Lewis Silkin > London, England > Firm Profile

Lewis Silkin Offices

Lewis Silkin
Arbor
255 Blackfriars Rd
LONDON
SE1 9AX
England
Visit website 020 7074 8000 020 7864 1200

Lewis Silkin > The Legal 500 Rankings

Corporate and commercial > M&A: Smaller Deals, £10m-£100m Tier 1

Lewis Silkin‘s combination of ‘business acumen’ and ‘unrivalled knowledge of the communications and tech industries’ makes it a strong choice for a range of top clients in the advertising and marketing and tech sectors. In recent years, the team has broadened its cross-border capabilities and experienced considerable growth in fintech and start-up opportunities. The practice is headed up by Paul Rajput whose advertising and marketing expertise makes him a key contact for some of the world’s largest marketing communications networks, among other clients. The ‘extremely knowledgeable’ Jo Evans regularly assists private businesses with the implementation of their growth plans and exit strategies.

Practice head(s):

Paul Rajput

Other key lawyers:

Jo Evans; Geraint Tilsley; Karish Andrews; Gavin McNaughton; Wendy Saunders; Francesca Ainsworth; Barnaby Stokes; Sadiq Tajbhai; Joe Lythgoe

Testimonials

‘Jo Evans is extremely knowledgeable, approachable and explains potential issues is a very clear and simple manner.’

‘Both Jo Evans and Joe Lythgoe were dedicated and conscious of potential impacts on the transaction if deadlines slipped. Both made themselves consistently available to ensure the deal was on track. Particularly great at ironing out issues as they arose, quickly and effectively.’

‘Lewis Silkin has an outstanding corporate M&A team. Great business acumen, very strong negotiating skills and an unrivalled knowledge of the communications and tech industries.’

Key clients

Sideshow Group Limited

Caroline Kinsey / Ocorian Trust company

Wildstone

Publicis Groupe SA

Havas SA

Sopra Steria SA

Next Fifteen Communications Group Plc

Harbour Group Industries Inc

Shareholders of Born Social

Four Communisations / FCG Worldwide

Work highlights

  • Acted for Publicis Groupe’s in its acquisition of Zeus Enterprise Ltd trading as Yieldify.
  • Acted on Next Fifteens’s acquisition of Engine UK Ltd.
  • Acted for the Wildstone management team on the sale of the Wildstone group (including their significant stake in the group) to Antin Infrastructure Partners, a European private equity infrastructure fund.

Employment > Employers Tier 1

Lewis Silkin‘s employment group is recommended for its specialist sub-teams and is able to cover both high-level litigation, including before the Supreme Court, and complex non-contentious matters, such as the employment restructuring of Twitter following Elon Musk’s takeover. Joint managing partner of the firm Richard Miskella heads the team. He is supported by a strong group of expert lawyers, including highly experienced litigators Michael Anderson, Toni Lorenzo and Michael Burd. Colin Leckey, who specialises in disability discrimination claims, is also integral. Further names to note in an impressively deep bench include workplace investigations specialist Karen Baxter, internal employment and partnership specialist James Davies, the discrimination claims and sexual misconduct allegations-focussed Shalina Crossley and managing associate Carla Feakins.

Practice head(s):

Richard Miskella

Other key lawyers:

Toni Lorenzo; Michael Burd; James Davies; Michael Anderson; Karen Baxter; Colin Leckey; Shalina Crossley; Sean Dempsey; David Hopper; David Samuels; Tarun Tawakley; Lee Nair; Carla Feakins

Testimonials

‘Lewis Silkin is at the top of the tree for High Court employment work. Excellent black letter lawyers, brilliant tacticians and they really fight for their clients. They are the go-to firm for this work, by such a distance.’

‘Michael Anderson and Toni Lorenzo –  No one else in London has the breadth of experience, tactical nous, and willingness to roll up their sleeves, as these two.’

‘There cannot be many Employment teams in the world with a greater depth and diversity of talent and experience.’

‘Toni Lorenzo is a force of nature. He is tireless with a clear focus on what matters most in any litigation.’

‘The most consistently able lawyers you will find in any solicitors’ firm anywhere – extraordinary legal knowledge coupled with great tactical acumen and a keen appreciation of the practicalities.’

‘Colin Leckey is an outstanding technical lawyer and a magnificent coordinator of the team, with an excellent appreciation of client sensibilities and client-handling skills.’

‘Lewis Silkin is a genuine boutique employment law specialist with specific expertise in all corners of UK employment law.’

‘I think the team is unique because they translate employment law in practical terms and are solutions- rather than problem-focused.’

Key clients

Accenture

Google

Deliveroo

Bolt

AstraZeneca

Twitter

Chelsea FC

Checkout.com

LinkedIn

Royal National Theatre

Work highlights

  • Advising AstraZeneca on successfully obtaining an injunction at the High Court preventing a former senior executive from starting with a competitor in breach of their non-compete agreement.
  • Acting for Deliveroo before the Supreme Court in the long-running litigation concerning the employment status of its riders which began before the Central Arbitration Committee and established that riders are not “workers” for employment law purposes.
  • Advising Twitter on a complex, fast-moving restructuring and headcount reduction exercise against the backdrop of a significant amount of publicity and governmental interest following the completion of Elon Musk’s acquisition.

Employment > Immigration Tier 1

Lewis Silkin has particular strength in the sport and creative industries, but has the capability to handle the full range of immigration issues for multinationals, start-ups, private, and HNW clients. Andrew Osborne deploys his significant immigration expertise as practice head, actively lobbying on behalf of clients and providing advice on strategic and complex immigration mandates. Naomi Hanrahan-Soar was promoted to partner in March 2023, and has a base in the science and technology sectors, with a track record advising both HNW individuals and corporate clients. Supinder Sian works with a number of major corporate clients in relation to UK inbound immigration, global mobility programs, and broader pan-European immigration matters, with niche expertise in the International Agreement contractual service supplier sponsorship. Stephen O’Flaherty assists numerous tech clients, but is primarily noted for his aptitude in handling the transfer of players and coaches in the sports industry.

Practice head(s):

Andrew Osborne

Other key lawyers:

Naomi Hanrahan-Soar; Supinder Sian; Stephen O’Flaherty

Testimonials

‘Able to provide accurate and practical advice.’

‘Andrew Osborne is an authority on immigration law and has the practical know-how to back it up. He always delivers and somehow seems to get things through against challenging deadlines. Calm, responsive and practical, he is a stand-out immigration practitioner.’

Key clients

Deliveroo

Benevolent AI

Havas Media

Marks & Spencer

ASOS

Babylon Health

Work highlights

Employment > Senior executives Tier 1

Equally well versed in contentious and non-contentious work relating to senior executives, the ‘universally excellent‘ Lewis Silkin team is particularly active in advising individuals on complex contractual arrangements and reputation management issues. Another strength of the firm is acting in the full range of discrimination ligation and arbitration, including race and sex discrimination cases, with paternity discrimination claims presenting an area of increasing activity. Nicholas Hadaway spearheads the team, leading on whistleblowing and conduct investigation cases. Other key names include Richard Miskella, who assists with exit negotiations, and ‘clever and pragmatic’ Toni Lorenzo, who advises on team moves and restrictive covenants. Tarun Tawakley and managing associates Laetitia Cooke and Sarah McWhinney are likewise noted.

Practice head(s):

Nicholas Hadaway

 

Other key lawyers:

Richard Miskella; Toni Lorenzo; Tarun Tawakley; Laetitia Cooke; Sarah McWhinney

Testimonials

‘Laetitia Cooke combines excellent legal and procedural knowledge with a detailed knowledge of the factual background. She has sound judgment and is a real pleasure to work with.’

‘Nicholas Hadaway is enormously commercially savvy when acting for senior execs in statutory employment law.’

‘They are a top tier firm able to cover all aspects of employment law, both at the statutory and the more commercial end. Their lawyers are universally excellent.’

‘Toni Lorenzo – clever and pragmatic, and blessed with great judgement.’

‘This energetic team combines in-depth knowledge of the law with excellent people skills and an ability to identify and deliver timely, practical solutions to their clients’ problems.’

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Advertising & marketing Tier 1

Rated by clients as 'true leaders in the field', the team of 'smart experts' at Lewis Silkin advises on the full gamut of matters, including adtech vendor agreements, compliance with social media policies, and obtaining pre-clearance for television advertising. The group represents a diverse client base of brand and media owners, trade bodies, and social media platforms. 'Terrific lawyer' Brinsley Dresden heads the practice alongside the 'amazing' Geraint Lloyd-Taylor. Dresden is 'very knowledgeable' and has vast expertise in the negotiation of celebrity talent contracts and sales promotion campaigns; while Lloyd-Taylor assists numerous advertising agencies and brands with defence against ASA investigations and claims. 'Superstar' Jo Farmer is a 'terrific negotiator' who maintains an IP focused practice, frequently handling content creation issues for voiceover artists and talent.

Practice head(s):

Brinsley Dresden; Geraint Lloyd-Taylor

Other key lawyers:

Jo Farmer; Giles Crown

Testimonials

‘We primarily use Lewis Silkin for their expertise in dealing with the Advertising Standards Authority and advertising matters. They have very good industry knowledge; provide valuable insights; and have a good work ethos. The team are a friendly bunch.’

‘I have worked with Brinsley Dresden for around 10 years and he is my go to person. He is very knowledgeable and we value his opinion.’

‘They are the best! Smart experts who are responsive, true leaders in the field. The team is head and shoulders above everyone else. They are super practical, and are first call whenever I have an issue.’

‘Geraint Lloyd-Taylor is amazing. One of the smartest and most pleasurable lawyers to work with. Provides excellent practical advice to clients. Impressed with his command of advertising and IP law, and he’s also an artist himself! His blog posts are informative and entertaining.’

‘Jo Farmer is a superstar, and Brinsley too! Jo Farmer is superb, responsive, and smart. Terrific negotiator. Knows when to dig in, knows when to yield.’

‘Lewis Silkin is the leading UK firm for tech, media, advertising, and marketing. They are an amazing firm. They are knowledgeable, smart, efficient and creative. It is always a pleasure to partner with them on a project.’

‘Brinsley is a thought leader in advertising law. A terrific mentor, terrific lawyer, and terrific person.’

‘The team I worked with was very lean, but composed of very talented lawyers who could deliver comprehensive and commercially sensitive advice in the drafting and negotiation of some complex media agreements.’

Key clients

Next 15

Omnicom

Uncommon

Havas

Wieden & Kennedy

Sideshow

Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO

adam&eveDDB

Suzuki

Associated British Foods

Work highlights

  • Advised a major international fashion retailer about the use of dark patterns by a competitor on its website. This includes the use of reference prices which are not genuine as the basis for savings claims and the misleading use of countdown clocks to put pressure on to consumers into making a purchase.
  • Acting for adam&eveDDB, the award winning creative agency behind the famous annual John Lewis Christmas ad, in relation to a high profile High Court copyright infringement claim over its John Lewis’s Christmas 2019 campaign.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Theatre, publishing and other media Tier 1

Commercial and IP expert Alan Hunt heads up Lewis Silkin‘s practice, which has extensive experience across both the live entertainment and publishing industries. In the former space, the team’s workload ranges from live music to theatre, fashion shows to festivals, and exhibitions to one-off global events; clients include agents and promoters, creatives and artists, broadcasters and content suppliers, and venue owners and operators, among others. In an equal manner, the group is reputed for its advice to leading publishers and corporates on regulations, commercial contracts, brand protection and IP issues – where Simon Entwistle and managing associate JJ Shaw further excel. Consultant Jeremy Summers has wide-ranging IP expertise on both contentious and non-contentious matters.

Practice head(s):

Alan Hunt

Other key lawyers:

Jeremy Summers; Simon Entwistle; Giles Crown; Adam Glass; JJ Shaw

Testimonials

‘The team is always knowledgeable, helpful and professional. I always feel reassured by their input and support. They have a fantastic breadth of media law knowledge which provides a high level of security and insight.’

‘They are always diligent and professional, and able to give expert advice and support on a number of different contractual and legal issues – including copyright, standard commercial or supplier terms, and IP.’

‘They have a fantastic breadth of media knowledge that means we get great insight and perspective on a number of issues. I always feel they have understood the issue we are dealing with.’

Key clients

Oxford University Press

Associated Press

Haymarket Media

Professional Publishers Association

Newsweek Publishing

Ozone

Association of Online Publishers

Think Publishing Limited

Redwood Publishing

News Media Association

Fashion Freak Show

Royal National Theatre

Gainsbury & Whiting

59 Productions

British Fashion Council (Fashion shows)

Annerin Productions

RG Media

Nullarbor Productions Limited

LarMac Group

Work highlights

  • Advising Haymarket on a series of procurement and IP licensing deals.
  • Advising Gainsbury & Whiting on Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2023 collection show in London including the negotiations of the production contract.
  • Advising 59 Productions on a joint venture for a major new exhibition space in Kings Cross, London.

