The Legal 500

Within Commercial contracts, Wragge & Co LLP is a third tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP’s ‘helpful and practical’ commercial team ‘always goes the extra mile for clients, and has a very friendly manner’. It has expertise across the private and public sectors, encompassing experience in financial services, food and drink, retail and utilities-related transactions. In 2010 it advised longstanding client Bird’s Eye on national logistics and warehousing projects, and, in a reflection of its increased activity in the Middle East, advised the government of Bahrain alongside the Health Authority Abu Dhabi on the operation and maintenance outsourcing of a 500-bed hospital. Peter Hall heads the practice alongside Birmingham-based David Hamlett, and clients also recommend the ‘exceptional’ David Lowe.

Within EU and competition , tier 6

Wragge & Co LLP has a healthy competition practice, acting across a range of matters. Recent work includes acting for Thomas Vale Group plc in its appeal to the CAT regarding the OFT’s fine in the construction cartel. It also handled several multi-jurisdictional merger notifications. Bernardine Adkins heads the team.

Within M&A: lower mid-market, £50m-£250m, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP ‘provides an extremely high calibre of service’, with ‘excellent response times’. Headed by Richard Haywood, the 13-partner team handled 10 deals over the £50m mark in 2010, and won its first corporate deal from Premier Foods, the £182m sale of its tinned grocery business to Princes. Andy Stylianou ‘creates an excellent relationship with his clients’.

Within Private equity: transactions , tier 7

Practice head Andy Stylianou is recommended at Wragge & Co LLP.

Within Venture capital, tier 4

At Wragge & Co LLP, Andy Stylianou and Ian Piggin are highly regarded for their investment expertise, while Neil Pearson is recommended for his VCT tax-related expertise. Recent highlights include advising GSK on the spin-out to Convergence Pharmaceuticals of two clinical-stage products. Clients include Abingworth Life Sciences Investment, Bridges Community Ventures and Index Ventures.

Within Commercial litigation Commercial litigation

Within International arbitration, tier 7

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP is an ‘easy-to-work-with firm that acts on its own initiative within specified guidelines’. The firm has arbitration capabilities in Hong Kong/China and Singapore, and its São Paulo office is now fully active. Group head Maurice Kenton has ‘a real ability to lead assistants and to get the very best out of them’. Former international arbitration head Peter Flint left for Wragge & Co LLP.

Within Mediators Mediators

Within Overview,

As for major moves in arbitration, Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP’s international arbitration head Peter Flint left for Wragge & Co LLP, and Herbert Smith LLP’s David Brynmor Thomas departed for the Bar. In public international law Debevoise & Plimpton LLP’s Peter Rees QC exited to become Royal Dutch Shell’s legal director.

Within Asset finance and leasing, tier 6

Operating out of London and Birmingham, Wragge & Co LLP provides a ‘very commercial approach’ to financiers operating in the asset-based lending market. Team head Paula Laird is praised for her ‘commerciality and attentiveness’.

Within Investment funds Investment funds

Within Islamic finance Islamic finance

Within Employment, tier 6

Jane Fielding now heads the team at Wragge & Co LLP. Clients include the Department of Health, Dyson and HSBC. Trevor Gibson has assisted in relation to investigations of employee fraud for financial services, consumer product and local government clients. The team also handles litigation and reorganisations.

Within Pensions, Wragge & Co LLP is a second tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP rises a tier in the non-contentious ranking, and is noted for its ‘focus on delivering pragmatic and cost-effective advice that is solution focused’. Clients include Philips Pension Fund, Mitchells & Butlers Pension Plans, AMEC Pension Plan and ICL Group Pension Plan, and also corporates such as United Biscuits (UK) Limited, Premier Foods, GKN and Interserve plc. Recommended partners include Glyn Ryland, Jason Coates and pensions litigator Peter Shave. Richard Black and Paul Feathers ‘treat the client’s scheme issues as personal, and work hard to create relationships with trustees and other advisers’.

Within Product liability: defendant, tier 5

Birmingham-based Wragge & Co LLP’s practice continues to develop, particularly within the telecommunications sector. Andrew Smith and Andrew Litchfield are recommended.

Within Infrastructure, tier 5

Wragge & Co LLP is ‘very responsive’, and has ‘excellent specialist knowledge’ and ‘good strength in depth’. The firm advised Amey on the £2.7bn Birmingham Highways PFI. David Fennell heads the team, which includes the ‘outstanding’ Michael Whitehouse.

Within Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) , tier 4

Wragge & Co LLP is valued for its ‘good knowledge of the industry, availability and interesting ideas’, and is garnering increasingly high-profile deals, such as advising Covanta on a £500m industrial eco-park. Derek Goodban’s team is also strong in nuclear.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI) , tier 4

Wragge & Co LLP is valued for its ‘partner-led service’, and ‘top-tier quality provided by a friendly team’. In a headline deal, Stephen Kenny’s group advised Amey on the £2.8bn Birmingham Highways PFI, the largest-ever local government highways PFI.

Within Administrative and public law, tier 6

The ‘pragmatic and insightful’ John Cooper at Wragge & Co LLP is noted for his regulatory expertise.

Within Healthcare, Wragge & Co LLP is a third tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP’s ‘technically excellent’ team provides ‘very practical, workable solutions in PPP’, and has ‘sector knowledge that surpasses many other firms’. In 2010 the team advised the East of England Strategic Health Authority on the franchise of Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust, and the competitive disposal of the Bedford and Luton Mental Health and Social Care Partnership Trust. Other clients include Spire Healthcare and Healthcare Intelligence Limited. Practice head Bleddyn Rees and David Hamlett are recommended.

Within Local government, tier 4

Wragge & Co LLP’s team advises on PPP/PFI, waste, procurement, highways planning and regeneration projects. It advised Amey plc on the completion of the £2.7bn Birmingham Highways PFI, and also acted for the local authority in the Supreme Court case Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Limited v Wolverhampton City Council. Other clients include TfL, Mayor of London and the Olympic Park Legacy Company. Practice head Mark Greenburgh ‘absolutely, thoroughly understands local government law’.

Within Commercial property, Wragge & Co LLP is a third tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP maintains ‘superb service levels’. It acted for longstanding client St Modwen on a joint venture with Persimmon to develop 2,000 new homes. The strong retail practice advised new client HMV on selling its landmark Oxford Street store. ‘All team members are very experienced’, with Richard Bate, Sally Pinkerton and Huw Roberts particularly recommended.

Within Construction, tier 4

Wragge & Co LLP has many contractor clients, and continues to advise St. Modwen Developments on a 20-year scheme to regenerate the former Llandarcy Refinery near Neath, North Wales, into a £1.2bn urban community.

Within Property finance Property finance

Within Property litigation, Wragge & Co LLP is a third tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP continues to advise Global Switch, a former landlord of Lehman Brothers, in forfeiture proceedings. The team also has good experience acting for major retailers such as HMV, John Lewis and B&Q on property litigation nationally. Practice head Anne Waltham is well respected.

Within Social housing: finance, tier 4

Wragge & Co LLP advised Sanctuary Housing Association on its £120m tap issue, and acted for US investors on a $200m note issue by Places for People. Paula Laird heads the team.

Within Brand management, Wragge & Co LLP is a third tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP provides ‘clear, practical advice that is not over-cautious’. The dedicated advertising and marketing team is led by recently promoted director Dan Smith, who advised TfL on the Barclays cycle hire scheme, and is recommended for his ‘depth of knowledge of ASA processes’. Birmingham-based Cerryg Jones represented Birds Eye and Kingspan in comparative advertising disputes. New clients include Premier Foods.

Within Intellectual property, Wragge & Co LLP is a second tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP’s team is led by the ‘impressive’ Gordon Harris, who is supported by the firm’s ‘broad and deep European expertise’. The ‘excellent’ Nick Cunningham ‘brings experience, technical expertise, and client commitment’, and represented Unilever in successfully preventing the BNP from using the Marmite brand in its election campaign. ‘Seasoned, ethical’ IP litigator David Barron has ‘great judgement’, and Patrick Duxbury handles non-contentious work, recently advising PanGenetics in a cross-border sale to Abbott. Alex Brodie also wins praise from clients. IP litigator Paul Inman joined from Howrey LLP.

Within IT and telecoms, tier 4

At Wragge & Co LLP, IT practice head Peter Hall assisted Electricity North West with IT and business process outsourcing projects to enable it to separate from its former parent company. Mark Henley is recommended for his open source expertise, notably advising BSkyB. Sally Mewies in Birmingham heads the telecoms group.

Within Overview,

In life sciences, Covington & Burling LLP hired four partners from Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP; Howrey LLP’s Marjan Noor joined Simmons & Simmons; Paul Inman joined Wragge & Co LLP; and Claire Tunstall and her patent litigation team joined Pinsent Masons LLP from Roiter Zucker Solicitors.

Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Wragge & Co LLP is a second tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP recruited Paul Inman from Howrey LLP and Dipti Dashore from the Health Protection Agency. The ‘top-notch’ team wins plaudits for its ‘industry knowledge and professionalism on the corporate finance and licensing sides’. Practice head and ‘responsive, effective communicator’ Patrick Duxbury advised PanGenetics on the $190m disposal of its PG110 programme to Abbott. The firm is strong in patent litigation and regulatory work, with Dr Luke Kempton commended for his ‘scientific understanding’. Corporate partner Kevin Jones advised new client Bioline group on its $23.3m cross-border acquisition by Meridian Bioscience.

Within Rail, tier 5

Wragge & Co LLP’s infrastructure and real estate expertise stands the firm in good stead in the rail sector, in both the UK and overseas (particularly Africa). Michael Whitehouse has ‘enormous experience, and great respect in the industry’.