The Legal 500

Within Corporate tax, SJ Berwin LLP is a third tier firm,

Rising a tier, the tax team at SJ Berwin LLP offers ‘practical and commercial advice’ with a focus on funds work, real estate and transactional matters. The firm is advising British Land on the formation of a £1.2bn joint venture with J Sainsbury, and acted for Qantas on a proposed (but ultimately unsuccessful) £6bn merger with British Airways. Heather Corben is ‘technically excellent’, and Dominic Adams is ‘one of the country’s best and brightest tax lawyers’.

Within EU and competition , SJ Berwin LLP is a third tier firm,

Without the luxury of Magic Circle status, SJ Berwin LLP has arguably achieved more than any other firm in this sector. Of late, the firm has emerged at the forefront of private damages litigation, often on behalf of the plaintiff, with Stephen Kon(‘keen intellect’, ‘innovative’) and Lesley Farrell(‘very professional’) to the fore. On the behavioural front, it advised Marks and Spencer in connection with the Competition Commission grocery market inquiry, and Qantas in relation to the European Commission’s investigation into a fuel surcharge cartel. Elaine Gibson-Bolton has impressed regulators with her pragmatic and convincing style, while Simon Holmes(‘innovative’, ‘forward thinking’), Niamh Grogan(‘very approachable’, ‘easy to work with’) and Tom Usher are also highly recommended. In 2009, it elected another two partners: Philipp Girardet and Cameron Firth. The firm has excellent ‘industry knowledge’ and is ‘good value compared to the Magic Circle’.

Within Financial services, SJ Berwin LLP is a third tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP represented Phoenix Derivatives Group on the setting up of a multilateral trading facility, and advised on the promotion of consumer and mortgage credit for the purposes of a cross-jurisdictional investigation carried out by the Belgian government. Tamasin Little is highly regarded, and Craig Pollack recommended for FSA defence work.

Within Flotations - small and mid-cap, SJ Berwin LLP is a third tier firm,

Clients of SJ Berwin LLP’s ECM practice include First Calgary Petroleums, Raven Russia and ECI Partners. Delphine Currie and Victoria Younghusband recommended.

Within M&A - upper mid-market and premium deals, £250m+, tier 6

Steven Davis heads SJ Berwin LLP’s 22-partner M&A team, which ‘punches above its weight’ in the UK mid and upper mid-market. The firm completed 39 UK deals at an average of over £100m in 2008, with private equity, retail, property and infrastructure deals all prominent. In addition to Davis, Rob Day, Will Holder and Michael Goldberg are recommended by clients.

Within Overview,

Often unfairly dismissed as corporate’s poor relations, its is the non-transactional practices that have prospered this year. That is good news for the more domestic City firms, with Ashurst LLP and SJ Berwin LLP troubling the top spots in EU and competition; Lovells LLP, CMS Cameron McKenna LLP and Travers Smith LLP achieving high rankings in financial services; and Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP making strides in corporate tax.

Within Private equity , tier 4

SJ Berwin LLP’s market-leading fund formation practice, ‘extremely strong’ transactional resources, and European market penetration make it a private equity one-stop-shop. The firm gives ‘thoughtful advice on both legal issues and the grey area between legal and business advice’, and boasts heavyweight partners in Jonathan Blake’s funds team and under ‘top-notch’ head of corporate Steven Davis.

Within VAT and indirect tax, tier 4

Rising a tier, SJ Berwin LLP provides clients with ‘practical and commercial advice’. Particularly strong in real estate and SDLT, Heather Corben is recommended.

Within Venture capital, SJ Berwin LLP is a first tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP’s funds potency extends into venture capital, where rivals concede it ‘has the fund formation market wrapped up’. It is also strong on the investor side in transactions, closing some 30 investments through 2008, and its range and reputation ensure it gains instructions on complex and unusual deals, for example secondary sales of entire venture capital portfolios. Perry Yam and Ylan Steiner lead the seven-partner team.

