The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Leeds, West Yorkshire, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP continues to attract national clients, and is noted for its ‘excellent advice and service’. Significant recent mandates include advising the selling shareholders of discount greetings card retailer Card Factory on the £350m sale of the company to Charterhouse. Benefiting from its strong track record in financial services, it was the only firm in the region to advise on every building society merger in 2010. Practice head Yunus Seedat ‘combines outstanding technical ability with real commercial flair and a pragmatic approach’. Neil Woolhouse and the ‘highly experienced’ Simon Pilling are also highly recommended.

Within Corporate tax Corporate tax

Within EU and competition, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Adam Aldred is the key contact at Addleshaw Goddard LLP, which is particularly strong in competition litigation. The firm recently won new instructions from British Gas, OFWAT and the Sherwin-Williams Company, and also acts for Sainsbury’s in respect of its immunity position regarding the OFT’s tobacco investigation. Other work included advising Quarmby Construction and its parent company St James Securities in an appeal to CAT against a fine by the OFT for participation in the construction cover pricing cartel.

Within Banking litigation, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP is well known for its presence in the financial sector, and its banking litigation team is regularly involved in high-profile, complex cases and also specialist disputes. The Leeds practice stands at three partners following the internal promotion of Ben Lowans, joining Ian Hastings and Sally Butt.

Within Commercial litigation: Leeds, West Yorkshire, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s ‘excellent’ team acts for an impressive array of FTSE-listed clients and is renowned for its international reach and specialist abilities. It recently advised RTS Flexible Systems in a dispute with Müller over the provision and integration of robotic production lines; and also acted for Liverpool PCT and Royal Liverpool Hospital trust in defending a high-profile judicial review action brought by an anti-PFI campaigner challenging the planned £450m redevelopment of the Royal Liverpool Hospital. Key contacts include Mark Amsden, who is ‘cool and commercially minded’, and Simon Kamstra.

Within Banking and finance, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP maintains a strong reputation, recently picking up new clients Canada Life and Credit Suisse. Work highlights included advising KCOM Group on its £200m facilities with a group of banks including Barclays Corporate, Lloyds TSB, HSBC and RBS. It also advised HSBS in connection with facilities made available to a newco backed by LDC to acquire Xirtam Group. David Handy oversees the department.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP operates on a national basis and has a strong reputation for its advice on complex issues. Clients include Anglo Irish Bank, Barclays, JD Sports and PwC, which the firm has been advising in connection with the receivership of Dairy Farmers of Britain. Graham Briggs is the key contact in the Leeds team, which also includes Andrew Smith.

Within Employment: West Yorkshire, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

Headed by the ‘very experienced and knowledgeable’ Robert Riley, the ‘highly responsive’ team at Addleshaw Goddard LLP handles a significant amount of work for FTSE 100 companies and other national corporates. Emma Whiting is ‘incisive’, and provides ‘excellent, practical advice’.

Within Health and safety, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

The ‘efficient’ team at Addleshaw Goddard LLP includes experienced legal executive Michael Elliker. It continues to advise a number of household names.

Within Pensions, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘excellent and very responsive’ team at Addleshaw Goddard LLP had some significant client wins in 2010, including Engage Mutual and The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance, adding to the likes of Arriva, Barclays Wealth and ASDA stores. The ‘brilliant’ Rachel Rawnsley heads the team, and managing associate Jonathan Stewart is ‘very good’.

Within Professional negligence: claimant, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP acts for a range of high street banks and building societies, with Sally Butt heading the banking litigation team and legal director Mark Elvins the professional negligence. The two work together on overvaluation claims and investigations of fraudulent professionals.

Within Regional review, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP is renowned for its banking and finance capabilities, regularly winning mandates at the top of the market, such as KCOM Group’s £200m facilities involving a group of banks that included Barclays Corporate, Lloyds TSB, HSBC and RBS. The Leeds corporate team has acted on a number of building society mergers in recent years, while other key strengths include competition litigation.

Within Agriculture and estates, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP continues to expand its wind farm practice, as well as undertaking routine sales and purchases. The team was recently involved in a major purchase of farmland in Surrey, and counts the Co-operative Group, NatWest and Arla Foods as clients. James Stone heads the team.