Northern Ireland > Employment Tier 1

Lewis Silkin‘s Belfast offering, which was formed from a merger with indigenous firm Jones Cassidy Brett in 2021, handles the full range of employment, immigration, and equality law matters across the island of Ireland. The group is jointly led by Ciara Fulton, Adam Brett, and Paul Gillen. Fulton is dual-qualified in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and is highly experienced in advising on cross-jurisdictional matters, while Brett specialises in discriminators and regulatory matters. Gillen, who joined the group in 2022 from Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP, has a broad practice which includes restructuring, executive management, TUPE, and employment litigation. Associate Jack Balmer has experience in contentious and non-contentious matters.

Practice head(s):

Ciara Fulton; Paul Gillen; Adam Brett

Other key lawyers:

Kevin Gallagher; Jack Balmer

Testimonials

‘They are a very approachable team and their style of information gathering makes life easier for the client. Collaboration between the team and the client is evident from the first call, and the factual practical advice given is delivered in an easy, straightforward manner.’

‘Responsive knowledgeable team.’

‘They respond to legal queries in a timely fashion with advice that has a pragmatic approach.’

‘Lewis Silkin can draw from a broad base of lawyers, which gives confidence that they will have an expert in the area where you need advice. The introduction of webinars, especially on the differences between Irish and Northern Irish employment law, has been really useful.’

‘Ciara Fulton provides great client service. She is engaging, knowledgeable and provides clear advice.’

‘Paul Gillen, for me, has not only great legal insight, but he also has very valuable knowledge of the people in our industry. He and his team are thorough in their investigations, and they are practical in the delivery of the legal solutions.’

Key clients

Kainos PLC

Circet Group

Ciena

Queen’s University Belfast

CME Group

Northstone (NI) Limited

Persistent Systems Limited

Gilbert-Ash Limited

Mount Charles Group Limited

Northern Ireland Electric Networks Limited

Bryson Charitable Group

Ulster Carpet Mills Ltd

Irwin’s Bakery

Ready2order GmbH

Tata Steel Limited

Northern Ireland Hospice

Texthelp

Jysk

Work highlights

  • Acted for Queen’s University, Belfast in defence of several claims from a serial litigant in relation to complex discrimination and victimisation claims, including successfully defending the first claim at the Employment Tribunal and through to the Court of Appeal.
  • Instructed on all employment matters across Northern Ireland and Great Britain as well as advising on global matters such as implementation of annual bonuses for Persistent Systems Limited.
  • Acting for Kainos PLC on proposals, reviewing and updating employment contracts and advising on wellbeing issues.

Employment > Employment: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40 Tier 1

Lewis Silkin‘s large Thames Valley offering has been praised by clients for its ‘innovative and practical approach to all employment law issues’. Core pillars of the group’s practice in the space include TUPE, complex litigation, employment aspects of transactions, and managing international projects – for which the team has a demonstrably strong track record. In terms of personnel, Russell Brimelow  is a pre-eminent employment lawyer in the Thames Valley. Advising on restructurings, redundancy exercises and employment aspects of M&A transactions are the key focuses of practice leader Jonathan Carr. Carolyn Soakell is highly recommended by clients and is well versed in advising law firms on their internal employment issues. James Storke focuses on restructurings, senior executive exits and strategic projects. At associate level, James Walters is known for resolving complex employee relations issues and defending employment tribunal litigation.

Practice head(s):

Jonathan Carr

Other key lawyers:

Russell Brimelow; Carolyn Soakell; James Storke; James Walters

Testimonials

‘The team has wide-ranging capabilities and experience, including litigation where required.’

‘Carolyn Soakell is one of the best external lawyers I’ve instructed in 30 years’ of practice. She is pragmatic and well-informed about the industry in which we operate, and of course has taken the time to get to understand us as a client.’

‘Innovative and practical approach to all employment law issues.’

‘The team is hands-on and always offers practical solution-based advice.’

‘Subject knowledge, pragmatic solutions, understanding of retail and wholesale industry.’

‘James Walters is excellent to work with.’

Key clients

Oxford University Press

Exscientia

DS Smith

Hewlett Packard

Norton Rose Fulbright

Invesco

Intel

London Metal Exchange

Workspace Group

PZ Cussons

Work highlights

  • Advised an FMCG company and its new parent company on the closure of legacy London premises following a decision to relocate all employees to the head office of the new parent company.
  • Advised a financial services organisation on the TUPE transfer of IT staff from both the client and an existing supplier to a new supplier.
  • Advised a catering company on multiple employment tribunal claims from current employees who claimed underpayment in connection with periods of furlough during the pandemic.

Employment Tier 1

Drawing upon a deep understanding of domestic and international employment law issues associated with ongoing business operations, as well as in the context of ad-hoc transactional work (including major restructurings, M&A mandates and outsourcing), the ‘very strong’ team at Lewis Silkin provides ‘commercially savvy’ advice to private sector employers, both on its own as well as alongside other practitioners spread across the firm’s UK-wide network of offices. Team head Lucy Lewis  has ‘excellent retail knowledge’ and provides ‘very responsive and commercially pragmatic’ strategic advice to many high-profile employers on redundancies/restructuring; sensitive terminations and practical advice on the operation of TUPE. Richard Moore  ‘provides business friendly advice’ on the employment law issues arising from corporate transactions and commercial outsourcing arrangements. At an associate level, Charlotte Morgan continues to impress (although her recent work has been largely made in the context of a secondment role for a large US bank), and Neil Dite has ‘an ability to explain complicated areas easily and thoroughly’, particularly in relation to international employment matters impacting clients in the manufacturing sector.

Practice head(s):

Lucy Lewis

Other key lawyers:

Richard Moore; Neil Dite; Charlotte Morgan; Amy Nevins

Testimonials

‘A down-to-earth, commercially savvy firm with a strong pedigree and desire to go the extra mile or their clients.’

‘A very strong team with excellent retail knowledge, always delivering immediately useful advice that is perfectly pitched.’

‘Lewis Silkin is great at overseeing Europe-wide projects, which requires them to coordinate with different law firms in each market, aggregate the information, and provide useful advice on how to proceed.’

‘Lucy Lewis is very responsive and commercially pragmatic.’

‘Richard Moore is always available, and provides business friendly advice on a timely basis.’

‘Richard Moore and Neil Dite are excellent and display an ability to explain complicated areas easily and thoroughly.’

Key clients

Marks & Spencer

Havas

Omnicom Group

Rockwool

DS Smith

Inditex (Zara, Massimo Dutti, Bershka)

Interpublic

Daily Mail & General Trust Plc

DraftKings

Publicis

Work highlights

  • Advising an online retailer on a significant global restructure which involved outsourcing parts of business as well as rationalising resources (which involved both TUPE and collective redundancies).
  • Advising on all employment aspects of the purchase of a manufacturing business across 14 jurisdictions, including much of Europe, China, Brazil and Indonesia, relating to the implementation of pre-completion re-organisation steps.
  • Supporting a multinational manufacturer on a high value Employment Tribunal claim involving sensitive allegations of unfair dismissal and disability discrimination with the successful result of all claims being dismissed.

Corporate and commercial > Commercial contracts Tier 2

With strength in the retail, media and entertainment industries, the team at Lewis Silkin provides ‘expert advice and support on a number of different contractual and legal issues’, with a notable track record on strategic brand partnerships and sponsorships, route to market issues, and IP heavy deals. Jo Farmer and James Gill co-head the practice. Media buying contracts and content creator and influencer related mandates are the cornerstone of Farmer’s practice, while Gill has key strength in data, AI, and adtech issues, particularly surrounding the manufacturing, tech and retail sectors. Alan Hunt is highlighted for his diverse commercial outlook, and has recently been active on business-critical logistics requirements and supply contracts, producer, agency and introducer agreements, as well as complex outsourcing projects. Managing associate Alex Meloy is noted for his advertising, marketing and intellectual property acumen.

Practice head(s):

Jo Farmer; James Gill

Other key lawyers:

Alan Hunt; Alex Meloy

Testimonials

‘The LS team has broad legal knowledge and experience and are able to help out on a number of different contractual and legal issues. They are always knowledgeable, helpful and professional. I always feel reassured by their input and support. They have a fantastic breadth of media law knowledge, which provides a high level of security and insight.’

‘They are always diligent and professional, and able to give expert advice and support on a number of different contractual and legal issues – including copyright, standard commercial or supplier terms, and IP.’

‘They have a fantastic breadth of media knowledge that means we get great insight and perspective on a number of issues. I always feel they have understood the issue we are dealing with.’

‘Alan Hunt is a first-class lawyer. He’s exactly who you want on your side going into any contractual negotiation.’

‘The team have true understanding of the client’s needs. They take a very commercial approach and don’t overcomplicate their advice. It’s no-nonsense and cost-effective advice.’

Key clients

Hermès

Peloton

Harvey Nichols

TikTok

Howdens Joinery Group plc

Free Now

London Fashion Week

Jellycat

B&Q

Gorillas

Work highlights

  • Advise Howdens Joinery Group plc on its wide array of commercial, supply chain, advertising & marketing and technology requirements.
  • Advised Suzuki on a range of commercial contracts, including sponsorship, advertising contracts and media buying contracts.
  • Advised the British Fashion Council on its partnership with various sponsors including Diet Coke, plus advising on key talent deals (for performers and presenters) and producer, agency and introducer agreements.

Corporate and commercial > Partnership Tier 2

Offering a holistic service with ‘strength and depth across the partnership, employment and commercial fields’, Lewis Silkin services law firms, hedge funds, private equity managers and debt advisory businesses, particularly in relation to highly sensitive disputes arising from misconduct allegations and partner exits. The team also offers experience in contentious matters such as expulsion, fiduciary duties, restrictive covenants and remuneration disputes and non-contentious work such as mergers, internal policies, business formation and restructuring. Heading up the group is the ‘extremely experienced’ Clive Greenwood. He is frequently instructed in disputes concerning compulsory retirement and performance. Partnership and LLP agreement expert Fergus Payne advises professional services firms on restructuring projects and mergers and has now adopted the role of consultant at the firm. Heading up the investigations team is Karen Baxter, an employment and partnership law specialist that advises on investigations involving allegations of professional misconduct, team moves, partner obligations and disputes. Michael Burd is known for his focus on large-scale and international litigation, arbitration and agreements work. Managing associate Frances Simm, described by one client as a ‘star,’ has recently advised international law firms, national accountancy firms and individuals on contentious LLP disputes and investigations. Professional services specialist Chris Hallinan joined the practice in July 2023 from Addleshaw Goddard .

Practice head(s):

Clive Greenwood

Other key lawyers:

Fergus Payne; Karen Baxter; Michael Burd; Frances Simm; Shalina Crossley; Fraser McKeating; Chris Hallinan

Testimonials

‘Clive Greenwood runs a team with great skills and experience in the partnership arena, handling the most complex litigation.’

‘Clive Greenwood is great to work with, cerebral, thoughtful and with great judgment. He is calm and reassuring with clients and counsel alike. Fraser McKeating and Frances Simm are great up and coming litigators.’

‘A standout team of superb lawyers who are brilliant to deal with.’

‘Clive Greenwood is one of the very best in the field. He has huge amounts of knowledge and is brilliantly efficient. Clients love him and he is a joy to work.’

‘An extremely hardworking, diligent and focused team with personable lawyers, very good accessibility and experience in the partnership field.’

‘Clive Greenwood is extremely experienced and very commercially savvy. He is able to see the big picture in a case and is very focused in his strategic thinking.’

‘Lewis Silkin’s strength and depth across the partnership, employment and commercial fields make them a formidable team.’

‘Clive Greenwood is a safe pair of hands. He is commercial, assured, knowledgeable, unflappable and practical. If I was ever in the unfortunate position of having a partnership dispute, I would instruct him.’

Key clients

Haysmacintyre

United Agents

Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market Tier 2

With 'significant experience in dealing with complex disputes‘, Lewis Silkin‘s dispute resolution practice is able to leverage partners and experienced lawyers from across the entire firm. Examples includes shareholder disputes, where the team often comprises colleagues from the firm's employment and corporate law practices. Dispute resolution head Mark Lim is a widely-respected cross-border commercial disputes expert; Andrew Wanambwa, whose track record includes several large-scale disputes before the English High Court, 'quickly identifies the key issues'; Clive Greenwood is highly experienced in commercial and corporate conflicts; and Neil Parkes has longstanding experience in representing clients from the media, entertainment and technology sectors. At managing associate level, Fraser McKeating 'gets the work done', while Nigel Enticknap acts in commercial disputes that frequently incorporate international aspects.

