The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Birmingham, tier 4

The ‘exceptionally pragmatic’ Julian Smith is a key contact in Mills & Reeve LLP’s ‘consistent’ team. It has considerable expertise in the health care sector; clients include Allied Healthcare, and new gain AmSurg. The firm acted for new client TTi Global on its acquisition of Lorien Customer Focus.

Within Commercial litigation: Birmingham, Mills & Reeve LLP is a second tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP is acting for a global oil company in the recovery of £2.3m from a Swiss private equity surety company. Recent client gains include Karndean International, Helvetia Wealth (Liechtenstein) and SCA Recycling, adding to an already impressive list of clients that features Toyota Tsusho and the Law Society. Practice head Steve Allen ‘goes that extra yard for clients’.

Within Employment, Mills & Reeve LLP is a third tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP’s Jog Hundle and Martin Brewer ‘go the extra mile, give an answer instead of a set of options, are extremely responsive, are not afraid of a challenge, and make clients feel safe’. The team gained its first instructions from the University of Manchester and NHS West Midlands.

Within Health and safety, Mills & Reeve LLP is a second tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP is currently representing a client in an HSE inquest into the death of an individual crushed in a lift shaft, and is also acting for a client being prosecuted for alleged breaches of asbestos regulation. Associate Duncan Astill is recommended.

Within Clinical negligence: defendant, Mills & Reeve LLP is a second tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP represents a number of leading indemnity insurers, and has recently been involved in claims arising out of failed cosmetic surgery, and damaged vision following laser treatment. Neil Frankland leads the team.

Within Professional negligence, Mills & Reeve LLP is a first tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP recruited three further solicitors, taking the team to 27 fee-earners, and won new clients such as Allianz and CNA. The group, led by Angus Turner, covers a diverse range of professional indemnity cases, ranging from solicitors to construction negligence. Both Turner and Neil Frankland are recommended.

Within Regional review,

Mills & Reeve LLP has a good all-round offering with key areas of expertise in private client, professional negligence and health.

Within Charities, Mills & Reeve LLP is a second tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP acts for Sunfield Children’s Homes and Birmingham Children’s Hospital, which the group recently advised in relation to trustees’ responsibilities. Gary Barber leads the team.

Within Family: Birmingham, Mills & Reeve LLP is a first tier firm,

At Mills & Reeve LLP, ‘response times are immediate’ and ‘advice is targeted at the client’s needs’. The firm has six trained collaborative lawyers and a children’s law specialist in associate Helen Bowns. Marc Saunderson leaves clients ‘feeling they have the right person on their side’.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Mills & Reeve LLP is a first tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP advised on the restructuring of a £60m family investment company/trust arrangement, and acted on the demerger of a private investment company worth £100m into two companies. Gary Barber leads the team.

Within Education, Mills & Reeve LLP is a second tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP’s ‘advice is specific, well thought through and delivered promptly at a realistic price’. It advised Oxford and Cherwell Valley College on a joint venture to provide further education services to Reading College. Nick Abbott is ‘good at identifying practical resolutions’, and Richard Sykes ‘brings technical expertise and great energy to contentious issues’.

Within Health, Mills & Reeve LLP is a first tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP, which offers a full service to NHS clients, has ‘excellent working knowledge, and is responsive and creative’. Jill Mason advised Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust on a judicial review application and a threatened injunction. Tim Winn ‘finds workable, inventive solutions’; Jog Hundle is ‘extremely sensible and down to earth’; and Dawn Brathwaite is ‘reliable’ and gives ‘sound advice’.

Within Local government, Mills & Reeve LLP is a third tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP is acting for Telford and Wrekin Council on all aspects of its £350m Southwater Town Centre regeneration scheme. Nathan Holden is ‘very strong in Teckal/public sector procurement’, and Tim Winn ‘in governance’.

Within Commercial property: Birmingham, tier 4

Mills & Reeve LLP is highly rated for its sector expertise in healthcare and education in particular. Michael Whatley heads the practice, which counts Tower Hamlets College and GE Real Estate as clients. It advised The Borough of Telford & Wrekin on the £350m Southwater town centre regeneration scheme.

Within Construction, Mills & Reeve LLP is a third tier firm,

Mills & Reeve LLP advised Cheval Property Holdings on the £70m development of the Three Quays site on the River Thames, while other major clients include Cranfield University and Johnson Matthey. The ‘erudite’ Martino Giaquinto is recommended for contentious matters, along with the ‘first-class’ Stuart Pemble on the non-contentious side.