The Legal 500

Within Commercial contracts, tier 4

The dedicated commercial team at Lawrence Graham LLP has ‘excellent knowledge in contract creation and IT’, and has forged relationships with many of the leading Indian technology suppliers. It recently advised NIIT on a global outsourcing contract to provide training services to Shell. Healthcare sector clients are another key source of work, and in 2011 Rosemary Choueka advised Circle Health, the first private company to be offered an operating franchise to run an NHS acute hospital trust, on procurement matters. The vastly experienced Peter Brudenall leads the team, which has also acted for McDonald’s and recently won a mandate relating to contractual agreements for the viewing gallery at The Shard.

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Within Corporate tax Corporate tax

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Within Financial services, tier 5

Lawrence Graham LLP acted on the regulatory side to M&A transactions; advised on the potential regulatory issues arising from the establishment of new financial services enterprises in the UK; and acted increasingly on cross-border matters. The team also saw an increase in contentious work, and consolidated its experience in payment services regulation work. Locke Lord LLP’s London office was established in 2012 by key members of Salans ’ regulatory team. The practice is noted for consumer credit matters. Paula Howard is a ‘strong practitioner’.

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Within Flotations: small and mid-cap, Lawrence Graham LLP is a second tier firm,

Lawrence Graham LLP is ‘among the leading firms’ for AIM work. It advised the NOMAD on the £12m AIM flotation of TMT Investments. John Reed represented Dolphin Capital Investors; Tom Nicholls advised Frontera Resources; and Sunil Kakkad acted for Greenko on its $80m share placing. Oliver Riley is also recommended.

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Within M&A: mid-market, £50m-£250m, Lawrence Graham LLP is a third tier firm,

Highlights for Lawrence Graham LLP’s corporate practice included advising FTSE 250 company Brewin Dolphin Holdings on the disposal of its corporate advisory and brokerage division to N+1 Brewin. In a reflection of its cross-border capability, it also advised the shareholders of Evrofinance Mosnarbank on the disposal of their shareholdings to a Russian-Venezuelan joint venture. Christopher Tite heads the team.

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Within VAT and indirect tax VAT and indirect tax

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Within Fraud: civil, Lawrence Graham LLP is a second tier firm,

Lawrence Graham LLP’s team includes the ‘clear-thinking’ Andrew Witts and newly promoted partner James Sidwell. Its recent work includes advising Grant Thornton as liquidators of Stanford Bank on the protection of the bank’s assets, including seeking the release of a restraint order previously obtained by the SFO. Jeremy Andrews, Jamie Curle and Jean-Pierre Douglas-Henry are now at DLA Piper UK LLP, and Thomas Ross moved to K&L Gates LLP.

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Within Fraud: corporate crime, Lawrence Graham LLP is a third tier firm,

Lawrence Graham LLP’s Eoin O’Shea is ‘very commercial’, and is highly rated for his expertise in bribery matters. Clients include Premier Oil and Aspen Re.

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Within Fraud: white-collar crime Leading individuals: Fraud

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Within Banking litigation: investment and retail, tier 5

Lawrence Graham LLP’s banking litigation group was hit by the departure of Jamie Curle, Jean-Pierre Douglas-Henry and Jeremy Andrews to DLA Piper UK LLP. Andrew Witts remains, and is ‘clear thinking, and a delight to work with’. The firm’s clients include Saad Group and National Australia Bank.

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Within Commercial litigation, tier 5

Lawrence Graham LLP’s ‘professionalism cannot be faulted’. The team advised the Federal Republic of Brazil and the Municipality of São Paulo in relation to fraud-related claims brought against BVI companies associated with São Paulo’s former mayor. The team includes Andrew Dobson, who specialises in commercial and trust disputes; the ‘clear-thinking’ Andrew Witts; and Catherine Naylor, who is singled out for particular praise. Jeremy Andrews, Jamie Curle and Jean-Pierre Douglas-Henry joined DLA Piper UK LLP.

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Within International arbitration International arbitration

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Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, tier 4

Lawrence Graham LLP represented Grant Thornton on all matters relating to Stanford Bank’s UK assets. The team is now headed by ‘attentive and diligent’ associate Robert Paterson, following the departure of a team of three partners in May 2012 to Pinsent Masons LLP. Clients include RBS, KPMG and Nationwide.

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Within Investment funds, Lawrence Graham LLP is a second tier firm,

The ‘simply superb’ team at Lawrence Graham LLP provides ‘excellent service and high-quality, professional advice’, particularly for real estate funds and closed-ended listed funds. It advised Arc Capital Holdings on restructuring and the subsequent admission of realisation shares to AIM. Nick Heather is ‘very commercial, has wide experience, and provides creative solutions’. The ‘commercial and knowledgeable’ John Reed is noted for his expertise in AIM-listed investment vehicles.

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Within Employment: employers and senior executives, Lawrence Graham LLP is a third tier firm,

Lawrence Graham LLP handles a heavy caseload of significant discrimination, breach of contract and team move litigation, mainly acting for employers but also some high-profile executives. The ‘professional’ Yvonne Gallagher and her team act for Brewin Dolphin, NFU Mutual and Panavision, among others. Helga Breen is also recommended.

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Within Pensions, Lawrence Graham LLP is a third tier firm,

Lawrence Graham LLP ‘finds the most effective way of providing advice in a simple and straightforward way’; ‘value for money is excellent’. The firm continues to act for First Corporate Shipping in Pilots, while transactional clients include Volvo and the Hitachi Data Systems Retirement Benefits Plan. Robert Smith has ‘great presentation style and talks with a lot of passion and humour’; and Ron Burgess has ‘a good understanding of the workings of the Pensions Regulator’. Adam Bushby is also recommended.

