The Legal 500

Within M&A: smaller deals up to £50m, Boodle Hatfield LLP is a second tier firm,

Nigel Stone’s team at Boodle Hatfield was given a fillip in 2010 with the hire of the highly rated Ute Mueller and Bernd Ratzke from Dawsons LLP, and Richard Beavan from Nabarro LLP. The team advised a consortium of investors on the £33m acquisition of a Jersey property company.

Within Commercial litigation Commercial litigation

Within Agriculture and estates, Boodle Hatfield LLP is a second tier firm,

Boodle Hatfield has an excellent agriculture and estates practice under the stewardship of Sue Laing, ‘the best traditional British estate’s private client lawyer’. The team handles sales, purchases and complex tax planning for some of the country’s most substantial estates. Tim Manning is ‘very thorough, and has excellent attention to detail’; Saskia Arthur is ‘very reliable’; and Natasha Hassall is ‘understated but has a mind like a laser’.

Within Charities and not-for-profit , tier 5

Charities is part of Boodle Hatfield’s premier private client offering, led by Sue Laing. Its prestigious client base includes high-net-worth individuals with private charities or involved in cross-border giving. Examples of recent work include negotiating with the Charity Commission on applications setting up or winding up charities, and advising major companies on their philanthropic strategy.

Within Contentious trusts and probate, Boodle Hatfield LLP is a second tier firm,

Boodle Hatfield fields an excellent contentious trusts and probate team headed by the ‘clever and quick-thinking’ Simon Rylatt. It includes seasoned litigators Sofie Hoffman, who is ‘knowledgeable and practical’, and Will Twidale, noted for his ‘sound judgement’. The team regularly undertakes high-value work for onshore and offshore clients, often with an international dimension. Richard Moyse also has considerable expertise in the area.

Within Family, tier 5

At Boodle Hatfield, practice heads Barbara Simpson and James Ferguson are ‘outstanding’ practitioners, and Anne Kay is ‘up and coming’. The team regularly advises high-net-worth individuals in complex financial and ancillary relief proceedings.

Within Heritage property, Boodle Hatfield LLP is a second tier firm,

Boodle Hatfield provides ‘excellent’ heritage property advice as part of its impressive private client and landed estate practice. The team, headed by Sue Laing, regularly advises the owners of historic houses and works of art, and charities, on complex tax structuring, sales and purchases, and provenance issues. Natasha Hassall is recommended for her expertise in landed estates.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Boodle Hatfield LLP is a second tier firm,

Boodle Hatfield has a first-rate practice with a predominantly domestic focus, headed by the ‘skilled’ Sue Laing. It acts for significant landed estates, as well as high-net-worth individuals and trustees, advising on personal tax, succession planning, probate and family trusts. Other recommended practitioners are Richard Moyse and Karen Marks.

Within Commercial property, tier 4

Boodle Hatfield fields a number of ‘highly responsive and commercial partners’: Richard Maughan and Caroline King have ‘excellent knowledge and are very professional’, and Helen Streeton adopts a ‘sensible, practical approach, and is on top of issues, and easy to work with’. Tim Manning, James Black and consultant Graham Lust are also recommended. The firm has a particularly good reputation for London property work, and advised on multiple investment projects for Grosvenor, England’s largest private landlord.

Within Construction, tier 4

David Johnson heads Boodle Hatfield’s team, which is strong on contentious work. The practice also advised new client PMB Holdings on several redevelopments in the South East.

Within Property finance Property finance

Within Property litigation, tier 4

Boodle Hatfield’s team is ‘extremely conscientious and looks after clients’. It won a leasehold reform dispute for a tenant in 2010. The team represents numerous large estates, such as Grosvenor, on dilapidations matters. Colin Young heads the practice.