The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Birmingham, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP has a diverse client base ranging from FTSE-listed major corporates to owner-managed entrepreneurial private companies, and operates nationally and internationally. The team advised NYSE-listed Cambrex Corporation on the acquisition of a 51% stake in Indian pharmaceutical company Zenara for $20m. New client wins include Adroit Group, Premier Foods and Phones4U. Richard Haywood is recommended, along with the ‘calm’ Jeremy Millington, and associate Chris Towle is ‘incredibly proactive’. The corporate team now operates across the firm’s three offices in Birmingham, London and Paris, and is praised for its ‘very quick responses’.

Within Corporate tax, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP has a full-service tax offering and ‘consistently provides a very high level of service’. Among its ‘impressive array of specialists’ is the ‘technically very strong’ Kevin Lowe, for corporate tax, and Lee Nuttall, who is recommended for property tax. The team provided the UK tax advice to Dutch private equity fund manager H2 Equity Partners on its establishment in the UK and the launch of a new €300m fund. Other clients include Argos, JP Morgan and a number of venture capital trusts.

Within EU and competition, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘very experienced’ Bernardine Adkins heads a wide-ranging practice at Wragge & Co LLP, which has particular expertise in the automotive and real estate sectors. Highlights included acting for three clients in relation to the OFT’s investigation into alleged ‘hub and spoke’ cartel activities between suppliers operating in various sectors and the ‘big four’ supermarkets. Clients include Eurotunnel, Mercedes Benz, and new gain Smiths News.

Within Commercial litigation: Birmingham, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP has a ‘first-class team at all levels’, and reports a growing volume of instructions in international litigation and arbitration. It advised Russian property developer Synergy in relation to its $90m investment in AIM-listed company RGI International, while other clients include BA and National Grid. Andrew Manning Cox is ‘very measured and statesman like’; Eddie Breen is singled out for his abilities on ‘difficult matters’. Sian Llewellyn retired, and Richard Ellison joined Shoosmiths. Peter Flint joined the firm in London as head of international arbitration.

Within Debt recovery , Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP’s Greg Standing leads a team that predominantly acts for finance sector clients, with work ranging from mortgage repossessions to asset finance recoveries. It has expertise in the recovery of Consumer Credit Act regulated lending, and undertakes a significant amount of motor finance recovery work. Key clients include Amber Homeloans and Bradford & Bingley/Mortgage Express.

Within Banking and finance , Wragge & Co LLP is a second tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP’s international practice operates across Birmingham, London and Paris. A ‘highly respected and successful’ partner-led practice, its key individuals include Paula Laird and Chris Brierley, who ‘always delivers no matter how complicated the deal’. It advises on the full range of banking issues including UK and cross-border mid-market acquisitions, debt and leveraged finance deals, and Islamic financing transactions. Clients include BNP Paribas.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery , Wragge & Co LLP is a third tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP has a ‘very responsive team’ which includes Vicki Conway, who ‘gets the deal done’. It recently advised the administrators (John Whitfield, Paul Clark and Paul Williams) on the sale of the business of Legion Group and Legion FM. Jasvir Jootla has been promoted to director.

Within Employment, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP has been busy advising on employee investigations and restructuring work, as well as handling day-to-day employment work for public and private sector clients. Jane Fielding and Jonathan Chamberlain are both well respected, with Fielding recently advising the Kennedy Trust on moving the Kennedy Research Institute of Rheumatology from Imperial College London to a new research centre. Martin Chitty is a ‘key standout’.

Within Health and safety, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP was appointed as the sole health and safety adviser to a manufacturing company with a turnover of nearly £2bn, as well as picking up instructions from a local authority, a property management company and an aerospace company. Andrew Litchfield leads the team.

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

At Wragge & Co LLP, ‘the service is excellent, knowledge and experience is first rate, and work is completed on target’. The group acts for pension schemes such as Philips Pension Fund and Mitchells & Butlers Pension Plans, and corporates such as United Biscuits and Premier Foods. Richard Black is ‘solid and pragmatic’, and Glyn Ryland, Richard Lee and Paul Carberry are all highly recommended.

Within Personal injury: defendant Personal injury: defendant

Within Professional negligence, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP is best known for handling finance-related professional negligence matters, and represented an electronic equipment supplier on a claim worth over £100m. Mark Hick, who heads the insurance team and the financial service sector team, is recommended.

Within Regional review, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

National player Wragge & Co LLP remains strong across the board, with strengths ranging from corporate and energy to corporate tax and construction. Its large commercial litigation practice is particularly recommended for its international work. 2010 saw the firm open affiliated offices in Paris and Abu Dhabi.

