Mills & Reeve LLP > Manchester, England > Firm Profile

‘Outstanding practice on every level. Advice, service and administration are all first rate.’

‘Niall Innes sets the standard by which I judge professional negligence solicitors.’

‘Common sense, no-nonsense advice, have become a real go-to for our organisation and have now five separate matters for us on technical high-value claims.’

‘Ben Hardiman has a vast amount of experience, he’s responsive, contactable and just gets our outlook and responds accordingly. That is rare to find. Ben has the ability to break down complex legal arguments which then allows us to respond and act accordingly to ensure the best possible outcome.’

‘Very diligent, approachable and consistent.’

‘Mills and Reeve are a rare commodity in that they have a specialist team dealing with contentious Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975 claims. They are excellent; they work as a well-oiled team and offer first rate advice. Their strengths are: first rate legal knowledge, huge experience in the area, great teamwork to provide cost-effective advice and leadership of a national group of fellow professionals specialising in the field.’

‘Simon Pedley is, in my view, the best in his field nationally. His legal and technical knowledge is fantastic but his tactical and negotiating skills are exceptional. He has a very calm demeanour, but this is coupled with a backbone of steel. His drafting, client contact and attention to detail are exceptional. I could not recommend him more highly.’

‘Strength and depth in terms of subject knowledge in core traditional Chancery areas. Highly specialised in all private client areas, combining high levels of technical knowledge with good litigious instincts.’

‘Ben Reeves is an excellent lawyer who is a very good litigator but also very good with clients. He never takes bad points. Simon Pedly has an enormous amount of experience.’

‘Act for a wide range of clients, from individuals to major charities. Provide a seamless service and are accessible from offices nationwide.’

‘Simon Pedley is a pleasure to work with. He is extremely bright and is always looking for practical solutions to his clients’ problems.’

‘Simon Pedley and Ben Reeves are excellent. Technically able, commercial and very pleasant to deal with. I would happily recommend them.’

‘I consider Mills & Reeve to be an exceptionally strong firm when dealing with trusts and probate (contentious or not) and associated tax issues. I work regularly with fee earners at all levels across multiple offices and am impressed with the uniformly high standards. My impression is that Mills & Reeve is a supportive and collegiate place to work and that feeds through into the provision of legal services in a highly effective, but calm, measured and practical way.’

‘A friendly personable and knowledgeable team with a good blend of experience.’

‘Zahra Siddiqui is an exceptional lawyer with the right blend of experience, knowledge and personal qualities to put clients at ease.’

‘Very knowledgeable lawyers, both partners and associates, with huge experience of sports work.’

‘Carol Couse is an innovative and committed partner. Handles both litigation and non-contentious work. Also a mediator.’

‘Excellent commitment to their clients; highly knowledgeable.’

‘Carol Couse has in-depth knowledge of the sports industry. Mark Hovell- extremely highly regarded both for his work as a CAS arbitrator and hugely knowledgeable. Rustam Sethna is an extremely hard-working associate with excellent attention to detail.’

‘The team is incredibly strong. There is nothing that they won’t have encountered before. They are able to bring together a level of expertise matched by only a few other teams, either nationally or internationally.’

‘Phil Hutchinson is a brilliant sports lawyer. He understands the landscape like few others. He is able to identify both legal and commercial weaknesses in an opponents case like very few others, and has the ability to utilise this to his client’s benefit. Phil is particularly strong in relation to betting related regulatory offences and employment issues.

‘Mark Hovell  is a thought leader in the sports law sector. He is at the forefront of sports law developments, and is the person you want if you have a novel problem or are looking for guidance on the future development of the sector.’

‘A very professional team which is very easy to work with. They have exceptional communication skills and do not shy away from difficult conversations. All in all, an exceptional team.’

‘With Mills & Reeve’s help we were able to navigate our path to a successful merger in an area of high complexity. They were able to bring specialised expertise to bear.’

‘Natalie Wade was extremely knowledgeable, communicated clearly and was ultra responsive.’

‘We have a long-standing relationship with the Norwich team. They stand out through their professionalism, quality of advice, commercial acumen and pragmatic approach.’

‘The individuals at Mills & Reeve that we work with are commercial, engaging and proactive in their approach.’

‘The team is always available and ready to support our business through the most complex of transactions. From bank refinancing to corporate sales, we have come across a wealth of talented individuals.’

‘Great technical knowledge and responsive to client requests.’

‘Good understanding of the issues and willingness to listen to the client’s issues. We worked with John Kahn on tax issues and he had good knowledge and communication skills.’

‘The tax team gave clear advice on a complex matter involving a land transfer as a going concern.’

‘Matt Short gave clear advice given on a complex matter resulting in a six figure saving on VAT. He stood alone against other professionals and his view was vindicated by HMRC agreeing with it.’

‘Very high quality of interactions with the client.’

‘Quick to grasp the issues from the client’s point of view. Brilliantly clear: able to explain complex matters in straightforward terms. Stand-out for us was John Kahn.’

‘A very well-connected team with partners that handle complex projects competently and efficiently, delivering useful and practicable solutions and positive outcomes.’

‘Douglas McDonald is a highly skilled and approachable lawyer who is very client focused. He is capable of understanding the legal and practical complexity of a task and delivering solutions that are meaningful and valuable to the client.’

‘They manage to be both meticulous and nimble. A one-stop-shop, with an emphasis on IT litigation.’

‘I have been impressed by Douglas’ strategic vision, tactical instinct, attention-to-detail, sound judgment and sensitivity to costs in every case. He would be the solicitor I would go to if I had a problem.’

‘A really intelligent, down-to-earth team. They are cohesive and always a pleasure to work with – without exception. They are always well-prepared, on top of the detail and provide pragmatic, sensible advice whilst being fully prepared to fight in court when necessary or required.’

‘Lino Di Lorenzo is an exceptional senior associate solicitor who works phenomenally hard on behalf of clients to secure the best result possible. He has accurate, up-to-date legal knowledge which he applies to good effect. He is commercially and strategically aware and his drafting is excellent.’

‘The team understand our company’s business which means that their advice is specific to us and therefore more helpful.’

‘Helen Prandy is my first port of call whenever we have any sort of issue, she gives pragmatic advice tailored to our business but is never afraid to pull our punches if our position is not as strong as we believe.’

‘The team provides an excellent service and great knowledge; very professional.’

‘Rachel McDonnell is commercially strong but always courteous, managing her clients and team effectively.’

‘The team is impressive and knowledgeable in the art of managing cumbersome and laborious processes. We were very carefully guided through our process and provided with very clear guidelines on next steps.’

‘The team’s strength includes its being able to give genuine advice on the impact of different routes in a litigation process and being honest in how we should tackle next steps. We never felt that they sat on the fence with sharing the options and giving an honest view about our chances and managing the process to help us get the optimal outcome!’

‘The organisation of the firm is very appropriate. Each lawyer has his own area of expertise within the firm. We are advised in a very precise manner on each subject. Whatever the subject, we have been advised in the best possible way.’

‘Abaigh Compton’s advice is always very appropriate and accurate.’

‘A really down-to-earth team who know what they’re talking about and don’t run up costs unnecessarily.’

‘Rachel McDonnell is very sensible, organised and knows how to run a practice. Mark Davison delivers a city law firm-level of service, is really proactive and knows his field inside-out.’

‘The Mills & Reeve team know our organisation and team well. They are responsive and advice is tailored to our specific needs and the particulars in the situation.’

‘Nicola Brown is an excellent source of advice and information.’

‘Mills & Reeve are always business-minded and manage the risk for a company based on the legal situation. Easy to talk to and quick to recommend solutions.’

‘They take the commercially-focused, pragmatic approach, have excellent focus on client service and attention-to-detail. We have a strong collaborative relationship.’

‘This practice is always responsive to the needs of our business and has specialist practitioners on-hand to provide advice and guidance over the whole range of issues that we face as an organisation.’

‘Alex Russell is an expert in his field and inspires trust. He is our go-to person whenever anything difficult drops into my inbox.’

‘The team building and close client relationships helps us feel like we are always on their radar for support and discussion, and indeed we are.’

‘They make time with us to have personalised discussions and always provide space and silence to hear our concerns and understand our requirements. They are always available when we reach out.’

‘Mills and Reeve provide us with employment and immigration advice for all things in the UK and beyond. As a global organisation with offices in 2 other countries but workers spread across the world, Mills and Reeve use their partner network and connections to provide us with great employment and immigration advice globally. They connect us to the right people internally even on issues we hadn’t thought of.’

