The Legal 500

Within Commercial contracts, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a first tier firm,

Clients are quick to highlight the quality and focus of the commercial practice at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP, which fields a 12-partner team that ‘makes it a point of pride to have a strong commercial focus, providing advice that is commercially aware, realistic, concise and genuinely useful’. In line with the wider firm’s commitment to outsourcing and TMT-related commercial matters, 2010 saw the team grow significantly through the lateral hire of David Meredith and Andrew Sutherland from SJ Berwin LLP; anti-trust and competition partner Stephen Smith from Mayer Brown International LLP; and IP partner Clive Thorne from Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP. It handles commercial projects for leading brands such as Tesco and Associated Newspapers, advising the latter in 2010 on the restructuring of its entire distribution network. The ‘confident, reliable and commercial’ Sanjay Pritam is recommended, as is Oliver Bray.

Within Financial services, tier 6

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP focuses on the London insurance market, financial advisers and wealth managers, and the financial services divisions of professional firms. Jonathan Davies is ‘a recognised leader for regulatory legal expertise in the London and Lloyd’s markets’. Contentious specialist Steven Francis is also well regarded.

Within M&A: lower mid-market, £50m-£250m, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a third tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s James Mee attracts particularly high praise as an ‘excellent commercial lawyer and overall client liaison’. He led a team that advised Saffron Digital on its sale to HTC Corporation.

Within Partnership, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a third tier firm,

At Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP, Jane Howard provides non-contentious, transactional expertise, while Geraldine Elliott, Andrew Hodge, who recently joined from Wragge & Co LLP, and Cath Thorpe handle contentious matters. Collectively the team ‘applies excellent commercial sense in its legal advice’. Barry Stimpson left for Davies Arnold Cooper LLP.

Within Fraud: corporate crime, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a third tier firm,

Although relatively new to this practice area, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP has made a notable impact on the market, with clients ‘impressed by its preparation, enthusiasm and attention to detail ’. Steven Francis and senior associate Richard Burger are both former FSA enforcement lawyers.

Within Banking litigation: investment and retail, tier 4

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP has made significant investments in its banking litigation practice. Following on from the arrival of Tom Hibbert from Reed Smith to head up the financial disputes team, the team welcomed former head of commercial disputes at Clyde & Co LLP, Jonathan Wood. The team also has an affiliation with David Doble Solicitors, with David Doble acting exclusively for institutional investors, advising on the legal and structural aspects of complex financial transactions.

Within Commercial litigation, tier 5

Known for its insurance experience, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP ‘takes on cases that other claims funders would shy away from’. The group has seen increased activity in claims launched by creditors of insolvent businesses and negligence cases against professional groups. Tim Brown is ‘practical and down to earth’, and former Eversheds LLP insurance specialist David Webster has ‘a good track record’. Former Reed Smith banking litigation head Tom Hibbert is recommended, as is group head Geraldine Elliott. Rupert Boswall focuses on complex financial disputes.

Within Defamation and privacy, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a first tier firm,

Noted for its ‘practical approach and sheer depth of knowledge’, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s ‘edge comes from being a defendant-only practice’. The three-partner team is ‘quick and user friendly’, and advises a broad range of clients including Google UK, Associated Newspapers, Bloomsbury, the Financial Times, Independent News & Media, Times Newspapers, and Trinity Mirror. Team head Jaron Lewis is ‘very focused on client needs’; David Hooper is ‘excellent’; and the ‘pragmatic’ Keith Mathieson has ‘an enormous amount of knowledge on this area of the law’.

Within International arbitration, tier 6

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP welcomed Clyde & Co LLP’s former joint head of international arbitration Jonathan Wood; and Clive Thorne, who joined from Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP and is experienced in IT and IP arbitrations. The practice has been active across insurance, reinsurance, construction, IP/IT and international trade matters.

Within Professional discipline, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a third tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s ‘first-rate’ team represents professionals across the areas of financial services, healthcare, accountancy and law. The ‘renowned’ Clare Jaycock heads the medical regulation team; Jonathan Davies and Steven Francis are recognised for their expertise in the financial services sector; and Dorothy Flower is also singled out for praise. Richard Burger was recently promoted to the partnership.

Within Tax litigation, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a third tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s team combines ‘first-rate legal knowledge’ with ‘practical experience of HMRC’s internal workings’. It has notable expertise in GLOs, and is led by recommended figures Jonathan Levy and Adam Craggs, who is noted for his ‘commercial acumen, and focus on the desired result’.