Practice head(s):

Mark Lim

Other key lawyers:

Andrew Wanambwa; Clive Greenwood; Neil Parkes; Fraser McKeating; Nigel Enticknap

Testimonials

‘The knowledge, diligence and teamwork, supported by effective communications and understanding of clients’ needs while interpreting the law effectively, is very refreshing.’

‘Mark Lim’s knowledge, understanding of the client’s issues and appropriate communications with opponents are nothing short of excellent.’

‘Mark Lim and Nigel Enticknap are very experienced and capable litigators, who provide an excellent service for their clients.’

‘The team is bright and energetic. They demonstrate a deep understanding of the issues and are quick to identify solutions.’

‘Andrew Wanambwa is a pleasure to work with. He quickly identifies the key issues and has a keen eye for detail.’

‘They really care about the cases they work on and strive to achieve the best possible result for clients.’

‘Excellent team with significant experience in dealing with complex disputes.’

‘Fraser McKeating is a friendly and approachable member of the team, who gets the work done.’

Key clients

PPE Medpro

Dualit Holdings

Sky

Airbnb

Deliveroo

Havas Media Group

Hermes International

Uniqlo Europe

Ayanda Capital

Global Harvester Holdings

Work highlights

  • Acting for senior executives of the Essar Group in a $1.5bn unlawful means conspiracy claim in the Commercial Court.
  • Acting for PPE Medpro in a £133m Commercial Court dispute with the DHSC over the supply of surgical gowns during the Pandemic.
  • Acting for Convrgnt Value Engineering, a Dubai construction company, in a large breach of contract and professional liability claim.

Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers Tier 2

Led by Brian Kilcoyne, the corporate occupiers department at Lewis Silkin is a strong choice for clients operating in the lifestyle, luxury brands and retail sectors. Rachel Francis-Lang handles the negotiation of commercial leases, while Julia Poulter co-leads the retail, hospitality, and leisure team. Patrick Brown’s recent work highlights include the pre-letting of the majority of a building located in Victoria. On the development side, the group has been busy in public sector regeneration. With ‘exemplary commitment’, Anthony van Hoffen is primarily engaged in mixed-use development and regeneration projects, including New Covent Garden Market in Nine Elms and Shepherd’s Bush Market. Clare Reddy is geared to advise clients on all stages of construction projects, while Sara Hanrahan has recently handled the re-development of Islington Square and the regeneration of Earl’s Court.

Practice head(s):

Brian Kilcoyne

Other key lawyers:

Julia Poulter; Rachel Francis-Lang; Patrick Brown; Anthony van Hoffen; Clare Reddy; Sara Hanrahan; Laura Bougourd

Testimonials

‘The real estate team are the best we have ever worked with, and they keep us updated on all of our projects on a weekly basis.’

‘They have a very personable approach and are practical.’

‘Rachel Francis-Lang is excellent. She sees the bigger picture.’

‘Brian Kilcoyne and Rachel Francis-Lang are just the best in their field, they are so knowledgeable and provide the best advice.’

Key clients

Jones Knowles Ritchie Limited

Havas UK Limited

Daniel J. Edelman Limited

The Continuity Company Limited

Mccann-Erickson EMEA Limited

Mediabrands Limited

Jack Morton Worldwide

IPG Dxtra

Brandopus LLP

Innocean Worldwide

Levy Real Estate

Pepper UK Limited

Howden Joinery Limited

Work highlights

  • Acting for The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc and its subsidiaries in relation to the acquisition and disposal of significant HQ properties for its agencies, often on a pre-let basis.
  • Advised an investor developer on lettings within a mixed use development in central London across a 4.5 acre site in Central London.
  • Advising Daniel J. Edelman Limited on the real estate, construction and tax aspects of its headquarter move to Derwent London’s Francis House in London SW1 on a pre-let basis.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Film & TV Tier 2

Lewis Silkin is a regular advisor to major and independent film and television clients on matters pertaining to talent engagement, content creation, finance, production and exploitation. The team’s contentious capabilities – where Neil Parkes is the main point of contact – include reputation management and defamation, as well as the protection and enforcement of brands and IP rights. Parkes has particular expertise in online content protection strategies and often acts for media giants such as Sky, the Motion Picture Association and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment. He co-heads the practice with the employment-focused Russell Brimelow.

Practice head(s):

Russell Brimelow; Neil Parkes

Other key lawyers:

Lee Nair

Testimonials

‘There is consistent strength and depth across the board.  They have an excellent range of partners and associates who know the media sector well and are always my go-to for commercial, good value advice.’

Key clients

Sky

All 3 Media

Freemantle Media

United Agents

Banijay

Motion Picture Association

Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment

Shinfield Studios Limited

Work highlights

  • Advising Sky on the action taken against those who engage in commercial-scale streaming piracy of their copyright-protected broadcast content.
  • Advising Freemantle Media on the IP that underlies the global brand ‘Got Talent Franchise’.
  • Advising Shinfield Studios on the contractual issues associated with the construction of their studio complex within the Thames Valley Science Park.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Music Tier 2

Lewis Silkin‘s music group works with a number of leading labels, digital & mobile services, brands and rights-owners across the globe. Cliff Fluet‘s music expertise can be seen in matters pertaining to AI and blockchain, and more increasingly NFTs and the Metaverse, while Alan Hunt is a go-to for the protection and exploitation of IP rights and the drafting and negotiation of commercial and tech agreements. In addition to his specialism in theatrical productions, consultant Jeremy Summers has wide-ranging IP capabilities across both contentious and non-contentious matters in the music sector.

Practice head(s):

Cliff Fluet; Alan Hunt

Other key lawyers:

Jeremy Summers

Testimonials

‘Their expertise across the creative sector is invaluable – there is always practical advice on hand.’

‘Cliff Fluet is well-informed and an experienced industry advisor.’

‘Their practical and commercially focused advice is second-to-none, and their responsiveness and ability to simplify complex issues has saved us time and money.’

‘We appreciate their collaborative approach, diverse and inclusive culture, and innovative use of tech to streamline legal processes.’

‘Compared to other firms, the team’s expertise and tailored solutions make them stand out.’

‘Cliff Fluet is a strategic thinker with a great sense of humor – he has a wealth of experience in the entertainment and digital media space, and his expertise has been invaluable to us.’

Key clients

Audoo

NME Networks Media

Persephonica Productions

Universal Music

Ministry of Sound

MusicBird Rights

Serenade

Beatchain

VEVO

Work highlights

  • Advising MusicBird on a new music fund, including the acquisition of all rights from Midge Ure concerning over 300 songs from his 30-year catalogue.
  • Advising Serenade on the release of the first UK chart-eligible NFT for ‘Muse’ on their negotiations with Muse, a record label and unique global licence for the music publishing rights.
  • Advising NME Networks and their media brands (including NME and Guitar.com) on a range of matters including brand partnership and sponsorship deals, as well as on their flagship events such as the NME Awards.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Video games Tier 2

Commercial and transactional IP expert Nick Allan heads up the interactive entertainment practice at Lewis Silkin, which receives regular instructions from large multinational publishers, independent game developers, VR/AR game studios, metaverse and esports developers, and adtech companies. The team has experience advising on commercial contracts, publishing and licensing agreements, IP rights, brand management and content distribution, as well as various corporate, consumer and data protection matters.

Practice head(s):

Nick Allan

Other key lawyers:

JJ Shaw

Testimonials

‘Nick Allan is technically very sharp and always willing to help.’

‘Nick Allan’s knowledge of the gaming market sets him apart from other lawyers – he is technically excellent, responsive and knows our business inside out.’

‘The team has excellent background and insights on the sector – it is skilled and offers practical advice to international clients.’

‘Nick Allan is an outstanding lawyer – always cooperative in his approach and up-to-date with the latest developments specific to the video game sector.’

‘Nick Allan is a very capable, hardworking and diligent individual, with huge experience across the video game sector.’

Key clients

Keywords Studios PLC

Silver Rain Games

ustwo Games

Jagex

Piggyback Interactive

Dubit

XR Games

Dovetail Games

Panivox

Blink Games

Work highlights

  • Advising Keywords Studios on their UK outsourced commercial contracts and employment work.
  • Advising Silver Rain Games on commercial contracts, IP, brand management, employment and corporate matters.
  • Advising X R Games Limited on a funding round co-led by existing investors Praetura Ventures and Maven Capital Partners.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport Tier 2

Lewis Silkin is praised by one client for its ‘particular, leading strength in brand protection in sport’. Practice co-chair Alex Kelham advises on an array of matters, ranging from contentious issues concerning both athletes and governing bodies, to IP and image rights agreements. Kelham co-heads the team with Jonathan Carr, who focuses on employment and contractual matters for household clubs from the worlds of football and rugby. Andrew Osborne is the team’s specialist sports immigration practitioner, while Stephen O’Flaherty notably advises football, cricket and rugby teams on recruitment and transfer of players and coaches. Deputy co-chair John Shea remains a key name to note.

Practice head(s):

Alex Kelham; Jonathan Carr

Other key lawyers:

Andrew Osborne; Stephen O’Flaherty; John Shea

Testimonials

‘Lewis Silkin has particular, leading strength in brand protection in sport. They are the market leaders. Exceptionally good value, too.’

‘Alex Kelham is superb, top of the league. John Shea is the most sought-after senior associate in the market with a sports/technology specialism.’

‘John Shea is clever, easy going and very diligent. His advice is always practical and useful.’

Key clients

Rugby Football Union

Arsenal

Welsh Rugby Union

Brighton & Hove Albion

Northampton Rugby Football Club Limited

Ascot Racecourse Limited

Frank Lampard

CAA Base Limited

British Swimming

Recast

Work highlights

  • Advising the RFU on the establishment of a new league structure for the highest level of women’s domestic rugby in England.
  • Advising Frank Lampard in relation to his appointment as manager of Everton FC as well as assistant manager Joe Edwards and first team coaches Ashley Cole and Chris Jones.
  • Advising Michael Beale in relation to his appointment as manager at Queens Park Rangers FC.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms Tier 2

Lewis Silkin‘s Northern Ireland offering, which merged with indigenous firm Forde Campbell LLC in 2022, acts for a diverse range of domestic and international clients across cutting edge industries such as neurotechnology, data analytics, and AI. Team lead and former name partner Rory Campbell has over 25 years' experience in the practice area. Legal director Mary Traynor is a key name.

Practice head(s):

Rory Campbell

Other key lawyers:

Katey Dixon; Mary Traynor

Testimonials

‘A collaboration of experts who are accessible and empower their clients through early resolutions where possible to judicial resolution when necessary.’

‘They made our company feel as though they were our partners in every situation, and their expertise was second to none.’

‘Rory Campbell is very knowledgeable on data protection, public sector procurement channels for technology and commercial matters in general. He is pragmatic and commercial in his approach, and very pleasant to work with.’

‘The team impressed me from the outset with their strong technical knowledge. We are a software company in quite a niche space, but the team were ‘fluent’ when speaking about our business.’

‘Rory Campbell is outstanding. We have had the pleasure of working with Rory over the last 5 years. Katie Dixon is also excellent for advice on investment. Mary Traynor for contracts was very thorough.’

‘The team at Lewis Silkin are a pleasure to work with. They are very responsive, have an in-depth knowledge and expertise and provide commercially focused solutions.’

‘Expertise, responsiveness, driven, commercially focused and personable.’

Key clients

Telefonica Tech Limited

ION Group

Automated Intelligence

FD Technologies plc

SmartWorkPlus Limited

Law Business Research Limited

Onesource Virtual (UK) Limited

Analytics Engines

Incisiv

Kinsetsu Limited

Support to Perform

Work highlights

  • Advise Telefonica Tech Limited, a leading digital transformation company, on Cancom Ireland’s £100 million contract with a major English university NHS Trust, reviewing specification requirements and change control procedures as part of Cancom’s ongoing contract management.
  • Advise Dublin based ION Group on some of its subsidiaries’ content subscription strategy and contracts. ION financial software enables financial institutions and corporations to digitalise and automate business critical processes.
  • Advise FD Technologies plc, a leading global fintech provider based in Northern Ireland, on the terms of UK government tech framework and call off contracts, including the provision of a set of standard terms for product licensing.

