The Legal 500

Within Corporate tax

Within EU and competition , tier 6

Although senior figures Guy Leigh and Edward Pitt have retired from the firm, Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s practice is still regarded as ‘excellent’, ‘informative’, ‘clear’ and ‘proactive’. Mark Clough QC and Bruce Kilpatrick(‘very commercial’, ‘very quick’, ‘very sensible’) are now the lead partners in London, with Leeds-based leading competition litigator Adam Aldred also frequently in London. The firm is engaged in a number of cartel and market investigations, and is strong on state aid, public procurement, trade and WTO work.

Within Financial services, tier 4

DLA Piper UK LLP has advised on the regulatory implications of the collapse of Lehman Brothers and various Icelandic banks. The team also acted for several listed companies following FSA Market Monitoring enquiries. Ex-BBA executive director Michael McKee is recommended for non-contentious work, and Darren Allen for enforcement proceedings. John Ahern left for Addleshaw Goddard LLP.

Within Financial services, tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard LLP welcomed ‘excellent’ regulatory lawyer John Ahern from DLA Piper UK LLP. The practice remains a pre-eminent adviser to the building society sector, and is active in Treating Customers Fairly matters. Investigations and enforcement expert David Heffron is noted for retail financial services work.

Within Flotations - small and mid-cap, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a third tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s team advised key client KBC Peel Hunt on LIT’s £200m AIM admission. Simon Griffiths is recommended.

Within M&A - upper mid-market and premium deals, £250m+, tier 7

In recent years Addleshaw Goddard LLP has regularly demonstrated its credentials as a leading adviser to the FTSE 350 for mid-market deals and clients appreciate that ‘they make real efforts to understand the business’. In 2008 the firm also showed its ability to act on much larger mandates, when it advised the Co-operative group on its £1.57bn acquisition of Somerfield, led by Paul Devitt. New head of corporate Andrew Rosling, William James, and James Dawson are also recommended.

Within Outsourcing and procurement, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a third tier firm,

For public procurement work, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is ‘a cut above the rest’. The team, led by Manchester-based consultant Garth Lindrup, acted for the Department of Health, the MoD, and the NHS in 2008. Margaret Harvey leads the outsourcing practice.

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

The partnership team at Addleshaw Goddard LLP ‘are leaders in their field’, providing clients with ‘excellent service levels’. Non-contentious work for professional partnerships lies at the core of a broader practice, with complex partnership structures and LLP conversions particular specialisms. The firm further strengthened its offering in 2008 with the arrival of Rachel Khiara from Allen & Overy LLP. Richard Linsell is ‘sage, and full of wisdom and experience’, and William Wastie is ‘excellent, easygoing and quick at spotting the issue’.

Within Private equity , tier 5

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s proactive approach yielded new clients in Silver Leaf Capital Partners and HSBC Private Equity in 2008. Andrew Carpenter’s team offers ‘excellent client service’ and a ‘strong focus on its private equity clients’, and benefits from a committed presence in the regions as well as London.

Within Venture capital, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a third tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP has a 40-lawyer private equity team handling investor-side VC work; Inflexion Private Equity, Graphite Capital, 3i, Beringea and Close Ventures are among its clients. Key figures include Mike Hinchliffe.

Within Fraud - commercial and regulatory investigations, tier 4

Clients praise Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s ability to provide ‘immediate advice’ and to identify ‘potential risk areas’; Elizabeth Robertson is singled out for ‘providing the client immediate comfort and confidence’. The practice represented 555 investors who invested a total of £50m into failed GenTech/ Innovator schemes.

Within Banking litigation, tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard LLP has strong retail banking and building society connections. It represented Clydesdale Bank in the OFT test case on unauthorised overdraft charges, but has gained a far greater profile in the investment banking arena thanks to the efforts of seasoned litigator Mark Gill and excellent partner Michael Barnett. The financial regulatory team was recently enhanced by the arrival of John Ahern from DLA Piper UK LLP, and it continues to be appointed to new banking panels.

