The Legal 500

London: Dispute resolution

Commercial litigation

Commercial litigation - ranked: tier 8

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP 'has an excellent practice in the local authority and public sector field, including where that touches upon commercial litigation'. Its disputes work includes financial services, information and communication technology issues, public law challenges and breach of duty actions, along with defamation, breach of contract and fraud issues. Virginia Cooper 'has excellent client skills and good judgment'.

[back to top]

Professional discipline

Professional discipline - ranked: tier 1

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP recently acted for several professional regulatory bodies across a range of sectors, including the Bar Standards Board and the Solicitors Regulation Authority, as well as the Architects Registration Board (ARB), Insolvency Practitioners Association and The Financial Reporting Council. Highlights include acting for the ARB in the prosecution of disciplinary proceedings involving registered architects, including a sole practitioner architect who did not hold current professional indemnity insurance in respect of his practice and who, during the course of enquires, gave an untrue account of his insurance position. The group is led by Birmingham-based Adam Kendall and Virginia Cooper in London; Cooper regularly advises clients on powers, jurisdiction and minimising the prospects of challenge, as well as advising them during judicial review challenges. Other notable advisers are senior associates Johanna Davies in Bristol and London's Amy Tschobotko and associate Genevieve Bushell. Davies handles complex SRA investigations and prosecutions, including Financial Stability cases involving major law firm collapses and high-profile cases concerning the involvement of solicitors in high-yield investment fraud schemes. Former consultant Rosemary Rollason left to found her own practice.

Leading individuals

Next generation lawyers

[back to top]

London: Human resources

Employment: employers and senior executives

Employment: employers and senior executives - ranked: tier 7

Bevan Brittan LLP

As 'a key name in the health arena' Bevan Brittan LLP's client roster encompasses multiple NHS Trusts including Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust; department head Jodie Sinclair defended the latter in an unfair dismissal claim. Other highlights include Sinclair acting for Huntercombe Group on the employment aspects of its closure of a residential care unit, assisting Symphony Healthcare with the employment elements of its acquisition of numerous GP practices, and Ashley Norman advising the London School of Economics and Political Science on the implications of the Brexit vote on its workforce. Alastair Currie is recommended for employment disputes.

[back to top]

Health and safety

Health and safety - ranked: tier 4

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP's public sector strength remains prominent with a client list encompassing NHS trusts, local authorities and housing associations. Adam Kendall leads the department and regularly handles prosecutions, prohibition and improvement notices, and HSE and police investigations. The team also includes Stuart Marchant, who primarily focuses on the health and social care sectors, and Simon Lindsay, who also handles matters for healthcare clients and has a particular interest in sharps injuries.

[back to top]

London: Insurance

Clinical negligence: defendant

Clinical negligence: defendant - ranked: tier 2

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP fields a team of 63 lawyers who are described as 'highly experienced and talented practitioners'. The firm was recently reappointed to the NHSR's panel and acts for several trusts and private medical malpractice insurers and healthcare providers such as Neon and CNA Hardy. Its areas of expertise include provides legal support for issues arising from the change in the discount rate; representing clients in sensitive group actions; and handling Human Rights Act claims. Dan Morris acted for Whittington Hospital NHS Trust in a case involving allegations that the hospital failed to detect signs of cervical cancer, which caused the claimant to be infertile. Department head Joanne Easterbrook handles complex and high-value cases involving brain injury and mental health issues, as well as handling claims arising from fertility treatment. Recommended senior associates include Catherine Radford, who is known for her work on establishing the limits to interim payments in high-value cases, and Verity Danziger, who specialises in birth and spinal injury claims.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

London: Private client

Court of protection

Court of protection - ranked: tier 3

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP  fields a ‘highly experienced team particularly in medical COP cases’. Simon Lindsay  has ‘good judgement, is calm and measured and is excellent with clients’. The team has particular expertise in the issues that are thrown up by the Mental Capacity Act, the Mental Health Act, human rights and equality issues. It acts for commissioners, providers and care co-ordinators across England from is four offices in Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds and London. In particular it routinely advises NHS England on deprivation of liberty, mental capacity, best interests and safeguarding issues.

[back to top]

London: Projects, energy and natural resources

Infrastructure (including PFI and PPP)

Infrastructure (including PFI and PPP) - ranked: tier 4

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP has 'the strength and depth to advise on a wide range of issues' and its practitioners 'have an excellent understanding of the waste industry'. The waste and energy team is spearheaded by the client-recommended Nadeem Arshad in Bristol and recently welcomed Carly Caton from Pinsent Masons LLP to bolster its healthcare offering in the London office. The Bank of Ireland appointed a team led by London-based senior associate David Moore to advise on the voluntary termination of Solihull Council's leisure PPP scheme, and Nathan Bradberry teamed up with Arshad to assist Resource Recovery Solutions with the development of waste management assets - namely with regards to the insolvency of its key technology supplier and construction delays.

[back to top]

Power (including electricity and renewables)

Power (including electricity and renewables) - ranked: tier 4

Bevan Brittan LLP

The Bristol-based power offering at Bevan Brittan LLP is led by Nadeem Arshad and advises on district heating schemes, energy-from-waste and innovative projects such as energy storage and smart grids. Supported by recently promoted partner Nathan Bradberry , the group recently assisted Resource Recovery Solutions with the contractual arrangements, intellectual property and funding implications relating to the Derby Waste PPP project following the firm's original appointment to minimise the impact of the insolvency of the project's gasification technology supplier. Sheffield City Council engaged the practice to oversee an interconnector project between the E.ON Blackburn Meadows biomass plant and the client's municipal waste energy recovery facility.