Industry focus > Hospitality and leisure Tier 3

Practitioners at Lewis Silkin advise on strategic transactions and everyday challenges facing operators of hotels, bars, restaurants, leisure complexes, spas and golf clubs. The practice’s expertise lies particularly in data and privacy, franchising and licensing, real estate, employment and immigration, and intellectual property and brand management. Team head Julia Poulter co-founded The Collective, which provides advice and thought leadership to premium and luxury brands, as well as handling all aspects of commercial property on their behalf. Leading the firm’s employment services is Laura Farnsworth, who works with restaurant chains on matters relating to national minimum and living wage, holiday pay and senior executive issues. Data and privacy specialist Bryony Long is another name to note.

Practice head(s):

Julia Poulter

Other key lawyers:

Julia Poulter; Bryony Long

Testimonials

‘They have good industry knowledge, are approachable and commercial.’

Key clients

Great Wolf Resorts

Cineworld

Hawksmoor Restaurants

Zizzi

ASK Italian

PizzaExpress Restaurants

Ascot Racecourse

Work highlights

  • Advising Madrid-based company, The Arc Collection, which specialises in providing and managing luxury serviced apartments/aparthotels.
  • Advised MJS Holding on its joint venture with French dining group Paris Society International (PSI) to develop and operate restaurants in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under leading brands owned or controlled by PSI.
  • Acting for the Taste of Nawab in a trade mark infringement and passing off case brought against Nawab Online and Mr Mohammed Shoohan Choudhury.

Industry focus > Retail and consumer Tier 3

Jointly led by Anna Sella and Julia Poulter, Lewis Silkin’s retail, hospitality, and leisure team counts luxury brands, high-street fashion retailers, investors, and shareholders among its clients. The full-service and multi-disciplinary team has notable strength in logistics and supply chain issues, as well as advertising and brand protection matters. The ‘intelligent, strategic, sensible‘ Oliver Fairhurst is recommended for his contentious intellectual property expertise.

Practice head(s):

Julia Poulter; Anna Sella

Other key lawyers:

Oliver Fairhurst

Testimonials

‘Wholly reliable and value additive.’

‘Short-term support, pragmatic approach, pleasant atmosphere.’

‘Forward thinking team, very accommodating to the client’s way of working, excellent industry experience.’

‘Oliver Fairhurst – intelligent, strategic, sensible, knowledgeable.’

‘Very strong practice, extremely responsive and a deep knowledge of the retail sector.’

Key clients

M&S

ASOS

Superdry

Liberty Retail

Harvey Nichols

Airwair International Limited (Dr. Martens)

Bacardi

Swedish Match

Unilever

Jellycat

Work highlights

  • Acted for Deliveroo on litigation concerning the employment status of its riders.
  • Advising Britvic on the development of its innovation protection, enforcement, and operation strategies in relation to patents and designs as the business evolves into new dispensing technologies and associated business models.
  • Supporting the in-house legal function of Jellycat with day-to-day advice on commercial and consumer law projects.

Real estate > Commercial property: development Tier 3

Led by Brian Kilcoyne, the corporate occupiers department at Lewis Silkin is a strong choice for clients operating in the lifestyle, luxury brands and retail sectors. Rachel Francis-Lang handles the negotiation of commercial leases, while Julia Poulter co-leads the retail, hospitality, and leisure team. Patrick Brown’s recent work highlights include the pre-letting of the majority of a building located in Victoria. On the development side, the group has been busy in public sector regeneration. With ‘exemplary commitment’, Anthony van Hoffen is primarily engaged in mixed-use development and regeneration projects, including New Covent Garden Market in Nine Elms and Shepherd’s Bush Market. Clare Reddy is geared to advise clients on all stages of construction projects, while Sara Hanrahan has recently handled the re-development of Islington Square and the regeneration of Earl’s Court.

Practice head(s):

Anthony van Hoffen

Other key lawyers:

Brian Kilcoyne; Rachel Francis-Lang; Patrick Brown; Anthony van Hoffen; Clare Reddy; Sara Hanrahan; Laura Bougourd

Testimonials

‘Good industry knowledge.’

‘Noted for his exemplary commitment, Anthony van Hoffen provides creative, constructive and relevant advice, which engages with the wider and often historical context of problems.’

‘Approachable and commercial.’

Key clients

London Borough of Camden

London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

London Legacy Development Corporation

The Liliesleaf Trust UK

Sydell Group

Shinfield Studios Limited

Howden Joinery Limited

Withers LLP

Work highlights

  • Advised London Borough of Camden on a land disposal to a developer to act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the Regis Road Growth Area.
  • Advised London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham on the redevelopment of Shepherd’s Bush Market to provide a new market, offices and affordable residential units in partnership with Yoo Capital.
  • Advised the London Legacy Development Corporation on a Grant of Rights to Energy Centres for District Heating Network.

Real estate > Property litigation Tier 3

Lewis Silkin covers all areas of commercial and residential property litigation before all levels of court. The team acts for major corporates and high-net-worth individuals with a particular focus on dilapidations, rights of light, insolvency and development matters. Practice head Brian Kilcoyne, who is noted as ‘one of the leading property litigation solicitors in the country’, has over 30 years of experience with contractual and development disputes. ‘Top litigator’ Mario Betts handles a range of commercial landlord and tenant matters, whilst Paul Hayes has a strong track record in professional negligence.

Practice head(s):

Brian Kilcoyne

Other key lawyers:

Mario Betts; Paul Hayes

Testimonials

‘A small but excellent team of property litigators with especial expertise in dealing with the cross-over between insolvency and property’

‘Brian Kilcoyne is one of the leading property litigation solicitors in the country, with a huge amount of experience. He is very clever and commercially astute.’

‘Mario Betts is a really first-rate property litigation solicitor who is a complete delight to work with.’

‘Very commercially-focused, efficient and good value for money, in my view.’

‘Mario Betts is a top litigator. He is decisive, bright and very driven.’

‘Good industry knowledge, approachable and commercial’

Key clients

PizzaExpress (Restaurants) Limited

Samsung SDS Europe Limited

Medsupply International

Interpublic Group of Companies Inc.

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Howden Joinery Plc

Staywell Hotels

Jones Knoles Ritchie

Meyrick Estate Management Limited

HSH Property Limited

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design Tier 3

Praised as ‘super efficient’ and ‘proactive’, Lewis Silkin’s broad IP offering covers a wide array of matters, extending from various disputes and portfolio management to regulatory work. Thomas Gaunt leads the practice, which routinely handles matters in the retail, technology, media and entertainment, and manufacturing and engineering sectors. Adam Glass’s capabilities include music and literary copyright disputes for various advertising and media clients. Giles Crown strengthens the practice with his specialist expertise in brand protection and enforcement work, with Simon Chapman contributing his extensive litigation experience. Neil Parkes regularly instructs media rights owners, and Nick Bowie is at the forefront of the firm’s trade mark portfolio practice.

Practice head(s):

Tom Gaunt

Other key lawyers:

Adam Glass; Giles Crown; Simon Chapman; Neil Parkes; Oliver Fairhurst; Nick Bowie; Nicholas Buckland; Abigail Wise

Testimonials

‘The team is highly collaborative and efficient. They offer single points of contact through which we are able to access specialists to deal with matters where appropriate. They are proactive and reliable in managing the trade mark portfolio and manage oppositions and ongoing matters effectively and with “no fuss”.’

‘Abigail Wise is highly responsive, and her advice is thorough and well considered.’

‘The Lewis Silkin team is super efficient, responsive and accommodative. They have a very strong trademark prosecution and litigation practice. We always entrust our matters to Lewis Silkin.’

‘The two main contacts we work with at Lewis Silkin are Nick Buckland and Nick Bowie, who are extremely capable and very responsive.’

‘Nicholas Buckland’s team work efficiently and responsively. They kept us well informed throughout the case and were always charming.’

‘They were very informative and helpful.’

‘Lewis Silkin’s IP team are incredibly knowledgeable and really take the time to get to know our business and the industry we work in. The team has been managing our trade mark portfolio and a range of contentious and non-contentious IP work for many years and their performance is incomparable.’

‘When Giles Crown is involved, you know you’re in safe hands. He is extremely driven and proactive and his commitment to excellence is inspiring. Giles Crown is the lawyer you want in your corner, particularly for the most complicated cases.’

Key clients

John Lewis Plc and DDB UK Limited t/a adam&eve

Airwair International Limited (Dr. Martens)

Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

Trustpilot A/S

Skyscanner

Harvey Nichols & Co Ltd

Swiss Mountain Rescue Limited

Sky

London Fashion Week

NRG

Work highlights

  • Acting for both John Lewis and adam&eveDDB in relation to the annual John Lewis Christmas ad. Both were defendants in a high profile High Court copyright infringement claim over John Lewis’s 2019 campaign.
  • Acting for Airwair International Ltd (Dr. Martens) in relation to its brand enforcement work. This year has seen two sets of High Court infringement proceedings, with a successful judgment in one and the other resolved.
  • Acting for Dr Wolff (the supplier of the VAGISAN vaginal health product) in relation to a claim by its competitor, Combe. This year saw the appeal, which involved Dr Wolff establishing new law in relation to statutory acquiescence.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms Tier 3

The IT contracts team at Lewis Silkin has both transactional and advisory capabilities, advising on technology transactions ranging from AI, NFTs and cloud services to outsourcing and cyber security. The practice regularly acts for technology companies, start-ups, telecoms giants and scale-ups. James Gill leads the team and specialises in issues concerning NFTs, crypto and SaaS, while Rory Campbell advises government clients and IT providers on the terms of software and services supply.

Practice head(s):

James Gill

Other key lawyers:

Rory Campbell

Key clients

Telefonica

Deliveroo

Babylon Health

Meta

Keywords Studios

Jagex

Toshiba

Snap

Datalex

Informa (Citeline)

Work highlights

  • Advised Datalex (Ireland) Limited to support its legal team on the negotiation of an agreement with easyJet for the provision of software licences and services in relation to the personalisation of fare options.
  • Advised Toshiba on its manufacture and supply contract with the Data Communications Company (DCC) for the provision of 4G communications hub in connection with the UK Government’s roll-out of smart energy meters.
  • Provided support to Keywords Studios, the leading supplier of external game development and other services to the video games industry, on all its UK outsourced external software and game development deals with its customers, including several significant multi-million pound contracts with leading video game publishers.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > PATMA: Patent attorneys Tier 3

Lewis Silkin is skilled in handling contentious IP, including EPO oppositions and infringement work, and portfolio management for clients in the life sciences, manufacturing and engineering, technology, retail, and media and entertainment sectors. The firm is expanding its IP offering in Northern Ireland following the merger with Forde Campbell in Belfast in early 2022. Practice head Tom Gaunt primarily assists clients with their mechanical, electrical and software patents, and other notable team members include chemical, life sciences, and mechanical patents expert Paul Williams and patent litigator Antony Craggs. Jonathan Higgs joined the team in August 2022 as a legal director from Murgitroyd, while David Swaine departed the firm in November 2022 to join Essex Bio-Technology as a general counsel.

Practice head(s):

Tom Gaunt

Other key lawyers:

Graham Ablett; Paul Williams; Antony Craggs; Jonathan Higgs

Testimonials

‘Tom Gaunt is an entrepreneurial and forward-thinking patent attorney. He has a clear vision about how he wants to build his practice and an evident ability to execute toward that vision.’

Key clients

Aptiv

Orsted

Janssen Pharmaceutica

TDK Lamda

Britvic

QL Thermostatic

Organics

Invention Investment Ireland

Nippon Steel Corp

SGW Global

Work highlights

  • Advising Aptiv on patent prosecution and drafting work, including international filings and strategic advice.
  • Assisting Orsted with its international patent filings, which have significantly grown due to an expansion of their international interests.
  • Assisted TDK Lamda with the prosecution of its patent applications internationally since 2006.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > PATMA: Trade mark attorneys Tier 3

Lewis Silkin’s IP practice assists its clients with the entire lifecycle of IP-related work. It manages IP portfolios for household names and multi-national clients, as well as trademark filings, anti-counterfeiting matters, and oppositions and disputes. Tom Gaunt leads the team, which was bolstered by the addition of legal director Abigail Wise from Bristows LLP in July 2022 and senior chartered trade mark attorney Erika Coccia from Marks & Clerk in May 2022. Nick Bowie has significant expertise in trade mark prosecution, online enforcement, and investigations.

