The Legal 500

28 IMPERIAL SQUARE, CHELTENHAM, GL5O 1RH, ENGLAND
Tel:
Work 01242 514000
Fax:
Fax 01242 519079
DX:
7420 CHELTENHAM
Web:
www.willans.co.uk
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What we say about the firm's legal practice in South West

Corporate and commercial

Within Corporate and commercial: M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire, Willans LLP is a third tier firm,

Paul Symes-Thompson’s team at Willans LLP reacts ‘admirably quickly’ and ‘gives very relevant advice’.

Dispute resolution

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

Willans LLP’s ‘cunning’ Paul Gordon is ‘not easily intimidated’, and clients also have ‘great confidence’ in Nick Cox. The team recently settled a claim for a supply contract breach.

Human resources

Within Employment: M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire, Willans LLP is a second tier firm,

Willans LLP’s William Morse has a successful practice in the engineering and aerospace sectors.

Private client

Within Charities Charities

Within Family, Willans LLP is a third tier firm,

Willans LLP’s James Grigg is ‘commercial, robust and very professional’.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, tier 4

Willans LLP’s ‘client-friendly’ team, led by Jenifer Gillman, is ‘good value for money’.

Real estate

Within Commercial property: M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire, Willans LLP is a second tier firm,

Willans LLP’s ‘outstanding’ team advised Gloucestershire College on site acquisition matters, and increasingly acts for borrowers and lenders on development finance matters. The ‘focused and knowledgeable’ Jonathan Mills heads the team.

Within Property litigation, tier 5

Willans LLP’s team head Nick Cox ‘deals with matters efficiently’, and has a ‘practical, common-sense approach’.


Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
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  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
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  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
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  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
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  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
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  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW
  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW
  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
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  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue:
  • Premium service for tier 2 and 5 sponsors to be launched

    A premium service for sponsors will be launched by the UKBA on 6 April 2012. The service is designed specifically for companies that sponsor international employees under tier 2 and 5 of the points based system and aims to provide them with enhanced support.