The Legal 500

Within Corporate tax, Travers Smith LLP is a third tier firm,

Travers Smith LLP offers clients a ‘first-class service’ combined with a ‘commercial and pragmatic approach’ and a ‘can-do attitude’. With private equity, corporate finance and funds work at the heart of the practice, clients include 3i, Bridgepoint Capital, Phoenix Equity Partners, Exponent Private Equity, Barclays Private Equity, TA Associates, Langholm Capital and Lyceum Capital. Simon Yates is recommended for his ‘great knowledge’, and Alasdair Douglas and Kathleen Russ are also highly thought of by clients.

Within EU and competition , tier 6

‘First-class outfit’ Travers Smith LLP is ‘practical’ and ‘pragmatic’, with ‘outstanding’ partner Nigel Seay commended for his ‘strategic judgement’ and ‘grasp of detail’ and Margaret Moore for her ‘razor-sharp’ analytical skills, ‘incredible breadth of experience’ and novel arguments. With excellent behavioural credentials, it impressed many with its representation of newsagent and tobacconist Martin McColl in the OFT’s tobacco price-fixing investigation.

Within Financial services, Travers Smith LLP is a second tier firm,

Travers Smith LLP secured appointments to the legal panels of the FSA and the Bank of England, and represented Euroclear on the modernisation of the funds market. The regulatory investigations team acted for a bond trader in relation to an FSA market abuse matter. Tim Lewis, Margaret Chamberlain and Jane Tuckley are praised for their ‘expertise and commitment’, and Mark Evans ‘is a leading exponent in market infrastructure law’.

Within Flotations - small and mid-cap, Travers Smith LLP is a second tier firm,

Travers Smith LLP’s ‘outstanding’, upper mid-cap focused team is led by Spencer Summerfield. Recent highlights include advice to Fairfax on the £56m IPO of Terra Catalyst Fund, while new client wins include Agua Terra, Lloyds Banking Group and Marwyn Investment Management.

Within M&A - upper mid-market and premium deals, £250m+, tier 5

Mid-market powerhouse Travers Smith LLP continues to prove a popular choice with clients who have previously used larger firms; the 18-partner team is regarded as both ‘more insightful and better value’. Relative to its size the firm completed an impressive 56 UK deals in 2008 at an average of £139m, including advising Burren Energy on its £1.7bn sale to ENI. A host of partners are singled out, including the ‘outstanding’ David Patient and William Howard; Richard Spedding, ‘who has a wonderful ability to communicate with US business people’; Philip Cheveley, who ‘never loses sight of the client’s needs’; the ‘talented’ Andrew Gillen; ‘client first, fees second’ Neal Watson; and Spencer Summerfield, ‘who maintains a blokeish charm in even the grimmest completion meetings’.

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 Partnership

Within Private equity , Travers Smith LLP is a second tier firm,

Travers Smith LLP stands out for its ‘more personal service’ delivered at ‘lower charge-out rates than the Magic Circle’. In addition to advising sponsors in a superb pipeline of mid-market transactions, it is frequently first choice for management teams in large deals. Although practice head Charles Barter left to join longstanding client Bridgepoint in 2008, it still fields a superb eight-partner team, including the ‘excellent’ Phil Sanderson, the ‘experienced and user-friendly’ Chris Hale, and ‘impressive’ new partner Helen Croke.

Within Fraud - commercial and regulatory investigations, Travers Smith LLP is a third tier firm,

Travers Smith LLP provides ‘proactive advice’, and is ‘very effective in all respects in terms of running a litigation process’. Stephen Paget-Brown ‘is an extremely effective and responsive individual’, with an ‘excellent understanding of the needs of the client base’. The team continues to represent RBS in a £10m Enron-related action brought by Austrian bank RZB involving an allegedly fraudulent syndication, which is due to go to trial in 2010.

Within Banking litigation, tier 4

Travers Smith LLP’s rapid emergence is illustrated by its ever-expanding banking client base and the major cases it has handled against banks. It now receives numerous referrals from firms in the higher reaches of the ranking. Highlights included its representation of Abbey National on a £22m claim brought by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme in connection with structured capital-at-risk investment products (SCARPs). Stephen Paget-Brown (‘great presence’, ‘very impressive’) heads the department.

Within Commercial litigation, tier 6

Jonathan Leslie heads the team at Travers Smith LLP, which has been particularly successful on financial services related disputes, most recently for NatWest in the Court of Appeal against Rabobank’s subsequently withdrawn allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation and dishonesty. The firm is also defending Abbey National against a £22m claim brought by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Partners Stephen Paget-Brown, Andrew King and Rob Fell are well regarded.

Within Acquisition finance, tier 4

Particularly active on the borrower side for private equity funds like 3i and Bridgepoint Capital, Travers Smith LLP’s ‘first-rate’ team, under Jeremy Walsh, is praised for its ‘commercial and practical advice’ and its ‘level of lead-partner involvement’.

Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, tier 6

Though less active in relation to formal insolvencies than some of the firms in the rankings, Travers Smith LLP ‘really know their stuff in relation to the turnaround and private equity restructuring market’. Keith Bordell heads the team.

