The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Bristol, tier 5

Thrings LLP acts for a range of high-profile regional SMEs as well as larger clients including Watson Petroleum, Citipost and Co-Op Bank. The team has a strong specialism in the engineering sector. Bristol-based Anthony Harris acted for Rodele Hall and John Hall on the purchase of Dick’s Alpine Bars.

Within Corporate and commercial: M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire, Thrings LLP is a second tier firm,

Thrings LLP is ‘a strong regional firm’ with high-profile clients including Honda and MAN Truck & Bus. The three-partner team acted for Watson Petroleum on the purchase of Nigel Collison Fuels. Team head John Davies and senior partner Jonathan Payne are both ‘excellent, with rapid response times’.

Within Commercial litigation: Bristol, Thrings LLP is a third tier firm,

Thrings LLP has expertise in financial services litigation, and defamation cases, as well as IP, pensions and directors’ claims. Clients include Thomson Directories and Hamptons International. Alastair Govier and Simon Holdsworth are recommended.

Within Commercial litigation: M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire, Thrings LLP is a third tier firm,

Thrings LLP’s ‘active and punchy’ team is particularly known for its expertise in automotive, defence and aerospace disputes. Recent matters include acting for MAN Truck and Bus UK on issues arising from the M4 Bryn Glas tunnel fire, and other clients include Mint Financial Services and Citipost AMP. Andrew Herridge is recommended.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Thrings LLP is a third tier firm,

Thrings LLP’s advice is ‘thoughtful, focused and rooted in commerciality’. The team is experienced in advisory and transactional work for mid-size businesses and actions against directors. Mark Cullingford is ‘non-judgemental, astute and pragmatic’.

Within Employment: Bristol, Thrings LLP is a third tier firm,

Clients appreciate the ‘well-informed and tailored advice’ given by the ‘precise and succinct’ Kerrie Hunt at Thrings LLP. Her team acts for various clients in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and agriculture industries.

Within Personal injury: defendant, Thrings LLP is a third tier firm,

Andrew Herridge and David Patterson at Thrings LLP defend uninsured and self-insured commercial clients including several multinationals and also the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton.

Within Regional review, tier 4

Elsewhere in the region, Charles Russell LLP has excellent corporate abilities in Cheltenham. Clarke Willmott LLP has regrouped following past troubles and grew with several lateral hires, including Peter O’Brien from Osborne Clarke; traditional strengths of the practice include agriculture and estates and private client. Foot Anstey has followed the example of several Exeter firms and opened a Bristol office; its broad practice is admired but, in a flat market, it remains to be seen how the new office will fare in an already crowded city. Lester Aldridge LLP in Bournemouth has a wide-ranging practice that leads the market locally and across Dorset. Exeter-based Michelmores LLP has an excellent, comprehensive offering. Thrings LLP has formidable expertise and coverage along the M4 corridor and has seen growth in insolvency and commercial litigation. Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a dependable firm with longstanding expertise in education, general commercial and health matters for regional SME clients. Stephens Scown LLP is a good regional firm covering Cornwall and Exeter, and has a loyal following locally. Bath-based Withy King LLP has seen growth in personal injury, clinical negligence and Court of Protection work.

Within Agriculture and estates, Thrings LLP is a first tier firm,

Peter Cusick heads the sizeable team at Thrings LLP, which recently acted for Fruition in a High Court judicial review. It also assisted prominent Isle of Wight farmer Brownrigg Poultry, and regularly handles substantial matters for the NFU. Duncan Sigournay is recommended for tenancy work.

Within Family, Thrings LLP is a second tier firm,

Thrings LLP’s Fiona Kellow and Gwyn Randolph act in cases involving complex structures of business and agricultural interests, trusts and pensions, and recently represented a society figure with inherited family assets and foreign property valued at over £10m.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Thrings LLP is a third tier firm,

Michael Young heads Thrings LLP’s impressive tax and trusts team, which also includes the recommended Elizabeth Evans.

Within Commercial property: Bristol, tier 4

Thrings LLP ‘delivers on all fronts’. Colin Stratton has ‘a natural ability to simplify complex issues and communicates well with clients’.

Within Commercial property: M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire, Thrings LLP is a first tier firm,

Thrings LLP is ‘second to none’, and has specialisms in secured lending, corporate occupiers and pension fund property. Clients include Future Publishing and Clydesdale Bank. Warren Reid’s team includes Alex Pinhey and Rosalind Sopel, who have ‘a vast amount of pensions knowledge’ and ‘a real willingness to help’.

Within Construction, Thrings LLP is a third tier firm,

Thrings LLP’s team is ‘technically astute and extremely well informed’, and acts for clients including English Heritage and Mercury Engineering. It advised on the building of a Holiday Inn Express in Windsor. Eric Livingston (formerly at Ashfords LLP) and Steve McCombe are ‘very approachable and extremely knowledgeable in construction law’.

Within Environment, tier 4

Thrings LLP’s ‘excellent’ team is ‘highly competent’, and ‘looks after its clients with great care’. Alex Madden handles contentious and non-contentious matters, and is ‘knowledgeable and down to earth’.

Within Planning, tier 4

Alex Madden at Thrings LLP is ‘extremely hardworking and totally committed’ .

Within Property litigation, tier 4

Thrings LLP’s Michael Tatters is recommended.

Within Intellectual property, Thrings LLP is a third tier firm,

Thrings LLP represents Bath Rugby Club, MAN Truck and Bus, and Lovehoney. Graeme Fearon ‘always considers the wider angle’.

Within IT and telecoms, tier 5

Andy Braithwaite and his team at Thrings LLP are ‘approachable and responsive’. Clients include Thomson Directories and AXA Technology.

Within Media and entertainment, Thrings LLP is a third tier firm,

Thrings LLP’s team, led by Graeme Fearon, acted for Boxing Channel Media and Jem Music International.

Within Sport, Thrings LLP is a third tier firm,

Andy Braithwaite at Thrings LLP leads advice to Bath Rugby Club, Ryder Cup Europe and Gaming International Limited.