Practice head(s):

Tom Gaunt

Other key lawyers:

Nick Bowie; Giles Crown; Erika Coccia; Abigail Wise

Key clients

John Lewis

DDB UK

Airwair International

Trustpilot

Skyscanner

Harvey Nichols & Co

Swiss Mountain Rescue

Secret Garden Party

MW Eat

Claranet Group

RePizza

Work highlights

  • Advising for Skyscanner Limited on managing its global trade mark portfolio, trade mark disputes, and overseeing its online brand enforcement globally.
  • Assisted Swiss Mountain Rescue with its successful defence of UK Trade Mark Opposition No. OP000431572 against UK Application No. UK00003723956 for SWISS MOUNTAIN RESCUE logo, brought by the Swiss IP Federation.
  • Advising Saga on all of its IP-related work, including trade mark and design clearance, filing and prosecution strategies in the UK and globally, and related IP disputes and enforcement matters.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Reputation management Tier 3

The reputation management team at Lewis Silkin covers all aspects of media law, including defamation, privacy, malicious falsehood, data protection and harassment, on behalf of both claimants and defendants. Sensitive and high-profile employment investigations are another area of expertise. Adam Glass handles crisis management for prominent publishers, as well as advising on a range of complex pre-publication issues. Managing partner Giles Crown has previous experience as a media barrister and is well placed to act on defamation, privacy and data protection matters.

Practice head(s):

Adam Glass

Other key lawyers:

Giles Crown; Oliver Fairhurst; Lucinda Murphy

Testimonials

‘Lewis Silkin offers all the benefits of magic circle abilities and service but with a human touch and at affordable prices!’

‘Giles Crown is the practitioner I always recommend as he has the brains and skills of a top-drawer lawyer but with the important soft skills necessary to communicate effectively with clients.’

‘Team makes effective use of extent and depth of knowledge across the lawyers to be effective in litigation.’

‘Adam Glass is exceptionally smart, gets to grips with the challenges his clients face in short order and is a pleasure to deal with.’

‘Knowledgeable and committed.’

Key clients

Tortoise Media

Adweek LLC

Haymarket Media

Twitter

Chelsea Football Club

Work highlights

  • Advising Tortoise Media on a number of podcast and investigatory media production deals over the past year.
  • Defending US media publisher Adweek in relation to its reporting of serious allegations against a UK individual in the media.
  • Obtained an injunction for a Premier League club following an intense campaign of harassment by a former employee.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property Tier 3

Lewis Silkin, formerly Forde Campbell LLC, advises clients from the UK, EU, and US on a range of high profile IP matters. Litigator Matthew Forde, who leads the team, has significant experience in trade secret, copyright, and trademarks. Katey Dixon is a key contact for technology clients, and advises on the licensing of IP.

Practice head(s):

Mathew Forde

Other key lawyers:

Katey Dixon

Testimonials

‘Mathew had an excellent grasp of the details of the case and also a keen eye for strategy.’

‘Lewis Silkin are quick to respond and are efficient with their advice.’

‘The individuals grasped the issues quickly which saved time and fees.’

Key clients

Texthelp Limited

Lynn’s Country Foods t/a Finnebrogue

Luke Irwin Rugs Limited

Glens of Antrim Potatoes Limited

Trimedika Limited

Scriptbloxian Studios

Sensoteq Limited

Sixteen South Ltd

Paper Owl Ltd

Sky UK Limited

Work highlights

  • Advise Texthelp, a leading software developer, on intellectual property strategy and on the management and protection of product brands on a global basis.
  • Advise Finnebrogue, a pioneering and innovative Northern Irish food producer, on brand, reputation management and IP ownership.
  • Advising Scriptbloxian Studios, a successful developer and publisher of online games on intellectual property strategy and on the management and protection of copyright and brands on a global basis. The advice has also provided a sharp focus on the combat of online copyright infringement on a multijurisdictional basis.

Wales > Corporate and commercial Tier 3

Although Lewis Silkin's Cardiff-based corporate offering remains a relatively recent proposition (having only been established in earnest in January 2021), it has hit the ground running, advising on numerous high-profile M&A mandates across a range of sectors including technology, media, IT and manufacturing. Central to the firm's success and market visibility, is 'exceptional' team head Geraint Tilsley, whose impressive M&A credentials include a substantial amount of private equity/venture capital-led deals. A significant number of these matters have a cross-border complexion, a consequence of Tilsley's ties with a number of US-based funds and corporates.

Practice head(s):

Geraint Tilsley

Other key lawyers:

Elizabeth Cotton

Testimonials

‘They are extremely knowledgeable and above all recognise the importance of quick and effective execution of tasks.’

‘The firm provides top-tier advice provided by creative professionals who understand the reality of the commercial compromises in running a a fund and being an investor and who go above and beyond to help the client, even at odd hours or short notice.’

‘The exceptional Geraint Tilsley provides effective, knowledgeable and cost-effective advice.’

‘I cannot recommend Geraint Tilsley highly enough for both drafting standard BVCA-style investment deals and for dealing with the inevitable contentious or unusual investor issues.’

Work highlights

  • Advised Ceco Environmental Corporation (US) on the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Malvar Engineering Limited.
  • Advised on the sale of a majority stake in CPL and its trading subsidiary, DVS Ltd to AIM-listed Midwich Group Plc.
  • Advised fintech business Wagonex in relation to a substantial Series A venture capital investment by Admiral Pioneer (Admiral Insurance’s new ventures arm) and Development Bank of Wales.

Real estate > Planning Tier 4

For the planning department at Lewis Silkin, new areas of growth include media and entertainment, as well as ESG-related matters. The planning team has also been active in the retail, leisure, and hospitality sectors, as well as conducting due diligence for corporate freehold or leasehold acquisitions and sales. Practice head Sara Hanrahan is highly recommended, with over 20 years’ experience in the planning sector and specialising in redevelopment and urban regeneration projects.

Practice head(s):

Sara Hanrahan

Testimonials

‘The quality I appreciate most is the fact that I am listened to, and they do attempt to find the legal legs. If they can’t find them, then there is a confirmation as to what they understand by my words, so that we come to a common understanding.’

‘Sara Hanrahan is a very strong planning lawyer with a vast range of experiences to call upon.’

‘In Sara Hanrahan, Lewis Silkin LLP has a partner with an excellent feel for the bones of a case.’

‘Sara Hanrahan of Lewis Silkin is highly recommended and our experience concurs with this recommendation.’

‘There is strong team work and a belief that everyone can contribute.’

‘Sara Hanrahan is very approachable; she is willing to discuss, amend where necessary, agree consensual approach and go the extra mile.’

‘Responsive, engaging, and very competent.’

‘I have received a first-class service from the knowledgeable partners and associates, covering all aspects of commercial property and highways issues.’

Key clients

Howdens

Pizza Express

London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

London Legacy Development Corporation

Camden Borough Council

Southern Water

Jones Knowles Richie Ltd

The Arc Collection

Withers LLP

The Liliesleaf Trust UK

Employment Tier 4

Tribunal cases and investigation work form the cornerstone of Lewis Silkin LLP‘s employment practice. Bolstered by the far-reaching expertise of 2022 arrival and new team head Sally Hulston from Knights plc, the group is chiefly recognised for its ability to handle a range of discrimination, harassment and unfair dismissal claims, as well as employment issues arising from corporate endeavours and boardroom disputes. The ‘razor sharp and strategically astute’ Carly Mather has been an integral part of the firm’s series of #metoo allegation investigations, alongside acting on a strong body of work pertaining to senior executive exits. Edmund Gregory is active on a wide range of practice matters, possessing a ‘vast knowledge of employment law and employment litigation strategy’.

Practice head(s):

Sally Hulston

Other key lawyers:

Carly Mather; Edmund Gregory

Testimonials

‘Lewis Silkin is a leading employment firm. The North West branch, whilst new to Lewis Silkin, is made up of an experienced team of employment lawyers who have a long history of experience in employment disputes. They work well as a team and are quick to absorb counsel into the fold when needed.’

‘Sally Hulston is one of the best employment lawyers I’ve come across. She always goes the extra mile. She adds value, is practical, has taken the time to understand our business and always comes up with innovative ideas. She has an infectious energy and is very easy to work with.’

‘The personal relationships the team build with their clients. They are commercial and pragmatic. Their communication is excellent and they are quick to respond.’

‘Edmund Gregory has a vast knowledge of employment law and employment litigation strategy. He is easy to speak with, always ready for action and prepares exceptional briefs. Moreover, he clearly understands client objectives and develops a strategy that will best achieve the desired outcome.’

‘Their intellectual ability, responsiveness, and genuine ‘feel’ for employment law and employment litigation is extremely strong. Hugely talented individuals based in Manchester are backed up by the totally seamless resources and expertise of the wider Lewis Silkin team, one of the best employment and labour law practices in the UK.’

‘Carly Mather is a joy to work with. Easy to get along with and an extremely warm and friendly approach. She is razor sharp and strategically astute.’

‘The team is very commercial and collaborative. It feels like they are an extension of our internal team when working with them. They give practical, straight forward advice and are a pleasure to work with.’

‘Sally Hulston is a great employment lawyer with a natural ‘feel’ for the practice area, is incredibly responsive, and has exceptional client relationship skills. Carly Mather is a hugely talented rising star in the team. Superb case management skills.’

Key clients

Bestway Panacea Holdings Limited t/a Well Pharmacy

easyJet Airline Company Limited

Hertz Europe Limited

West Midland Trains Limited

Simplyhealth Limited

Norcros Group (Holdings) Limited

Scotia Gas Networks Limited

R&R Ice-Cream Limited

Frenkel Topping Limited

Semperian Business Support Limited

Work highlights

  • Complex and high value (worth £3m+) unfair dismissal and disability discrimination claim for a financial services client brought by a claimant with ADHD and Asperger’s who was dismissed for sexually harassing multiple clients.
  • Working as part of a team of six investigators, managing an investigation into numerous #metoo allegations of serious sexual harassment and discrimination brought by an ex-employee at an entertainment business.
  • Advising a retailer on the exit of several senior executives and the transitional arrangements in place in the lead up to their termination dates.

Real estate > Commercial property Tier 4

Acting on its own, as well as frequently alongside practitioners from its well-resourced London headquarters, Lewis Silkin‘s ‘hardworking and diligent’ Cardiff office punches above its weight and provides ‘a first-class service’ on corporate real estate matters, as well as an increasing volume of work for local developers, primarily for residential use. With ‘the ability to take a 360 degree view on a deal’, both on the buy and sell side, team head Emily Meredith Hardy has an excellent perspective of commercial property transactions and has been central to the firm’s growing stature in the locality. Managing associate  Tom Merrick is ‘incredibly responsive and organised’, and is also a key member of the team.

Practice head(s):

Emily Meredith-Hardy

Other key lawyers:

Tom Merrick; Aimee Dring

Testimonials

‘It is a very hardworking and diligent team. Under tough deadlines they remain calm under pressure and deliver a first-class service.’

‘Their technical knowledge is superb as is the work ethic.’

‘I’ve found the individuals at Lewis Silkin to be very personable and easy to understand. Their straightforward and open approach makes it easy to work with them.’

‘Tom Merrick is incredibly responsive, organised and makes it very easy to cut through the legal jargon to the crux of the matter and outline the key decisions and associated impacts.’

‘I have been working with Emily Meredith-Hardy and Aimee Dring over the last 12 months. They have the ability to take a 360 degree view on a deal ensuring good levels of stakeholder management on buy and sell side.’

Key clients

Vevo

Howden Joinery Limited

Navana Group of Companies (including Sacul Investments Limited, Bafen Limited)

Alaraby Television

Moov Limited

In Practice Systems Limited

Handle Recruitment

Next 15

Ian Dring

Work highlights

  • Advising Howden Joinery Group Limited on its acquisition of leasehold land at Capital Park, Goole, pursuant to an Agreement for Lease with Landlord’s Works.
  • Acting for Navana Real Estate on its entire property portfolio, involving acquisitions, disposals and corporate and finance support work.
  • Acting for Alaraby TV on its head office move.

Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity Tier 5

Advising across the spectrum of data compliance, risk management, and regulatory matters, Lewis Silkin regularly acts for clients in the retail, media, and publishing sectors. ‘Remarkable, accurate and available‘ practice co-head Alexander Milner-Smith advises leading multinationals on global privacy strategies, employment-related data protection and privacy matters, while co-head Bryony Long has a broad data practice with a particular focus on the adtech industry. The ‘laser-focused‘ Ali Vaziri is a key name for regulatory issues and contentious matters, while managing associate Benjamin Favaro is recommended for his compliance and employment expertise. Managing associate Tom Ford is a key name for multijurisdictional projects.

Practice head(s):

Alexander Milner-Smith; Bryony Long

Other key lawyers:

Ali Vaziri; Benjamin Favaro; Tom Ford

Testimonials

‘The Lewis Silkin team is always very business-oriented, very pragmatic and offers solutions that work from an operational point of view. The team always works very efficiently, respecting the deadlines that are requested.’