Within Hedge funds, tier 5

Richard Spedding’s ‘first-class’ and versatile team at Travers Smith LLP gets excellent feedback from clients, who commend its ‘value for money, response times, understanding of the issues and cost’, and ‘strength of expertise in the regulatory field’.

Within Investment funds, tier 4

Private equity, real estate and hedge funds are the main areas of focus for Travers Smith LLP, which is praised for its ‘excellent client focus and good understanding of industry trends’. Robert Barry’s team includes Sam Kay, who is ‘unflappable under the greatest pressure, reliable, and very commercial’, and highly rated regulatory specialist Jane Tuckley.

Within Employee share schemes, Travers Smith LLP is a third tier firm,

With particular strength in the private equity field, Travers Smith LLP moves up a tier as the practice continues to attract new clients including Pret a Manger, Blacks Leisure Group and Alliance Boots. Strong across transactional and standalone advisory work, Victoria Nicholl and Mahesh Varia are highly regarded by both clients and peers.

Within Employment, tier 4

Travers Smith LLP is ‘simply outstanding at giving clear, helpful, responsive advice which is, above all else, commercially practical’. It advised international pharmaceutical company Teva on a race discrimination claim, and the Fulcrum Group on its US$295m merger with the funds services division of Butterfield Bank. Andrew Lilley is valued for his ‘seemingly curious ability to bend the space-time continuum in order to deal with urgent queries at the drop of a hat’. Siân Keall is also recommended, alongside ‘star associate’ Ed Mills.

Within Pensions (incl pensions dispute resolution), Travers Smith LLP is a third tier firm,

Travers Smith LLP’s practice punches above its weight with in terms of the average quality of the instructions it attracts. Paul Stannard and Peter Esam ‘communicate the most complex of issues clearly’. Philip Stear, Philip Bartram, Charles Cameron and new partner Andrew Block are ‘at the top of their game’ and ‘a pleasure to deal with’. Associate Susie Daykin is a ‘particularly good’ choice on ‘complex matters’. Jonathan Leslie is a ‘robust’ choices for disputes, and has a great track record.

Within Professional negligence, tier 5

Led by Jonathan Leslie, Travers Smith LLP’s three-partner practice continues to represent the wholesale banking arm of Abbey National in relation to a £21m claim brought against it and another company by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Within Commercial property, tier 4

Travers Smith LLP offers an ‘exceptional service - the team is extremely clear and structured, very patient and nothing is beyond them’. Key work included acting for Mountgrange Investment Management and Curzon Global Partners on their £140m portfolio acquisition from Prudential Investment managers. Clients value Andrew Barrow, James Styles and Julian Bass for their ‘intellectual capacity, experience and knowledge of the law as well as their vast network of contacts’. Additionally, Anthony Judge has ‘expertise across the board’, while Simon Rutman is ‘highly professional, offering quick and decisive responses’.

Within Construction, tier 5

Travers Smith LLP’s Kofi Atta is active on construction matters in and around London, supporting the firm’s real estate, corporate and banking practices in largely non-contentious matters. Atta is currently representing developer and contractor McAleer & Rushe on the development of a W Hotel, residential apartments and leisure facilities, as part of the wider Leicester Square regeneration.

Within Environment, tier 4

Steven McNab at Travers Smith LLP has a burgeoning climate change practice, acting for Climate Exchange, Cheyne Capital Climate Fund and new client Climate Change Capital. The team also assisted on a proposed £200m extension of Pinewood Studios on green belt land, incorporating sustainability principles, a green transport policy, eco-homes and zero-carbon development.

Within Planning, tier 5

Travers Smith LLP has developed a standalone planning practice, in addition to supporting on regular real estate and transactional matters. Steven McNab leads a team that takes a ‘matter-of-fact approach’. Recent engagements include the redevelopment of a contaminated site by The Royal Gunpowder Mills Charitable Trust, and the expansion of Pinewood Studios to deliver a sustainable mixed-use facility including a creative industries hub and living film sets.

Within Property finance, Travers Smith LLP is a third tier firm,

Travers Smith LLP’s property finance team, led by Paul Lyons, is noted for its good historical relationships with the Scottish banks, recently acting for RBS on high-value real estate equity bridge facilities. The team is recommended for its fund expertise on the borrower side, and other clients include Peel Land & Property and WestLB. The team is ‘professional, timely and adaptable’.

Within Property litigation, tier 4

Travers Smith LLP recently handled development problems relating to restrictive covenants, and specific performance of sale and purchase agreements. The practice represented London Underground in a right to light claim concerning Hammersmith Station. Group head Andrew King, and the ‘approachable and responsive’ Andrew Ross are recommended.

Within IT and telecoms, tier 4

At Travers Smith LLP, IT specialist Dan Reavill is recommended.

Within Media and entertainment, tier 4

Travers Smith LLP’s media practice is part of a commercial department led by Tom Purton, whose clients include Pinewood Shepperton. Richard Brown advises Virgin Media and Red Bee on their interactive and online services.

Within Sport