The Legal 500

The firm:

Shoosmiths’ focus on people, relationships and results has defined its achievements for more than 160 years. The firm works with market-leading, household name clients, each demanding specialist and knowledgeable advice. A proactive, can-do approach drives Shoosmiths’ aim of providing clients with commercial solutions to their legal needs. Shoosmiths identified a gap for a service-oriented, client-centred law firm, able to deliver year-on-year cost savings to clients on the segments of their legal spend that do not warrant a City price tag. Its proposition is focused on how it works with clients, and through customising in some detail the way it delivers legal services to them, individually. Shoosmiths’ clients say they like this approach, and the fact that the firm has not lost its personal touch, investing heavily in the relationship interface – something just as important to them as the outstanding professional advice they expect and receive from some of the best lawyers and advisers in the country. Shoosmiths’ focus on delivering the best possible service for all clients offers greater coordination of non-legal matters – such as reporting and billing – thus allowing clients to get more from their relationship with the firm. This client-centred strategy has paid off: Shoosmiths has doubled turnover in recent years, and added new offices in Birmingham and Manchester. It expanded into Scotland in 2012 through a merger with Edinburgh-based Archibald Campbell & Harley.

Principal areas of work:

Shoosmiths continues to attract work from fast-growth and major UK companies, and UK subsidiaries of overseas-owned corporates, providing them with an intelligent alternative to mainstream City providers. The main markets in which Shoosmiths competes and where its core strengths lie are within: financial services, retail, and residential development sectors where, in three sectors alone, it acts for some of the top FTSE 100 and 250 organisations. It has also established an enviable reputation for consumer legal advice, particularly in the personal injury, medical negligence, wills, probate and wealth, and conveyancing, fields.

Commercial: The firm has specialists in data protection, e-business, EU and competition, franchising, IP and brand protection, IT contracts, outsourcing and projects and public procurement.

Corporate, Banking, Insolvency & Tax: Shoosmiths team has a successful track record advising companies through the business life cycle from start up and first round finance through to mergers and acquisitions, buyouts, development funding, flotation (AIM and full list) and other exits. The team specialises in the mid-market, typically advising on transactions with a value of up to £100m.

Employment & Pensions: The large national team is based at five offices, providing tailored and practical advice, strategies and solutions on the full range of employment and pensions issues.

Preventing & Resolving Disputes: Shoosmiths has a large national team with a wealth of court experience as well as expertise in all other forms of dispute resolution including arbitration, mediation, expert determination, executive mini-trials and adjudication.

Real Estate: Independently ranked a top 20 UK law firm for commercial property advice, the firm has more than 140 legal advisers specialising in property, planning, construction, tax, environmental and property litigation.

Compliance, Regulatory & Risk: From data theft to product recalls and fraud to advertising standards, the team advises clients on reducing and managing exposure to risk.

Recoveries Services: Shoosmiths’ Recoveries Services Group brings together recoveries for two sectors – lenders and B2B. Clients include UK and European banks, finance houses, major building societies, manufacturer-owned motor finance companies, and independent asset finance and motor finance companies, together with major corporates and plcs.

Consumer Services: Shoosmiths is one of the largest personal injury practices in the country with dedicated experts in complex claims, especially spinal cord and brain injuries, as well as specialists in clinical negligence. In February 2010, Shoosmiths launched a new brand for consumers called Access Legal from Shoosmiths.

International: Shoosmiths is a member of the World Services Group and is ISO 9001 and Investors in People accredited.

Chairman: Andrew Tubbs
Chief Executive: Claire Rowe

Number of UK Partners 107
Number of other UK fee-earners 612
Total staff 1220