The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Birmingham, Gateley is a first tier firm,

Gateley receives many plaudits from clients, providing ‘first-class advice in a timely manner’ through excellent partners such as the ‘pragmatic’ Michael Ward and Paul Hayward. On the corporate front the team advised longstanding client Computeach International on the acquisition of the assets of Advent Computer Training, while on the commercial side it advised Birmingham City FC on a variety of commercial contract issues. Other key partners are the ‘top-notch’ Simon Gill and the ‘intelligent and approachable’ Chris Reed. Associate Jacob Robinson is a ‘rising star’.

Within Corporate tax, Gateley is a second tier firm,

James Gopsill at Gateley heads an ‘excellent team that provides efficient and concise advice’, and is recommended for his VAT expertise. Key clients include RBS and BT. The team is acting for a UK-incorporated AIM-listed company on a number of tax claims against the previous owners of a worldwide business. The group is increasingly advising on share schemes.

Within EU and competition, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Andrew Evans heads the team at Gateley. Highlights included advising MYBA (the worldwide yachting association) on competition issues surrounding membership and disciplinary action against members and would-be members.

Within Crime, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Gateley’s Ruth Armstrong regularly represents clients facing criminal investigations for fraud and breaches of environmental law, and following serious accidents.

Within Commercial litigation: Birmingham, Gateley is a second tier firm,

At Gateley, the ‘very sensible’ Stephen Goodrham and his team ‘fight very hard, but fairly’ for clients. The practice has recently been instructed by several large corporates in cases involving breaches of restrictive covenants and confidentiality. A highlight was acting for Exception Group, in relation to an alleged senior-level conspiracy to take a large part of the business and set up with a competitor.

Within Banking and finance , Gateley is a second tier firm,

Gateley, under the leadership of the ‘consistently reliable’ Andrew Madden, secured numerous national panel appointments and is recommended for his experience in asset based lending and asset finance. The team advised Bank of Scotland, as agent, on financing the $65m acquisition by Dechra Pharmaceuticals of Dermapet Inc. The team attracts praise for its availability; ‘there is always someone on hand to deliver’.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery , Gateley is a first tier firm,

Gateley’s sizeable team has an ‘excellent reputation’, and features the ‘top-notch’ Brendan McGeever and Mark Wilson. It acted for the joint administrators of Birmingham Development Company in relation to the Cube, a new mixed-use development scheme in the centre of Birmingham, and acted for the liquidator of a leading automotive manufacturer in the successful conclusion of a claim against its former administrators. Clients include Lloyds TSB, Deloitte and Zolfo Cooper.

Within Employment, Gateley is a second tier firm,

At Gateley, ‘a partner is always available and the advice is excellent’. The group is representing BT in employment tribunal litigation, and acting for the Pertemps Group on contentious matters and strategic issues. Victoria Garrad ‘sees things from the client’s perspective and gives honest guidance that is valued highly’.

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

Gateley has notable expertise in construction-related health and safety work, acting for a number of major developers. Practice head Ruth Armstrong’s ‘strength is in her knowledge, dealing with the authorities and communicating with her clients’.

Within Pensions, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Michael Collins’ team at Gateley won a number of new clients, including Montpellier Pensions Administration Services and ArjoMed. The group is advising a retail client on an offer of an on-off increase to members’ pensions in exchange for surrendering entitlement to further increases over the statutory minimum.

Within Regional review, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Gateley continues to make progress across a range of practice areas. It recently added a Manchester office to its national network, acquiring the commercial practice of Halliwells.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Gateley is a third tier firm,

At Gateley, ‘very approachable and knowledgeable’ senior associate Adrian Mabe advised the beneficiaries of an £8m offshore trust.

Within Energy Energy

Within Commercial property: Birmingham, Gateley is a second tier firm,

Gateley has a new head of department in Rebecca Sherwin, with Richard Pettifor having moved in-house. It has an active residential development practice, and key clients include Wolverhampton City Council and Morris Homes. James White is now a partner and has considerable retail experience. The team’s corporate occupiers’ practice was strengthened by the firm’s acquisition of the former Halliwells real estate team.

Within Construction, Gateley is a second tier firm,

At Gateley, David Lloyd Jones is ‘one of the best non-contentious lawyers in town’, although the team suffered a ‘big loss’ with the departure of Andrew Jones and Alastair Young. The group is advising Parkridge Developments on the property and construction aspects of a new commercial development for the construction of a supermarket in a major London suburb. Significant client wins include Ladbrokes.

Within Planning, Gateley is a second tier firm,

Gateley advised Malvern Hills District Council on the making of a Compulsory Purchase Order in respect of a Grade I listed building, and also advises Crosby Homes (Special Projects). Director Gerry Sheedy heads the team.

Within Property litigation, Gateley is a second tier firm,

Gateley is advising BT in a very high-value dilapidations claim, and is also dealing with an ongoing matter for a major housebuilder which rescinded a contract to sell part of a development site. New client wins include Opus Land. Iain Davies heads the team, and is ‘always polite and professional’.

Within Social housing, Gateley is a second tier firm,

Gateley’s advice is of a ‘very high standard’. Mushtaq Khan heads the housing management/litigation team, and has ‘very broad experience’, and senior associate Rory O’Byrne ‘always provides advice in a timely manner’. Clients include New Progress Housing Association.

Within Intellectual property, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Gateley advised Bliss Homes on brand and image licensing, and advised on the licensed IP rights for the Modec/Navistar joint venture. Simon Pigden heads the team.