Within Fraud - commercial and regulatory investigations, SJ Berwin LLP is a third tier firm,

Recommended particularly for international fraud work, and attracting high praise from clients, SJ Berwin provides an ‘excellent service with plenty of ingenuity and flair’. The practice successfully got cartel allegations against Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Services cleared, and is representing financier Viktor Kozv ený in a US$177m fraud claim concerning the privatisation of industries in Azerbaijan. Hilton Mervis is ‘first class’; Tim Beale ‘knows his stuff’; Craig Pollack is a ‘supreme tactician’; and Harris Bor is ‘committed to getting the best result’.

Within Banking litigation, tier 4

Having been appointed to a series of banking panels, and gaining further traction in the hedge funds environment, SJ Berwin LLP is commended for its ‘business acumen’, ‘industry knowledge’, the ‘strength of its team’ and its ‘value for money’. The ‘best of breed’ team is headed by Craig Pollack (‘now part of our inner circle’, ‘tactically astute’, ‘superb at project management’), and includes Alex Leitch (‘highly pragmatic’, ‘strategically astute’) and new partner Nick Brocklesby (an ‘excellent litigator’ with a ‘first-rate mind’).

Within Commercial litigation, tier 4

SJ Berwin LLP is noted for its ‘outstanding level of service, quick response times and quality of advice’. The firm had a role advising AAR in its dispute with BP over their TNK-BP joint venture, and also successfully defended Victor Kozeny against worldwide freezing orders totalling US$177m, in a case that lasted nine years. Craig Pollack, considered ‘one of the top litigation solicitors in London’, heads the ‘excellent’ team, which includes the ‘first-rate’ Nick Brocklesby; competition expert Stephen Kon (‘a master of big litigation management’); the ‘very experienced’ Alex Leitch; the ‘excellent’ Shaistah Akhtar; and the ‘highly effective’ Hilton Mervis.

Within Defamation and privacy

Within International arbitration, SJ Berwin LLP is a third tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP’s ‘excellent’ London practice can now more easily match the international reach of Magic Circle rivals since opening offices in Hong Kong and Dubai. Joint group head Tim Taylor has moved to the latter to help build the practice, leaving ‘very experienced’ co-head David Goldberg to man the fort in London. The firm has a superb track record in Russia-related disputes, and has been advising the Russian consortium AAR in its dispute with BP over control of the TNK-BP joint venture. The ‘extremely efficient, pragmatic and effective’ team, considered by one arbitrator to be ‘one of the best in London’, is commended for its quality associates, as well as more senior lawyers such as partner Justin Michaelson and consultant Per Runeland.

Within Mediators, SJ Berwin LLP is a first tier firm,

Phillip Howell-Richardson of SJ Berwin LLP ranks among the few to be gaining an international following. Equally in demand in the regions as well as the City, he is rated as ‘outstanding’, with his blend of ‘charisma, dedication and enthusiasm’ widely noted. He ‘balances being approachable with being authoritarian, doesn’t talk down to parties’, and uses his personality to great effect in ‘keeping dialogue alive’.

Within Public international law, SJ Berwin LLP is a third tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP in 2008 acted for a defence industry contractor against a Balkan State in a dispute involving a preliminary issue concerning state secession. The firm has also been involved in the resolution of armed conflict and the resettlement of internally displaced persons in Sudan. Tim Taylor is ‘very on the ball’.

Within Acquisition finance, tier 4

SJ Berwin LLP has an excellent range of sponsor clients, but has been ramping up its lender offering over recent years. Recent highlights include advising Bank of Scotland on the debt funding of Global Radio’s £375m recommended bid for GCap Media. Stuart Brinkworth and Jeremy Cross are recommended.

Within Bank lending - investment grade debt and syndicated loans , tier 5

Robert Andrews at SJ Berwin LLP is known for his ‘pragmatic and innovative approach to structuring and negotiating agreements’.

Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, tier 6

Leveraging off its substantial private equity and property groups, SJ Berwin LLP handles an array of contentious and non-contentious matters. Active on both formal insolvencies and corporate restructurings, the team recently advised the joint administrators of Whittards of Chelsea on the pre-packaged disposal of the business and assets to Epic. Jeremy Goldring has an excellent reputation in the market.

Within Derivatives and structured products, tier 5

Brian Carne is the lynchpin of SJ Berwin LLP’s ‘practical, commercial, pragmatic’ practice. His experience in equity, fund and credit derivatives sees him advise major banks and corporates on structured deals.

Within Hedge funds, tier 4

SJ Berwin LLP partners Victoria Younghusband and Ajay Pathak are both very active. A major highlight was advising Castle Alternative Invest on its application for a joint primary listing on the London Stock Exchange.

Within Investment funds, SJ Berwin LLP is a second tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP’s ‘excellent’ team has a first-class reputation for both private equity and real estate, where it is considered ‘the best in the market, especially in pushing boundaries and structuring more innovative solutions’. Eminent senior partner Jonathan Blake heads the private equity side, where the firm recently advised Apax Partners on an €11bn fundraising for its pan-European buy-out fund Apax Europe VII. Private equity partners Simon Witney and Nigel van Zyl are singled out for high praise. On the real estate side, David Ryland is ‘the standout person in his field’. Ajay Pathak and Victoria Younghusband are also developing a good reputation for hedge fund work.

Within Overview,

High-ranking practices outside the Magic Circle include Ashurst LLP, for acquisition finance and derivatives; Denton Wilde Sapte LLP, for restructuring, asset finance and trade finance; Lovells LLP, for Islamic and trade finance; Norton Rose LLP, for asset finance and Islamic finance; SJ Berwin LLP for investment funds; and Simmons & Simmons, for hedge funds and derivatives. Clyde & Co LLP, Holman Fenwick Willan LLP, Ince & Co and Reed Smith account for the top tier of the commodities ranking, a practice area which relies heavily on a complementary shipping practice.

Within Securitisation, tier 6

Brian Carne at SJ Berwin LLP is regarded as an outstanding lawyer for securitisations, and in 2008 largely focused on advising existing clients such as Landsbanki, HSH Nordbank and Rothschild Bank International.

Within Employment, tier 5

Clients are ‘highly satisfied’ with the ‘responsive, knowledgeable, common-sense advice’ offered by the team at SJ Berwin LLP. The ‘incredibly commercial’ Nicola Kerr heads the practice, with Hilary O’Connor also recommended for her ‘seamless service’. Instructions include collective redundancy advice for various plcs, banks, property companies and manufacturing companies.

Within Pensions (incl pensions dispute resolution), tier 5

SJ Berwin LLP’s pensions head Wyn Derbyshire combines ‘intellect’ and ‘technical grasp’ with ‘the ability to think creatively’ and ‘personal warmth’.

Within Public affairs, SJ Berwin LLP is a second tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP’s public affairs work is carried out by partners across the firm. High-profile figures include Simon Holmes and Jonathan Djanogly MP, who is Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance. The practice acts for the Waste and Resources Action Programme, lobbying the European Commission and UK government on rules concerning state aid for the environment.

Within Commercial property, SJ Berwin LLP is a second tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP’s ‘first-class’ practice is highly recommended for its development and regeneration work. The group advised the Crown Estate, a key client, on the regeneration of Regent Street and also acts for other quality names such as Quintain, British Land, and Gazeley on town-centre redevelopment schemes. Other high-value work included acting for British Land on several major transactions, such as the £400m sale of the Willis Building. Clients say that ‘the culture at the firm is to take a challenge. They are much braver than others, hungrier and unconventional, which leads to innovative deal-making’. Practice head Jon Vivian is immensely well respected, and Rob Thompson and Bryan Pickup are also excellent.