Within Commercial litigation, tier 5

Addleshaw Goddard LLP ‘always manages to find someone who knows about the type of dispute we need help with and gives useful, pragmatic advice’, says one regular client. The team, led by Simon Twigden, made up two partners this year, and has been particularly active in finance and fraud litigation, where it offers ‘excellent advice’. A highlight was successfully helping BA in proceedings to stop a strike action by the British Airline Pilots’ Association. Clients rate the ‘very responsive, client-focused’ Monica Burch; the ‘very pragmatic and sensible’ Pietro Marino; and the ‘user-friendly’ John Kelleher.

Within Defamation and privacy, tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard LLP acted for Asda in defending a malicious falsehood claim brought by Ajinomoto. David Engel heads the practice.

Within International arbitration

Within Mediators

Within Acquisition finance, tier 4

Rated as ‘very good for mid-market deals’, Addleshaw Goddard LLP enjoyed a relatively strong year in 2008. Its advice to the Co-Operative Group on the financing of the £1.57bn purchase of Somerfield was a highlight, and it continued to build relationships with key lenders such as HSBC and Barclays. Key partners include practice head Richard Papworth, the ‘knowledgeable and hardworking’ Phillip Slater and the ‘tremendously organised’ Lucy Newcombe.

Within Asset finance and leasing, tier 5

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s aviation practice is headed by Rory MacCarthy, whose ‘comprehensive knowledge of the law, industry and work ethic surpasses all others’. Key aviation clients include BA and Aviation Capital Group, and it acted for Flybe on Bombardier Q400 aircraft exchanges. Manchester-based Andrew Maskill handles broader finance work, recently acting on the financing of a distillery waste management and energy production facility.

Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, tier 7

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s John Joyce heads a team that now includes ‘the superb’ Alison Goldthorp following her arrival in 2008 from Taylor Wessing LLP.

Within Securitisation, tier 5

At Addleshaw Goddard LLP, dedicated securitisation lawyer Mark Thomas built up a strong originator practice and now advises on many covered bonds and the restructuring of existing securitisations. The ‘highly experienced, very commercial’ team closed the only new-money CP conduit deal in the week after Bear Stearns collapsed, and handled the £450m securitisation of AEGON’s Scottish Equitable life insurance book.

Within Employee share schemes, tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard LLP also rises a tier following the arrival of Michael Carter from KPMG in March 2008 to head up the employee incentives group, with two new associates further strengthening the team. The firm advised new client Coors on the operation of its US stock plans in the UK; other new client wins include Davis Service Group, General Capital, Click and Stagecoach. Stephen Chater is recommended.

Within Employment, tier 4

‘Commercial and efficient’, Addleshaw Goddard LLP was appointed to the legal panel for Standard Chartered Bank. The ‘business-savvy’ Michael Leftley heads the practice, which received numerous instructions from clients in the IT and food sectors on large-scale reorganisation and redundancy projects. Alasdair Simpson remains active as a boardroom adviser, with extensive experience in handling the appointment and termination of senior executives.

Within Overview,

Thriving niche firms ranked in this chapter include: Fox and CM Murray LLP in employment; Fisher Scoggins LLP in health and safety; Laura Devine Solicitors in immigration; and Sacker & Partners LLP for pensions; all continue to attract a strong flow of work, and recognition from peers and praise from clients. National firms which continue to feature heavily across the board include Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Nabarro LLP, Pinsent Masons LLP and CMS Cameron McKenna LLP. Certain US firms are also making their presence felt, with Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (Europe) LLP, White & Case LLP and Jones Day all moving up in the rankings this year.

Within Pensions (incl pensions dispute resolution), tier 4

Many also predict a growth in litigation around defined contribution pensions. But at present the bulk of pensions litigation revolves around rectification issues, equalisation, employer debt and insolvency cases, and professional negligence claims. Almost all professional negligence claims can be relied on to settle. The most substantial pensions cases of the year were Foster Wheeler and Pilots, and the conclusion of the current phase of the Sea Containers case. Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Linklaters LLP, Lovells LLP, Pinsent Masons LLP, Sacker & Partners LLP and Simmons & Simmons all have litigation partners who spend all or a majority of their time on pensions disputes, but for the most part our rankings for contentious work reflect the ability of the pensions department to run a case in cooperation with colleagues from the commercial litigation team.