‘Alexander Milner-Smith is the one I work with the most in the team. He works enormously, always responds efficiently, pragmatically and quickly to the questions/files that we submit to him. He is remarkable, accurate and available. He never loses sight of the client’s best interests.’

‘Bryony Long has a commercial & consumer background coupled with her sharp mind when coming to GDPR issues. She knows how to advise clients remarkably when it comes to complex questions related to marketing issues, use and reuse of client data, for example.’

‘Ali Vaziri and Ben Favaro are both excellent lawyers, very specialized in the advice they provide to our clients. They are both hard workers.’

‘To me, the quality of work, attention to detail, and holistic industrial knowledge were essential for providing better solutions at every point.’

‘Ali Vaziri considers all the angles when delivering practical advice which takes into account the wider legal and regulatory context making the advice very effective. Ali is laser-focused on the detail but never loses sight of the bigger picture. When it comes to navigating tricky issues, he is my first port of call – especially for strategy and tactics.’

‘Advice is very practical and risk-profile orientated. The team have developed a really good understanding of our business and how we like to consume their advice.’

‘Ben Favaro led on the updating of our company’s group data privacy agreement with the new Standard Contract Clauses. The advice was based on a good understanding of our risk profile and needs. The advice was delivered timely, practically and expertly. I have high confidence in using the Lewis Silkin team for future data privacy-related projects.’

Key clients

Omnicom Group

Paramount

Daily Mail & General Trust (Associated Newspapers)

Britvic

Yahoo

Harvey Nichols

Lyst

Work highlights

  • Advising a tech company on specific aspects of the Networks & Information Systems (NIS) Directives and recommendations for its cybersecurity strategy and compliance programmes across the EU, the UK and globally.
  • Advised a luxury retailer on the development and global deployment of an AI tool that would analyse customer data to generate insights related to their experiences.
  • Advised a technology business on complex data sharing agreements with advertisers, publishers and other advertising technology companies.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious) Tier 5

Capable of handling patent disputes, licensing and agreements, Lewis Silkin’s patent practice is particularly active in the life sciences, manufacturing, technology, retail and media sectors. The practice is led by Tom Gaunt, who has considerable experience assisting clients with mechanical, electrical and software patents. Antony Craggs focuses on patent litigation, whilst Paul Williams strengthens the team with his background in the chemistry sphere.

Practice head(s):

Tom Gaunt

Other key lawyers:

Antony Craggs; Paul Williams

Testimonials

‘We have been very happy with the quality of the work to date.’

‘Paul Williams has been very responsive and understands the sector we operate in extremely well. He has helped us remediate some of our documentation and helped shape our approach.’

Key clients

Bacardi

Future Injection Technologies

Britvic Soft Drinks Limited

VidaXL

NRG

Concrete Floor Products

TDK Lambda

Janssen Pharmaceutica

Biosensors International Limited

Cascade Water Products Limited

Spirotech

Work highlights

  • Advising Future Injection Technologies following proceedings in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court alleging that its patent was infringed, and confidential information misused by Owen Mumford’s Aidaptus® autoinjector.
  • Advised NRG on the defence after Exertis issued proceedings alleging that its rights were infringed by NRG’s MOUNTSTOM range.
  • Advised Vida XL on the defence after Core Products issued proceedings alleging that its rights were infringed by one of VidaXL’s ranges.

Corporate and commercial > Venture capital Tier 6

Lewis Silkin's corporate finance and investment practice has a track record of work on funding rounds, follow-on financings and seed investment. The key names are corporate finance head Timothy Leeson and fellow corporate finance partner David Willbe, who also co-heads the firm’s technology sector group

Practice head(s):

David Willbe; Timothy Leeson

Testimonials

‘Lewis Silkin has great technical capability but distinguish themselves with their culture – good people who listen and provide outstanding customer service.’

‘David Willbe has an outstanding legal skill set, combined with excellent problem-solving. Combines being highly commercial with finding good practical solutions. Provides outstanding customer service. If a deal needs energy and commitment, there is no better person. Outstanding.’

‘They are incredibly talented, reputable and accessible. They have also accommodated to our financial circumstances as we have grown. Specifically, we started using Lewis Silkin when I was pursuing our pre-seed round, so before we really had any money at all, in the interest of building a trusting relationship. We have no intention of changing firms any time soon.’

‘David Willbe is incredibly knowledgeable, and quickly applies that knowledge to our circumstances in effective and creative ways. He has also fought forcefully but appropriately on our behalf on multiple occasions – we have been incredibly impressed.’

Key clients

Vezeeta Holding Limited

Breed Reply Investments Limited

X R Games Limited

Phlux Technology Limited

McCarthy Capital

Meniga Limited

Volta Audio Limited

TreasurySpring Limited

Unlikely Artificial Intelligence Limited

JLL Capital Partners

Work highlights

  • Advised Unlikely Artificial intelligence, an artificial intelligence company, founded by the originator of Alexa, on its first seed round with institutional investors, led by Octopus Ventures and Amadeus Capital Partners.
  • Advised X R on a £5.9m funding round co-led by existing investors Praetura Ventures and Maven Capital Partners.
  • Advised Vezeeta on a $11m follow-on financing.

Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare

Led by Paul Williams, the team at Lewis Silkin assists health insurance, biologics and small molecule, and medical device companies with data protection, supply and distribution agreements, and employment issues. Williams regularly acts in European patent oppositions, and provides clients with validity opinions.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Franchising

James Gill leads the franchising team at Lewis Silkin, which was bolstered by its merger with specialist commercial, technology, IP, and media law firm Forde Campbell in Belfast in early 2022. Franchising is a growing area of focus for the group.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media and entertainment

Lewis Silkin LLP made a notable addition to its burgeoning Manchester office with the lateral hire of digital, commerce and creative specialist Laura Harper from Irwin Mitchell.

Employment > Employment: Leeds and West Yorkshire; North Yorkshire

Lewis Silkin is continuing to build out its national platform, following up its Manchester launch with an office in Leeds led by former Knights plc partner James Keogh.

North West > Employment > Employment

Tribunal cases and investigation work form the cornerstone of Lewis Silkin LLP‘s employment practice. Bolstered by the far-reaching expertise of 2022 arrival and new team head Sally Hulston from Knights plc, the group is chiefly recognised for its ability to handle a range of discrimination, harassment and unfair dismissal claims, as well as employment issues arising from corporate endeavours and boardroom disputes. The ‘razor sharp and strategically astute’ Carly Mather has been an integral part of the firm’s series of #metoo allegation investigations, alongside acting on a strong body of work pertaining to senior executive exits. Edmund Gregory is active on a wide range of practice matters, possessing a ‘vast knowledge of employment law and employment litigation strategy’.

Practice head(s):

Sally Hulston

Other key lawyers:

Carly Mather; Edmund Gregory

Testimonials

‘Lewis Silkin is a leading employment firm. The North West branch, whilst new to Lewis Silkin, is made up of an experienced team of employment lawyers who have a long history of experience in employment disputes. They work well as a team and are quick to absorb counsel into the fold when needed.’

‘Sally Hulston is one of the best employment lawyers I’ve come across. She always goes the extra mile. She adds value, is practical, has taken the time to understand our business and always comes up with innovative ideas. She has an infectious energy and is very easy to work with.’

‘The personal relationships the team build with their clients. They are commercial and pragmatic. Their communication is excellent and they are quick to respond.’

‘Edmund Gregory has a vast knowledge of employment law and employment litigation strategy. He is easy to speak with, always ready for action and prepares exceptional briefs. Moreover, he clearly understands client objectives and develops a strategy that will best achieve the desired outcome.’

‘Their intellectual ability, responsiveness, and genuine ‘feel’ for employment law and employment litigation is extremely strong. Hugely talented individuals based in Manchester are backed up by the totally seamless resources and expertise of the wider Lewis Silkin team, one of the best employment and labour law practices in the UK.’

‘Carly Mather is a joy to work with. Easy to get along with and an extremely warm and friendly approach. She is razor sharp and strategically astute.’

‘The team is very commercial and collaborative. It feels like they are an extension of our internal team when working with them. They give practical, straight forward advice and are a pleasure to work with.’

‘Sally Hulston is a great employment lawyer with a natural ‘feel’ for the practice area, is incredibly responsive, and has exceptional client relationship skills. Carly Mather is a hugely talented rising star in the team. Superb case management skills.’

Key clients

Bestway Panacea Holdings Limited t/a Well Pharmacy

easyJet Airline Company Limited

Hertz Europe Limited

West Midland Trains Limited

Simplyhealth Limited

Norcros Group (Holdings) Limited

Scotia Gas Networks Limited

R&R Ice-Cream Limited

Frenkel Topping Limited

Semperian Business Support Limited

Work highlights

  • Complex and high value (worth £3m+) unfair dismissal and disability discrimination claim for a financial services client brought by a claimant with ADHD and Asperger’s who was dismissed for sexually harassing multiple clients.
  • Working as part of a team of six investigators, managing an investigation into numerous #metoo allegations of serious sexual harassment and discrimination brought by an ex-employee at an entertainment business.
  • Advising a retailer on the exit of several senior executives and the transitional arrangements in place in the lead up to their termination dates.

South East > Employment > Employment: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40

Lewis Silkin‘s large Thames Valley offering has been praised by clients for its ‘innovative and practical approach to all employment law issues’. Core pillars of the group’s practice in the space include TUPE, complex litigation, employment aspects of transactions, and managing international projects – for which the team has a demonstrably strong track record. In terms of personnel, Russell Brimelow  is a pre-eminent employment lawyer in the Thames Valley. Advising on restructurings, redundancy exercises and employment aspects of M&A transactions are the key focuses of practice leader Jonathan Carr. Carolyn Soakell is highly recommended by clients and is well versed in advising law firms on their internal employment issues. James Storke focuses on restructurings, senior executive exits and strategic projects. At associate level, James Walters is known for resolving complex employee relations issues and defending employment tribunal litigation.

Practice head(s):

Jonathan Carr

Other key lawyers:

Russell Brimelow; Carolyn Soakell; James Storke; James Walters

Testimonials

‘The team has wide-ranging capabilities and experience, including litigation where required.’

‘Carolyn Soakell is one of the best external lawyers I’ve instructed in 30 years’ of practice. She is pragmatic and well-informed about the industry in which we operate, and of course has taken the time to get to understand us as a client.’

‘Innovative and practical approach to all employment law issues.’

‘The team is hands-on and always offers practical solution-based advice.’

‘Subject knowledge, pragmatic solutions, understanding of retail and wholesale industry.’

‘James Walters is excellent to work with.’

Key clients

Oxford University Press

Exscientia

DS Smith

Hewlett Packard

Norton Rose Fulbright

Invesco

Intel

London Metal Exchange

Workspace Group

PZ Cussons

Work highlights

  • Advised an FMCG company and its new parent company on the closure of legacy London premises following a decision to relocate all employees to the head office of the new parent company.
  • Advised a financial services organisation on the TUPE transfer of IT staff from both the client and an existing supplier to a new supplier.
  • Advised a catering company on multiple employment tribunal claims from current employees who claimed underpayment in connection with periods of furlough during the pandemic.

Wales > Employment > Employment

Northern Ireland > Employment

Lewis Silkin‘s Belfast offering, which was formed from a merger with indigenous firm Jones Cassidy Brett in 2021, handles the full range of employment, immigration, and equality law matters across the island of Ireland. The group is jointly led by Ciara Fulton, Adam Brett, and Paul Gillen. Fulton is dual-qualified in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and is highly experienced in advising on cross-jurisdictional matters, while Brett specialises in discriminators and regulatory matters. Gillen, who joined the group in 2022 from Pinsent Masons Belfast LLP, has a broad practice which includes restructuring, executive management, TUPE, and employment litigation. Associate Jack Balmer has experience in contentious and non-contentious matters.

Practice head(s):

Ciara Fulton; Paul Gillen; Adam Brett

Other key lawyers:

Kevin Gallagher; Jack Balmer

Testimonials

‘They are a very approachable team and their style of information gathering makes life easier for the client. Collaboration between the team and the client is evident from the first call, and the factual practical advice given is delivered in an easy, straightforward manner.’

‘Responsive knowledgeable team.’

‘They respond to legal queries in a timely fashion with advice that has a pragmatic approach.’

‘Lewis Silkin can draw from a broad base of lawyers, which gives confidence that they will have an expert in the area where you need advice. The introduction of webinars, especially on the differences between Irish and Northern Irish employment law, has been really useful.’

‘Ciara Fulton provides great client service. She is engaging, knowledgeable and provides clear advice.’

‘Paul Gillen, for me, has not only great legal insight, but he also has very valuable knowledge of the people in our industry. He and his team are thorough in their investigations, and they are practical in the delivery of the legal solutions.’

