The Legal 500

London: Dispute resolution

Commercial litigation

Commercial litigation - ranked: tier 8

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP’s practice covers financial services; complex, high-value ICT matters; public law challenges; contract breaches; negligence; and fraud-related issues. Birmingham’s Adam Kendall is the national head of the firm’s litigation, advisory and regulatory practice. Former department head Iain Miller moved to Kingsley Napley LLP; and Peter Steel joined Augury Consulting.

[back to top]

Professional discipline

Professional discipline - ranked: tier 1

Bevan Brittan LLP

Kingsley Napley LLP’s ‘star is rising this year’ with the lateral hire of Iain Miller from Bevan Brittan LLP. The ‘exceptionally experienced and well-respected’ team, ‘made up of creative thinkers who will always go the extra mile’, is led by ‘level-headed’ and ‘approachable’ Nicola Hill. The team defends individuals and organisations and acts for regulators across such sectors as health (including mental health) and social care, legal services, education, and the financial sector. Recent work includes acting for the Health and Care Professions Council in a range of fitness to practice matters and acting for the Education and Workforce Council for Wales in all of its disciplinary cases, a range of which involved sexual relationships with student minors. Julie Norris (‘exceptional’, ‘outstanding advocate’ with a ‘phenomenal ability to handle complex material’) acted for a psychotherapist in proceedings before the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Melinka Berridge (‘Astute, inventive and clever’), Julie Matheson (‘supremely bright’ and ‘both personable and robust’), and senior associates Jenny Higgins (‘extensive experience’, ‘innovative’) and Lucy Williams (‘pleasure to work with’, ‘has a real grasp of the issues in a case’) are also highly recommended.

Bevan Brittan LLP acts for a range of regulators in disciplinary proceedings and litigation relating to governance issues and high-level policy. Key clients include the Bar Standards Board, the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Architects Registration Board (ARB), and the Financial Reporting Council. Led by Adam Kendall, the team includes Virginia Cooper, consultant Rosemary Rollason, and senior associate Amy Tschobotko. Recent work includes acting for the ARB in disciplinary proceedings against an architect charged with professional misconduct and dishonesty. The team also advised the Law Society in relation to proceedings against the SRA seeking to prevent disclosure of information following a freedom of information adjudication. Iain Miller joined Kingsley Napley LLP and Peter Steel left to establish a consultancy.

[back to top]

London: Human resources

Employment: employers and senior executives

Employment: employers - ranked: tier 7

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP’s team primarily represents clients in the healthcare sector, including a number of NHS Trusts and private healthcare providers. Group head Jodie Sinclair and Alastair Currie acted for the North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust on a number of high-profile trade union detriment and race discrimination claims. Sinclair has been assisting Symphony Healthcare Services with the employment aspects of its acquisition of a number of GP practices. Currie also successfully defended the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust against an unfair dismissal claim brought before the Employment Tribunal and EAT.

[back to top]

Health and safety

Health and safety - ranked: tier 4

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP’s group excels in acting for clients in the public sector. Group head Adam Kendall represented Reading Borough Council in a HSE investigation and prosecution regarding a patient death at one of the client’s care homes. The group includes Stuart Marchant, who advises healthcare clients on regulatory matters concerning the HSE and Care Quality Commission.

[back to top]

London: Insurance

Clinical negligence: claimant

Leading individuals (Claimant and Defendant)

[back to top]

Clinical negligence: defendant

Clinical negligence: defendant - ranked: tier 2

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP’s ‘extremely professional’ team has ‘outstanding experience and expertise’ in the field. The practice sits on the NHSLA’s panel and acts for a number of private healthcare providers and medical malpractice insurers, as well as having significant expertise in Human Rights Act claims. Recent work includes a £6m birth injury claim brought by a mother and son alleging delay in the management of delivery, leading to brain damage to the child and an emergency hysterectomy for the mother; the claim was successfully defended on behalf of Birmingham Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. The ‘very knowledgeable’ Joanne Easterbrook heads the department and has experience in complex and high-value cases, often involving mental health and the Human Rights Act. Also recommended is Julie Charlton, who is noted for her ‘excellent client care’ and has experience in managing the complete range of clinical negligence cases, including spinal and brain injury. Matthew Trinder joined BLM.

