The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Elsewhere in the East Midlands, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP runs a corporate finance practice across its offices in Nottingham and Birmingham. Corporate consultant Robert Rowley is on hand in Leicester, along with Mary Mackintosh for commercial work.

Within Corporate and commercial: Nottingham and Derby, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP is recognised as having a leading presence in the region for corporate finance transactions. Clients range from FTSE-100 listed Experian to NASDAQ-quoted Dollar Financial and the privately owned LNT Group. John Heaphy, Karl Jansen and the ‘very commercial’ Philip Raven are recommended as ‘always professional, timely, and value for money, with good strength in depth’. In 2010, Heaphy led a team advising the shareholders of Omega Red Holdings on its sale to South Staffs plc. Raven leads on the group’s acquisitions of care sector concerns and properties, such as the sale of Sterling Homecare to City and County Healthcare.

Within Corporate tax, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

At Freeth Cartwright LLP, Bob Neal’s ‘tax knowledge and client-handling skills stand out’ for OMBs and corporate clients on transactions, reorganisations, and SDLT and employee benefit matters.

Within Licensing, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a third tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP assists national and local retailers and restaurant chains in premises licence applications, and with investigations and enforcement actions. Malcolm Radcliffe and the team also provide BIIAB training.

Within Commercial litigation: Elsewhere in the East Midlands, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a third tier firm,

Mukesh Patel at Freeth Cartwright LLP deals with a range of litigation ‘to the highest standard’.

Within Commercial litigation: Nottingham and Derby, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

At Freeth Cartwright LLP, commercial litigation specialists Philippa Dempster, Charles Powell and Mark Thomson are complemented by motor sports expert Simon Taylor. Clients including BSM, Vision Express, and Gala Coral Group benefit from the team’s mix of commercial contract, insurance, and regulatory experience.

Within Banking and finance, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP has ‘excellent knowledge of the SME sector and how it operates, and banking practice/requirements’. The group is instructed by 14 institutional lenders, such as HSBC, Santander, and RBS, and has ‘the strongest regional coverage in terms of office presence and experienced lawyers’. The ‘very down-to-earth’ Phil Baigent has ‘an even temperament – no panics or over-reactions’; and John Heaphy is ‘amongst the best regional corporate lawyers’. Janet Rhodes’ understanding of property finance is ‘excellent and incredibly detailed’.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP’s instructions derive largely from insolvency practitioners and have recently 
been geared towards restructuring and strategies for assisting business recoveries, or proceeding to formal insolvencies. Simon Baigent advised PwC in the liquidation and sale of West Midlands International Airport.

Within Employment, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP is ‘cost effective, responsive, pragmatic and has strength in depth’. Public sector bodies and private sector clients such as Aldi instruct the team, on issues ranging from reorganisations to unfair dismissal and tribunal matters. Rena Magdani is ‘very knowledgeable and very responsive’; and Julian Middleton provides a ‘realistic appraisal of issues and good advice in terms of knowledge base and also as a sharp strategic thinker’.

Within Personal injury and clinical negligence: claimant, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP’s team has undergone some personnel changes but continues to provide a client-focused service on personal injury cases, with an emphasis on acquired and traumatic brain injury matters (through Jane Goulding and Julie Walker). Jane Williams handles clinical negligence matters; and consultant Nigel Tomkins is a specialist in occupational health matters, particularly asbestosis.

Within Personal injury and clinical negligence: defendant, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

Associate John Danaher at Freeth Cartwright LLP assists insurers such as Allianz and Brit in the defence of claims involving accidents at work, industrial disease, fatalities, and road traffic accidents.

Within Professional negligence, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Insurers, brokers and intermediaries rely on the dispute resolution and mediation skills of Charles Powell, Mark Thomson and Amy Morley at Freeth Cartwright LLP, for claims involving accountants, architects, solicitors and surveyors.

Within Regional review, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP now has offices in Birmingham, Manchester and London in addition to its original East Midlands roots. Keen to continue the nationalisation, the firm is now associated with KDJ in Stoke.

Within Charities , Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP advises not-for-profit organisations such as The Woodland Trust and Crossroads Care, in areas such as strategies for mergers and negotiations with corporate sponsors. The team also handles contentious matters relating to trusts and legacies. It is praised for its commercial approach.

Within Family, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP is noted for its partner-led approach, and has recently advised on matters involving serious assault of a wife, and assets in Holland and South Africa. Judith Speed is a chair of the region’s Resolution group.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

‘Responsible, professional and very knowledgeable’, Freeth Cartwright LLP operates dedicated teams for trusts and personal tax, probate, private litigation, Court of Protection and financial services. Nigel Cullen has 40 years’ non-contentious experience. The ‘tenacious’ Mark Keeley is ‘constructive and outcome focused’.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI), Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

The ‘client-focused’ team at Freeth Cartwright LLP includes Stephen Pearson, who has over 10 years’ experience in PFI and outsourcing projects and is 
noted for his ‘excellent client service, knowledge and ability’; and Chris Holwell, who advised Mansell on a PFI project for the construction of 16 fire and rescue stations across the North West with a capital value in excess 
of £50m.

Within Education, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

Mary Mackintosh at Freeth Cartwright LLP ‘has an excellent understanding of the HE environment’ through in-house experience, and heads a team providing property acquisition and development, procurement, landlord and tenant, and employment advice to clients such as Birmingham City, De Montfort, Nottingham and Nottingham Trent universities.

Within Local government, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP has recently been active across judicial challenges, equal pay and discrimination issues, regeneration matters, waste disposal outsourcing, and leisure facility development projects. The firm advises councils from Surrey to Carlisle.

Within Commercial property: Elsewhere in the East Midlands, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP delivers ‘good value for money’, with clients singling out Richard Osborn and Sophie Philippon-Thomas. The team demonstrates ‘good in-depth knowledge of property law and an understanding of commercial needs’.

Within Commercial property: Nottingham and Derby, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP has a sizeable team with a ‘wide field of expertise’, and provides ‘clear, commercial advice quickly’. The practice includes the sale and purchase of property for investment purposes, where recent clients include care home groups and funds. It also handles development matters (where recent projects include the Loughborough University SportPark), and landlord issues. Darren Williamson now heads the group, and investment specialists John McLauchlan and Mark Gradwell are also recommended.

Within Construction, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP’s nationally active construction team ‘stands head and shoulders above its peers’ for service levels and the breadth of its practice, which spans initial procurement advice; drafting and negotiation of tender and project documents; dispute resolution and litigation; and training to clients from the public and private sectors. Chris Holwell is ‘client and solution focused’, and is acting for developer MF Strawson Limited on the £45m Newark town centre redevelopment and on a combined heat and power plant for Loughborough University. Practice head Guy Berwick is ‘extremely knowledgeable and practical, adaptable and aggressive if required’.

Within Environment, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP advises on the planning and development aspects of property transactions. Chris Waumsley leads on environmental impact assessments and enforcements, and Robert Waite has ‘immense experience of environmental matters and provides a well-measured service’.

Within Planning, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP’s three specialist planning practitioners have extensive experience in both strategic matters for developers and granting authorities, and as guides through city and town planning procedures for housebuilders and commercial entities such as Gala Coral.

Within Property litigation, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP advises clients including Experian and the Co-operative Group on landlord and tenant issues. Senior associate Paul Tomkins assisted with the successful pursuit of an insolvent tenant for rental payment in London.

Within Social housing , Freeth Cartwright LLP is a second tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP acts for a broad client base of RSLs, national housebuilders and commercial developers, and is ‘extremely experienced’ and ‘delivers the highest-quality service’. The practice includes refinancings, the acquisition and sale of land and s106 units, the sale of affordable housing, and grant agreements . Gary Reynolds is ‘flexible and pragmatic’, and ‘knowledgeable’.

Within Intellectual property, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a third tier firm,

Trade mark filings and patent protection actions are a feature of Freeth Cartwright LLP’s Birmingham-focused practice.

Within IT and telecoms, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a third tier firm,

At Freeth Cartwright LLP, Deryk Houghton is acting for Capita Group on agreements for a £25m programme for the development and licensing of globally used insurance software applications; and is also handling a dispute relating to a BPO agreement.

Within Sport, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a first tier firm,

Simon Taylor at Freeth Cartwright LLP is a motorsport specialist, advising teams, clubs and governing bodies such as Carlin Motorsport, the Formula One Grand Prix Drivers Association, and Donington Park Circuit on commercial agreements and contentious matters, including appeals to the FIA’s International Court of Appeal.

Within Transport, Freeth Cartwright LLP is a third tier firm,

Freeth Cartwright LLP advises clients in the rail, air, and road transport sectors on commercial, property and employment issues, and also contentious matters.