Legal500

Blandy & Blandy LLP

ONE FRIAR STREET, READING, RG1 1DA, ENGLAND

Tel:: Work 0118 951 6800
Fax:: Fax 0118 951 6813
DX:: 4008 READING

Web:: www.blandy.co.uk
Email:

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

Corporate and commercial

Within Corporate and commercial: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40, tier 4

Blandy & Blandy LLP retained its place on the Lloyds TSB and Cemex legal panels in 2010; additional highlights included advising the shareholders of FE Mobile on the sale of share capital to Temenos (UK), and representing Just Kampers in a management buyout. Nick Burrows and David Few are singled out for their experience, and commercial contracts expert Deborah Brett is a ‘good communicator’ with a ‘high level of understanding’. Clients include PreVisor UK and Post Haste Group.

Crime, fraud and licensing

Within Licensing, Blandy & Blandy LLP is a first tier firm,

Blandy & Blandy LLP’s ‘excellent’ team acts for The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, The FA Panel, AEG and Wembley Estate Management. Practice head Sue Dowling is ‘outstanding’.

Dispute resolution

Within Commercial litigation: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40, Blandy & Blandy LLP is a third tier firm,

Blandy & Blandy LLP’s ‘prompt and knowledgeable’ team is noted for its ability to ‘explain complex matters simply’. Jacques Smith and Philip D’Arcy advise on contractual disputes, contentious probate, property, defamation and professional negligence claims.

Within Debt recovery Debt recovery

Human resources

Within Employment: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40, Blandy & Blandy LLP is a third tier firm,

‘Able to communicate clearly about difficult and complex matters’, Blandy & Blandy LLP advises on discrimination and unfair dismissal claims, and TUPE matters. Sue Dowling has ‘excellent knowledge and expertise’, and litigator Tim Clark is ‘responsive and knowledgeable’.

Private client

Within Family: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40, Blandy & Blandy LLP is a second tier firm,

A ‘very decent outfit’, Blandy & Blandy LLP is ‘client centred’ and ‘extremely knowledgeable’. ‘Cool under pressure’, Andrew Don has ‘vast experience’, and the ‘extremely professional’ Brenda Long has a ‘down-to-earth approach’. The team lost Kerry Fretwell to Manches LLP in 2010.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40, Blandy & Blandy LLP is a second tier firm,

Blandy & Blandy LLP delivers ‘valuable and creative advice’, with experience in offshore trusts and assets. Graham Benwell heads the practice, which also features the ‘compassionate and approachable’ Jonathan Gater.

Real estate

Within Commercial property: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40, Blandy & Blandy LLP is a second tier firm,

Blandy & Blandy LLP provides ‘high-quality and comprehensive advice’, and advised Lloyds TSB Bank on a £4m financing for the acquisition of a multi-use park, and on the related refinancing of three further business parks. Jane Gunnell has ‘valuable expertise’, and Katja Wigham ‘puts arguments across clearly and convincingly’.

Within Environment, Blandy & Blandy LLP is a second tier firm,

Blandy & Blandy LLP handled a range of environment and land contamination issues for the University of Reading and Lloyds TSB in 2010. ‘Extremely attentive’ practice head Karen Jones is highly regarded.

Within Planning, Blandy & Blandy LLP is a third tier firm,

Blandy & Blandy LLP welcomed the arrival of two new planning specialists in 2010. The ‘very responsive and focused’ group, led by Karen Jones, represents landowners and developers, and was recently reappointed to the University of Reading’s property and planning panel.

Further information on Blandy & Blandy LLP

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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.

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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:

- Penningtons Solicitors LLP
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.

- Penningtons Solicitors LLP