Within Employment, tier 7

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP strengthened its offering in 2010 with the addition of former Wragge & Co LLP partners Andrew Hodge and Partick Brodie, who specialise in public and financial sector reorganisations. Cath Thorpe is ‘a go-to person for legal knowledge and commercially sensible advice’.

Within Health and safety, tier 4

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP covers a wide range of health and safety issues, including advising in relation to fairgrounds and fire safety. It is ‘rapidly becoming one of the more respected outfits’ in the area, and is noted for its ‘depth of knowledge and ability to put the client at ease’. Nick McMahon has ‘excellent judgement, and is a good strategic thinker’.

Within Pensions, tier 5

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s clients include HDI Gerling UK Limited, SCA Group, Veolia Environmental Services, and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. Charles Suchett-Kaye is ‘very knowledgeable and commercially minded’; and Philippa Connaughton is ‘very good technically, but also practical and commercial’.

Within Clinical negligence: claimant Leading individuals

Within Clinical negligence: defendant , Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a third tier firm,

At Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP, ‘the level of service is faultless’ and ‘the quality of all the individuals is excellent’. The practice includes independent sector defence work for insurers, and for individuals such as doctors, nurses, dentists and forensic medical examiners. Practice head Dorothy Flower gives ‘excellent, clear and comprehensive advice’.

Within Insurance and reinsurance litigation, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a second tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is highly regarded in the financial institution insurance sector, where the firm is ‘a cut above the rest’, fielding lawyers with ‘a great deal of expertise’. The firm has ‘a broad range of expertise, and quality personnel from associate through to partner’, and was strengthened by Jason Bright’s arrival from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP. Simon Greenley is a ‘very experienced FI man who is well respected in the market’, and ‘raises arguments other lawyers have missed’. Rupert Boswall, Simon Goldring and Alan Stone are also recommended.

Within Insurance: corporate and regulatory, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a second tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP has ‘hands-on lawyers who provide value for money’, and is ‘really going places fast’. David Webster is ‘outstanding’, James Mee has ‘deep technical expertise and a great negotiating style’, Sanjay Pritam ‘provides excellent service’, and Jonathan Davies is ‘one of the recognised leaders for regulatory expertise in the London and Lloyd’s markets’. Senior associate James Phythian-Adams is ‘a rising star and one to watch’. The team advised Whittington Capital Management on assuming from Alterra the businesses of the managing agencies of two Lloyd’s syndicates.

Within Insurance: insolvency and restructuring, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a second tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP delivers ‘consistently excellent service’ to clients, which include KPMG, Riverstone and Gen Re. The insolvency and restructuring team continues to receive mandates on Part VII schemes and other insurance restructuring, an area of expertise for Vivien Tyrell. The team represented a major creditor in its multimillion-pound claim relating to the Minster solvent scheme. It also advised PwC, as provisional liquidators of United Standard Insurance, regarding a group reorganisation.

Within Personal injury: defendant Personal injury: defendant

Within Product liability: defendant, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a third tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s ‘very capable team’, headed by Stuart White, provides a ‘good and consistent level of service’. It regularly receives instructions from insurers including Allianz and QBE. In 2011, the practice recruited renowned expert Jason Bright from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP.

Within Professional negligence, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a second tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s 19-partner team provides ‘first-class’ service, and its ‘advice and support is consistently high quality’. The group serves the legal, insurance, financial, construction and technology sectors, and ‘the most complex matters are carefully considered and explained without any legalistic jargon.’ Alexandra Anderson has a ‘quick grasp of even the most complex of matters’; Nick Bird is ‘outstanding’; and Katherine Rees is ‘creative, sensible and pragmatic’. Paul Castellani is ‘great with clients’, and department head Tim Bull and construction group head Robert Hogarth are also recommended. The ‘commercial’ Simon Laird recently made partner.

Within Education: individuals Leading individuals

Within Education: schools, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a second tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s ‘responsive, constructive and practical’ team is headed by the well-respected Geraldine Elliott, and was recently bolstered by the addition of Andrew Hodge and Patrick Brodie from Wragge & Co LLP. Work highlights included conducting test-case litigation at the Supreme Court on behalf of NASUWT and ATL.

Within Commercial property, tier 5

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s ‘service is very good and responsive’. Highlights included acting for AstraZeneca on moving its head office to 2 Kingdom St, and advising Veolia on disposing of its former headquarters. The hotels and leisure team advised Soneva Properties on a 20-storey development in the City. Martin Barrett and Stephen Malley show ‘excellent depth of experience and knowledge’; and David Johnston recently joined from Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP.