‘People across their employment and immigration teams are all excellent and thoughtful communicators. They actively listen to the issues and concerns of their clients and ask clear and relevant questions to tailor their advice to needs. They don’t make assumptions or sweeping statements, instead they return with clear, comprehensive answers that provide you with all you need.’

‘The team is responsive and provides good, sound advice, especially on visa immigration matters. They have a good knowledge of our business and how to support it in the best way. Their webinars are also full of relevant and insightful information.’

‘I’ve always been appreciative of and confident in the advice and guidance that the team provides.’

‘Alex Russell instils confidence and assurance which is what we’re looking for in order that we are legally compliant and following best practices.’

‘The team has a great depth of knowledge in this subject area. They are always up-to-date with changes in legislation and cases that may impact its interpretation. The webinars they run are excellent in sharing knowledge broadly and they are also very responsive to specific queries and to hold one-on-one discussions on any point.’

‘Their support navigating the complicated application processes, licence process and the way visa and immigration services operate is invaluable; they share hints and tips on what the department are looking for to ensure our applications go through smoothly.’

‘Tracy Yates’ level of expertise should be noted; her insights into the relevant processes and her support with our prospective employees, supporting them through the complicated and explaining things in a simple way for them and us, stands out. Tracy is very responsive whether the question is complex or simple – everything gets a considered and thorough response.’

‘We only partner with organisations who we consider share our ethos of providing high levels of client service, transparency in working whilst being flexible in providing value-added solutions in terms of fees and timelines. The banking and finance team at Mills Reeve have always fulfilled or exceeded our expectations and provide a great service.’

‘We always seem to work with tight deadlines and complicated property requirements and Will Roles always successfully delivers. Communication is critical when time is of the essence and contact channels have always been available.’

‘We have a longstanding relationship with the teams in Cambridge, Norwich and London. In the past they have always provided a strong partner-led service but in recent years we have seen them build out their team with a number of senior associates and associates who have all also provided us with a high level of service.’

‘One of the things that sets them apart is the amount of time they invest in their juniors and how they look after them from transaction to transaction. At no point do their team members seem overworked, stretched or under competing pressures. Our transactions feel like they get their full attention and this is reflected in the quality of service we receive.’

‘The team provides us with relevant and tailored updates from time-to-time an example being their suggested specific amendments to our standard security documents last year following a change in law when none of our other panel firms reached out.’

‘Will Roles and Zak Virgin we have worked with for years. Will is the perfect lawyer to put in front of a potential client as he is always balanced, fair and well-reasoned in his approach to transactions. Zak is just as good in front of new clients and also (quite remarkably) seems to remember the position we’ve taken on almost a decade’s worth of transactions, so always manages to provide consistent and clear advice.’

‘The real change in the past few years with M&R has been their ability to involve more senior associates in our work. If Bethany Webb isn’t the dictionary definition of an ‘up and coming lawyer’ then we don’t know what is. Bethany is hardworking, readily available and consistent in her drafting.’

‘The team is highly knowledgeable and experienced in insolvency and corporate recovery disputes. Particular strengths include their acting for and against insolvent companies and office holders in claims concerning director’s duties and those under the Insolvency Act.’

‘Lino Di Lorenzo has excellent knowledge and understanding of the law which he applies to good effect. He works tremendously hard for clients, provides pragmatic and thoughtful advice and is a pleasure to work with.’

‘Teams at the firm are genuine specialists in their chosen fields. They are incredibly hardworking and no task is a problem. Very responsive and leaders in their various sectors.’

‘I find them proactive and user-friendly and they have a regular helpful newsletter.’

‘Wide experience. Innovative approach to fixed-fee agreements by class of case.’

‘Access to paralegal support unit is a great strength.’

‘Thoroughly professional approach to the complexity that is modern litigation, centred around teamwork.’

‘Very useful spread of regional offices which provides support nationally is real and meaningful.’

‘Smart and experienced team. Matthew Wilson is unflappable, experienced and excellent.’

‘Personable team. Quick. Commercial. Grasp key issues quickly.’

‘Neil Davies is personable. Good overall management of claims.’

‘Sue Surridge is quick, efficient and grasps client concerns.’

‘They have strength in the depth, and breadth of knowledge and experience in this sector. We have instructed them as a family for over forty years.’

‘Virginia Edgecombe has maintained an overview of our dealings with outstanding associates Louisa Butcher and Nicola Dernie – all work faultlessly, in a timely, personal and good-humoured way.’

‘Good speed of responses, reasonable costs, and clarity of communication.’

‘They have a very good grasp of rural property issues. It is a large team who, between them, can deal with almost all issues that come up with rural property.’

‘Friendly and approachable, which makes the daunting task of instructing a legal professional that much easier.’

‘Every single person who worked with us was friendly, professional, proactive and empathic to our needs. We had complete transparency in understanding fees, what work was required by them and us, and the timescales. We had solutions offered when we couldn’t see a way through and communication was superb.’

‘Louisa Butcher was superb all the way through our property matter. It was a huge emotional decision for us and there were, as is to be expected, obstacles along the way, which we were guided through smoothly. Nicola Dernie dealt with a farm purchase and was also wonderful, handling our impatience to get the purchase completed very well and and always giving sound advice with full reasoning so we understood the importance of thorough due diligence.’

‘The team think logically and provide effective advice on both simple and more complex matters. They have an ability to identify the key areas and to find solutions to the satisfaction of the relevant parties.’

‘The practice is able to respond and provide opinion at very short notice without compromising the quality of the advice. It is able to work with its own specialist teams to provide seamless and comprehensive advice. It is very mindful of the scope of what is being asked and does not exceed costs by providing additional advice without checking this is required and wanted. The firm is also very flexible efficient in billing.’

‘The individuals are very experienced and good at identifying the key arguments. They do not view it is a transactional process but think holistically about what information, if available, may support or enhance key points. They clearly identify risks and best approaches, meaning decisions made and steps taken are based on the client’s appetite for risk.’

‘The team quickly grasps the organisational position and will listen and give a balanced view on alternative approaches. Nicola Brown gives well-rounded advice on complex issues.’

‘An all-rounder law firm with expertise in all key areas to provide that immediate and timely legal support.’

‘Neil Burton is an exceptional lawyer with a real talent for client relationship building and providing commercially astute advice.’

‘I find them not only knowledgeable about the field but also transparent about costs which makes the decision to proceed or not with a specific project much easier. I have found the support staff I have worked with on more administrative matters to be both efficient and conscientious.’

‘The regular charity updates provided by Mills and Reeve are informative and timely. I also take advantage of a range of the Mills and Reeve webinars, both those aimed at charities and at the commercial sector. We have found them to be accessible and informative even if not specifically tailored to the charity sector.’

‘Neil Burton and Mark Ashton at Mills and Reeve are both knowledgeable and approachable and, most importantly, able to apply that knowledge to the specific circumstances of my organisation.’

‘David Catchpole is a careful, thoughtful and conscientious solicitor who asks the right questions, probes in the right places and generally demonstrates good legal judgment. He looks after clients, sympathises with them and thinks hard about their interests. James Russ is hardworking, has a considered manner and is attentive-to-detail.’

‘Mills & Reeve is an exceptionally strong firm when dealing with trusts and probate (contentious or not) and associated tax issues. I am impressed with the uniformly high standards. The firm seems a supportive and collegiate place to work and that feeds through into the provision of legal services in a highly effective, but calm, measured and practical way.’

‘Fee earners seem uniformly diplomatic, tactful and capable of dealing with difficult opponents and clients. All of these comments apply to the Norwich and Cambridge offices.’

‘The team is really specialist – they are deeply involved in estate and trusts disputes and so offer real expertise and deep understanding. They do this without some of the counterproductive aggression of some bigger name firms at a lower hourly rate.’

‘David Catchpole has a very human quality that really puts clients at ease. He also has a very sharp mind and is an excellent litigator, particularly strategically. He gives excellent, honest advice to clients and pursues matters with tenacity.’

‘David Catchpole is an experienced practitioner and hugely knowledgeable so I never have any hesitation in recommending to him.’

‘I have worked with Lucinda Brown for almost a decade and have great confidence in her abilities. She is sound on the law, runs her cases very efficiently and is a very effective negotiator. She fights hard for her clients but never loses objectivity or perspective.’