Within Pensions (incl pensions dispute resolution), tier 4

At Addleshaw Goddard LLP, ‘pragmatic’ national head of pensions Rachel Rawnsley is ‘incredibly knowledgeable’, and alongside London practice head Catherine McAllister represents a team that is ‘clearly happy’ and ‘never works in silos’. Jade Murray and associate Paul Howarth are ‘succinct’ and ‘to the point’, while displaying ‘real depth of knowledge’. Susan Garrett is one of the most experienced pensions litigators in the UK, with a talent for ‘gearing advice to the value of the matter’.

Within Insurance - corporate and regulatory, tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s Ivor Edwards has ‘extraordinary knowledge of the industry’, and is currently acting for a major life company on the disposal of a number of life portfolios. David Heffron is recommended on the regulatory/commercial side. Royal Liver Assurance Society, Simplyhealth, and Standard Life are clients.

Within Insurance and reinsurance litigation, tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s Richard Leedham has ‘built up a strong team’, ‘inspires confidence in clients’, and is ‘tactically very aware’, with particular areas of activity including treaty reinsurance arbitrations. Michael Green is acting for the defendant reinsurer in WASA v Lexington, a case relating to back-to-back reinsurance, and Simon Twigden is noted as ‘tenacious’. A successful year saw the team add to its already impressive client base with gains such as Hannover Re and Swiss Re.

Within Product liability - defendant, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a third tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP advises companies from a wide range of industries, particularly in the pharmaceuticals and medical device fields. It is currently defending GlaxoSmithKline against claims relating to Seroxat. John Kelleher heads the team, which includes Michael Isaacs, whose focus is on product-based work in the chemical sector.

Within Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) , tier 5

At Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Andrew Petry is applauded for his ‘tremendous experience’ and his ‘dedication and determination’. Richard Goodfellow recently led a team advising Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation on regulatory issues.

Within Private finance initiative(PFI) , Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a third tier firm,

In a major coup, Addleshaw Goddard LLP advised a Bank of Ireland led syndicate on the £700m financing of the Manchester Waste PPP - the largest waste deal in Western Europe. The firm provides ‘exceptional value for money’ and the arrival in 2008 of Andrew Petry from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP adds further experience to a strong team that includes the ‘relationship-driven’ Richard Guit.

Within Water, tier 4

At Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Andrew Petry advised Asia Water Development Corporation on a US$500m waste water infrastructure fund project in China.

Within Education - schools, tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard LLP had a central role in the development of the BSF programme, as well as providing general advice to the Partnerships for Schools. David Hartley is recommended.

Within Healthcare, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a third tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP is prominent in the local improvement finance trust market and also acts on complex PFI transactions. Sandra Humphrey in Leeds and Mike O’Connor in Manchester lead the team, providing ‘sensitive advice in an approachable manner’. Leeds partner Ruth Snell, Manchester associate Stephen Tainsh and London-based Nancy Walmsley stand out. The Department of Health is a key client.

Within Local government, tier 4

The ‘excellent’ Addleshaw Goddard LLP concentrates on major projects work, primarily BSF, waste schemes and housing regeneration; examples include advising Derry City Council on its £150m waste infrastructure project. The practice, led by Michael O’Connor, ‘gives a client confidence that a deal is going to be well managed, efficient and effective’. Clients also praise Leeds partner Richard Goodfellow for his ‘excellent client interaction and management skills’, and London-based Jacqui Langley-White.

Within Commercial property, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a third tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP is ‘an excellent law firm with excellent lawyers’, one that ‘is special and distinguishes itself from other law firms because it is so entrepreneurial’. The real estate team won the mandate to advise the Co-operative Group on its £1.57bn acquisition of Somerfield and its huge portfolio of properties. Other deals included advising Kish Holdings on the £650m acquisition of assets from Allied Irish. Jane Hollinshead, who co-heads the group along with Adrian Collins, ‘has real strength of character. She is reliable and highly intelligent, a tough cookie but, at the same time, the consummate professional’. Leona Ahmed, Andrew Bailey, Andrew Shufflebotham and Lucy Sturrock are also recommended.

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

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s London-based construction front man Andrew McVeigh was elevated to the partnership in 2009. With firm-wide strength in public sector projects, including health and education, McVeigh assisted on the landmark £700m Greater Manchester Waste PFI. Close banking relationships are resulting in work relating to the restructuring or ‘mothballing’ of construction projects. The firm assisted Diageo in drafting contracts for projects in Africa and South America.

