Planning

Within Property litigation, tier 4

Bevan Brittan LLP represented a client in a dispute regarding flagship leasehold premises in London, and also acted for Buckinghamshire County Council. Steven Eccles ‘defuses and minimises potential dramas’.

Within Social housing, Bevan Brittan LLP is a second tier firm,

Bevan Brittan LLP provides ‘good breadth of expertise’, and acted for Sovereign Living in purchasing 34 newly built units from Bovis Homes. Kane Kirkbride has a ‘good understanding of clients ’ business’.

Within IT and telecoms, tier 5

Bevan Brittan LLP’s team head Martin Carroll is ‘professional and personable’.