Within Construction, tier 4

Julia Court is SJ Berwin LLP’s resident construction specialist, and acts on an assortment of non-contentious matters for clients including British Land, Quintain, Hilton, and Land Securities. The practice recently advised Delancey in respect of new office space at Rolls House in the City of London. Its institutional client base includes AXA Sun Life.

Within Overview,

More positively, firms with international networks - such as Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Clifford Chance, Linklaters LLP, Ashurst LLP and SJ Berwin LLP - will potentially weather the storm more easily as work comes in from a variety of sources. Property litigators are benefiting from an increasingly contentious market as the level of disputes continues to increase. Firms such as Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, Nabarro LLP, DLA Piper UK LLP, Linklaters LLP and Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP are advising on some of the most visible property disputes.

Within Planning, SJ Berwin LLP is a second tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP’s ‘quietly efficient and razor-sharp’ Simon Ricketts is ‘amongst the best’ and, together with the ‘calmly determined’ Duncan Field, is part of a team ‘at the top of its game’ in this field. Ricketts is known especially for major inner-city mixed-use developments and ‘technically proficient and well-prepared’ s106 agreements for complex projects, and advised the BARD Campaign in judicial review proceedings opposing a high-profile 6,000-home eco-town south of Stratford-upon-Avon. Field secured final consents for PD Ports’ Northern Gateway deep-sea container terminal at Teesport, in just 22 months.

Within Property finance, SJ Berwin LLP is a second tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP is at the forefront of the market in structuring real estate deals, and its experience in this area means it is often chosen to handle leading work, particularly where it can bring to bear its funds expertise. It recently advised Invesco on various issues, including the creation of an opportunity fund to invest in UK property, and the establishment of a hotel asset management fund. The team also acted for Evans Randall on a €1.5bn European prime real estate fund. Team head David Ryland is ‘absolutely first class in all respects and without peer in the industry’, and the team also has a number of ‘hardworking stars of the future’.

Within Property litigation, SJ Berwin LLP is a second tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP witnessed increased amounts of insolvency-related work and dilapidations claims. It acted for The Crown Estate in obtaining vacant possession for the redevelopment of a Regent Street block. Michael Metliss and Jason Juden are recommended.

Within Intellectual property, tier 4

SJ Berwin LLP has hired senior associate Bill Ladas from Davenport Lyons to manage its trade mark filing practice. The firm - which is ‘a pleasure to work with’ - is increasingly active advising on technology and business process patents in addition to pharmaceutical patents, and in patent-related class actions. Ray Black is recommended.

Within IT and telecoms, tier 4

Michael Bywell is head of the contentious technology and telecoms practice at SJ Berwin LLP.

Within Media and entertainment, tier 4

At SJ Berwin LLP, a cross-practice media group handles big-ticket transactions for major clients including Universal Music and PPL. A pan-European team advises Nintendo Europe on copyright matters.

Within Overview,

Among the City law firms, Herbert Smith LLP in particular has a growing reputation in the TMT sector, and has notable patent litigation prowess. Allen & Overy LLP is also strong in IP, while Lovells LLP and Birmingham-based Wragge & Co LLP both have an international dimension to their practices. Simmons & Simmons has a genuine specialist interest in the TMT sector, while very few firms are able to compete with Baker & McKenzie LLP for its level of expertise on issues surrounding the convergence of telecoms and IT services. DLA Piper UK LLP has strong all-round IP strength, while SJ Berwin LLP is also highly regarded despite closing its top-tier film finance department.

Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, SJ Berwin LLP is a second tier firm,

SJ Berwin LLP is strong on patents, corporate, competition - where the team has been boosted by the promotion of Cameron Firth to the partnership - and related regulatory work in the sector, where it is known for advising generics. Jeremy Schrire has also been very active recently in licensing, and his ‘greatest strength is his ability to reason with the other side. He will concede trivial points if he has to, but always wins the ones that need winning.’