Leading individuals (Claimant and Defendant)

[back to top]

London: Private client

Court of Protection

Court of Protection - ranked: tier 3

Bevan Brittan LLP

Simon Lindsay at Bevan Brittan LLP is recommended. He specialises in mental health and mental capacity issues and acts for a range of NHS, local authority providers and commissioners across the country. The team’s strengths include its ‘professionalism, responsiveness and sensitivity when dealing with complex matters’. Senior associate Hannah Taylor is ‘very experienced and helpful’.

[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 represents public sector clients, including various city councils and London boroughs, in matters relating to energy efficiency, waste-to-energy projects, and district heating. Recent highlights include advising Nottingham City Council on the redevelopment of the Eastcroft energy-from-waste plant and assisting the London borough of Sutton on a district energy project involving the supply of energy from a recovery facility and the development of heat transmission and connection infrastructure. Nadeem Arshad leads the energy and resources team and acts for the University of Newcastle with respects to the procurement of a major district energy project as part of its development of the Science Central site. Other notable names include Nathan Bradberry and solicitor Thomas Graham. All named individuals are based in Bristol.

[back to top]

London: Public sector

Administrative and public law

Administrative and public law - ranked: tier 2

Bevan Brittan LLP

With its ‘strength and depth across public law’, Bevan Brittan LLP is often retained by a plethora of public bodies, including the SRA, Local Government Association and Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Virginia Cooper heads the practice and represented NHS England in a judicial review brought by the Metropolitan Police to prevent the publication of a report commissioned by the NHS as part of the investigation into Sally Hodkin’s murder; ‘hardworking and intelligent’ senior associate Olivia Carter supported on the matter and is a ‘rising star’. Cooper is representing the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner in a judicial review against the former Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, David Crompton, who challenged the defendant’s request for his resignation. In Bristol, David Owens routinely acts for NHS bodies and Emily Heard is singled out for procurement and health sector litigation, while Leeds-based Judith Barnes handles constitutional work, regeneration schemes and numerous other matters.

Next generation lawyers

[back to top]

Education: schools

Education: schools - ranked: tier 5

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP’s practice focuses on handling school and academy construction and refurbishment projects, and PFI developments for local authorities. Andrew Tobin led a team advising Barnsley Local Education on the commercial, corporate, financial, employment and property matters pertaining to its school estate. Other work includes assisting Herefordshire Council with a school expansion project and advising Bristol City Council on the building schools for the future programme. The group also advises local councils on the impact of academy conversions.

[back to top]

Healthcare

Healthcare - ranked: tier 1

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP’s team assists NHS providers, clinical commissioning groups, private sector organisations and government bodies, and counts UnitedHealth, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and the Department of Health among its clients. The group is frequently instructed on procurement for service provision and large sector development projects. Health infrastructure partner Rosemary Jago is advising Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust on procurement, contractual and property-related matters arising from the St Mary’s Hospital redevelopment project. Practice head Sharon Renouf assisted University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with the appointment of Proton International as a concessionaire for private patient proton beam therapy services, including managing the procurement process and drafting the concession agreement. Other highlights included handling health and safety investigations and setting out regulatory frameworks for hospitals. Michael Boyd, Stuart Marchant, David Owens and Vincent Buscemi are also recommended. Carly Caton joined from Pinsent Masons LLP. John Chapman retired.