‘Lucinda Brown is a practical and reasonable lawyer who is very focused on her client’s objectives and getting the job done as quickly and as cost efficient as possible. She has a very solution-based approach and is good to work with as an opponent – although she can be a firm opponent, she does work well collaboratively to achieve a settlement for the matter as a whole.’

‘I had a complex divorce which the practice handled superbly. Recently, I remarried and required a prenuptial agreement which needed to apply in both Germany and the UK – the practice advised well and efficiently. The practice is excellent and has trusted and efficient advisors.’

‘Nick Stone and Frances Bailey are outstanding and I have recommended them to friends and colleagues on many occasions. Frances is fast, efficient, and clear; I could not have asked for more.’

‘I had a very pleasant experience from the team, and my main solicitor was very supportive, caring and helpful. I could not have wished for a better person to get me through my divorce; she was always informing me of each step, and advising me on the next plan of action that needed to be done either my telephone or email.’

‘Very informative, always made sure I was okay, and kept me updated with any new movement of the divorce and made sure what I needed was always met where possible. Emily Elvin-Poole was my solicitor and she was amazing, new exactly what I had to do with me having control with making the divorce, and helped me keep my home.’

‘Caitlin Jenkins and her team made me feel at ease with the whole divorce process. From start to finish they were articulate, explanatory, friendly, precise, and above all, professional and compassionate. I would highly recommend the family practice department at Mills & Reeve to anyone.’

‘Caitlin Jenkins is phenomenal at her job. A highly experienced, professional, tenacious, compassionate and easy to understand team. I give full credit to her for getting me where I wished to be. I cannot thank her enough.’

‘The team in East Anglia work well together in their Norwich office and also with complimentary teams in Norwich and then with the wider family teams across the country.’

‘Frances Bailey is extremely bright and hardworking. This is combined with excellent people skills. She carries out good and careful analysis of the law, the facts and the strategy in a case and is able to explain that to her clients.’

‘A very broad range of expertise, such that all of their clients’ legal needs can be met in-house. They are very approachable and advise using plain English, making complex matters accessible to all.’

‘They are very responsive and work within a wide advisory team supporting a large family office. They are prepared to be pragmatic, and work is delivered to a high-standard within tight deadlines. They provide excellent commentary with invoices which means the client is very clear what work has been completed to reach the total billed. Very helpful.’

‘Good depth-of-knowledge and prompt to reply to queries.’

‘Lauren Parker deals with complicated matters in a calm and helpful manner.’

‘A team with real depth and breadth of experience and knowledge. They are very hands-on and proactive.’

‘Lauren Parker is a very calming and reassuring operator who inspires confidence. Gregory Laming is a very clever and innovative thinker, leaving no stone unturned for his clients. Elizabeth Field is an extremely bright and thoughtful adviser.’

‘The practice is excellent – always respond to requests for advice very quickly, however obscure and hurried these may be. We are always confident that we will get expert advice in a timely way, and that all members of the team that we deal with have a good understanding of the higher education sector.’

‘Gary Attle always responds to our ad hoc and urgent requests promptly, providing his calm expertise and excellent focus on the relevant issues for a higher education institution. Kate Allan and Emma Tuck have provided prompt and expert advice for a number of challenging issues in recent years.’

‘M&R has a full service team which means they can offer advice in all areas required.’

‘We work together as professionals but also as friends which is vitally important. Richard Noble and Kimbra Weston are always available and willing to discuss any issue with great expertise.’

‘The team handles a complex transaction, land purchase with differing overage provisions and tax implications, with calm efficiency. They communicated clearly on all aspects.’

‘Christopher Pike provides an excellent service. His advice is commercially astute and I feel confident that he is looking at matters from the client’s perspective.’

‘We chose M&R as they have excellent planning, property and construction teams, are predominantly based outside of London and have excellent experience working with key stakeholders such as local authorities and housebuilders. M&R provide City of London law firm expertise.’

‘They are exceptionally hardworking, personable and invest considerable time in understanding our business and helping us structure transactions and documents to meet our specific business needs. You never feel like you are getting something off the shelf.’

‘M&R are extremely knowledgeable.’

‘Carina Davis (née Cobbold) is our lead contact and always provides exceptional advice – her responses are always thoroughly considered, relevant and commercial. Her team are also great to work with.’

‘Caroline Dean is the most responsive partner I have ever dealt with – in times when I have needed something, she is there like an extension of my own team which has been very invaluable and exactly what I needed.’

‘Caroline Davis considers leases from a commercial perspective too, she always finds a way to solve a negotiating problem as efficiently as possible.’

‘David Siddall is very helpful.’

‘Lisa-Marie Kennedy is incredibly efficient, diligent and is excellent at communicating so that I always know where we are in the transaction (which then helps me to manage it internally). She is extremely knowledgeable in her areas of legal expertise, and is also very commercial at the same time. Lisa is really great at getting transactions completed, making sure to prompt relevant parties where needed in a friendly and effective way. Effective collaboration is a very strong skill she possesses, amongst others.’

‘Senior associate Ross Buckingham is extremely responsive and, again, very diligent, intelligent (clearly knows a great deal about his area of work) and is very proactive in getting things done. His attention to detail is excellent and he dedicates time and thoughtfulness into the work he does which is extremely reassuring. Ross also is very personable and approachable, and a pleasure to work with.’

‘I work mainly with Judy Day who is efficient and professional. I value the way Judy cares very much about our charity. Her values are totally aligned which makes working alongside her an absolute pleasure.’

‘Senior associate Callum Ross has a vast amount of knowledge and experience with utilities and telecoms matters, and has provided effective support and advice in these areas when we needed them the most.’

‘Alex Pike and her team are my first call whenever I have any thorny issues. They are the ones who help me sleep at night knowing we are doing the right things.’

‘Alexandra Pike – My first call, always. Sensible, commercial, considered. Calming, and always available. Our rock. Edward Freeman – He somehow knows exactly how to calm us when we are concerned. My team rely in Ed so much. A skill I value about all else.’

‘The team took the time to integrate with our Projects team and have become a key advisor. Taking time to understand our issues and work collaboratively on solutions rather than simply giving dry legal advice.’

‘Dominic Taylor has stayed the course with us producing high quality work, to tight timescales, whilst remaining friendly approachable throughout. The expertise of Stuart Thompson has also been invaluable.’

‘There are a few things that stand out: – they are available, so that when you need them they are there. Even at short notice – they are responsive – generally speaking turnaround times are really quick and matters are addressed with urgency – they are commercial – they will try to resolve matters in a cost-effective, practical and collaborative fashion.’

‘I work with Stuart Thompson mainly. He is smart, responsive, witty – and all round a great person to work with. In fact it doesn’t feel like work at all most of the time. He is my go to man on all building/construction contract related issues and finds ways through whatever the issue. He is ably assisted by Ed Freeman and whenever instructed I know that I will receive sensible, clear, articulate, and commercial advice in a timely manner. They are a pleasure to deal with.’

‘They have broad and extensive knowledge, they are easy to work with and understand what their clients require of them.’

‘They are very personable yet professional. They have creative ideas and always look for outcomes in your best interests but equally pragmatic solutions that are achievable not impossible.’

‘Really good mix of knowledgeable environmental professionals covers contaminated land, transactions and contentious work.’

‘The team at Mills & Reeve is incredibly responsive to our needs as an organisation. Whether it be a quick legal clarification or a detailed Section 106 they are able to provide a great service at a number of different experience levels.’

‘Peter Seaborn always provides well measured advice in an effective and efficient way. His knowledge of the Cambridge area in particular means that you are confident that you are getting the full picture when it comes to receiving advice.’

‘Caroline Bywater is organised and efficient. Her Section 106 drafting and ability to explain complicated matters to clients is very much welcomed. She has a good rapport with the local authority solicitors helping move things forward.’

‘We have worked with M&R for a number of years and they have invested heavily in not only supporting our needs but also ensuring their team fully understand our business/projects. We chose them originally as they have excellent planning, property and construction teams, are predominantly based outside of London and have excellent experience working with key stakeholders such as local authorities and housebuilders. M&R provide City of London law firm expertise from a regional cost base.’

‘They are exceptionally hard working, personable and invest considerable time in understanding our business and helping us structure transactions and documents to meet our specific business needs. You never feel like you are getting something off the shelf.’

‘The M&R team are extremely knowledgeable.’

‘It is an extremely collaborative environment. The team has a keen business sense and is always looking for the best options and path forward while keeping in mind the type and resources of that business. We are always kept up to date and informed on the latest developments.’

