The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Hampshire, Bond Pearce LLP is a first tier firm,

Bond Pearce LLP remains a ‘first-choice firm’, thanks to its ‘excellent service’ and ‘clear, pragmatic advice’. ‘As good, if not better than, many London firms’, the practice has experience in the renewable energy, oil and gas sectors. Stephen Pierce provides ‘very focused advice’, and advised Chemring Group on its £55m acquisition of Roke Manor Research. Sebastian Briggs continues to advise Renewable Energy Systems on all corporate matters, and Ian Holden is praised for his ‘ability to communicate complex matters in an understandable manner’.

Within Corporate tax, Bond Pearce LLP is a third tier firm,

Brian Garner heads up the cross-office tax team at Bond Pearce LLP from Plymouth, which advises on tax-related issues arising from restructurings, disposals and joint ventures, among others.

Within EU and competition, Bond Pearce LLP is a first tier firm,

Nick Page leads a cross-office team at Bond Pearce LLP that advises clients including B&Q and the Royal Mail, on joint ventures, Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigations and behavioural and compliance issues. Recent work highlights include advising International Power on a European Commission investigation, and providing compliance training to the Game Group.

Within Commercial litigation: Hampshire, Bond Pearce LLP is a first tier firm,

‘Practical and solution focused’, Bond Pearce LLP delivers ‘fantastic service’ and has notable energy and media sector expertise through Tom Beezer; he advises the likes of Virgin, E.ON, and Babcock International. The team advised Total E&P UK, Coopervision Manufacturing and Arcadia Group in 2010 and is recommended for its ‘outstanding retail industry knowledge’. Gavin Matthews is ‘very experienced’.

Within Banking and finance, Bond Pearce LLP is a second tier firm,

The ‘truly excellent’ Bond Pearce LLP advised Rockspring on the financing to fund the acquisition of four shopping centres provided by EuroHypo. The ‘very responsive, excellent and commercial’ Graham Jeffries leads the team, and Sophie Eales is also recommended. Key clients include the Chemring Group.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Bond Pearce LLP is a first tier firm,

Led by the ‘exceptionally able’ Nick Keitley, Bond Pearce LLP has a formidable reputation in the area and acts for a host of insolvency practitioners. In 2010, it advised on the administration proceedings of Oil and Water, Pure Organics, Emote Games, Stylus Sports, Card Data Management and Dantron. Associate Susie Meikle ‘deals with issues head on’. Clients include Grant Thornton, PwC and Begbies Traynor.

Within Employment: Hampshire, Bond Pearce LLP is a first tier firm,

Bond Pearce LLP provides ‘very clear and commercial advice’, and added Sonus Networks, K3 Business Technology Group and McCarthy & Stone to its client roster in 2010. Christina Tolvas-Vincent and Jon Hales are ‘excellent’. The latter recently advised Ordnance Survey on issues relating to its print outsourcing.

Within Health and safety Health and safety

Within Pensions Pensions

Within Personal injury: defendant, Bond Pearce LLP is a second tier firm,

Lea Brocklebank’s team at Bond Pearce LLP specialises in high-value catastrophic brain and spinal injury claims. Clients include Groupama, Chubb and English Heritage.

Within Professional negligence, Bond Pearce LLP is a first tier firm,

James Robins’ team at Bond Pearce LLP is particularly experienced in matters involving solicitors, insurance brokers and surveyors, and has amassed an enviable client list that includes QBE, CAN and Capita. Work highlights included advising on a £40m claim arising from a failed buy-to-let scheme.

Within Regional review, Bond Pearce LLP is a first tier firm,

Hampshire firm Bond Pearce LLP is highly regarded for its superb corporate and retail client base, and in Buckinghamshire, EMW’s employment and commercial property teams rank highly.

Within Education, Bond Pearce LLP is a second tier firm,

In 2010 Bettina Rigg’s cross-office group at Bond Pearce LLP advises on property and employment law issues among others. It assisted the University of Portsmouth in the creation of a new dental academy with King’s College London Dental Institute. Other clients include the University of Plymouth.

Within Local government Local government

Within Commercial property: Hampshire, Bond Pearce LLP is a first tier firm,

One of the pre-eminent firms in the area, Bond Pearce LLP impresses with its ‘high level of support’ and ‘practical understanding’. The team added investment fund Rockspring as a client in 2010, subsequently advising on the £136m acquisition of four shopping centres. Retail expert Alistair Walton, Anna Robbins and Tim Burbidge are all recommended. The team is praised for its ‘awareness of issues in the wider property professional community’.

Within Construction , Bond Pearce LLP is a third tier firm,

The ‘very knowledgeable and highly competent’ construction group at Bond Pearce LLP is run by Christine Hanley from the Plymouth office. She is supported by a Southampton-based team, which recently advised B&Q on the development of a new headquarters building.

Within Property litigation, Bond Pearce LLP is a second tier firm,

Bond Pearce LLP’s property litigation group is headed by Mark Barley, who gives ‘spot-on advice and clear direction’. Clients include Royal Mail and The Crown Estate.

Within Intellectual property Intellectual property

Within IT and telecoms, Bond Pearce LLP is a second tier firm,

Bond Pearce LLP ‘effortlessly’ provides advice to ‘exact specifications’, with Julian Hamblin at the helm of the IT practice in Southampton. The team recently advised Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance on an outsourcing matter, while other clients include Kingfisher and New Look.

Within Aviation Aviation

Within Shipping, Bond Pearce LLP is a second tier firm,

Focusing on shipping in the oil and gas sector, Bond Pearce LLP recently secured Total E&P UK as a new client. The team, led by commercial litigator Tom Beezer, also advises on issues relating to shipbuilding and the leisure marine industry.