The Legal 500

Birkett Long LLP

NUMBER ONE, LEGG STREET, CHELMSFORD, CM1 1JS, ENGLAND
Colchester, Chelmsford

What we say about the firm's legal practice in South East

Corporate and commercial

Within Corporate and commercial: Essex, Birkett Long LLP is a first tier firm,

Tracey Dickens’ team at Birkett Long LLP regularly advises on complex multimillion-pound deals. Work highlights included acting for five LLPs in their management buyouts of several business, advisory and tax practices from Vantis and HLB Vantis Audit, which completed within 12 days. Other clients include East of England Co-Operative Society and Lloyds TSB.

Dispute resolution

Within Commercial litigation: Essex, Birkett Long LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘first-class’, four-partner team at Birkett Long LLP recently acted on behalf of Flex Associates in a High Court shareholder dispute. Additional highlights included complex litigation on behalf of a consumer co-operative. Practice head Peter Allen is praised for his ‘excellent’ business acumen.

Within Debt recovery Debt recovery

Finance

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Birkett Long LLP is a third tier firm,

Birkett Long LLP fields an ‘outstanding, proactive and dedicated’ insolvency team. Simon Loome is a ‘highly skilled and strategic litigator with an exemplary success rate’.

Human resources

Within Employment: Essex, Birkett Long LLP is a first tier firm,

Tim Ogle’s ‘excellent’ team at Birkett Long LLP delivers a ‘high level of service’ to clients such as the London Institute of Technology. Work highlights included advising the East of England Ambulance Service on sex and disability discrimination claims. The team also has expertise in complex immigration law.

Overview

Within Regional review, Birkett Long LLP is a second tier firm,

In the Thames Valley, Osborne Clarke remains top tier in banking and corporate work, with Manches LLP standing out for its family law and TMT expertise. Boyes Turner also stands out for employment, real estate, dispute resolution and insurance, and Pitmans LLP is noted for its litigation, pensions and property practices. In Essex, Birkett Long LLP has the strongest overall profile.

Private client

Within Agriculture and estates, Birkett Long LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘extremely professional’ rural team at Birkett Long LLP continues to advise on sales and acquisitions of substantial and complex estates, both for individual clients and banks such as Clydesdale, HSBC and NatWest. ‘Efficient’ practice head David Wybar is recommended.

Within Family: Essex, Birkett Long LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘excellent’ team at Birkett Long LLP is headed by the ‘first-class’ Philip Hoddell, and advises in complex child care cases and high-net-worth divorces.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate: Essex, Birkett Long LLP is a first tier firm,

Birkett Long LLP’s ‘professional, caring and knowledgeable’ team is headed by the ‘outstanding’ Claire Read and Bruce Ballard, and advises on matters ranging from simple wills to complex tax planning.

Projects, energy and natural resources

Within Private finance initiative (PFI), Birkett Long LLP is a second tier firm,

Birkett Long LLP’s expertise lies in the healthcare, social services and education sectors, advising on PFI projects that include independent sector treatment centres. Led by Philip George, the team also advises private bidders and companies in project finance funding.

Public sector

Within Education, Birkett Long LLP is a third tier firm,

Philip George’s ‘effective and efficient’ team at Birkett Long LLP advises clients such as the University of Essex on issues including construction and finance.

Within Health, Birkett Long LLP is a second tier firm,

Tracey Dickens heads the team at Birkett Long LLP, which in 2010 acted for Care UK on the sale of a redundant care home and associated lease transactions. Clients include Healthcare Homes Group and Alliance Medical.

Real estate

Within Commercial property: Essex , Birkett Long LLP is a third tier firm,

Jane Calnan’s team at Birkett Long LLP acts for clients ranging from local landowners to national banks. The team advised on the sale and leasing of various sites on behalf of the East of England Co-operative Society. David Rayner recently joined from Blake Lapthorn and heads the Chelmsford team.

Within Construction Construction

Within Environment Environment

Within Planning Planning


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.
    - 11KBW
  • 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

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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.
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  • 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:
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    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.