Key clients

Kainos PLC

Circet Group

Ciena

Queen’s University Belfast

CME Group

Northstone (NI) Limited

Persistent Systems Limited

Gilbert-Ash Limited

Mount Charles Group Limited

Northern Ireland Electric Networks Limited

Bryson Charitable Group

Ulster Carpet Mills Ltd

Irwin’s Bakery

Ready2order GmbH

Tata Steel Limited

Northern Ireland Hospice

Texthelp

Jysk

Work highlights

  • Acted for Queen’s University, Belfast in defence of several claims from a serial litigant in relation to complex discrimination and victimisation claims, including successfully defending the first claim at the Employment Tribunal and through to the Court of Appeal.
  • Instructed on all employment matters across Northern Ireland and Great Britain as well as advising on global matters such as implementation of annual bonuses for Persistent Systems Limited.
  • Acting for Kainos PLC on proposals, reviewing and updating employment contracts and advising on wellbeing issues.

Northern Ireland > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms

Lewis Silkin‘s Northern Ireland offering, which merged with indigenous firm Forde Campbell LLC in 2022, acts for a diverse range of domestic and international clients across cutting edge industries such as neurotechnology, data analytics, and AI. Team lead and former name partner Rory Campbell has over 25 years' experience in the practice area. Legal director Mary Traynor is a key name.

Practice head(s):

Rory Campbell

Other key lawyers:

Katey Dixon; Mary Traynor

Testimonials

‘A collaboration of experts who are accessible and empower their clients through early resolutions where possible to judicial resolution when necessary.’

‘They made our company feel as though they were our partners in every situation, and their expertise was second to none.’

‘Rory Campbell is very knowledgeable on data protection, public sector procurement channels for technology and commercial matters in general. He is pragmatic and commercial in his approach, and very pleasant to work with.’

‘The team impressed me from the outset with their strong technical knowledge. We are a software company in quite a niche space, but the team were ‘fluent’ when speaking about our business.’

‘Rory Campbell is outstanding. We have had the pleasure of working with Rory over the last 5 years. Katie Dixon is also excellent for advice on investment. Mary Traynor for contracts was very thorough.’

‘The team at Lewis Silkin are a pleasure to work with. They are very responsive, have an in-depth knowledge and expertise and provide commercially focused solutions.’

‘Expertise, responsiveness, driven, commercially focused and personable.’

Key clients

Telefonica Tech Limited

ION Group

Automated Intelligence

FD Technologies plc

SmartWorkPlus Limited

Law Business Research Limited

Onesource Virtual (UK) Limited

Analytics Engines

Incisiv

Kinsetsu Limited

Support to Perform

Work highlights

  • Advise Telefonica Tech Limited, a leading digital transformation company, on Cancom Ireland’s £100 million contract with a major English university NHS Trust, reviewing specification requirements and change control procedures as part of Cancom’s ongoing contract management.
  • Advise Dublin based ION Group on some of its subsidiaries’ content subscription strategy and contracts. ION financial software enables financial institutions and corporations to digitalise and automate business critical processes.
  • Advise FD Technologies plc, a leading global fintech provider based in Northern Ireland, on the terms of UK government tech framework and call off contracts, including the provision of a set of standard terms for product licensing.

Wales > Real estate > Commercial property

Acting on its own, as well as frequently alongside practitioners from its well-resourced London headquarters, Lewis Silkin‘s ‘hardworking and diligent’ Cardiff office punches above its weight and provides ‘a first-class service’ on corporate real estate matters, as well as an increasing volume of work for local developers, primarily for residential use. With ‘the ability to take a 360 degree view on a deal’, both on the buy and sell side, team head Emily Meredith Hardy has an excellent perspective of commercial property transactions and has been central to the firm’s growing stature in the locality. Managing associate  Tom Merrick is ‘incredibly responsive and organised’, and is also a key member of the team.

Practice head(s):

Emily Meredith-Hardy

Other key lawyers:

Tom Merrick; Aimee Dring

Testimonials

‘It is a very hardworking and diligent team. Under tough deadlines they remain calm under pressure and deliver a first-class service.’

‘Their technical knowledge is superb as is the work ethic.’

‘I’ve found the individuals at Lewis Silkin to be very personable and easy to understand. Their straightforward and open approach makes it easy to work with them.’

‘Tom Merrick is incredibly responsive, organised and makes it very easy to cut through the legal jargon to the crux of the matter and outline the key decisions and associated impacts.’

‘I have been working with Emily Meredith-Hardy and Aimee Dring over the last 12 months. They have the ability to take a 360 degree view on a deal ensuring good levels of stakeholder management on buy and sell side.’

Key clients

Vevo

Howden Joinery Limited

Navana Group of Companies (including Sacul Investments Limited, Bafen Limited)

Alaraby Television

Moov Limited

In Practice Systems Limited

Handle Recruitment

Next 15

Ian Dring

Work highlights

  • Advising Howden Joinery Group Limited on its acquisition of leasehold land at Capital Park, Goole, pursuant to an Agreement for Lease with Landlord’s Works.
  • Acting for Navana Real Estate on its entire property portfolio, involving acquisitions, disposals and corporate and finance support work.
  • Acting for Alaraby TV on its head office move.

Lewis Silkin > Firm Profile

Joint managing partners: Jo Farmer, Richard Miskella
International offices: Dublin, Hong Kong

Contacts
Advertising and marketing: Brinsley Dresden, Geraint Lloyd-Taylor
Commercial: James Gill, Jo Farmer
Construction: Owen Williams
Corporate: Paul Rajput
Data and privacy: Alexander Milner Smith, Bryony Long
Dispute resolution: Mark Lim
Employee reward: Victoria Goode
Employment: Richard Miskella, Sally Hulston (North West)
Financial services: Wendy Saunders, Michael Anderson
Immigration: Andrew Osborne
Intellectual property: Tom Gaunt
Investigations: Karen Baxter
Media and entertainment: Cliff Fluet, Alan Hunt
Outsourcing: James Gill
Partnerships: Clive Greenwood
Planning: Sara Hanrahan
Publishing: Simon Entwistle
Real estate: Brian Kilcoyne
Reputation management: Adam Glass
Restructuring and insolvency: Mark Lim, Timothy Leeson, Toni Lorenzo
Retail: Julia Poulter, Anna Sella
Sports: Alex Kelham
Tax: Matthew Rowbotham
Technology: James Gill, David Willbe, Tarun Tawakley

The firm: We work with high performance businesses to protect and enhance their most important assets – their ideas and their people. We enable them to create endless possibilities for future success. We call this ‘Ideas. People. Possibilities.’

The firm has two things at its core: people, and a focus on creative, tech and innovation.

Lewis Silkin is passionate about people. Whether you are a fast growth start up or a large multinational business, the firm helps you realise the potential in your people and navigate your strategic HR and legal issues, both nationally and internationally. Lewis Silkin’s award-winning employment team is one of the largest in the UK, with dedicated specialists in all areas of employment law and a track record of leading precedent setting cases on issues of the day. The team’s breadth of expertise is unrivalled and includes HR consultants as well as experts across specialisms including employment, immigration, data, tax and reward, health and safety, reputation management, dispute resolution, corporate and workplace environment.

Creativity, technology and innovation are at the heart of everything the firm does. This is reflected in the way it works, as well as in the types of businesses it works with. Lewis Silkin helps bring your ideas to life by working alongside you as a trusted partner and bringing together leading commercial, corporate, data and privacy, dispute resolution, employment, immigration, intellectual property and real estate lawyers to help create, optimise, manage and protect your ideas and your business.

With offices across the UK, Ireland and Hong Kong, and with strategic alliances across the globe, the firm is recognised by clients and industry alike as being distinct for our unique culture and for providing solutions to complex, multi-jurisdictional business challenges with a pragmatic and human touch. So whether it is providing international employment law advice, managing a global IP portfolio or leading on a cross-border corporate transaction, Lewis Silkin can support you with the right people, in the right place, at the right time.

Main Contacts

Department Name Email Telephone
Joint Managing Partner Jo Farmer
Joint Managing Partner Richard Miskella
Chair Jo Evans
Advertising & Marketing Brinsley Dresden
Advertising & Marketing Geraint Lloyd-Taylor
Commercial Jo Farmer
Commercial James Gill
Construction Owen Williams
Corporate Paul Rajput
Data Protection & Privacy Alexander Milner-Smith
Data Protection & Privacy Bryony Long
Employee reward Victoria Goode
Employment Richard Miskella
Employment (North West) Sally Hulston
Employment (Thames Valley) Jonathan Carr
Employment (Wales) Lucy Lewis
Financial Services Wendy Saunders
IT, Outsourcing James Gill
Immigration Andrew Osborne
Insolvency & Restructuring Mark Lim
Insolvency & Restructuring Tim Leeson
Intellectual property Giles Crown
Intellectual property Tom Gaunt
Investigations & Regulatory Karen Baxter
Litigation and Dispute Resolution Mark Lim
Media and Entertainment Alan Hunt
Media and Entertainment Cliff Fluet
Patents Tom Gaunt
Partnership Clive Greenwood
Partnership Fergus Payne
Planning Sara Hanrahan
Property Litigation Brian Kilcoyne
Publishing Simon Entwistle
Real Estate (London) Rachel Francis-Lang
Real Estate (Wales) Emily Meredith-Hardy
Reputation Management Adam Glass
Retail Julia Poulter
Sports Alex Kelham
Tax Matthew Rowbotham
Technology David Willbe
Trade Marks Tom Gaunt
Partnerships Chris Hallinan
Employment (North) James Keogh

Meet The Team(s)