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Within Insurance and reinsurance litigation, tier 5

Lawrence Graham LLP’s team is ‘very good and very responsive’. David Breslin recently acted in arbitration proceedings for an insurer client in Bermuda following a US class action settlement. Clients include AXA, Aspen and Validus. Antony Woodhouse and Simon King are recommended.

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Within Insurance: corporate and regulatory, tier 4

The team at Lawrence Graham LLP has particular experience in broker M&A transactions. Geoff Gouriet advised Arthur J Gallagher & Co, the brokering firm, on its £97m acquisition of the HLG Holdings Ltd (Heath Lambert Group). The team also has strength in pensions matters, with Robert Smith recommended. Michael Lacey heads the department.

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Within Charities and not-for-profit, tier 6

Lawrence Graham LLP counts Motability, the RNIB and Wellington College among its clients.

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Within Contentious trusts and probate, Lawrence Graham LLP is a third tier firm,

Lawrence Graham LLP’s team is headed by the ‘committed, experienced, and shrewd’ Catharine Bell. The firm advises billionaire families in Russia, Mexico and Europe, while other clients include Capita Fiduciary Group and TMF Group. It is active in high-profile fraud litigation.

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Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Lawrence Graham LLP is a third tier firm,

Lawrence Graham LLP combines the expertise of the ‘calm, pragmatic’ Anthony Thompson and Catharine Bell, who is ‘committed and shrewd’. Thompson is particularly well known for Middle East work; and Nick Jacob and Daniel Ugur are active in expanding the firm’s South East Asia expertise. Caroline Garnham left the firm in 2011.

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Within Mining and minerals, tier 5

Historically strong in capital markets and AIM listings, Lawrence Graham LLP recently advised Patagonia Gold on its dual Toronto Stock Exchange listing, led by Tom Nicholls.

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Within Oil and gas, tier 7

At Lawrence Graham LLP, group head Tom Nicholls advised Cape plc on its step up from AIM to the Main Market and its simultaneous restructuring.

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Within Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables), tier 5

Lawrence Graham LLP’s Louise Gowman has expertise in the ports-related aspects of renewables projects. Jonathan Riley is ‘personable, knowledgeable, realistic and quick to respond’.

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Within Healthcare, tier 5

Lawrence Graham LLP provides ‘very focused and commercial advice’ to clients in the private healthcare sector.

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Within Commercial property, Lawrence Graham LLP is a second tier firm,

Lawrence Graham LLP adopts ‘a practical approach’ and ‘knows what the client is looking for’. Retail is a key strength, notably shopping centres, where work included advising Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd on the purchase and development of approximately £750m worth of outlets. Other clients include Hermes and Debenhams. Department head Richard Miles, Rabinder Chaggar and Jon Lloyd ‘provide a very good service’.

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Within Construction, tier 4

Lawrence Graham LLP has some longstanding investor and institutional developer clients, which it advises on commercial and retail developments across the UK. Philip Baker and his team recently advised Prime Knightsbridge Developments on the construction of a luxury hotel in Knightsbridge. J Sainsbury and Schindler UK are also clients.

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Within Planning, tier 5

Lawrence Graham LLP has the ability ‘to progress complex and long, drawn-out litigation in the CPO field’. It acted for Lord Derby in the public inquiry into a mixed-use development (including 1,200 residential units) in Newmarket. Trevor Blaney is ‘efficient’. Clare Fielding recently joined from Herbert Smith LLP, and has ‘a thorough knowledge of planning’.

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Within Property finance, Lawrence Graham LLP is a third tier firm,

Lawrence Graham LLP advised Deutsche Hypo and Deutsche Postbank on funding the £139m debt purchase of 30 Crown Place. The team includes Nick Turner, who has ‘vast experience’; Iain Thomas, noted for his ‘outstanding service’; and assistant Abigail Roebuck. Matthew East and John Fox, who both joined from Stephenson Harwood, are also recommended.

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Within Property litigation, Lawrence Graham LLP is a third tier firm,

Lawrence Graham LLP recruited senior associate Clive Chalkley from Slaughter and May in 2011, and added The Crown Estate to its roster of institutional investor clients. Chalkley represented House of Fraser in a Court of Appeal case concerning the validity of guarantees under the Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995. The ‘sharp’ and ‘highly respected’ Jane Fox-Edwards heads the group, and Carole Peet was promoted to partner in 2012.

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Within Brand management, tier 4

Lawrence Graham LLP’s Jonathan Riley advises on sponsorship matters, while Andrew Dobson handles trade mark protection and enforcement issues. Clients include Green Energy UK, Canada Goose and Mayfair Brands. Georgie Collins joined Brown Rudnick LLP.

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Within Intellectual property, tier 5

Lawrence Graham LLP’s Andrew Dobson and Jonathan Riley lead on contentious and non-contentious matters respectively. Clients include Canada Goose and Green Energy UK. Georgie Collins joined Brown Rudnick LLP.

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Within IT and telecoms, tier 5

Lawrence Graham LLP’s Peter Brudenall is ‘knowledgeable, instils confidence, can rapidly understand objectives, and explains issues and solutions clearly without legal garble’. He now heads the practice, following Richard Marke’s departure to Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP. Clients include McDonald’s UK and NIIT Technologies.

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Within Media and entertainment, tier 4

Lawrence Graham LLP’s head of commerce and technology Jonathan Riley advises specialist technology companies, and is noted for his digital marketing and publishing expertise.

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