Within Charities, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

Pervinder Kaur heads the practice at Addleshaw Goddard LLP, which advises the likes of the National Coal Mining Museum and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Highlights in 2010 included advising on the merger of high-profile charities, and acting on cross-border charity issues including corporate govenance matters.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP has a cross-departmental team which advises on issues such as trustees’ duties, restructuring family settlements and indemnities. It regularly acts for international clients. Pervinder Kaur leads the team.

Within Project finance and PFI, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP has an outstanding reputation in the market. It recently became a panel member for Centrica, and has also been advising on a major waste-to-energy plant in Europe. Other clients include BiogenGreenfinch, Skanska and John Laing. Richard Goodfellow and Sandra Humphrey are among the practice’s leading individuals.

Within Education, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s team advises clients in the public and private sector and is recognised nationwide for its BSF work. The team is led by national head of education Nancy McGuire.

Within Health, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP acted on all of the LIFT projects in the North of England in 2010, including the Leeds, Hull, Sheffield and Liverpool & Sefton schemes. It also regularly works on key PFI/PPP health projects. Sandra Humphrey is the firm’s national head of healthcare.

Within Local government, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s team won significant mandates in 2010 from new clients including Cheshire West and Chester Council and North East Lincolnshire Council, and continues to advise on various BSF and LIFT projects. Andrew Pettinger heads the department.

Within Commercial property: Leeds and West Yorkshire, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s practice is led by Bruce Lightbody and has an outstanding reputation for its sector knowledge. British Land recently instructed the firm in relation to the completion of more than 60 lettings at Meadowhall shopping centre. Other clients include Travelodge Hotels, Standard Life Investments, and Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council.

Within Construction, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Clients ‘have nothing but praise’ for Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s practice, which has been very active in both contentious and non-contentious matters. Highlights included advising Gregory Properties on its £50m mixed-use regeneration scheme in Halifax town centre, and acting for GMI Property on the £22m redevelopment of Clay Cross in Derbyshire. Mark Hilton and David Shaw are key figures in the practice, and Simon Palmer has ‘a combination of great charm and skill’.

Within Environment, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s Leeds practice works in conjunction with the firm’s London and Manchester offices. Significant work in 2010 included advice to a potential foreign investor in relation to the Feed-in Tariff scheme, concerning the installation of renewable energy infrastructure in commercial buildings. Amanda Beresford is the key figure in the Leeds team.

Within Planning, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s sector expertise includes transport, infrastructure and retail, with recent work including advising Sainsbury’s in relation to its national portfolio and planning agreements. Amanda Beresford is the key partner contact in the Leeds office.

Within Property litigation, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP has recently been busy advising on insolvency and enforcement matters, as well as its other core areas including contested property litigation and arbitration, transactional work and asset management. Julie Middlemass heads the practice, which has been advising institutional landlords such as Threadneedle, Standard Life and Scottish Widows, and corporate occupiers such as Primark, Travelodge, Lloyds Pharmacy, and Sainsbury’s. Recent work includes working with Bradford & Bingley to develop its risk management strategies on forfeiture claims by landlords of properties held as security.

Within Social housing, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s social housing finance team is led by Lee Shankland, and is a trusted adviser to a number of prestigious clients including Yorkshire Building Society, which it recently advised in relation to facilities to Bedfordshire Pilgrims HAL, Contour Homes Limited and Raglan HAL.

Within Intellectual property , Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s team saw an increase in non-contentious work related to the development of new technology in the medical sector. Oxford Medical Diagnostics is a client. Ian Sampson leads the team.

Within IT and telecoms, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s strategy to target financial institutions has led to technology-related instructions from major clients such as Aviva, Lloyds Banking Group and The Co-operative Bank. Areas of expertise include procurement, and the team has also been assisting in the various contract renegotiations. Ian Sampson leads the team.

Within Media and entertainment, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

The team at Addleshaw Goddard LLP in 2010 acted for Tiger Aspect Productions in High Court litigation. Other clients include ITV, Harper Collins, Global Radio and EMI. Manchester-based James Whittaker heads the department.

Within Sport, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a first tier firm,

The team at Addleshaw Goddard LLP saw a varied workload in 2010, advising high-end clients including Sainsbury’s, The Football League and Adidas on issues ranging from sponsorship to constitutional matters.