The Legal 500

Brachers

SOMERFIELD HOUSE, 59 LONDON ROAD, MAIDSTONE, ME16 8JH, ENGLAND
Maidstone ME16, Maidstone ME16

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

Corporate and commercial

Within Corporate and commercial: Kent, Surrey, Sussex Corporate and commercial: Kent, Surrey, Sussex

Dispute resolution

Within Commercial litigation: Kent, Surrey and Sussex Commercial litigation: Kent, Surrey and Sussex

Within Debt recovery , Brachers is a third tier firm,

Shirley Moore’s dedicated team of 30 fee-earners at Brachers manage debt recovery matters for high-profile clients with a collective value in excess of £114m.

Finance

Within Banking and finance Banking and finance

Human resources

Within Employment: Kent, Surrey and Sussex, Brachers is a second tier firm,

Brachers handles contentious and non-contentious employment issues, and impresses with ‘client care that is second-to-none’.

Within Health and safety, Brachers is a second tier firm,

Associate Andrew Clarke heads an ‘extremely impressive’ team at Brachers. In 2010 it advised on a number of HSE investigations on behalf of NHS trusts.

Insurance

Within Clinical negligence: defendant, Brachers is a first tier firm,

Scott Alexander’s ‘conscientious and professional’ team at Brachers advises on cases for the MDU and Dental Defence Union. Its caseload included claims relating to poor dental treatment and failure to diagnose a melanoma.

Overview

Private client

Within Agriculture and estates, Brachers is a second tier firm,

Brachers’ ‘exceptional’ team is headed by the ‘extremely knowledgeable’ Sue Hart and Simon Palmer, and advises on all aspects of agricultural law. Clients include Hadlow College and William Barrows Charity.

Within Charities, Brachers is a second tier firm,

Simon Palmer’s team at Brachers offers an ‘excellent, professional and client-friendly service’; it advises on the establishment and registration of charities, as well as governance issues. Clients include Realising Another World Foundation.

Within Family: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Brachers is a third tier firm,

The ‘sharp and knowledgeable’ Stephen Smith became head of family at Brachers in 2010, which continues to embrace collaborative law. Mary Raymont is a trained mediator.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate: Kent, Surrey, Sussex Personal tax, trust and probate: Kent, Surrey, Sussex

Public sector

Within Health, Brachers is a second tier firm,

Brachers’ team acts for clients such as East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust on corporate manslaughter, employment and commercial matters, as well as inquests. Practice head John Sheath is ‘direct and honest’, and has ‘invaluable expertise’.

Real estate

Within Commercial property: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Brachers is a third tier firm,

The ‘very approachable and professional’ team at Brachers acts for clients across a number of sectors, including healthcare, where it represents 20 NHS trusts. Sue Hart leads the team.

Within Construction , Brachers is a third tier firm,

Brachers’ construction group is run by Michael Janney, who assists employers, property companies, developers and contractors. The team also has expertise in international civil engineering projects in the Far East.

Within Environment Environment

Within Planning, Brachers is a third tier firm,

Brachers recruited solicitor Lee May in 2010, to assist Henry Abraham with planning matters. The team is currently advising one of two principal landowners on a 6.2-hectare site allocated for housing developments.


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.
    - 11KBW
  • 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.
    - 11KBW
  • 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.
    - 11KBW
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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.
    - 11KBW
  • 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.
    - 11KBW
  • 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:
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    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.