Within Environment, tier 5

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s ‘practical advice is a departure from other advisers’, say clients. Claire Sheppard’s group regularly acts on transactions, including the Co-operative Group’s £1.57bn acquisition of Somerfield, and standalone contentious and regulatory work. It also advised Associated British Foods on forthcoming climate change legislation.

Within Planning, tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard LLP is praised for ‘well-considered and thorough’ advice, and fast turnaround and response times. Head of planning and environment Douglas Evans possesses ‘excellent knowledge of the development industry and the law’, which he combines with ‘a can-do attitude’. The practice is a leader in energy-from-waste projects, having handled 15 such matters in recent years, including acting for Sita Holdings (UK) in securing permission for a major project in Surrey. Other regular instructions relate to power generation, retail, and mixed-use urban regeneration.

Within Property finance, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a second tier firm,

The ‘excellent team’ at Addleshaw Goddard LLP ‘knows how to work with the client to deliver and add value on many levels’, and is a name increasingly heard throughout the market, especially on the lending side. The practice recently advised Münchener Hypothekenbank on a £75m syndicated loan facility to a large property unit trust. The firm enjoys links with a number of German banks, and also has a good relationship with Lloyds TSB Bank, which it advised on the acquisition of a portfolio of German properties. Andrew Besser leads this impressive team, while Martin O’Shea is ‘a really nice guy that you want to do deals with’.

Within Property litigation, tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard LLP recently advised on various default situations, and saw an increase in relation to contested alienation and break right issues. Highlights included acting on the leading case on property agents’ commission where the agent is instructed by the buyer. Andrew Blower is recommended.

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

Addleshaw Goddard LLP ‘provides excellent levels of service’. In a world of fewer funding mandates, the firm completed approximately £11bn worth of social housing finance transactions, and advised the only new entrant to the sector in 2008, Yorkshire Building Society. Richard Papworth is highly recommended, and Lee Shankland ‘coordinates work effectively’.

Within Brand management, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a third tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s James Whittaker - who is ‘responsive, with a wide-ranging skill set and willingness to prioritise key issues without getting side tracked’ - has a practice based around advising corporate advertisers. He also advised ITV in relation to a programme sponsorship agreement with Party Gaming.

Within Intellectual property, tier 6

Addleshaw Goddard LLP has lost partners Margaret Tofalides and Michele Boote but recruited associate Emma Armitage from DLA Piper UK LLP. IP litigation head Monica Burch ‘delivers services to our full satisfaction’, and is advising the FA in a passing off and copyright dispute before the Court of Appeal.

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

Addleshaw Goddard LLP moves up in the ranking having further developed the presence of its technology practice in the financial services and public sector. ‘Good at delivering a targeted, efficient service at great value’, the team was appointed to the ITV and Wolseley panels, and acted on major projects for the NHS and IPCC. The ‘inspirational’ Margaret Harvey heads the practice.

Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a third tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP offers ‘commercial advice’ to a plethora of FTSE 350 corporates in the life sciences sector. Team head John Kelleher has a strong product liability practice, and has been advising GSK on its defence against multi-party litigation over the use of the drug Seroxat. Paul Bentham is active in licensing.

Within Sport, tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard LLP suffered a major blow with the departure of highly regarded practice head Andrew Price to Couchman Harrington Associates. Now led by legal director Steven Burton, the ‘responsive and commercially aware’ team advised IMG on the establishment of the Indian Cricket Premier League, and was commissioned to evaluate The International Rugby Board’s commercial programme and corporate governance structures.

Within Aviation, Addleshaw Goddard LLP is a third tier firm,

Addleshaw Goddard LLP’s aviation practice has a heavyweight figure in former pilot Rory MacCarthy. Under his stewardship the four-partner team covers a wide spectrum of aviation work, covering transactional, regulatory and contentious matters, predominantly for airlines. Recent highlights include representing BA in its successful challenge of an action brought by BALPA in relation to the launch of ‘OpenSkies’, as well as advising on its acquisition of French transatlantic carrier Elysair. Phil McDonnell has taken on the regulatory role at the practice following the departure of Edward Pitt, who is now a consultant at Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP.