The Legal 500

Within Commercial contracts, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s commercial practice benefits from a longstanding client base that includes Tesco, National Grid and Travelex, supplemented recently with new strategic instructions from Barclays Bank and Thames Water. The financial services, hotels, betting and gaming, and retail sectors are core areas of focus, and 2010 saw renegotiations dominate the transactional landscape, including acting for Barclays on its review of over 110 existing business-critical contracts across over 70 suppliers globally. It also advised on the drafting and negotiation of an outsourcing agreement for Guardian News & Media’s ‘Guardian Creative’ business. The ten-partner commercial team is led by Richard Shaw, while Mark Lewis heads up the outsourcing group.

Within Corporate tax, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s large team provides an ‘excellent’ service, with clients noting the seamless way in which its various teams operate together. Areas of strength include real estate, funds, securitisation and international matters. Landmark matters for the firm included acting for JP Morgan Asset Management on its £557m acquisition of Bishops Square, and for Tesco on a large securitised property-backed bond issue. Practice head Michael Wistow is a ‘leading’ figure noted for his outstanding technical understanding of securitisation; Charles Goddard is an ‘excellent deal adviser’; and John Overs is also recommended.

Within Equity capital markets: UK capability, tier 7

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP acts for issuer clients moving to the main market, and counts Raven Russia and GCP Infrastructure Fund as clients. In 2010, it represented financier Nathaniel Rothschild in the £707m IPO of his mining investment group Vallar. Alex Latner and Benjamin Lee are recommended.

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

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP has recently hired former ORR chairman Chris Bolt as a consultant. Rising star Andrew Hockley, who arrived from BP in 2010, has a ‘first-class intellect’ and a ‘knack for giving practical advice’. Work highlights included acting for Sports Direct in relation to its acquisition of 31 stores from JJB, and in a related successful procedural challenge against the Competition Commission in the CAT; and acting for National Grid in a £300m follow-on damages claim in the High Court. David Harrison and Adrian Magnus ‘exemplify the firm’s approach to client care and management, and are lawyers of a very high calibre’.

Within Financial services, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

While Jonathan Marsh left Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP to become Vitol’s general counsel, the firm recruited Jacob Ghanty from Pinsent Masons LLP and also DLA Piper UK LLP’s financial services head Daren Allen. The firm advised Chartis on wholesale changes to its approved persons structure, and the practice saw an uptick in actions against financial institutions’ senior management members. Contentious experts Nathan Willmott and Sidney Myers are highly rated.

Within Flotations: small and mid-cap, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a first tier firm,

A ‘market leader’, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP retains one of the standout practices of the mid-market, and handled eight IPOs in 2010. Alex Latner advised Liberum Capital as NOMAD and broker on Squarestone Brasil’s £28m IPO in 2010; Benjamin Lee represented Cenkos Securities as NOMAD and broker on CSF Group’s IPO; and Jonathan Morris advised Seymour Pierce on the $10.4m IPO of Indian film company Photon Kathaas Productions. David Collins is practice head.

Within M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+, tier 7

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP advised on 29 deals with a total value of £1.73bn in 2010, and counts BGC Partners and Ladbrokes among its new clients. The M&A practice, headed up by David Collins, saw a wide range of transactions, including advising Dinu Patriciu Global Properties in its £413m cash offer for DP Property. Michael Anderson is also recommended.

Within Private equity: transactions , tier 6

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP has a growing reputation in the market, marrying transactional expertise with sector strengths such as healthcare, real estate and hospitality. Raymond McKeeve and Geraint Lloyd co-head the team.

Within VAT and indirect tax, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Alan Sinyor’s team at Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP provides ‘pertinent, well-thought-out’ advice to clients including Aviva, Standard Life, and Tesco. It advised Expedia on a range of global and UK VAT issues. Areas of specialism include real estate and SDLT planning and minimisation, and contentious VAT work has proved a growth area. Linda Adelson is recommended.

Within Venture capital, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

At Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, the ‘outstandingly commercial’ Geraint Lloyd heads a four-partner team that provides ‘responsive, knowledgeable and sensible’ advice to an investor-focused client base. Able to tap into the broader resources of the firm in complementary areas such as IP and real estate, it continues to represent core client Albion Ventures across a range of matters, including its investment in TEG Biogas (Perth).

Within Fraud: civil , Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Nathan Willmott leads the team at Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP. Daren Allen, who specialises in advising financial institutions, arrived from DLA Piper UK LLP. Segun Osuntokun is currently acting for Intercontinental Bank plc in a £780m fraud claim against its former managing director.

Within Gaming and betting, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a first tier firm,

The vastly experienced team at Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP recently advised software supplier Playtech on its bolt-on acquisition of Virtue Fusion, and also assisted SportBet PLC with its admission to the Official List. The ‘savvy’ and ‘practical’ Hilary Stewart-Jones is commended for her ‘in-depth regulatory knowledge’, and Stephen Ketteley is recognised as a ‘a real expert in the online gaming industry’.

Within Licensing, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a first tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP represents a range of leading food and retail outlets. The ‘excellent’ team, led by Craig Baylis, is praised for its ‘commercially minded’ approach. Recent highlights include work for Tesco, and assisting Apple in obtaining a licence for its newly opened store in Covent Garden. Jeremy Bark is also recommended.

Within Banking litigation: investment and retail, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP welcomed Daren Allen from DLA Piper UK LLP, who brings over 20 years’ experience acting for financial institutions. The team works closely with the firm’s derivatives and structured products experts in representing clients affected by the economic collapse. It has also been acting for parties in litigation arising out of freight forwarding agreements under ISDA; and for Eurosail UK 2007 – 3BL plc in a £640m securitisation-related dispute bound for the Court of Appeal. David Hughes leads the team.

Within Commercial litigation, tier 4

Led by Nathan Willmott, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s team attracts very high praise from clients. The practice saw an increase in international work and also in fraud-related claims. It acted for the issuer in proceedings which have far-reaching implications for UK-based securitisations.

Within Defamation and privacy, tier 4

Key individuals in Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s ‘top-notch’ team include Graham Shear, Ian De Freitas, and senior associate Joby Davies.

Within International arbitration, tier 4

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP ‘gives excellent service and shows technical knowledge of the issues’. The team acted in ICC arbitration proceedings against a Turkish contractor active in the Moscow market. Department head Nic Fletcher, Carol Mulcahy, and Michael Polonsky are recommended. Caroline Pope’s move to Abu Dhabi bore fruit in the form of a number of construction and real estate development disputes.

Within Tax litigation, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘innovative’ team at Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP provides a very broad range of contentious tax services and is noted for its capabilities on complex multi-jurisdictional matters. It acted for ITV in a multimillion-pound dispute with HMRC which will have wide ramifications for many individuals working in the media, and also represented PokerStrategy in tax disputes and related issues arising in a multitude of jurisdictions. Key longstanding clients include the Aegis Group and the Football Association. ‘Excellent’ group head Liesl Fichardt is highly regarded and praised by clients and peers alike.

Within Acquisition finance, tier 6

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP advised RBS and HSBC on the £55m acquisition financing of COA Solutions by Advanced Computer Software. Andrew Bamber heads the team, and has developed the firm’s reputation on the sponsor side since his arrival in 2009 from Allen & Overy LLP.

Within Asset finance and leasing, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Within a relatively short period, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s asset finance team has become recognised as a ‘major player in the market’, and continued its expansion with the hire of Keith Wilson from Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (Europe) LLP. Lisa Marks is the relationship partner for new client Bombardier, and recently advised it on numerous transactions with European operators in multiple jurisdictions. Although the team saw the departure of Andrew Baird to Watson, Farley & Williams LLP, it has still handled some significant shipping work, particularly in the offshore marine market; Nicola Davies is well regarded in that area, and recently advised Pacific Drilling on the $1.8bn financing of four new deep-water drill ships in Korea. Praised for his ‘impressive knowledge of the rail industry’, Russell Clifford provides ‘clear technical advice, balanced with commercial pragmatism’ and heads a team recently strengthened by the return of aviation finance expert Tom Budgett following a stint as managing partner of the firm’s Singapore office.

Within Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans , tier 4

At Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, Marc Palley has extensive experience advising banks and corporates on syndicated and bilateral loans.

Within Commodities: derivatives, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP has seen its best-known partner in the area, regulatory specialist Jonathan Marsh, move in-house to Vitol, but litigators Nic Fletcher and David Hughes are still prominent. They advised Oceanbulk Shipping & Trading and Pioneer Navigation on freight forwards disputes.

Within Commodities: physicals, tier 4

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is notable for the strong disputes practice of Nic Fletcher and David Hughes. Amir Ghaffari (‘client focused and driven’) joined from Shearman & Sterling LLP, adding weight in commodity arbitrations.

Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s small, three-partner team has done well to corner the real estate restructuring market, pulling in a number of top mandates from banking clients such as Lloyds, Barclays and RBS. The firm advised a syndicate group led by Lloyds in relation to the restructuring of the Birmingham Mailbox and the administration and build-out of The Cube. The firm also took a lead role acting for Anglo Irish Bank and KPMG on the administration of the Eton Group. Ben Larkin leads the group, which includes David Leibowitz and Frances McLeman.

Within Debt capital markets, tier 5

At Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, Tamara Box is ‘an excellent trustee lawyer’, and Tom Church and Marc Palley also stand out. Recent work includes a £1.9bn note issue for Thames Water. Mark Daley has retired.

Within Derivatives and structured products, tier 4

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s team, led by James Duncan, provides ‘comprehensive advice, and is great value for money’. Andrew Bamber is notable for his experience in equity-related deals; and Paul Severs is ‘very clever and good to work with’. Also recommended are Lucy Oddy, structured finance specialist Matthew Kellett, and litigator David Hughes.

Within Emerging markets, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP gained Slovenia Broadband as a new client in 2010, and also advises Global Trade Centre, Hellenic Petrolium, Serbia Broadband, and UFG Private Equity Fund. Robert Gross led a team acting for Mid Europa Partners and Slovenia Broadband on the acquisition of two telecoms businesses in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Within Investment funds, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s investment management group is ‘excellent – advice is to the point and very commercial’. Best known for its superb real estate funds practice, it has added capability across other fund classes. Recent instructions include closing new private equity funds for Duet; acting for Aviva Investors, Blackrock, LaSalle and Hermes on real estate funds; handling listed funds including the LSE-listed GCP Infrastructure Fund; and retail and hedge fund work for clients such as Barclays Wealth. Antony Grossman is recommended for real estate funds, and is the new practice head, replacing Tim Simmonds, who moved to Osborne Clarke in June 2011. Kate Binedell was promoted to partner in 2010. The excellent Peter McGowan, a real estate and hedge fund expert, joined Proskauer Rose LLP in June 2011.

Within Islamic finance, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s clients include ABC Islamic Bank, Dar Capital and European Islamic Investment Bank plc. Tamara Box and department head Saleem Malik are the key figures in the practice. Andrew Baird joined Watson, Farley & Williams LLP.

Within Securitisation, tier 4

‘More commercial and client aware than other firms’, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP advised on a £600m CMBS restructuring for issuer Titan Europe. It is also advising on over 40 CMBS and RMBS deals arranged by Lehman Brothers, including Eurosail 3BL. Paul Severs has ‘a unique combination of experience, great business awareness and unparalleled client responsiveness’. Also recommended are the ‘reactive and flexible’ Tamara Box; the ‘very capable, personable and proactive’ Lucy Oddy, who joined from Clifford Chance; and Jayne Black, who advises special servicers.

Within Employee share schemes, tier 5

David Dennison at Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is ‘technically sound and helpful’.

Within Employment, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a strong choice for instructions on sensitive, reputational issues, and has a growing presence in the financial sector. Lisa Mayhew joined from Jones Day, and ‘solid legal intellect’ Marian Bloodworth – ‘first rate at substantial litigation for respondents’ – joined from Hogan Lovells International LLP. ‘Elder statesman’ Fraser Younson ‘rolls up his sleeves and gets on with it like one of the troops’, and recently advised Jardine Lloyd Thomson in court action over a team move from Aon. Rebecca Harding-Hill, who ‘provides an exceptional service’, completed the groundbreaking Tullet v BGC case.