[back to top]

Local government

Local government - ranked: tier 1

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP is ‘one of the standout firms in the local government field’, has ‘exceptional legal knowledge and outstanding professionalism’ and its ‘proactive approach allows it to tackle any challenging problem that arises in a helpful and responsive way’. PPP and outsourcing specialist David Hutton leads the ‘excellent’ team, which includes ‘undisputed leader in the field’ Bethan Evans and the ‘truly brilliant’ Judith Barnes, who is based in Leeds. In a recent highlight, Evans assisted the London Borough of Wandsworth and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames with a new staffing model including shared workforce agreements. Matthew Waters is also singled out; he recently advised Brighton & Hove City Council on its £176m joint venture with Hyde Housing, with the intention of developing 1000 new homes, and led advice to the London Borough of Brent on the establishment of a housing investment vehicle. The South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Northamptonshire City Council and the London Borough of Hackney are also clients. Other key practitioners include litigator Virginia Cooper, employment expert Sarah Lamont, property specialist Steven Smith and Leeds-based Frances Woodhead.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

London: Real estate

Commercial property

Commercial property: development - ranked: tier 5

Bevan Brittan LLP

Commercial property: general - ranked: tier 6

Bevan Brittan LLP

In 2016 Bevan Brittan LLP’s team remained active on a high volume of commercial mandates for the firm’s considerable public and third-sector client base. Andrew Shaw advised Peabody on its acquisition of 190 affordable housing flats in a 45 storey tower and terrace development forming part of the Elephant & Castle regeneration, and Steven Smith advised London Borough of Hounslow on the phased disposal of its existing Civic Centre to a consortium including Bouygues Developments and Notting Hill Housing. Ian Caplan leads on property work for NHS Trusts and recently assisted West London Mental Health NHS Trust with the disposal of Broadmoor Hospital. The practice is led by Mark Calverley.

[back to top]

Construction: contentious and non-contentious

Construction: contentious - ranked: tier 5

Bevan Brittan LLP

Construction: non-contentious - ranked: tier 5

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP has established a strong public sector client base which it advises on projects in a range of areas including social housing, education, hospitals, and waste and renewable energy. Andrew Tobin leads on non-contentious work and is continuing to act for the Department for Education on the second stage of the Priority School Building Programme. Tobin is also proficient on contractor-side mandates and regularly acts for Wates Construction – most recently advising Vita Student on student accommodation projects in Newcastle, York and Manchester to provide over 1,700 student units. On the disputes side, Marie-Claire O'Hara has experience in both domestic and international work; in addition to advising Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust regarding delays to the completion of the £50m Birmingham Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry, she is also representing a development charity on a dispute concerning the construction and fit-out of a hospital in West Africa.

[back to top]

Social housing: finance

Social housing: finance - ranked: tier 4

Bevan Brittan LLP

Bevan Brittan LLP’s team ‘performs well due to its excellent communication skills and detailed sector knowledge’. Jonathan Turner leads the housing group, and other key individuals include finance team head Hugo Stephens, Richard Stirk, who leads the Northern social housing team from Leeds, and Julie Cowan-Clark, who is recommended for security work. The firm’s borrower client base includes Warrington Borough Council and Together Housing Group; Stephens led advice to the latter on the restructuring of seven loans from five lenders as part of its restructuring. Other work includes assisting LiveWire Community Energy with fundraising via private bonds, and handling a loan to Icknield Port Loop for Places for People.

[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’s ‘responsive, communicative and knowledgeable’ practice is led by Jonathan Turner nationally and counts Andrew Shaw as the key partner in the London office. John Cox joined the firm’s Leeds office in early 2017 from Clarke Willmott LLP. The group’s recent work for registered providers includes advising Peabody Trust on its acquisition of 190 affordable housing flats as part of an Elephant and Castle regeneration and assisting Together Housing Group with the restructuring of its group by merging five of its registered provider subsidiaries into a single body. On the local authority side, Shaw advised the London Borough of Harrow on the sale of two parcels of land with leaseback and development obligations, Turner assisted the London Borough of Barnet with its project to deliver 1500 homes in the Borough, and Mark Calverley handled a redevelopment for the London Borough of Newham.

[back to top]