‘Richard Plaistowe is an exceptional attorney with a wealth of knowledge and experience. He is also a great communicator. Nicola Hanglin is likewise an excellent communicator and attorney. I always feel in the loop and up to speed on what is going on with my cases.’

‘M&R offers commercially pragmatic and cost effective advice. The communication is excellent and their responsiveness is beyond expectations.’

‘Richard Plaistowe and Nicola Hanglin are extremely knowledgeable and very willing to share their experience and knowledge with you. They provide nuanced, commercially pragmatic advice appropriate to the matter in issue, rather than taking a one-size fits all approach Richard, particularly impresses with his responsiveness.’

‘Kevin Calder provides truly exceptional service. He is knowledgeable, responsive, incisive and pragmatic, and is a highly-valued adviser.’

‘I cannot speak highly enough of one particular individual and while the entire team at Mills & Reeve are highly dedicated and committed, Sophie Burton-Jones stands out to me as an excellent and professional leader who goes out of her way to help and support her partners. She is a high performer, exceptionally responsive, friendly, supportive and highly knowledgeable and articulate all things IT and Telecoms related. I would have no hesitation in recommending her and her team for this award.’

‘Peter Wainman is through, patient and able to explain complicated ideas in layman’s terms.’

‘I have been working with Mills & Reeve for a number of years and we continue to strengthen our relationship. They have excellent experience in intellectual property, technology and business outsourcing, in both private and public space. I use Mills & Reeve for their ability to deliver fast and high-quality services and the easiness to do business.’

‘The individuals I have worked with at Mills & Reeve are not only very experienced and experts in their field but also willing to listen and understand the needs of my company in order to delivers a professional and bespoke service.’

‘The depth of knowledge is essential but to be able to interpret that back to me (the client) in a way that represents our individual company standards and needs is what makes the advice so valuable and understandable as well as informative. Giving me the freedom to understand what is being said and then using that clear advice as to how to get around some contractual differences with our customers in a manner that upholds our core standards.’

‘The ability read between the lines, to decipher what is often sent in a rush and not always articulately and be able to pinpoint what is required and answer quickly, concisely and clearly. Always keeping our company standards in practice and giving me what I need to know not necessarily what I thought I needed to know. This is unique in my experience, but shows an excellent understanding of how my company want to work rather than have to work. This support is exemplary.’

‘M&R continue to be our trusted legal advisers, providing seamless and valuable support on a range of IT matters, of varying complexity and value, and with first class client service. Last year, we reported on the implementation of M&R’s Volume Control platform, which allowed for ease of referrals, monitoring and reporting. M&R have worked with us over the last year to develop this platform for our needs and this is proving to be a good tool for us as an in-house team.’

‘Excellent market knowledge, with a finger on the pulse of change.’

‘Gary Attle is a first-rate lawyer in this area. He knows education inside-out and also brings a wide and pragmatic perspective to difficult problems.’

‘The team we work with at Mills & Reeve are experts in higher education, so they can provide relevant and up-to-date advice and guidance on real sector issues. This is incredibly helpful.’

‘Alex Russell always provides timely and insightful advice.’

‘Great insight into the UK health system with a commercially driven mindset.’

‘Rob Day is a gem of a person and an incredible lawyer.’

‘The team at M&R is outstanding. The standard of preparation and care are of the top drawer. They save innumerable hours in counsel’s preparation by ensuring that all cases are prepared to the highest standard’.

‘M&R offers Magic Circle service at realistic prices‘.

‘In Birmingham David Gooding is first rate’.

‘The firm has access to specialists in other areas of law. Adam Williams replies promptly and provides useful advice that goes beyond what was requested’.

‘Superb understanding of Charities and the legal framework in which they operate.  Adam Williams is excellent, gives special attention to customer service’.

‘Queries are dealt with efficiently and explained well. The Team is proficient in all areas’.

‘I appreciate the uncomplicated way that Mills and Reeve deal with me as a non legal person and value the emphasis on building relationships with clients that Mills and Reeve seem to embody’.

‘They are all very knowledgeable, easily approachable and even though they are doubtless dealing with numerous clients, they seem to have total recollection of my individual circumstances without recourse to always having to check files etc and remind themselves of the situation‘.

‘The leading private team in the midlands with impressive knowledge depth across the team and widely regarded as one of the best in the business. Excellent advice delivered in a client friendly way’.

‘I have been very impressed with Adam Williams, Jacob Cork and Sarah Wood – all of them are obviously superb at their job and highly skilled but also excellent communicators and able to deliver solutions which clients and other advisers can understand’.

‘High technical capability. Very experienced team, who work very effectively together, who are used to dealing with complex matters. Friendly and approachable’.

‘Matthew Hansell – highly experienced, very practical approach, strong client relationships with considerate gentle style. Stephen Atkinson – very experienced, eye for detail and great project management. Accessible and always helpful’.

‘Jacob Cork – very knowledgeable on international private client matters. John Grundy – experienced partner who is both client centric and highly knowledgeable’.

‘The team work well together, they provide adequate cover for periods of leave and are up to speed on matters where cover is being provided. This gives good continuity for matters.’

‘The individuals we work with have a good understanding of our business and how we work as an in-house legal team and the challenges we face in receiving instructions internally and how this has a knock-on effect. All the individuals we work with seem to take this in their stride.’

‘They offer pragmatic advice that is easy to understand and respond to.’

‘They offer care in understanding the complexities and subtleties of our organisation, and the complex sector within which it operates, which is of real value to us. Not all firms manage to do this well.’

‘Nick Abbott is responsive, pragmatic, and genuinely cares about what we do.’

Christian Bull is great to work with, positive, proactive, and strikes the right balance in negotiations through a deep understanding of our organisation and its objectives.’

‘Broad breadth of traditional experience across the NHS, as well as working on and advising independent investigations.’

‘There are a limited number of firms who have this additional actual experience rather than theoretical knowledge base.’

‘The partners are well networked and facilitate learning and development opportunities for their clients.’

‘Jill Mason has a healthy balance of positivity and can-do attitude.’

‘Very responsive and excellent at pointing the right talent at the problem.’

‘Thorough and competent and create confidence with us as customers.’

‘They work hard to understand our business and the sorts of niche issues we face. This means that even if we haven’t been in regular contact, we can get to the point quickly.’

‘A cohesive team with a clear and shared ethos who communicate about cases with each other, so there is always someone who can help you if the solicitor you want is not available.’

‘They were incredibly knowledgeable and their assistance was invaluable.’

‘The important aspects for me were their expertise in the required fields and availability/feedback when required, both of which were exhibited expertly by Martino Giaquinto and Patrick Wisheu.’

‘A wide breadth of clients and sectors within the construction field. The practice benefits from having a broader client base than some others. The firm really understands what its clients want and what represents a good settlement of a case.’

‘Martino Giaquinto: Very tenacious. Someone you want to have on your side in a dispute. Particular expertise in energy-related matters including renewables. Patrick Wisheu: He really grasps the details of the cases I have seen him in.’

‘The M&R construction claims team have provided highly professional, on-point and highly effective support to my business in relation to a construction dispute.’

‘M&R proved highly competent on establishing the correct dispute resolution strategy and its delivery and were able to predict situations and outcomes before the event, which proved crucial to a successful outcome for myself as the client.’

‘Martino Giaquinto and his team are highly professional and extremely knowledgeable, and importantly grounded and able to communicate legal matters effectively with non-legal stakeholders.’

‘Mills & Reeve have proven to be excellent in identifying strategy and being knowledgeable of the detail.’

‘In-depth knowledge of the professional negligence practice area. They are able to fight your corner whilst taking a balanced and commercial approach when required. They are quick to understand the issues and technically very strong.‘

‘Neil Howes is technically excellent and able to quickly grasp the issues. He’s also good under pressure, able to adapt his style to a particular situation and able to apply a good level of commerciality to a situation.‘

‘It is a very well run team, dedicated to their clients, collaborative and good legal minds.‘

‘Above all, the team is ruthlessly geared to achieving the client’s commercial aims in the most cost-efficient way. The advice given is pragmatic and avoids giving prominence to legal issues over the commercial realities of the client’s situation. Further, Mills & Reeve places a high emphasis on team work and clients can be sure that they receive a cohesive, joined-up service.’

‘Liam Burnett is wise beyond his years; he is a tough cookie and exceptional negotiator. His dedication to the client is second to none.’

‘The team has a wide range of expertise and is able to bring in the most suitable individuals for the particular issue. The people are always friendly, honest and looking to provide solutions, whilst listening to the needs of the customer. Between their team and my team, we collaborate to achieve results which are beneficial to my company.’

‘They listen and offer advice having taken time to understand what I am looking to achieve. If my desired outcome is not possible, explanations are provided as to why and various options available to me are explained.’

‘Mills and Reeve are always well prepared, commercial and pragmatic. They fight their client’s case with ability and intelligence.’

‘The Leeds team is good combination of great experience and younger fresh enthusiasm both of which are well combined to provide excellent advice and support to clients.’

‘Claudia Gilham – she is committed to her clients in a way that makes them feel completely supported but which does not lose sight of giving them sensible and pragmatic advice. She thinks through every case in detail and has views about strategy in the long and short that she will debate with counsel and partners to ensure that no stone is left unturned in order to get the best outcome for her client.’

‘Ellen Wilkinson is in the early stages of her career and is showing great promise in her ability to analyse cases and give clear advice to clients. She is one to watch.’

‘An excellent stand-out team who regularly deal with the most difficult of cases’

‘Claudia Gilham and Ellen Wilkinson are both leaders in their field – both able to identify what really matters in a case and what will ensure the best outcome for the client.’

‘Philip Way is a stand-out lawyer, both in terms of technical knowledge, which is second to none, and also his manner – calm, unflappable and measured. What Philip does not know about pensions on divorce is not worth knowing. He co-chairs the IAFL Pensions Committee and chairs the Legal Working Group of the Pensions Advisory Group.’

‘Claudia Gilham and Philip Way are brilliant. Excellent judgment, commitment to clients, excellent service.’

‘My principal experience is with Philip Way, who is a superb lawyer, and an extremely kind man – a very important quality in a matrimonial solicitor. I have recommended him on a number of occasions.’

‘We were recommended to use Mills and Reeve for their professional expertise in providing Private Client advice. We have been very pleased with their work on lasting power of attorney ( LPA) matters, trusts and wills.’

‘We have dealt almost exclusively with new partner Ellie Milner, who has been excellent in terms of knowledge and advice.’

‘Very knowledgeable and personable team.’

‘Ellie Milner has been outstanding.’

‘Highly competent and knowledgeable team led by a friendly and professional partner.’

‘Andrew Playle’s advice is clear and concise, and all queries are responded to promptly. He is sensitive to the family dynamics and includes all interested parties to the concepts and decisions in an engaging manner.’

‘The team is for me specifically what makes this firm unique. They clearly work well within their respective departments and with other departments to provide an all-round high level of competency and service, with the client first and foremost.’

‘Most of my dealings with Mills Reeve is via Ellie Milner. Ellie is, at all times, professional yet personable with an ability to ask what may be difficult and searching questions to really understand clients and their wider circumstances.’

‘Great efficient team led by Chris Ross, proactive and can always get hold of a partner as required.’

‘Excellent communication between team members, lawyers and support staff. The team is clearly very used to working together. Nothing fell through the gaps. I felt reassured that the team had my back. The new premises at Circle Square are fantastic – spacious, welcoming, friendly. The reception staff are wonderful. The tech is great – enabling remote conferences, hearings, lengthy meetings in comfort.’

‘Alison Bull the partner in charge of my case was exceptional. She accompanied me through several years of a complex, difficult and fractious divorce and was a tower of strength. She was compassionate, emotionally intelligent and focussed on the end goal. She has exceptional attention to detail and is an excellent manager of her team. I cannot praise Alison highly enough. Rose Marie Drury was an exceptional associate.’

‘Sue Brookes was outstanding and I cannot praise her enough for approach and advice which was invaluable and provided me with confidence that the process had a clearly defined end and the likely responses from the other side. I felt I was informed and supported at all times.’

‘Andrew Moore has dedicated himself to my families highly complex case of parental alienation with complex financial proceedings. Andy has exceeded all of my expectations and I cannot thank him enough.’

‘The team are well known for their commitment to ADR options such as mediation (including lawyer assisted mediation), collaborative law, arbitration and other out-of-court options. They have also introduced a one lawyer-two clients model.’

‘Alison Bull is a pragmatic lawyer who has a great grasp of the details of a case. Nigel Shepherd is one of the most well known family lawyers in the North West who has been critical in leading the campaign for no-fault divorce. Andrew Moore is incredibly well liked by clients and his peers and is takes a thoughtful and sensible approach to cases.’

‘What stands out to me is the firm’s approach to dispute resolution in all forms. Whether that’s mediation, their newly developed one lawyer two clients offering, or in the way in which they conduct their litigation. Even in highly contentious cases, there is an appropriate level of collaboration.

‘I was instructed last year by Rose-Marie Drury on a difficult case in which our client was the beneficiary of a substantial family trust against which her husband was trying to make a claim on divorce. I was hugely impressed not only with her legal analysis but also the sensible, pragmatic advice which meant that it was possible to navigate a negotiated settlement on favourable terms, at minimum financial and emotional expense.’

‘Mills & Reeve have pooled their resources very effectively utilising specialist knowledge within the firm to address some challenging legal issues on my projects, whilst maintaining continuity with my main contacts.’

‘Emily Revel and Jennifer Lewis have both been excellent as my main contacts dealing with many varied legal issues.’

‘The team are incredibly helpful and very knowledgeable. They understand the university sector and take the time to understand individual institutions which enables them to advise appropriately. Mills and Reeve also have an Education Hub which contains a wealth of useful information for institutions.’

‘Paul Knight is exceptional at what he does and provides clear, concise and easily digestible advice.’

‘Mills and Reeve are able to cover all of our Education needs with expertise across all areas.’

‘The individuals we work with at Mills and Reeve are always personable, knowledgeable and flexible. Sara Barrett is our lead partner and we have worked a lot with Miriam Guilding too.’

‘Good sector knowledge. Experienced, skilled and approachable team who provide focused commercially sound advice.’

‘The practice has the skills, knowledge and expertise within the education sector and within the building and construction discipline. The team understands our aims and objectives and also understands the dynamic and the structure of our governance.’

‘I have a single initial point of contact with Mills & Reeve and if she is not able to cover all legal aspects of an instruction there will be someone who can be approached within the company.’

‘Jennifer has: An endearing way about her that is professional but ‘human’ which puts your mind at ease including GP practices which is an achievement in itself! – The ability to get her head around a situation and provide a solution – Proven been able to achieve the almost impossible ask within really tight deadlines. I have no issue recommending Mills & Reeve to others due to that effort and the growing level of achieving the required outcomes driven by her.’

‘Though an international firm, Mills & Reeve still provide and personal touch in that they are attentive, listen to the issues at hand and, to date, have always come up with a solution that works for both parties. Their wealth of knowledge and experience across sectors makes them stand out from other firms.’

‘Melanie Grimshaw is the first person I go to when an issue arises or when I need a discussion about the best approach to take. She consciously takes the time to understand the problems before coming back with advice. I would have no hesitation in recommending her and look forward to continuing to work with her in the future.’

‘Keith Davidson is market-leading in the negotiation of indemnities associated with contaminated land liability.’

‘The team is an increasingly significant player in environmental law with particular expertise in agriculture, contaminated land and climate change.’

‘Keith Davidson has strong commercial acumen and is a leading player in the environmental law space. He recognises client perspectives on climate change and ably assists customers in commercialising opportunities.’

‘Mills & Reeve support client needs but also ensure their team fully understand our business and projects. They have excellent planning, property and construction teams, are predominantly based outside of London and have excellent experience working with key stakeholders such as local authorities and housebuilders.’

‘The team provides city of London law firm expertise from a regional cost base. They are exceptionally hardworking, personable and invest considerable time in understanding our business and helping us structure transactions/documents to meet our specific business needs. You never feel like you are getting something off the shelf.’

‘The team ensures that they internalise knowledge transfer between teams such that projects progress seamlessly from acquisition to planning, through construction and on into plot sales. This reduces both cost and risk. The team has good lawyer retention which allows for the building of strong and lasting relationships and corporate knowledge.’

‘An excellent defamation and media law practice in the Midlands and the North of England. Proactive & friendly.’

‘The team are very thorough and very easy to work with. They get on with things and are great at ensuring that litigation moves forward effectively.’

‘They were highly responsive and gave excellent advice which was turned around very quickly.’

‘One thing they all had in common, and which the firm does brilliantly, is to communicate complex advice clearly and in plain English. They are also very personable to work with. I’d recommend them to anyone requiring their expertise.’