Within Health and safety, tier 5

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP has acted on the prosecution and defence sides in relation to health and safety compliance. Corporate clients include Tesco, JD Wetherspoon and Selfridges, for matters ranging from investigations to Food Safety Act compliance. Craig Baylis and Jeremy Bark are recommended.

Within Pensions, tier 5

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP assisted on Rothesay Life’s completion of a full risk transfer with its client Radius Systems. Other clients include Molson Coors Brewing Company, and the Trustees of the Sira Pension Scheme. ‘Outstanding pensions lawyer’ Norman Russell and David Dennison are recommended.

Within Insurance and reinsurance litigation, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s team is praised for its ‘high quality of work and strength in depth’, and is able to handle ‘complex, high-value disputes where attention to detail is important’. Jonathan Sacher is part of a team acting for Cavell and Randall & Quilter defending allegations of fraud. Anthony Lennox, who ‘has a willingness to fight every single point’, advised a name insurer in various reinsurance claims totalling over $300m.

Within Insurance: corporate and regulatory, tier 4

Demutualisations and the management of regulatory risks are particular strengths of Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s non-contentious practice, which was strengthened by the arrival of Jacob Ghanty from Pinsent Masons LLP. Clients include CNA, Bupa, Chartis and Aviva. Practice head Pollyanna Deane is ‘outstanding in her field’, and has a ‘great wealth of experience’. Nathan Willmott is also recommended.

Within Insurance: insolvency and restructuring, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP continued to advise PwC on the liquidation of insurance broker Whiteley Insurance Consultants (WIC), which affected over 80,000 policyholders. David Leibowitz and Andrew Rose are key figures in the team, and senior associate Marc Trottier is also recommended.

Within Charities and not-for-profit , tier 6

Martin Paisner heads the charity law group at Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, which advised Worcester College, Oxford on its registration with the Charity Commission. ‘The legal advice is first class’, and Neasa Coen is singled out by clients as a rising star.

Within Contentious trusts and probate, tier 4

Litigation powerhouse Herbert Smith LLP has an established reputation for contentious trusts and probate work, and has the advantage of being able to draw on expertise across its network of global offices. Fraud and asset tracing specialist Robert Hunter, who heads the trusts litigation group, is ‘extremely impressive, and has fantastic legal and strategic nous’. Standout practitioner Rupert Ticehurst left to join Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP.

Within Overview,

In terms of notable partner moves, star practitioner Rupert Ticehurst left Herbert Smith LLP for Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, beefing up the firm’s capacity to handle trust disputes; and Charles Russell LLP lost the head of its contentious trusts practice, Morven McMillan, who moved to Cayman Islands firm Mourant Ozannes. In the family sphere, Tom Amlot left Harbottle & Lewis LLP to join Alexiou Fisher Philipps; and Speechly Bircham LLP lost Richard Hogwood to Stewarts Law LLP and John Nicholson to Irwin Mitchell LLP.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

The ‘highly commercial’ team at Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP has upped its game with some astute lateral hires: the ‘bright’ Murray North from Clifford Chance in 2009, and ‘star’ practitioner Rupert Ticehurst from Herbert Smith LLP in 2011. The team includes Paul Whitehead, Damian Bloom and Jonathan Kropman, and advises domestic and international ultra-high-net-worth individuals on personal tax and complex trusts, aided by Simon Michaels in Singapore. Simon Phelps is rated for his ‘excellent business and strategic sense, together with superior interpersonal skills’.

Within Infrastructure, tier 4

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s team is led by Adam Dann, who is ‘technically very sound and easy to deal with’. The firm continues to advise Ascent on its UK Military Flight Training System, including the procurement of £1bn-worth of training contracts.

Within Oil and gas, tier 4

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP has ‘quality that can be put before a board of international oil companies with confidence’. Mark Saunders is ‘very knowledgeable and reliable’, and Adam Dann is ‘very sound technically and easy to deal with’. The firm advised Gateway Storage Company on the sale of a 20% stake in the Gateway Gas Storage project.

Within Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) , Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is ‘responsive and reliable’, and power specialist Deborah Greenwood is a ‘very capable pair of hands’. In a major highlight, the firm advised Oman Power and Water Procurement on the $1.7bn Barka III and Sohar II IPPs.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI) , tier 4

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP ‘focuses on key points to deliver practical advice’, with Jim Buchanan valued for his ‘ability to rapidly identify issues and develop pragmatic solutions’. Defence, development and transport are key areas, with recent work including advising Ascent on the UK Military Flight Training System PPP.

