The Legal 500

Within Partnership Partnership

Within Commercial litigation, tier 6

Payne Hicks Beach is a strong choice ‘when the stakes are high and results are required’. The group’s commercial litigation expertise is complemented by expertise in private client, family and property disputes, as well as professional negligence, tax and sports cases. Team head Richard Butcher ‘pursues a case until the end result is achieved’; and Stephen King has ‘a tough but sensible approach’.

Within Agriculture and estates, Payne Hicks Beach is a third tier firm,

Senior partner Alastair Murdie at Payne Hicks Beach has considerable expertise in advising its landed estate client base. Graham Brown is also recommended.

Within Charities and not-for-profit , tier 6

Payne Hicks Beach advises high-net-worth individuals, and private and ecclesiastical grant-making charitable trusts as part of its private client offering.

Within Contentious trusts and probate, tier 4

Stephen King and Graham Brown are the key contacts at Payne Hicks Beach, which advises on diverse matters including UK trust disputes, conflicts between beneficiaries and trustees, and disputes over wills and trust documents.

Within Family, Payne Hicks Beach is a second tier firm,

Ian Airey heads the six-partner team at Payne Hicks Beach, which regularly acts for ultra-high-net-worth individuals with assets over £50m. Standout recent work includes acting in the Radmacher case. The ‘excellent’ Fiona Shackleton is the ‘doyenne’ of family law, and is well known for her work for high-profile celebrities such as Sir Paul McCartney and Katie Price. Philip McGuirk, Simon Beccle, Fiona Brown and Harriet Wait are also recommended; their ‘client care is second to none’.

Within Heritage property, Payne Hicks Beach is a third tier firm,

Payne Hicks Beach provides tax advice for chattels as part of its full-service private client offering.

Within Overview,

The legal market is in an interesting state of flux, with a trend for breakaway boutiques. Harcus Sinclair set the ball rolling back in 2002, followed by Maurice Turnor Gardner LLP, which split from Allen & Overy LLP in 2009. In 2010, four private client partners left Lawrence Graham LLP to establish Berkeley Law; and a trio of partners from Payne Hicks Beach left to establish New Quadrant Partners LLP.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Payne Hicks Beach is a third tier firm,

Payne Hicks Beach provides high-net-worth individuals with a ‘discreet’ service, from probate and succession planning to complex tax structuring. James Bacon is ‘a very capable trusts lawyer’, while tax specialist Christopher Sly is ‘excellent: user-friendly and personable’. Alice Palmer and Alastair Murdie jointly head the private client practice. Louise Stoten, Marcus Parker and Jane Bennett left to set up niche firm New Quadrant Partners LLP.

Within Administrative and public law, tier 6

Consultant Peter Stockwell at Payne Hicks Beach is recommended for public inquiries.

Within Education: schools, tier 4

Payne Hicks Beach handles charity law, property and dispute resolution matters, including admission, bullying and discrimination cases. Theresa Grant Peterkin is the key figure.

Within Commercial property Commercial property

Within Property litigation, tier 5

Highlights for Payne Hicks Beach in 2010 included advising Saga in litigation concerning its UK property portfolio. Practice head Andrew Tugwell is recommended.

Within Sport, tier 6

Richard Butcher heads the department at Payne Hicks Beach, which counts the British Olympic sailing team as a key client.