The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Manchester, Pannone LLP is a third tier firm,

At Pannone LLP, Philip Treanor is ‘an excellent M&A facilitator’ and the driving force behind most of the firm’s most significant transactions, such as its recent work for Doodson Broking Group on its acquisition of a majority interest in US company Crossfield Insurance Brokerage. The firm is also active across range of commercial mandates, including partnership and procurement matters. Clients include Chevron, Kellogg’s and Luxfer Group.

Within Corporate tax, Pannone LLP is a third tier firm,

Pannone LLP’s sole tax partner Simon Moulden is ‘very technical and is able to clearly explain complex technical issues’.

Within EU and competition , Pannone LLP is a third tier firm,

Pannone LLP’s Amanda Howlett handles the full spectrum of EU and competition issues including M&A-related work and price-fixing and cartels. Clients include the Luxfer Group and Kellogg’s.

Within Crime, Pannone LLP is a first tier firm,

Pannone LLP continues to act on some of the highest-profile missing trader intra community (MTIC) cases. Team head Anthony Barnfather acts for a range of international clients, and also has competition law experience.

Within Commercial litigation: Manchester, Pannone LLP is a second tier firm,

‘Seasoned litigators who are astute at making good commercial and tactical decisions’, Pannone LLP’s nine-partner team provides strength and depth across the full range of disputes including professional negligence and partnership disputes. It advised Wayne Rooney’s agent in a major breach of contract dispute brought by his former employer, and represented numerous claimants in professional negligence actions brought against financial advisers relating to investments made in the now insolvent Icelandic bank Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander. Team head Paul Jonson is a ‘good smart litigator’; Kit Sorrell is ‘experienced and canny’; and Dan Grindey is ‘detailed and careful’.

Within Debt recovery, Pannone LLP is a first tier firm,

Led by the experienced Karl Williams, the team at Pannone LLP is ‘undoubtedly of the highest calibre’. In 2010, it advised Manchester City Council in relation to council tax and business rates recovery work.

Within Banking and finance, tier 5

At Pannone LLP, Rob Fawke has ‘excellent all-round knowledge’ and is an integral member of a team with a strong lender-side client roster; panel appointments include Lloyds, HSBC and Santander.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, tier 4

Headed by Richard Glithero, Pannone LLP has an ‘excellent reputation for acting as a team to deliver solutions’, advising a raft of IPs and a growing cadre of lender clients. ‘A top guy to have in your corner’, Richard Drinkwater is also recommended, as is Dylan Quail.

Within Employment, Pannone LLP is a second tier firm,

Pannone LLP acts for high-profile clients including the Bank of England, National Grid, and Kelloggs, and new gains include Tesco and Burley Borough Council. Jack Harrington is ‘the kind of private practice lawyer that commercial clients respect and like’; and Laura D’Arcy is ‘always readily available and gives sound advice’.

Within Employment: employee/union firms, Pannone LLP is a second tier firm,

Jim Lister heads the team at Pannone LLP. David Carmichael specialises in executive termination matters, restrictive covenants, and injuctions.

Within Health and safety, Pannone LLP is a third tier firm,

Pannone LLP has a long history of acting for individuals facing prosecution, but also acts for Balfour Beatty. John Gollaglee focuses on regulatory defence work. Jason Cropper, whose experience includes prosecuting for the HSE, has recently moved to DWF LLP.

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

John Kitchingman and Brendan Hope at Pannone LLP acted together in securing damages of over £3m in two separate birth injury cases. Department head Stephen Jones is experienced in major healthcare inquiries. Kitchingman, Hope, and Jones all win high praise from clients.

Within Personal injury: claimant, Pannone LLP is a first tier firm,

Pannone LLP is ‘excellent in every way, and never falters in its support and availability’. It acts on multimillion-pound injury claims, as well as in niche areas such as deaths in custody. The highly recommended Richard Scorer heads the department, and Catherine Leech and Carol Jackson are also recommended.

Within Professional negligence Professional negligence

Within Regional review, Pannone LLP is a second tier firm,

Pannone LLP is deeply entrenched in the fabric of Manchester’s business and private client community. Particularly strong in claimant clinical negligence and personal injury, the firm’s full-service offering also sees it pick up impressive mandates in commercial litigation and employment, among other areas.

Within Charities, Pannone LLP is a first tier firm,

Pannone LLP has experience in advising charities at all stages of their life cycle. Practice head Ursula Gould is ‘exceptionally professional’ and ‘reassuring’, and ‘inspires confidence’.

Within Family, Pannone LLP is a first tier firm,

The large team at Pannone LLP advises on a broad range of work, often involving international elements. Beth Wilkins and Fiona Wood are both ‘thorough and organised, confident in their ability, and unwavering in their support’.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Pannone LLP is a second tier firm,

Liz Braude heads the practice at Pannone LLP. The core wills, trusts and probate team has a sizeable and dedicated Court of Protection practice led by Hugh Jones, and also benefits from a small group of experienced independent financial advisers, as well as Lindsay Kinnealy’s expertise in international property matters.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI), Pannone LLP is a third tier firm,

Udo Pope at Pannone LLP is recommended.

Within Local government, Pannone LLP is a third tier firm,

Pannone LLP received partner status in its appointment to the North West Legal Consortium. It also hired Nicholas Dobson, former head of local government at Pinsent Masons LLP, who has ‘a real grasp of the issues facing local government’.

Within Commercial property: Manchester, Pannone LLP is a third tier firm,

Pannone LLP continues to do well in the public sector, and was recently appointed to the Northern panel for the Homes and Communities Agency. On the private sector side, as well as increasing its landlord and tenant work, the team has handled a number of major developments, such as advising GenR8 Developments on the proposed 1.2m sq ft phased redevelopment of the central business district at Hanley, Stoke on Trent. Stephen Lintott ‘recognises when a commercial rather than a legal decision is required’.

Within Construction, tier 4

Headed by Sean McCay, Pannone LLP advises a broad spectrum of public and private sector clients operating in the building and engineering industries.

Within Planning and environment, Pannone LLP is a third tier firm,

At Pannone LLP, Keith Davidson specialises in contaminated land issues, and is representing DB Schenker in a contaminated land dispute with Total. ‘A lawyer who always goes the extra mile to achieve optimum results for his clients’, he is an integral part of a team that also includes planning expert David Delaney.

Within Property litigation, Pannone LLP is a second tier firm,

At Pannone LLP, a dedicated team of seven fee-earners handles a range of property disputes for developer, public sector, and landlord and tenant clients. Property-related professional negligence remains an area of strength, as does portfolio management. Headed by David Brown, the team also includes ‘efficient, knowledgeable and polite’ associate Sean Hackett.

Within Intellectual property, Pannone LLP is a second tier firm,

Pannone LLP has a growing specialism in IP work for the fashion and sportswear sector, acting for the British Fashion Council and Admiral Sportswear Limited among others. In contentious matters, Paul Jonson’s ‘thorough approach leaves nothing to chance’; and Bill Lister and Melanie McGuirk are also recommended.

Within IT and telecoms IT and telecoms

Within Media and entertainment, Pannone LLP is a second tier firm,

Pannone LLP has strength in depth, and advises clients from a broad range of industries. Bill Lister and Melanie McGuirk are both praised for their clear and concise advice.

Within Transport, Pannone LLP is a second tier firm,

Pannone LLP acts for Centro (the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive); and Bulmers transport. Simon Pedley heads the practice.