‘I have used Mills & Reeve on several occasions and found them to provide a superior service. They kept me updated at each stage of the process, provided clarity when discussing complex legal issues and ensured any questions were resolved quickly.’

‘Very commercially minded, easy to work with, very flexible and capable.’

‘James Fry is an excellent lawyer.’

‘Joanne Grandfield is superb. She is clever and articulate and is seemingly able to find solutions for clients in the most complex and challenging cases. A true star of the London mediation scene’.

‘Suzanne Kingston has been at the top of the mediation profession for decades. She handles the most complex cases and is at the top of her game! Tim Whitney is also excellent’.

‘Suzanne Kingston and Joanne Grandfield stand out as excellent mediators in their field. Suzanne is an extremely robust and pragmatic mediator with enormous amounts of empathy. Joanne is brilliant with next gen clients who need directive mediation and on difficult children matters’.

‘Mills and Reeve is well known for providing the complete mediation service with very experienced accredited mediators and child-inclusive mediation offered too. It is not just lip-service saying they do mediation; they really are skilled in this area’.

‘Tim Whitney – His manner is very unruffled and he has an air of authority and seems to be very adept at steering a path between them and getting results to satisfy both parties. Alison Bull has a very good reputation.’

‘Joanna Grandfield – super bright, an excellent solicitor and mediator and very solution focused. But willing to roll up her sleeves as much as any other litigator to get brilliant results’.

‘Suzanne Kingston – one of the top mediators in the business acting for HNWs, one of the doyennes of mediation who can tackle the most complex mediations’.

‘Tim Whitney is one of the best mediators in London. He’s well known for handling complicated mediations with ease and in a calm and reassuring manner’.

‘One of the best teams in the country. Tim Whitney is a standout member of the team. He is thorough, thoughtful and builds a wonderful relationship with clients, calmly guiding them though difficult proceedings. Tim is unflappable and a great strategist and tactician.’

‘Zoe Fleetwood is just excellent. She is careful and patient with clients and able to deliver difficult advice to move a case forward. Her preparation is outstanding and her ability to lead a team means that large and complex cases are safe in her hands’.

‘Colin Rogerson is head of fertility law. Any client looking to have a good legal experience in a case involving disputes of legal parenthood or international surrogacy should work with Colin.’

‘The family team are excellent with recent acquisitions in the last few years, including Zoe Fleetwood and Colin Rogerson. Zoe is a stellar lawyer. She has an innate ability to cut through difficult issues in cases whilst finding practical solutions. She is a fearless lawyer and you want her on your side.’

‘Colin Rogerson is the surrogacy and fertility law guru. His knowledge of this niche area of law is second-to-none and is well known internationally. Judges often turn to him for the answer when it comes to matters related to complex international surrogacy cases.’

‘Colin Rogerson is, without doubt, London’s leading alternative families and surrogacy lawyer. He is the go-to name in this field without question. Zoe Fleetwood is a strong name in the children sphere and has a justified reputation as being a calm and effective advocate for her clients.’

‘Tim Whitney is strong on both complicated finance and children work. He can turn his hand to anything and provides an excellent client service. A firm favourite in London.’

‘Joanna Grandfield is my go-to person at Mills & Reeve. Exceptionally bright, responsive, and a total pleasure to deal with. Caitlin Jenkins is also thoughtful and effective.’

‘Very personable and professional team who work well with client’s own team and are always responsive and fight the client’s corner.’

‘Jagvinder Singh Kang is a subject-matter expert in the field of IT and data protection issues. His keen interest in the areas of IT and data protection is clearly evident and, when combined with his significant experience of this sector and keen attention to detail, he becomes a force to be reckoned with.’

‘M&R continue to be our trusted legal advisers, providing seamless and valuable support on a range of IT matters, of varying complexity and value, and with first-class client service.’

‘We work with many members of the M&R IT and telecoms team, who we view as an extension to our small in-house team. They all provide fantastic support and pragmatic advice, understanding our business needs and requirements, and are committed to delivering on our work in an efficient manner.’

‘Friendly, helpful, efficient, professional and customer focused. Readily available, highly approachable and responsive service every time.’

‘Partners Kevin Calder and Peter Wainman are both excellent. Highly commercial with deep knowledge of the sector. Identify the issues quickly and deliver advice with pragmatism and insight to address and find solutions and give us exactly what we need.’

‘Reliable, expert and up-to-date knowledge. Produce relevant online webinars clearly explaining the subject matter and providing guidance.’

‘Clear and concise, with exceptional communication skills. Pragmatic, risk-based guidance is given. Authority and command on the subject matter has been crucial in navigating difficult discussions so that our intended goal was accomplished.’

‘Great team who clearly enjoy working with each other, which translates into a great product for their clients. This particular transaction had complexities that I have not seen in 25 years of doing deals. Mills & Reeves were outstanding.’

‘Julian Smith has a great, calming style and a good ability to step back and work out what really matters.’

‘Paul Krivosic is efficient and effective, but has a good commercial grounding coupled with pragmatism.’

‘Practical advice with the client in mind.’

‘Mills and Reeve offered a professional resource of expert HMRC and more specifically IR-35 knowledge.’

‘Kevin Lowe offered a unique and knowledgeable perspective on IR-35 legislation. Kevin’s expert knowledge reassured us that we were doing the right thing based on the current government legislation. All questions were answered quickly.’

‘Kevin Lowe – Excellemt knowledge of his area of expertise.’

‘Extremely knowledgeable and great to work with. Always do an excellent job in an efficient manner.’

‘Phil Hutchinson is an outstanding senior associate. Great with clients, excellent industry knowledge, and very hard-working.’

‘Mills & Reeve’s Birmingham office continues to provide an excellent standard of service in the area of commercial disputes. The Birmingham practice punches well above its weight in terms of the size of disputes it manages, including claims in the Commercial Court and in international arbitration.’

‘The staffing for cases is always appropriately tailored to the needs of the client and with cost considerations in mind, making appropriate use of technology. This is made possible by the very high quality of the fee earners, with senior associates often operating at the level of partners.’

‘The fee earners are always very on top of their cases and think strategically and creatively about how best to resolve them. The associates know their cases inside out but never lose sight of the wood for the trees. Preena Lal is an exceptional Senior Associate with a bright future ahead of her and really goes the extra mile for her clients.’

‘Clients receive excellent support from the team and the advice given is clear and concise, which makes it far easier for clients to make decisions.’

‘The knowledge throughout the team is excellent and their manner and approach to a difficult litigation situation is second-to-none.’

‘This is a young, but deceptively experienced team, who are second to none in the sector. They are incredibly capable and their preparation of cases and files is first rate’.

‘Kieran Leahy – from the moment I met him and throughout the very painful journey Kieran remained completely open, honest and above all very sensitive to my own concerns. He was very professional in his manner.‘

‘I am aware that Kieran was reporting to Lucy Howard ( Partner) and therefore would also like to add that her vast experience and expertise in this area of work was very evident with the management of the ongoing dispute’.

‘I would always recommend them to people who have complex and high value trusts or probate litigation. They are excellent at building really positive relationships with clients in difficult circumstances. They have an excellent understanding of the law, and are tough negotiators who always get a great deal for their clients’.

‘Lucy Howard – a superstar lawyer, whom clients absolutely love. She is one of the very best around, combining superb legal acumen, excellent tactical skills and a drive to achieve the best possible results for her clients. She will always go above and beyond to make sure that her clients’ best interests are achieved’.

‘Kieran Leahy – extremely capable, practices way beyond his years of experience. A real rising star, he has quickly developed a reputation for getting on top of complex cases very quickly, the quality of his legal analysis and his ability to cut through the noise to find sensible practical solutions for his clients’.

‘Lucy Howard is a fantastic Partner. She is very clever, tactically very able and exceptionally pleasant to work with. She is well respected and rightly so. Kieran Leahy is very strong. He is bright and always well prepared. He knows his cases well and juggles his case load with ease’.

‘Lucy Howard – very calm, commercial and pragmatic and looks out for the clients interests as well as looking at the bigger picture. Kieran Leahy – an excellent junior solicitor who works extremely hard and will be one to watch for the future’.

‘Significant expertise but very commercial. Good negotiators taking a commercial and sensitive approach to cases’.

‘First rate, efficient and hard working lawyers with an eye for detail’.

‘Katherine Kennedy is top notch forensically excellent lawyer with tremendous person skills’.