Lawyer Profiles

Photo Name Position Profile
Nikita Meek photo Nikita Meek European Patent Attorney View Profile
Francesca Ainsworth photo Francesca Ainsworth Legal Director View Profile
Nick Allan photo Nick Allan Partner: Nick is a Partner at Lewis Silkin LLP and leads the… View Profile
Michael Anderson photo Michael Anderson Partner: Michael advises companies, LLPs, and senior executives on all aspects of… View Profile
Karish Andrews photo Karish Andrews Partner, covering the full range of corporate advice, working with companies, shareholders, investors,… View Profile
Karen Baxter photo Karen Baxter Partner and Head of the firm’s Investigations and Regulatory group and sits on… View Profile
Mario Betts photo Mario Betts Managing Associate View Profile
Emma Bevan photo Emma Bevan Patent Attorney View Profile
Anna Bond photo Anna Bond Managing Associate View Profile
Laura Bougourd photo Laura Bougourd Managing Associate View Profile
Nick Bowie photo Nick Bowie Legal Director: Nick is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney, specialising in the… View Profile
Patrick Brown photo Patrick Brown Senior Associate View Profile
Nicholas Buckland photo Nicholas Buckland Legal Director View Profile
Michael Burd photo Michael Burd Chair of the Partnership and Partner. Advises on all aspects of employment… View Profile
Simon Chapman photo Simon Chapman Partner. Specialises in contentious and non-contentious IP and IT disputes encompassing patents,… View Profile
Andy Cloughley photo Andy Cloughley Partner View Profile
Erika Coccia photo Erika Coccia Senior Chartered Trade Mark Attorney View Profile
Laetitia Cooke photo Laetitia Cooke Managing Associate: Laetitia advises senior individuals across all sectors, with particular experience… View Profile
Shalina Crossley photo Shalina Crossley Partner: Advises many areas of employment and partnership law. Has a particular… View Profile
Giles Crown photo Giles Crown Joint Managing Partner, heading up the part of the firm focussed on… View Profile
James Davies photo James Davies Founding partner of our employment team specialising in all aspects of employment… View Profile
Joanna De Fonseka photo Joanna De Fonseka Legal Director View Profile
David Deakin photo David Deakin Consultant. David is a commercial digital media and technology lawyer. He specialises… View Profile
Sean Dempsey photo Sean Dempsey Sean is an Employment Partner with clients predominantly from the technology sector and… View Profile
Brinsley Dresden photo Brinsley Dresden Partner, specialising in advertising and marketing law and regulation, representing both brand owners… View Profile
Nigel Enticknap photo Nigel Enticknap Managing Associate: Nigel works on all types and all aspects of commercial… View Profile
Simon Entwistle photo Simon Entwistle Partner: Having spent the early years of his career as a corporate… View Profile
Jo Evans photo Jo Evans Partner, Corporate. Work includes mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance with a… View Profile
Jo Farmer photo Jo Farmer Partner: Jo jointly leads the firm’s Commercial group and advises clients on their… View Profile
Laura Farnsworth photo Laura Farnsworth Partner dealing with all aspects of employment law with a special interest… View Profile
Benjamin Favaro photo Benjamin Favaro Managing Associate View Profile
Cliff Fluet photo Cliff Fluet Partner. Specialises in digital media, branded entertainment, audio and audio/visual content exploitation… View Profile
Tom Ford photo Tom Ford Managing Associate: Tom is a member of Lewis Silkin’s Employment, Immigration and… View Profile
Rachel Francis-Lang photo Rachel Francis-Lang Partner: Rachel has a focus upon providing real estate services to corporate… View Profile
Tom Gaunt photo Tom Gaunt Partner View Profile
James Gill photo James Gill Partner. James provides specialist advice on commercial contracts, technology projects, outsourcing, e-commerce,… View Profile
Adam Glass photo Adam Glass Partner: Part of the firm’s Disputes Resolution team and has previously been… View Profile
Leonard Goodrich photo Leonard Goodrich Consultant: Mixed use development with experience in commercial acquisitions and disposals, commercial… View Profile
Clive Greenwood photo Clive Greenwood Partner: Clive is a Partner in the Professional Services and Dispute Resolution… View Profile
Nicholas Hadaway photo Nicholas Hadaway Partner, Employment. Advises on all areas of employment law with particular focus… View Profile
Chris Hallinan photo Chris Hallinan Partner: Chris has specialised in advising professional services firms and other businesses structured… View Profile
Sara Hanrahan photo Sara Hanrahan Sara is a planning partner within the Real Estate Department and has… View Profile
Naomi Hanrahan-Soar photo Naomi Hanrahan-Soar Partner View Profile
Paul Hayes photo Paul Hayes Head of Housing and Residential Litigation, specialising in residential property litigation, including… View Profile
Mark Hersey photo Mark Hersey Managing Associate View Profile
Jonathan Hewett photo Jonathan Hewett Partner View Profile
David Hopper photo David Hopper Partner: David specialises in advising on industrial relations and collective employment law.… View Profile
John Hornby photo John Hornby Consultant Partner View Profile
Phil Hughes photo Phil Hughes Partner View Profile
Alan Hunt photo Alan Hunt Partner: Alan is a partner in the Commercial team specialising in the… View Profile
Sean Illing photo Sean Illing Managing Associate View Profile
Alex Kelham photo Alex Kelham Alex is a Partner, and the Head of Lewis Silkin’s Sports Business… View Profile
Brian Kilcoyne photo Brian Kilcoyne Partner specialising in all areas of real estate litigation: landlord and tenant… View Profile
Sam Koppel photo Sam Koppel Managing Associate View Profile
Colin Leckey photo Colin Leckey Partner in employment. Particular focus on the technology, financial services and professional… View Profile
Timothy Leeson photo Timothy Leeson Partner View Profile
Mark Lim photo Mark Lim Mark is a Partner at Lewis Silkin LLP and is head of… View Profile
Geraint Lloyd-Taylor photo Geraint Lloyd-Taylor Partner. Deputy head of Lewis Silkin’s advertising & marketing team. View Profile
Bryony Long photo Bryony Long Partner: Bryony us Co-Head of Lewis Silkin’s Data and Privacy Group. She… View Profile
Toni Lorenzo photo Toni Lorenzo Partner and Head of the Employment Litigation Team. Specialising in employment law,… View Profile
David Lorimer photo David Lorimer Legal Director View Profile
Joe Lythgoe photo Joe Lythgoe Senior Associate View Profile
Fraser McKeating photo Fraser McKeating Managing Associate: Fraser has extensive experience in advising in high value and… View Profile
Gavin McNaughton photo Gavin McNaughton Partner: Gavin specialises in both domestic and international mergers and acquisitions. He acts… View Profile
Sarah McWhinney photo Sarah McWhinney Legal Director View Profile
Alex Meloy photo Alex Meloy Managing Associate View Profile
Alexander Milner-Smith photo Alexander Milner-Smith Partner View Profile
Richard Miskella photo Richard Miskella Joint managing partner in employment, reward and immigration department. Particular focus on… View Profile
Fraser Mitchell photo Mr Fraser Mitchell Fraser Mitchell is a partner in the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution… View Profile
Lucinda Murphy photo Lucinda Murphy Senior Associate View Profile
Lee Nair photo Lee Nair Partner Lee specialises in global acquisitions, TUPE and the contingent workforce. Her work is… View Profile
Stephen O'Flaherty photo Stephen O'Flaherty Partner View Profile
Andrew Osborne photo Andrew Osborne Partner. A key member of the Sports Group and Head of Immigration.… View Profile
Neil Parkes photo Neil Parkes Partner: Neil is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution Department specialising in a… View Profile
Fergus Payne photo Fergus Payne Consultant. Specialises in advising on limited liability partnership and partnership matters, mergers… View Profile
Sam Pennington photo Sam Pennington Corporate lawyer specialising in a full range of corporate law advice from… View Profile
Julia Poulter photo Julia Poulter Partner (Real Estate) View Profile
Hannah Price photo Hannah Price Legal Director advising on all aspects of employment law. Has particular expertise in… View Profile
Paul Rajput photo Paul Rajput Partner specialising in wide range of corporate and commercial issues, principally in… View Profile
Jonathan Reuben photo Jonathan Reuben Partner specialising in all areas of commercial property law, particularly property investment… View Profile
Duran Ross photo Mr Duran Ross Partner View Profile
Matthew Rowbotham photo Matthew Rowbotham Partner specialising in corporate and business taxes, with an emphasis on M&A… View Profile
Phil Rymer photo Phil Rymer Consultant: All forms of audio visual finance, production and distribution for conventional media… View Profile
David Samuels photo David Samuels Partner: David is  a Partner in Lewis Silkin’s market-leading employment litigation practice.… View Profile
Wendy Saunders photo Wendy Saunders Legal Director: Wendy specialises in financial services and markets law and regulation,… View Profile
JJ Shaw photo JJ Shaw Managing Associate: JJ is a Managing Associate in the Digital, Commerce and… View Profile
John Shea photo John Shea Managing Associate John is an experienced dispute resolution lawyer with a particular… View Profile
Frances Simm photo Frances Simm Managing Associate: Frances advises national and international businesses on a broad range… View Profile
Supinder Singh Sian photo Supinder Singh Sian Partner: Supinder deals with all areas of UK business, sport, high-net worth… View Profile
Benjamin Smith photo Benjamin Smith Senior Associate: Ben is a Senior Associate in Lewis Silkin’s Dispute Resolution… View Profile
Barnaby Stokes photo Barnaby Stokes Legal Director View Profile
Jeremy Summers photo Jeremy Summers Jeremy is a consultant within Lewis Silkin’s Media & Entertainment team. He… View Profile
Sadiq Tajbhai photo Sadiq Tajbhai Legal Director View Profile
Tarun Tawakley photo Tarun Tawakley Partner: Tarun advises a broad range of clients, with a particular insight into… View Profile
Matthew Turner photo Matthew Turner Partner View Profile
Andrew Wanambwa photo Andrew Wanambwa Partner: Andrew is a partner in the Dispute Resolution team. His practice… View Profile
Matt Ward photo Matt Ward Patent Attorney View Profile
Carla Watling photo Carla Watling Managing Associate View Profile
David Willbe photo David Willbe Partner and Heads of the Technology sector group. David gives regular presentations… View Profile
Paul Williams photo Paul Williams Partner View Profile
Owen Williams photo Owen Williams Partner View Profile
Abigail Wise photo Abigail Wise Legal Director View Profile
Anthony van Hoffen photo Anthony van Hoffen Consultant (Real Estate) View Profile

Staff Figures

Number of partners : 80

Client Testimonials


CLIENT: Tony Hill, Group CEO and Founder
COMPANY/FIRM: Sideshow
TESTIMONIAL: “It was great to work with Jo and the team at Lewis Silkin on our exciting transaction. TRGT’s remote working model and international trading presented some additional considerations to previous deals, so the advice and support we received from Jo, Fran, Matthew, Joe and the wider team at Lewis Silkin was invaluable. We are pleased and fortunate to have them as our trusted advisers.”

CLIENT: Dan Mines, Managing Partner
COMPANY/FIRM: Headland
TESTIMONIAL: “Ours was a complex transaction and I feel so fortunate that Jo (Evans) led us all the way. Along with her fantastic wider team, Lewis Silkin was every inch up to its reputation as a specialist in our sector, and they pulled off the tricky job of simplifying the dense and complicated stuff. They were also great fun and wonderfully normal to work with, which is so important when you consider how much time you need to spend together.”

CLIENT: Paul Stonebridge, CEO
COMPANY/FIRM: Splash Worldwide
TESTIMONIAL: “Jo Evans and the team at Lewis Silkin brought clarity, calm and expertise to the process. Their clear legal and tax advice, highlighting the most important issues and the commercial consequences, helped facilitate rapid decision taking which is essential in these processes. There were also great with the detail, the drafting and holding our hands through the legal due diligence process. The Lewis Silkin team also dovetailed seamlessly with our other advisors and it is genuinely difficult to see how the process could have run more smoothly. I would highly recommend them.”

CLIENT: Murray Clark, Managing Director
COMPANY/FIRM: TCMM Shutter Group
TESTIMONIAL: “The Lewis Silkin team were excellent to deal with. It´s a pretty arduous process working through a transaction of this nature, but we were in great hands with the LS Team and successfully got the deal over the line”.

CLIENT: Nick Lee Morrison, General Counsel
COMPANY/FIRM: Next Fifteen Communications Group
TESTIMONIAL: “Paul (Rajput) and Lewis Silkin’s M&A team have supported us on three acquisitions since the beginning of 2020. Their professionalism and industry knowledge were instrumental in completing these transactions seamlessly.”

CLIENT: Peter Dann, CEO
COMPANY/FIRM: The Nursery
TESTIMONIAL: “Matthew Rowbotham and the team at Lewis Silkin made the whole process extremely smooth and guided us through some important decisions with very clear advice on the legal, taxation and commercial consequences. Like everyone we work with at Lewis Silkin, Matthew combines deep knowledge of his subject matter with genuine understanding of the real-world practicalities of running a business like ours.”

CLIENT: Ben Terrett, CEO
COMPANY/FIRM: Public Digital
TESTIMONIAL: “Covid 19 has accelerated digital trends that were already unstoppable and as Public Digital enters the next phase of its growth it has been great to have Lewis Silkin supporting us. It was strange conducting this whole process during lockdown but it never felt like this impaired our working relationship. This is a better deal because of Lewis Silkin.”

CLIENT: Nan Williams, CEO
COMPANY/FIRM: Four Communications Group
TESTIMONIAL: “The team at Lewis Silkin have now navigated us successfully through eight acquisitions in recent years. They are perfect partners – commercial and supportive throughout – but never afraid to challenge us. We would not be so successful without their support.”

CLIENT: Stephane Estryn – Global M&A Director
COMPANY/FIRM: Publicis Groupe SA
TESTIMONIAL: “Paul Rajput and his team are of the highest calibre and an absolute joy to work with. Going through a M&A transaction with them is like being on the back seat of a Rolls Royce”.

Student (Future Lawyers )

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers Verdict

At Lewis Silkin you can ‘bring your full self to work, rather than have to pretend to be someone else’. You can also ‘have a life outside of work whilst doing interesting work for interesting clients’. The firm offers training contracts in London and Belfast and is consistently highly ranked in The Legal 500 for its employment and immigration law work. Some respondents had sampled Lewis Silkin’s warm and welcoming culture during their time as paralegals and were enticed to stay on at the firm as trainees: ‘it ‘seemed like a natural transition’ said one recruit. The firm ‘supports individuals at all levels; it’s uncommon for so many people to be so invested in you as an individual and making sure you as the trainee are getting the most out of your training contract’. As such, Lewis Silkin is the deserving recipient of five Future Lawyers Winner medals this year, including job satisfaction, quality of work and sustainability. Career longevity is imoprtant to Lewis Silkin: ‘there is a clear hope that those who train here stay and develop the next stages of their career rather than just being the trainee’. Respondents had very little negative feedback – some complained about the London office but the firm has since moved to brand new offices in Southwark. The ‘lack of office attendance from other team members, especially partners’ also grated on some trainees who would like more face-to-face interaction and feedback while they learn the ropes. For one recruit, the most difficult aspect of their training so far was ‘trying to get to know people virtually when I started (in September 2021) as the hybrid-working policy hadn't been fully implemented yet so not as many people were coming into the office’. On the upside, trainees enjoyed ‘attending an in-person hearing on a case I'd put a lot of work into’ and ‘receiving good feedback directly from a client’. To work for a very highly-regarded employment law firm, in an environment where ‘everyone is willing to listen, answer questions and help, whatever their level of seniority’, consider Lewis Silkin.