The Legal 500

Penningtons Solicitors LLP

ABACUS HOUSE, 33 GUTTER LANE, LONDON, EC2V 8AR, ENGLAND
Tel:
Work 020 7457 3000
Fax:
Fax 020 7457 3240
DX:
42605 CHEAPSIDE
Web:
www.penningtons.co.uk
Email:

Penningtons Solicitors LLP is a London and South East law firm which provides a broad range of legal services tailored to the needs of businesses and individuals. It addresses the specific objectives of each client, offering a partner-led service with an emphasis on team work. The firm aims always to match client expectations in the areas of quality, efficiency and cost of service, as well as adding value.

The firm: Penningtons’ head office is in the City of London. There are further offices in Hampshire and Surrey. As a member of Multilaw and the European Law Group, Penningtons has close links with law firms throughout the world. Clients range from private individuals and owner-managed businesses to multinational corporations, public companies, professional partnerships, banks and financial institutions.

Types of work undertaken: The main areas of legal services provided are property, dispute resolution, corporate and commercial, private client and family. The firm also has several multi-disciplinary teams offering focused services to specific industry sectors – including social housing, healthcare, banking, charities, media and advertising, agriculture, motor, technology, retail, hotels and family businesses. To ensure a seamless service is provided to clients, all Penningtons’ activities and people are divided into three divisions:

Business services: this division offers expertise in corporate services and corporate finance, MBOs, MBIs, M&A and joint ventures. It also handles all types of dispute resolution, mediation and arbitration. Areas of work include corporate tax, IP, employment, insurance, banking, international arbitrations, immigration, travel, professional regulation, partnership disputes, secured lending recoveries, share sale and purchase disputes, insolvency work and all types of commercial property litigation.

Commercial property: the commercial property division represents companies, institutions and individuals, both in the UK and overseas, seeking property advice. Solicitors are experienced in dealing with registered social landlords, investment sales and purchases, funding agreements, development schemes, portfolio management, landlord and tenant matters and agricultural investments, as well as smaller commercial property work. Specialist town and country planning, environmental, taxation and construction law advice is also provided.

Private individuals: private client services include international tax structuring, personal tax planning, wills, trusts, charities and the administration of estates. This division also has a substantial clinical negligence and personal injury practice which is regarded as one of the leading teams in the South East. The residential property team advises on high-value residential property sales and purchases, including French property transactions. The highly regarded family unit deals with all aspects of family financial work and specialises in children law.

In 2011 Penningtons further strengthened its core service areas when Dawsons Solicitors and Wedlake Saint, both City of London based practices, became part of the firm.

International: Penningtons has solicitors who have either practised in or have a strong working knowledge of commercial activity and legal issues in France, Italy, South Africa, North America and Asia. In addition, a full international service is provided in association with the member firms of Multilaw and the European Law Group.

Other offices: Basingstoke, Godalming

Breakdown of work %
Business services 39
Commercial property 22
Private individuals 39

Number of UK partners 63
Number of other UK fee-earners 131

Above material supplied by Penningtons Solicitors LLP.

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW
  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW
  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW
  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW
  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW
  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW
  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW
  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW
  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
  • Premium service for tier 2 and 5 sponsors to be launched

    A premium service for sponsors will be launched by the UKBA on 6 April 2012. The service is designed specifically for companies that sponsor international employees under tier 2 and 5 of the points based system and aims to provide them with enhanced support.