Within Energy, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP’s team includes ‘excellent regulatory lawyer’ John Cooper; ‘extremely well-organised’ director Gus Wood; and practice head Derek Goodban, an ‘enabler and co-ordinator’ who works between Birmingham and London. The group advised the European Mutual Association for Nuclear Insurance on contentious/non-contentious insurance and risk transfer issues. Other clients include BP and AMEC.

Within Private Finance Initiative (PFI), Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP runs a national PFI/PPP practice, with all partners and fee-earners operating from its Birmingham and London offices. Stephen Kenny heads the team, which advised Nottinghamshire County Council on its involvement in the Nottingham Express Transit project, and Gloucestershire County Council on its £40m fire and rescue project. The group has extensive experience in sectors such as highways, defence, waste and social infrastructure.

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

Phil Clissitt’s team at Wragge & Co LLP advised King’s College on the purchase of a number of houses to facilitate the development of a clinical neuroscience research institute, and acted for Birmingham City University on the sale of Hamstead Hall.

Within Health, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP continued to act on firsts for the NHS, with notable work including advising on the franchising of Hinchingbrooke Healthcare NHS Trust and the sale of Bedford & Luton Mental Health and Social Care Partnership Trust. The team is also advising Health Authority Abu Dhabi on the review of the regulatory healthcare regime and drafting new legislation.

Within Local government, Wragge & Co LLP is a second tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP was reappointed to the Birmingham City Council consortium of 38 West Midlands authorities, and to Croydon Council’s four panels, as well as winning a spot on Oxfordshire Council’s legal services framework. The group advised Amey on the £2.7bn Birmingham Highways PFI. Mark Greenburgh leads the practice.

Within Commercial property: Birmingham, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP has a heavyweight team featuring group head Adrian Bland, the ‘very commercial’ Richard Bate, and the ‘very well-connected’ Christopher Hunt. It advised Slough Borough Council on securing three key agreements for the council’s Heart of Slough project, and assisted Goodman in securing £47m funding for the construction of a 468,000 sq ft regional distribution centre. Robert Caddick is ‘very experienced in big-ticket development work’.

Within Construction, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP has a number of leading lights for construction work, among them Simon Baylis (who ‘knows what he is doing’); Michael O’Shea (‘very switched on’); and Ashley Pigott (‘technically very astute’). The firm acts for Balfour Beatty and John Sisk, and secured Rotary (International) and Hyder Consulting (UK) as new clients. Its recent highlights include acting for Aceramais in litigation arising from a housing development in Cheltenham.

Within Environment, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP continues to flourish in its core areas of property development, corporate support, environmental enforcement and regulatory advice. It recently advised a minerals operator on issues regarding leachate and gas at a landfill site, and also advised a major waste management company on permitting issues for the exploitation of landfill gas. Lee McBride is recommended.

Within Planning, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Under the leadership of Andrew Thomas, Wragge & Co LLP has particular strength in strategic residential-led developments, major regeneration schemes and highway infrastructure projects, and considerable experience in judicial reviews. It continues to advise on the £17bn Crossrail project, and acted for St Modwen on the regeneration of Longbridge. Marks & Spencer is also a client.

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

Wragge & Co LLP has a ‘cracking reputation’ under the leadership of Anne Waltham. It had a busy year advising on a broad range of developers’ problems, option disputes and contested lease renewals, and is acting for Persimmon in a case concerning a disputed conditional land sale. Other clients include Argent, Taylor Wimpey, and new gain Smiths News. Director Paul Kent is recommended.

Within Social housing Social housing

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

Clients ‘place a great deal of value on the advice’ received from Wragge & Co LLP. Nick Cunningham advised the Liberal Democrat Party on reputational issues throughout the election campaign, while Gordon Harris represented Premium Aircraft Interiors Group in a patent dispute regarding aircraft seats. Luke Kempton and Patrick Duxbury are ‘particularly good in the life sciences sector’, and David Barron ‘is creative, organised and always responsive’.

Within IT and telecoms, Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP is ‘absolutely excellent – response times are always in the timescales promised and advice is pragmatic’. The team advised BP on consolidating its contract for IT services. Sally Mewies has ‘unsurpassed knowledge in the UK and US, the most exceptional ability to think laterally, and is a tough but adaptable negotiator’.

Within Media and entertainment , Wragge & Co LLP is a first tier firm,

Wragge & Co LLP successfully obtained an interim injunction for Unilever to prevent the British National Party from using the Marmite brand in its electoral broadcast in a false endorsement action, and advised the Liberal Democrat Party on defamation issues throughout the general election. Other clients include Orion Media and Turner Broadcasting. Julian Henwood leads the practice.

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

Wragge & Co LLP is noted for its work on headline rail projects. Michael Whitehouse leads the team.