Within Water, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s ‘consistently excellent team’ is now led by Patrick Somers following John Hurdley’s departure to Bircham Dyson Bell LLP in 2010. The firm is advising trophy client Thames Water on numerous projects including the Thames Tunnel; the Mogden STW extension; and the Deephams Sewage Treatment Works extension.

Within Healthcare, tier 5

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s commercial healthcare practice in 2010 advised on a number of fundraising projects, and advised Barchester Healthcare on a joint venture arrangement. Jim Buchanan is the practice head.

Within Local government, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP undertakes major regeneration and planning projects for local authorities, as well as restructuring schemes. The team is advising East Sussex County Council on its controversial £100m Bexhill to Hastings link road project, and is also advising Bracknell Forest Borough Council on the redevelopment of its town centre. New client wins include Epping District Borough Council and the Greater London Authority. Andrew Yates heads the team, and Lesley-Anne Avis is also recommended.

Within Parliamentary , Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is currently advising Thames Water on the Thames Tunnel and Lee Tunnel projects, and is also advising National Grid and Halite Energy on their controversial salt cavern carbon gas storage proposals. Tim Pugh heads the team. Daniel Greenberg joined as parliamentary counsel.

Within Commercial property, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a first tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a dominant practice, a ‘deep’ team with ‘outstanding experience in all major areas of commercial property’. The firm acted on 25% of all £50m-plus UK investment deals during 2010, including advising Rockspring Property Investment Managers on its acquisition of a 51% stake in the O’Parinor shopping mall in France. On the development side, the firm advised Canary Wharf Group on its joint venture with Land Securities to develop the Walkie Talkie building (20 Fenchurch Street). Robert MacGregor leads the practice which has continued to grow, notably recruiting James Knox from Linklaters LLP. Chris de Pury, John Kelsey (who is ‘knowledgeable and maintains a sense of humour’) and Simon Kenley (‘exceptional’) are recommended, as is senior associate Ayesha Hasan (‘one for the future’).

Within Construction, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a first tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s ‘very comprehensive service’ is ‘excellent’, and the group recently expanded its international experience with several projects in Russia. Domestically, it continues to advise Thames Water on a £635m sewage tunnel project, and National Grid in a construction dispute. Bob Maynard heads the contentious practice and John Hughes-D’Aeth heads the non-contentious side; both are recommended along with Terry de Souza, who ‘can speak directly to engineers and understand the complicated technical issues’.

Within Environment, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s client base spans the public and private sectors, and includes Thames Water, the Olympic Delivery Authority, and National Grid. The practice advises on infrastructure projects; regulatory compliance; and waste and pollution claims, with recent successes including settling a contaminated land compensation claim for UBS. The group also supports clients such as Tesco and Balfour Beatty on real estate transactions. Andrew Waite heads the practice.

Within Overview,

Competition for big-ticket jobs remains fierce, but those firms with strong corporate and finance offerings – such as Clifford Chance and Linklaters LLP – are generally faring better than most. Clients are also looking to full-service real estate practices of established players such as Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP and Nabarro LLP, who also dominate in property litigation.

Within Planning, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a first tier firm,

With ‘first-class knowledge’, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP ‘possesses the complete set of skills required’ to advise public and private sector clients on developments across the UK, including retail, infrastructure and housing clients. Highlights included advising on Cambridge University’s new campus; National Grid Property’s residential project involving 3,200 homes and a solar energy plant; and post-Olympics site development for the Olympic Delivery Authority. It continues to advise on the Thames Tunnel wastewater project; and to act for key client Tesco on its multimillion-pound Sittingbourne regeneration scheme. Tim Hellier, who has ‘excellent knowledge of planning law’, co-heads the seven-partner practice with Timothy Pugh.

Within Property finance, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a first tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP has ‘immense market intelligence and contacts: it has done virtually every deal out there’. It advised J.P. Morgan Asset Management on a loan from a syndicate of six German banks to finance the £557m purchase of Bishops Square. Practice head Laurence Rogers is ‘excellent technically with a winning personality’, and Naveen Vijh, Andrew Flemming, Jo Solomon are Jo Anand are ‘all good partners, very experienced with some excellent support staff’. The team will miss Richard Hughes, Simon Kildahl and Mark Waghorn, who joined Simmons & Simmons.