‘The team within the firm dealing with Financial Remedies is excellent. Mills and Reeve continue to be considered one of the best firms within the Midlands. The team attempt to provide a unified approach to the problems raised during particular cases and deliver a high quality service’.

‘Katherine Kennedy is a stalwart of the firm. She has had to encounter and deal with the loss of well regarded members of the team (for a variety of reasons – illness, life changes etc) in recent times and has managed to create a consistency of approach within the team, corralling and including the new members, to provide an excellent service for the end user’.

‘Katherine provides clear, concise yet full briefs. The bundles are (if provided by Mills and Reeve) always top notch. Katherine Kennedy gives good advice and really cares for her clients’.

‘Mills and Reeve are an extremely professional firm. They provide quality advice and representation’.

‘Katherine Kennedy – she is very clever and pragmatic. One of the best solicitors in the area. She is also a brilliant mediator’.

‘They’re very responsive and personable, showing a real understanding of our operations and objects. Experts from other areas are always on hand and we’ve had a great experience in that regard, including in relation to tax and litigation.’

‘Neil Burton and Mark Ashton are both very personable and show a good, practical understanding of charity law and the latest developments at the Commission. They’re always willing to help with any issue and focus on practical advice.’

‘Mills & Reeves have a great depth and breadth of knowledge and experience to draw on in the education sector. They are very active in the sector and often host HE forums for Universities which has benefits not only for the institutions but also gives this firm an insight into the practical challenges faced by in-house legal teams which in turn feeds into their provision of pragmatic and supportive advice.’

‘Mills & Reeves has many standout individuals.’

‘Good sector knowledge. Experienced, skilled and approachable team who provide focused, commercially-sound advice.’

‘The HE team are very knowledgeable and importantly are able to translate that knowledge into sensible practical advice. They respond quickly, pay close attention, and offer a variety of potential solutions, but they aren’t hesitant to say which they believe is the best option given the situation.’

‘A service level that outstrips their price point. The team responded and adapted to Covid very well and has used that to leverage their national resources to provide an excellent service in Manchester, which still remains Manchester led.’

‘Richard Dawson-Gerrard has years of experience and is an old hand at litigation of any scale.

‘Jacob Walker is a future star in insolvency and CDR. He has a calm manner, an excellent drafting style and over-delivers on his commitments.’

‘The employment team at Mills and Reeve have provided legal advice over many years to my organisation. They are very knowledgeable, pragmatic, considered and understand our sector.’

‘My organisation works very closely with Sara Barrett and the team. The  individuals are extremely approachable, knowledgeable, and provide practical and considered advice which is in line with our sector and expectations of the sector within which we operate. They provide trusted, credible and proven legal advice.’

‘They are a collaborative practice that is highly responsive and always up to date on the specifics of cases.’

‘The team feel like an extended part of our HR team which we are able to leverage as required. No hard sell, they understand our business, and are pragmatic in approach.’

‘Sara Barrett is the lead partner for our business; authentic and personable, she balances risk with a pragmatic approach.’

‘Always clarity of communication, quality of advice, and an intuitive assessment of risk at pace.’

‘We rate the real estate team at Mills & Reeve highly. They rank as trusted and reliable advisors.’

‘Mike Edge and Rachel Pitman have an excellent understanding of our business, remain accessible at all times, provide quality technical and commercial advice and deliver value for money. They support each other well and have a solid team behind them.’

‘Rachel Pitman is great to work with and steadfastly professional. Caroline Hanratty has an amazing mind and great ability to understand very complex documents – a star.’

‘Mike Edge and Rachel Pitman are first-class partner contacts who ensure that not only do they give excellent service but that their team does too.’

‘The Mills & Reeve team are all highly personable and accessible. They are great to work with, have the essential breadth of expertise across the team and the depth necessary in the individual specialisms to work on complex property transactions. I haven’t once felt like I’m not getting the highest quality advice.’

‘The individuals across the team really seek to understand you and your needs as a client. Mike Edge has great client-handling skills and is able to bring the necessary expertise to the table. Hannah Cheminais is great to work with – highly professional, accessible and personable and able to drive the lawyers on the other side of the transaction and broker solutions, which is perhaps what we value most.’

‘The team had a unique understanding of the needs and decision-making processes of a range of types of client, which enables them to provide focused and considered advice and to manage the expectations of the vendor, both of which are invaluable.’

‘Mike Edge is as good a lawyer as I’ve come across in my thirty years in property. He really stitched the M&R team together and I think that proves to be the bedrock to what is an excellent service.’

‘Very clear and professional advice. They come up with ideas and take a risk based approach. Very readily available for a quick call or email.’

‘Alex Newman’s expertise on intellectual property is admirable both in terms of his understanding of the law and his appreciation of the commercial realities.’

‘We’ve been primarily been using Paul Knight and Sam Wigley at Mills & Reeve. They’ve both been great to engage with and spot on when it has come to understanding our business and our legal needs. They have helped us navigate through so many legal issues.’

‘Very strong in claims against solicitors. The team has been through some changes in recent times, but service has remained strong.’

‘Claire Roake is handling an incredibly complicated piece of litigation for me at the moment and I continue to be impressed by her, she is entirely comfortable with the most complex of situations.’

‘Fantastic team who are incredibly personable as well as thorough and attentive with all work.’

‘Mills and Reeve have great knowledge in respect of NHS providers be they commissioners or those providing treatments. Ruth Minnis is hyper efficient’.

‘Responsive, large enough so if someone is on leave, cases are still progressed. Manages several cases for us at a time. Able to summarise issues clearly. Sarah Garrood is particularly helpful’.

‘The team have always been supportive and extremely knowledgeable and have provided support and guidance way and above’.

‘Samuel Lindsay was always available for support and guidance. Samuel’s knowledge was outstanding. Samuel was always on hand to answer any questions or concerns’.

‘I have found Mills and Reeve’s Court of Protection team to be friendly, responsive, well-led and adaptive. The team respond quickly to queries and when needed dealt with urgent welfare matters diligently’.

‘The team are enthusiastic with a range of individuals with diverse knowledge and backgrounds that can provide advice across a wide range of welfare matters’.

‘Jill Mason and Neil Ward lead an incredible team by example, providing a direct and calm approach in complex and fraught circumstances. I have notably worked with Ms Lennox’.

‘Kirstie Lennox is an associate to watch. She has recently moved to Mills and Reeves. She has a good eye for detail, focuses on the issues, and is responsive to queries’.

‘Great and always reliable team with broad legal expertise.’

‘Alex Russell understands us. Excellent, reliable employment advice, offering flexibility whenever he is able to do so.’

‘Mills & Reeve have recently assisted us with a matter and quickly picked up the detail and legal complexity of the work in a very cost-effective manner. We would certainly look to go to them again.’

‘Mark Hovell is very knowledgeable in many of the specialist areas that we operate. His experience and support is invaluable. He is also a great point of contact for any non-football matters that we may require assistance with, and is very attentive in this way.’

‘Carol Couse is very personable and a good communicator with our non-legal staff. She is skilled at unravelling complicated legal and regulatory topics to make them digestible for non-lawyers.’

‘Clare Grice – very prompt response and pragmatic solutions, at a reasonable cost’.

‘Mills & Reeve have provided a fast, informative and accurate service to the issues we as Trustees have had to deal with’.

‘Clare Grice is extremely competent and also very easy to work with. Any queries are normally dealt with in a matter of hours. Despite my lack of knowledge in a number of areas, communication has been outstanding’.

‘In my experience the key to Mills & Reeve’s success is their speed of response and ability to provide a well thought out and understandable response. Their teams work together closely and there is never any difficulty in obtaining advice/support, even if the lead individual is not available’.

‘The key attributes of the Mills & Reeve individuals I have worked with has been their speed of response, availability and clear thinking. This has been particularly true with Clare Grice, partner, and Sarah Gosling, senior associate’.

‘The firm is a signatory to the IP Inclusive EDI Charter and its IP team members support our work to improve EDI and wellbeing in the UK’s IP sector.’

‘Claire O’Brien has been particularly supportive of IP Inclusive’s work. She has engaged actively with our Women in IP community and hosted and facilitated online discussions for us. She is enthusiastic, responsive and efficient and has been a pleasure to work with.’

‘A strong regional firm, offering good value for money whilst still providing top-quality advice.’

‘Claire O’Brien is excellent with clients and is prepared to get stuck into the hard work as well. I enjoy working with her.’

