The Legal 500

Within Financial services, tier 5

Kingsley Napley LLP saw Stephen Pollard leave for WilmerHale, but remains active in a range of regulatory investigations.

Within Partnership, Kingsley Napley LLP is a third tier firm,

At Kingsley Napley LLP, Michelle Chance’s expertise lies in restrictive covenants and team moves for big-name clients. On the non-contentious side, Adrian Crawford is ‘very thorough and pleasant to deal with’. Keith McAlister is also recommended.

Within Crime, Kingsley Napley LLP is a first tier firm,

Kingsley Napley LLP is defending Rebekah Brooks in a police investigation into corruption involving police officers and unlawful telephone interception while she was editor of News of the World and subsequently chief executive of News International. The firm provides a ‘Rolls-Royce’ service, with recommended individuals including the ‘very sensible’ Stephen Gentle, the ‘very experienced’ Mark Beardsworth*, and Angus McBride, who is a ‘criminal solicitor out of the top drawer’. *Mark Beardsworth has moved from Kingsley Napley LLP to Brown Rudnick.

Within Fraud: civil, Kingsley Napley LLP is a third tier firm,

Kingsley Napley LLP is advising one of the defendants in the Innovator One litigation, valued at approximately £60m. Mark Beardsworth* is ‘an imposing figure to have on your side’, and Sophia Purkis is experienced in advising on civil fraud claims. The ‘hardworking’ Louise Hodges is also recommended. *Mark Beardsworth has moved from Kingsley Napley LLP to Brown Rudnick.

Within Fraud: corporate crime, Kingsley Napley LLP is a second tier firm,

Kingsley Napley LLP has a ‘first-rate team’ under the leadership of the ‘calm’ Stephen Parkinson. Highlights included representing developers in corruption investigations/prosecutions in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Christopher Murray ‘sees the bigger picture’, and Stephen Gentle is ‘measured and sensible’.

Within Fraud: white-collar crime, Kingsley Napley LLP is a first tier firm,

Kingsley Napley LLP is a ‘major player’, under the leadership of the ‘calm’ Stephen Parkinson. The firm successfully defended Christopher Hossain in an FSA prosecution for insider dealing. Stephen Gentle provides ‘prompt and sound advice’, and Mark Beardsworth* ‘fights hard for his clients’. *Mark Beardsworth has moved from Kingsley Napley LLP to Brown Rudnick.

Within Commercial litigation Commercial litigation

Within Defamation and privacy Defamation and privacy

Within Professional discipline, Kingsley Napley LLP is a first tier firm,

Kingsley Napley LLP’s ‘excellent-quality’ practice focuses predominantly on healthcare, with the HPC and GDC among its key clients. Highlights included representing the SIA in an appeal against its decision to refuse Approved Contractor Status to 21st Security Ltd. It also acted on behalf of the GTC in prosecuting a former teacher. Stephen Parkinson is ‘professional, experienced, calm and knowledgeable’. Nicola Hill has ‘absolute integrity’, and ‘displays independent and sound judgement’.

Within Employment: employers and senior executives, Kingsley Napley LLP is a second tier firm,

At Kingsley Napley LLP, practice head Richard Fox is ‘particularly gifted in dealing with highly sensitive issues’, and Andreas White is a ‘good strategic thinker’; both are highly rated by peers. Attracting a significant flow of referral work, it acts for senior executives and household-name companies such as JD Wetherspoon, Baker Tilly and the Chief Police Officers’ Staff Association.

Within Immigration, Kingsley Napley LLP is a first tier firm,

Kingsley Napley LLP is sought after for its ‘excellent expertise in immigration’, particularly within the European Union. It represents clients in professional services, energy and IT, and continues to grow its private client base of wealthy investors. Recent highlights include advising a prominent financial services firm on Tier 2 applications, and assisting a nuclear energy business with a submission to the Migration Advisory Committee. Andrew Tingley is particularly adept in the area of visas for students, and provides ‘excellent advice’ at ‘very reasonable fees’. Nick Rollason oversees the team, and the vastly experienced Elspeth Guild is also recommended.

Within Clinical negligence: claimant, Kingsley Napley LLP is a first tier firm,

Kingsley Napley LLP is a ‘first-rate’ firm where the professionalism of its practitioners remains paramount; a ‘well-run’, ‘outstanding’ team, it is ‘really thorough, and prepared to take on difficult cases’. Kate Rohde is ‘immensely experienced’; Stephanie Code has ‘excellent judgment’; and Alison Moore and Terrence Donovan are also well regarded. Attracting referrals from other lawyers, experts and previous clients, it has a varied caseload including cerebral palsy, negligent surgery and wrongful birth cases. It saw the departure of ‘leading light’ Dr Jock Mackenzie, who left the firm for Blake Lapthorn, and Ross Brain has also left the practice.

Within Clinical negligence: defendant Leading individuals: Clinical negligence

Within Contentious trusts and probate, tier 4

Kingsley Napley LLP’s Matthew Duncan is ‘experienced’ in the area.

Within Court of Protection, Kingsley Napley LLP is a third tier firm,

Kingsley Napley LLP’s capability in the area was bolstered in 2010 by the recruitment of department head Patricia Hawkins from Irwin Mitchell, who has particular expertise in deputyships and personal trusts.

Within Family, tier 4

At Kingsley Napley LLP, Jane Keir heads an ‘amazingly efficient’ team which includes European jurisdictions expert William Healing, who is ‘stunning in his commitment’; and leave-to-remove specialist Charlotte Bradley, who is ‘worth every penny’. The firm acted in five reported financial cases in 2011, including K v L (£59m), G v L (£70m), and P v P (£65m).

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, tier 5

Kingsley Napley LLP is known for its immigration expertise. Matthew Duncan heads the team.

Within Administrative and public law, tier 4

Kingsley Napley LLP has ‘an increasingly impressive public law department’, led by the ‘quite simply exceptional’ Adam Chapman. Other key members of the team include Stephen Parkinson and Emily Carter; in particular, the latter ‘can absorb vast amounts of novel and complex information and drill it down to the core issues’. Key mandates included acting for families of victims during the recent inquests into the London bombings of 2005.

Within Commercial property, tier 6

Kingsley Napley LLP provides ‘good, reliable and commercial advice’. It acted for a number of offshore clients, as well as on high-value residential transactions. Paul Harbour has ‘a calm, methodical manner’, and Liam MacDonnell is ‘excellent’.