[back to top]

London: Public sector

Administrative and public law

Administrative and public law - ranked: tier 2

Bevan Brittan LLP

The 'highly rated' Bevan Brittan LLP 'has a great deal of common currency between many team members' according to a client. The team is headed by Virginia Cooper who regularly advises local authorities, health commissioners, NHS England and Ombudsman clients, including local government and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. She also acted for the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner in connection with the judicial review challenge made by the former Chief Constable, David Crompton. The team has an exceptionally strong focus on the health sector; Emily Heard and David Owens act for clinical commissioning groups and other NHS bodies as well as claimants on a range of judicial reviews. Senior associate Olivia Carter is also noted for her work on judicial review and procurement challenges.

Next generation lawyers

[back to top]

Education: schools

Education: schools - ranked: tier 5

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP is a key name for construction and refurbishment projects concerning schools and academies. Andrew Tobin heads the commercial and infrastructure department and advises a range of local authorities on such matters. David Hutton leads the work relating to project finance education-related regeneration projects. Recent work includes acting for the Education and Skills Funding Agency on the delivery of over 120 new schools, academies and free schools under the government’s priority school building programme. Other clients include the London Borough of Hackney, the London Borough of Barnet, Bristol City Council and Newham Local Education Partnership.

[back to top]

Healthcare

Healthcare - ranked: tier 1

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP 's healthcare team has ‘extensive knowledge of the sector’ and is ‘proactive in its response; it always goes the extra mile'. The multi-disciplinary practice advises NHS trusts, clinical commissioning groups, government bodies and private sector organisations on a wide range of healthcare, mental health, real estate and corporate matters. Practice head Sharon Renouf is praised for her ‘excellent attention to detail’; she focuses on high-value procurements for NHS clients contracting with the private sector, and counts Barts Health NHS Trust as clients. ‘Shrewd, knowledgeable and very client focused’, Carly Caton acts for NHS trust clients on private patient projects and international ventures, among other matters. Rosemary Jago leads on complex public/private partnership procurements, and is advising Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust on a complex redevelopment programme for St Mary's Hospital valued at £900m. Ian Caplan  is recommended for health-related property matters and Vincent Buscemi for commercial healthcare work.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

Local government

Local government - ranked: tier 1

Bevan Brittan LLP

The 'highly rated' Bevan Brittan LLP acts for local authorities throughout England as well as various Welsh councils advising on areas such as new housing schemes, regeneration projects, income generation models and social care in addition to procurement and contentious work involving tribunals.  It is advising the London Borough of Newham on the redevelopment of the 22 acre Carpenters Estate near the Olympic Park, work which includes a development agreement and the formation of a joint venture company. It also acted successfully for 52 Fire and Rescue Authorities defending claims brought by over 5,000 fire fighters in England and Wales in connection with claims that reforms made to their pensions following the Hutton Report were discriminatory. The well-regarded team includes David Hutton, Matthew Waters and Nadeem Arshad in Bristol, Virginia Cooper in London and Leeds-based Judith Barnes  who is advising Wirral Council on the complex procurement of a private sector partner to form an LLP for large-scale regeneration of the Council's area. Bethan Evans retired in January 2018.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

London: Real estate

Commercial property

Commercial property: development - ranked: tier 5

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP is one of the market’s go-to firms for public sector bodies and local authorities involved in development and regenerations projects. Major development highlights have included Steven Smith advising London Borough of Ealing on the creation, funding and management of the Housing Zone in Southall, which was the first London Housing Zone to achieve financial close. Smith is also acting for City of London Corporation in relation to the £500m redevelopment of the former Smithfield Market. Ian Caplan, who has considerable experience with health-sector property, has advised Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust on the planning application and site sales in relation to the redevelopment of the Chase Farm Hospital. Also recommended is Andrew Shaw, who has particular experience in residential development.

[back to top]

Social housing: finance

Social housing: finance - ranked: tier 4

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP’s ‘strength lies in its broad sector expertise, which enables it to handle a full-range of funding structures’, property charging mandates and housing development programmes. The team is instructed by a range of registered providers, but is especially well-known for it’s public sector work, which has included acting for Warrington Borough Council in relation to the provision of a £100m loan to One Housing Group. Leeds-based department head Hugo Stephens is particularly ‘skilled at forming housing joint ventures where bank or intra-company debt is needed’. In one example, Stephens assisted Together Housing group with the intra-group loan associated with its joint venture to form Together Roof Energy. The team also advised Together Housing Group on ISDA derivative agreements with three of the client’s lenders. David Moore is a recommended senior associate in the London office.

[back to top]

Social housing: local authorities and registered providers

Social housing: local authorities and registered providers - ranked: tier 4

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP is a well-known name in the local authority world, and with a host of instructions from registered providers, the firm has been ‘building a strong reputation in the social housing market’. The housing group is jointly led by Jonathan Turner and Andrew Shaw: Shaw assisted Peabody with its £38m acquisition of 190 affordable units at the Elephant and Castle regeneration site, and Turner advised East Wick and Sweetwater Projects on the procurement and contracting strategy for the supply chain arrangements for a 1,500-unit residential development making up part of the Olympic Legacy scheme. On the local authority side, Matthew Waters advised Brighton and Hove City Council on its £178m joint venture with Hyde Housing Association for the development of 500 shared-ownership homes and 500 living-wage rented homes. Housing litigator Neil Brand is also recommended.

[back to top]