Within Construction, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a third tier firm,

Providing ‘technically superb service’, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s ‘well-organised and strategic team’ is developing its profile in London and has a solid developer client base. It receives a steady stream of instructions from Access Self Storage, and in 2010 continued to advise the UKCMRI on a £500m medical research facility in King’s Cross. The ‘very astute’ Robert Hogarth heads the contentious practice head, and Kevin Forsyth is ‘very sharp and grasps problems quickly’.

Within Planning, tier 6

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP hired Karen Howard from Wragge & Co LLP to lead its planning and regeneration practice. Howard has ‘a strong grasp of clients ’ commercial needs, and works hard to get results’. Recent instructions include advising on Watford Council’s town centre redevelopment, and advising private developers in public inquiries. Tim Fogarty leads on contentious matters.

Within Property finance, tier 5

‘Excellent, pragmatic and commercial’, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP represented Clydesdale Bank on a £22m development finance loan for two new hotels. Gwyneth Macaulay is ‘hardworking and good with clients, and knows her subject’.

Within Property litigation, tier 5

The team at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP provides ‘calm, strong advice’ and ‘punches above its weight’. It is increasingly focusing on developer clients and mid-sized property companies, and recently acted for Bellway Homes in a neighbourhood dispute. Tim Fogarty and senior associate Chhavie Kapoor are recommended.

Within Brand management, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a second tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s team was strengthened by the arrival of Clive Thorne from Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP and Paul Joseph from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. Delivering ‘prompt, commercial advice and assistance, and value for money’, it acts for Associated Newspapers, HMV and Sports Direct, advertising agencies including Epic media, and contextual media pioneer Vibrant Media. New clients include lastminute.com. The ‘incredibly diligent’ Oliver Bray ‘takes a personal interest in supporting his clients’, and provides ‘relevant, tailored advice’. Jeremy Drew and David Cran are ‘thoroughly excellent’ litigators.

Within Intellectual property, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a third tier firm,

‘Hardworking, service-orientated’ team head Jeremy Drew at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is advising Sports Direct regarding the Lonsdale sports/fashion brand, and new client Champagne Louis Roederer in a trade mark infringement action. David Cran, ‘a savvy litigator with excellent client skills’, is representing lastminute.com. The team was boosted by the arrival of Clive Thorne from Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP.

Within IT and telecoms, tier 5

Jeremy Drew and his team at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP win plaudits for their ‘commitment to quality and for going well beyond the call of duty’. In 2010 it recruited outsourcing specialists David Meredith and Andrew Sutherland from SJ Berwin LLP; Clive Thorne from Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP; and Paul Joseph, who is noted for his ‘excellent technical knowledge, negotiation and conflict resolution’, from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. The team acted for Tesco, Associated Newspapers and Serco, and new clients lastminute.com and Saffron Media. Michael Scott is recommended for his ‘exceptional response times’.

Within Media and entertainment, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP is a second tier firm,

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP bulked up its department in 2010 with the lateral hire of IP partner Clive Thorne from Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP and competition partner Stephen Smith from Mayer Brown International LLP. The latter recently advised on merger control issues arising from the sale of The Independent newspaper and website. The team advises Square Enix, the computer game publisher, and recently acted for Google in a case regarding search engine liability. On the publishing side, the ‘astute’ David Hooper continues to advise on Condé Nast’s Vanity Fair magazine, and Tim Anderson and the ‘confident, reliable and commercial’ Sanjay Pritam acted for Associated Newspapers in 2010. David Cran, an expert in digital content, advised Beautiful Games Studios on brand and content licence issues. Jaron Lewis heads the media group.

Within Overview,

Key IP hires included Phil Sherrell moving from Eversheds LLP to market leader Bird & Bird; and Howrey LLP’s Mark Hodgson joining Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP. Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s team was boosted by the arrival of Clive Thorne from Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP; CMS Cameron McKenna LLP hired Fasken Martineau LLP’s Jeremy Morton; and Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge UK LLP recruited Ben Goodger, former head of Rouse Legal’s global IP commercialisation group.

Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, tier 4

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP recruited Clive Thorne from Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP, who is acting for Apimed Medical Honey in a significant patent infringement claim. Other clients include EvaluatePharma, Comvita and Asubio Pharma. Patent litigator Andrew Hobson is commended for his ‘impressive knowledge and timely market experience’. Dorothy Flower advises on regulatory matters and clinical trials.

Within Sport, tier 6

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s cross-departmental team advises FA Premier League clubs including Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United. It also handles public law issues for The Kennel Club.