‘The team is exceptional at being proactive in identifying issues and recommending pragmatic solutions.’

‘In what can be a somewhat frenetic sector, Mills & Reeve provide a calm and considered approach. This gives confidence that all pros and cons have been weighed and measured and that the client’s best interests will be served.’

‘Alex Kenworthy combines not only an acute ability to assess the legal and corporate implications of any deal, but also an innate ability to bring together a team of like-minded individuals and teams from other disciplines and jurisdictions who all seamlessly contribute to the overall objective.’

‘A brilliant team who understand what support you need and present information to you in a digestible way. The team is extremely responsive and if it’s not their field, they make sure the right team is put in place to assist.’

‘I’ve worked with Alex Kenworthy for a number of years now, he makes sure he understands your business and what you are trying to achieve, whilst taking into account the commercial needs of the business. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Alex and his team.’

‘Reactivity, business and cost constraint oriented.’

‘Alex Kenworthy is business-oriented, pragmatic and bilingual. He offers various legal solutions when appropriate.’

‘Amazingly pragmatic advice which takes into account how you operate as a client and internal risk appetite. A good common sense approach, which is well-thought through and based on outcomes. The team have an excellent knowledge of the law and don’t waste time by quoting it at you.‘

‘Stuart Craig is experienced, pragmatic, easy to work with and unflappable. Couldn’t recommend him highly enough.’

‘The employment team at Mills & Reeve is an outstanding group of people to work with. The team as a whole demonstrate that, in addition to in-depth legal knowledge, they understand the client’s commercial sensitivities and are able to offer advice on the best strategy with that in mind.‘

‘Rebecca Pallot is an outstanding lawyer. She has superb legal knowledge and a great understanding of the sensitivities in which many of her clients work. Her advice is always pragmatic and sound. Whenever I’m instructed by Rebecca on a case, I’m left thinking she probably couldn’t have done a better job! She is certainly someone you would want in your corner in an employment dispute.‘

‘Approachable, accessible and knowledgeable.‘

‘Pragmatic and solutions focused.’

‘They offer advice that is easy to understand, straightforward and really helpful. The team act efficiently and within agreed timescales.’

‘Stuart Craig has a deep understanding of all aspects of employment law aspects. I hugely respect him for his penetrating analysis, sound judgment and good strategic sense. The outstanding choice for advice in this area in the region and beyond.’

‘A strong base of associates with great leadership from partners.’

‘Jacob Walker is a standout associate. He works hard, takes ownership and brings ideas to the table.’

‘When working with Mills & Reeve I am always confident I will receive sound advice from available lawyers. Someone is always available and happy to assist.’

Jacob Walker s highly skilled in reviewing instructions issued and providing clear, concise, thoroughly considered advice. He deals effectively and expeditiously with complex and contentious insolvency matters. We are always confident that all bases are covered and our position protected in a timely manner when working with Jacob.’   

‘Jacob Walker is thorough and well-prepared in his approach.’

‘They have quality lawyers who have mainly qualified and practiced in the city. Because of their lower costs being outside London they deliver a service comparable to the big London firms at competitive pricing. We do not get teams of lawyers working on our matters inefficiently. A tight team of lawyers that are joined up and personable.’

‘Stephen Hamilton is very responsive. As a smallish cap AIM listed entity, we are an important client for him – which would not be the case for a partner in a large city firm.’

‘Sensible, commercial approach.’

‘Stephen Hamilton is the most pragmatic yet professional lawyer I have worked with.’

‘They are very experienced in VC-related transactions.’

‘Ed Sloan worked tirelessly throughout the process of finalising our investment deal. The firm never used their processes as a way to delay or not assist with a challenge. They always found a way.’

‘Lucy Howard has a very high level of technical knowledge, combining great strength and depth in core chancery practice areas such as trusts litigation and 1975 Act claims. She is excellent with vulnerable clients and provides a robust approach to litigation’.

‘David Catchpole is widely considered to be at the forefront of the field – he has extensive knowledge of private client areas and can draw upon a wealth of experience in litigating higher profile and more complex private client disputes‘.

‘The team offers a more personal service than many of the bigger firms: being a regional firm they can combine local knowledge and understanding with real expertise in the practice area’.

‘David Catchpole is very experienced and a very reassuring presence to his clients: he really fights their corner’.

‘Lucy Howard works incredibly hard and achieves excellent outcomes for her clients as a result – she is absolutely dedicated to their cases and uses her thorough understanding of the law to explore every angle and manoeuvre into the strongest possible position’.

‘Kieran Leahy is a real upcoming young associate in this area: he is absolutely committed, working incredibly hard, and has excellent instincts’.

‘Simon Pedley – very experienced and skilled lawyer in this area, with considerable commercial acumen and excellent communication skills’.

‘Mills & Reeve are an excellent firm in all aspects of private client work including contentious trusts and probate. Highly recommended. Have worked with a large number of people across the various offices and consistently impressed at all levels by the depth of knowledge and practical approach for clients’.

‘This is an experienced and commercially astute team, who focus on the key deal issues. They make the process very easy and try and maintain an amicable process with the other side.’

‘Michael Giess is a very safe pair of hands, with a good approach to leading on transaction. A very able technician and an all round nice guy. a rare combination.’

‘There is ready and easy access to partner expertise and knowledge. The partner always has a good understanding of what the team members are doing. Work is done at the right level, ensuring good expertise and great value.’

‘They have taken the time to get to know our business and have an excellent understanding of what we are about. What we need and where we need advice. The advice is always legally accurate and is applied in a commercial and practical way – exactly what we need.’

‘Simon Sherwood and Cassandra Clark are both willing to take the time and effort to discuss all aspects and provide sound commercial advice always.’

‘Helpful and knowledgeable in the fields we deal with.’

‘We mainly deal with Simon Sherwood who always delivers as required, often going above and beyond.’

‘Responsive, partner-led service at a reasonable cost.’

‘Simon Sherwood is excellent – very commercially aware and provides a responsive, partner-led service that offers clear advice and gets deals done.’

‘The team has specific wealth of knowledge in construction-related disciplines. It shows a strong understanding of the client’s requirements, aims and objectives.’

‘The individuals in the team are unique and each one of them has specific knowledge, skills and expertise in different areas of our work in terms of construction contracts, title deeds, and other legal agreements.’

‘Very responsive team with good knowledge of the Commission’s guidance and ways of working. Good links with other areas of expertise, including tax and funds’.

‘Neil Burton and Mark Ashton offer a very personal service, feeling more like trusted colleagues than third party advisors’.

‘Take time to understand the needs of the business’.

‘Knowledgeable and experienced in complex matters’.

‘Neil Burton offers timely and accessible advice and guidance’.

‘The team are very responsive, knowledgeable and helpful. They have assisted our clients with numerous complex cross jurisdictional tax, succession planning and estate administration matters’.

‘Nimble, do not have large central costs, pragmatic’.

‘Sarah Cormack is highly personable and a great client handler’.

‘International tax expertise within a national firm’.

‘I principally work with Sarah Cormack, who is a very knowledgeable lawyer, who is able to provide considered advice’.

‘What’s impressed us is the depth of knowledge and professionalism of every single Mills & Reeve team member.  No matter what we’ve asked for they’ve delivered by when we need it.’

‘Law firms stand or fall on the quality of their personnel. Working with Paul Knight, as the lead Mills & Reeve partner, means that every Mills & Reeve interaction has the hallmark of quality. Paul is a calm and highly intelligent operator. He’s someone at great pains to really understand where his client is coming from and where they are looking to get to.’

‘A great team – very responsive to clients’ needs, always available, and really communicative. I always come away with the impression that they work very well together.’

‘Good communication, helpful and able to provide guidance when needed.’

‘The Mills & Reeve team are very responsive and adaptable. They ask questions that quickly get to the nub of the issue. They take care examining the information to ensure that details aren’t lost, and then present a response in the agreed time frame. They will always endeavour to find practical and reasonable solutions that achieve your desired result.‘

‘The team at Mills & Reeve quickly build relationships without the sense that you are paying for that “social” aspect of the call or meeting. They are happy to share personal and relevant experiences to help build confidence. They are friendly and considerate and able to show care, realising that immigration process and procedure is time-consuming and at times frustrating.’

‘The team have always provided a great service over a number of years, with fast response times and excellent advice.’

‘We primarily work with Alex Russell and have built a great relationship. Alex has always provided a fantastic service in all areas and has a detailed understanding of the sector and the specific requirements of the organisation.’