The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Bristol, tier 4

Veale Wasbrough Vizards focuses on regional SMEs and start-ups, and is highlighted for its ‘good industry knowledge, excellent strategic advice in acquisitions, and multidisciplinary support team’. It advised New Esporta Holding on the reorganisation of the Esporta Group prior to its sale, and acted for publisher Origin during its sale to BBC Magazines. Nathan Guest heads the team, which was bolstered by the arrival of corporate partner Anthony Young from Bevan Brittan LLP.

Within Corporate tax, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards’ clients include International Paper, and H Weston & Sons. Associate Emma Bradley advises on direct and indirect taxes and tax issues in corporate transactions.

Within Licensing, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards acts for independent national record store RISE Music, and acted for Quipper in relation to licensing for a new Chelsea Football Club quiz application. Independent schools and colleges regularly instruct the firm. Jason Prosser heads the team.

Within Commercial litigation: Bristol, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards has a broad practice, with particular strength in education cases and debt recovery matters. Team head Nigel Puddicombe and Tabitha Cave are recommended. Insolvency litigator Ed Husband joined from Bevan Brittan LLP.

Within Debt recovery, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Ed Husband’s group at Veale Wasbrough Vizards acts for a range of private and public sector clients including EDF Energy, Wiltshire Council and Clifton College. Tabitha Cave is recommended.

Within Banking and finance, tier 4

Veale Wasbrough Vizards advised Santander on two loans totalling £9m to companies within the Cream Care Group, and acted for Lloyds TSB Bank on a £2.3m loan to the partners of Glastonbury Health Centre. Robert Collier and team head David Emanuel are the key figures.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards advised Grant Thornton on the administration of St Michael’s School, Tawstock, and also acts for KPMG and Baker Tilly. Ed Husband joined from Bevan Brittan LLP.

Within Employment: Bristol, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Higher education expert Bettina Rigg joined the team at Veale Wasbrough Vizards from Bond Pearce LLP. Team head Gareth Edwards acts for CB Richard Ellis, Cath Kidston and Bristol Old Vic.

Within Health and safety, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Tabitha Cave at Veale Wasbrough Vizards advises independent schools, academies and charities, and has expertise in critical incident management.

Within Personal injury: claimant, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a second tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards’ highly regarded personal injury practice is known as Augustines Injury Law. John Webster predominantly advises trade union clients, including the Royal College of Nursing. Employers’ liability and disease cases are specialisms.

Within Professional negligence, tier 4

Nigel Puddicombe’s highly regarded team at Veale Wasbrough Vizards continues to handle a large number of solicitor and valuer claims for Britannia Building Society.

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 Charities, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a second tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards acts for local charity clients including Bristol Old Vic and the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum. Lead partner Con Alexander advised The Waterloo Foundation on its recent Size of Wales project.

Within Family, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

The experienced Oliver Early at Veale Wasbrough Vizards undertakes collaborative work in Bristol.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a second tier firm,

Michelle Rose’s team at Veale Wasbrough Vizards is ‘hardworking, thorough and rapid’, and has an impressive contentious probate offering. The team is representing eight beneficiaries in relation to an £8m estate in Cornwall. Christopher Mills has Court of Protection experience.

Within Project finance and PFI, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a second tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards was strengthened by the arrival of a new team head in ‘immensely impressive’ procurement specialist David Hansom, who joined from Eversheds LLP. The team provides ‘pragmatic, commercial advice’ to many public sector clients and local authorities, and acted for the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on a significant shared services centre project.

Within Education, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a first tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards’ reputation in the education sector ensures a stream of high-profile and high-value work. Clients include the University of Bristol, Partnerships for Schools and over 900 schools and colleges. Team head Barney Northover is ‘technically very capable and an excellent presence in meetings’. Simon Bevan advises on employment issues, and Yvonne Spencer and John Deakin are pastoral experts.

Within Health, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a second tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards’ Ben Willis has particular expertise in healthcare property matters. His team is noted for its ‘professional, fair and straightforward’ approach. Clients include Assura Medical and Avon Care Homes. Oliver Pool is well liked.

Within Local government, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

David Hansom joined Veale Wasbrough Vizards from Eversheds LLP in June 2011, and heads the public sector practice. The team advised Plymouth City Council on a range of procurement matters, and also advised Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Council.

Within Commercial property: Bristol, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards gives ‘very commercial and pragmatic’ advice, and acts for clients including Defence Estates and the Fire Service College. It acted for IQ Property Partnership on the development and funding of three student accommodation sites. Gary Philpott and Tim Smithers are recommended.

Within Construction, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards’ ‘excellent’ team has a specialism in education-related construction matters. The team advised Airbus Operations on the Airbus Aerospace Park and Bath Spa University on its campus redevelopment. Huw Morgan ‘reacts very quickly with a commercial approach’, and Jason Prosser is also recommended.

Within Environment, tier 4

Veale Wasbrough Vizards’ Tim Smithers is an expert in contaminated land matters.

Within Planning, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards, which provides ‘good-quality advice and value for money’, acted for Airbus Operations on the negotiation of a planning agreement at Filton Airfield. Tim Smithers heads the team, and Polly Reynolds is ‘helpful, straightforward, patient and practical’.

Within Property litigation, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a second tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards acts for clients including Wiltshire Council, the University of Bristol and Crest Nicholson. It advised PwC on estate management matters, and Luton Borough Council on the Luton-to-Dunstable Busway project. Michelle Bendall’s advice is ‘clear, and always takes into account the overall picture and position of the client’.

Within Intellectual property, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a second tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards acted for The Hills Group in a project to create a waste processing plant in Wiltshire using Italian patented technology. Doug Locke leads the team, which also acts for Airbus and Clarks Shoes.

Within IT and telecoms, Veale Wasbrough Vizards is a third tier firm,

Veale Wasbrough Vizards continues to advise RCUK Shared Services Centre on the support and maintenance of centralised shared services centre systems and technology. Department head Jonathan Oddy led advice to St Peter’s Hospice in a major outsourcing project, and also acted for Group Business Software AG.