Within Property litigation, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a first tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s top-end team is ‘friendly and approachable with a sound commercial understanding’. Roger Cohen and Wendy Miller co-head the practice, which recently advised Korn/Ferry International on a break option for its London headquarters. Joanna Lampert has a ‘good understanding of the technicalities’, and David Cox is also recommended. Michael Metliss joined from SJ Berwin LLP.

Within Social housing: finance, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP advises on ‘a wide range of issues’. It acted for the HCA on mezzanine finance facilities for the Clapham One project, and advised Notting Hill Housing Association on private sector guarantor and joint venture provisions. Former practice head Simon Kildahl moved to Simmons & Simmons in May 2011.

Within Social housing: local authorities and registered providers, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s team takes an ‘innovative and creative approach’. It advised the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and the HCA on their partnership to secure major regeneration and renewal of Robin Hood Gardens and Blackwall Reach. It is also advising the Olympic Delivery Authority on the disposal of the Athlete’s Village, and Barking Riverside Limited on regenerating a brownfield site with 10,800 homes. Practice head Andrew Yates is ‘excellent’, and Simon Gardiner is a ‘tremendous asset’.

Within Brand management, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

At Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, Ian Gruselle’s trade mark portfolio management team continues to expand, with clients including Financial Times, Canonical and Rocco Forte. Vanessa Barnett joined Charles Russell LLP.

Within Franchising, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s lawyers are recommended for their ‘good response times and well-thought-out advice’ on franchising arrangements in the hotels and retail sectors. The ‘efficient, concise’ Adam Rose, whose clients include Tie Rack, is commended for his ‘good communication skills’. Nick Skea-Strachan, who has negotiated operating and management agreements involving major international hotel chains, ‘adds value by setting out structures by which both parties can achieve their desired result’. Natasha Aziz is valued for her experience as former head of legal at Laura Ashley.

Within Intellectual property, tier 4

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s team head Simon Clark successfully represented the Newspaper Licensing Agency against Meltwater, with the decision recently upheld in the Court of Appeal. Ian De Freitas acted for Vivian Imerman in the notorious Tchenguiz case concerning the downloading of documents.

Within IT and telecoms, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP provides ‘excellent service’ and ‘sound advice’ in infrastructure, outsourcing and e-commerce matters. Recent instructions include advising Tesco on all IT and commercial aspects of its soon-to-be-launched marketplace offering; and advising Tesco Telecoms on arrangements for call-centre support for its home phone and broadband product offering. Other key clients include Balfour Beatty, Stagecoach and Thames Water. Richard Chapman has an ‘unfussy, low-key style’, and ‘deep knowledge of complex technical issues’. Adam Rose and Melanie Allan are ‘particularly good at explaining complex data protection issues’. Also recommended is Katherine Ollerhead, who is noted for her ‘talent and empathy’. Vanessa Barnett joined Charles Russell LLP.

Within Media and entertainment, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a second tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP’s ‘extremely good’ team acted for Peel Media in its negotiation of a new ten-year agreement with the BBC, and advised new client MoMedia on licensing agreements. Simon Harper, who is noted for his ‘commercial application of the law’, led a team that represented the Newspaper Licensing Agency in winning a High Court ruling in a dispute over web licensing models. IP partner Simon Clark is an ‘excellent adviser’. Former group head Vanessa Barnett joined Charles Russell LLP in July 2011.

Within Sport, tier 6

Graham Shear leads the ‘highly experienced’ multidisciplinary team at Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, which advises football clubs and international sports stars.

Within Rail, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a third tier firm,

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP has been very active on behalf of new client Angel Trains, including advising on the commissioning project for its new-build procurement and leasing of Class 390 Alstom Pendolino trains to Virgin West Coast. Other clients include Beacon Rail Leasing and East Midlands Trains. Russell Clifford ‘provides clear technical advice, balanced with commercial pragmatism’. Real estate partner James Knox joined from Linklaters LLP.