The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Manchester, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Gateley inherited the bulk of Halliwells’ team following its demise in 2010, and many clients have been retained by the firm, including Giles Insurance Brokers and Zeus Private Equity. The ‘very responsive’ Paul Jefferson advised the Hut Group on its £19.6m acquisition of LookFantastic Group. Department head Charles Glaskie is ‘super commercial and proactive’; Rebecca Grisewood ‘can see the bigger picture’; and Kate Richards is ‘very experienced and knowledgeable’.

Within Corporate tax, Gateley is a third tier firm,

At Gateley, Fiona Sutherland has an excellent reputation for advising vendors on exit planning and on structuring private equity transactions.

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

At Gateley, Jonathan Moakes advises on the competition aspects of commercial and IP agreements and corporate transactions.

Within Commercial litigation: Manchester, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Hitherto unrecognised in the region, Gateley inherited several partners following the demise of Halliwells. Headed by the ‘thorough’ Sarah Sabin, the team has been particularly active in professional negligence and partnership disputes. Clients include AIG Chartis, Lancashire CCC, Manchester City and the BMA.

Within Banking and finance, tier 5

At Gateley, Susan Molloy heads a two-partner team advising an impressive banking client roster including AIB, HSBC and Yorkshire Bank.

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

Gateley inherited much of Halliwells’ insolvency team, although it remains to be seen whether it can build up the same level of banking panel appointments at the new firm. Andrew Buchanan is recommended across a broad array of matters, including distressed M&A.

Within Employment, Gateley is a first tier firm,

Gateley had some significant client wins in 2010, and continues to act for a number of public sector clients. Contentious highlights included acting for the same client in a multi-party action and a complex TUPE matter with potential exposure in excess of £1m. Team head Michael Ball wins high praise from clients.

Within Pensions, Gateley is a second tier firm,

Notable work for the team at Gateley included advising on a high-value and complex multi-employer scheme. Clients include the British Medical Association. Patrick Kennedy leads the team.

Within Regional review, Gateley is a second tier firm,

Gateley is a new entrant in the market following its absorption of most of Halliwells’ Manchester office, although not its defendant-focused insurance practice, which went to Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP.

Within Family, Gateley is a second tier firm,

Elizabeth Hassall at Gateley wins high praise from clients for her unwavering dedication to their cause; she is ‘undoubtedly one of the leading matrimonial lawyers in the area of complex and high-value divorce, pre-nuptial and cohabitation work’.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI), Gateley is a third tier firm,

At Gateley, Neil Wilson heads a team whose clients include Barclays, GDF Suez, RBS and MastLift.

Within Commercial property: Manchester, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Inheriting the majority of Halliwells’ property team, Gateley is a new entry in the ranking. Many of the firm’s mandates entail work in complementary areas such as planning and construction, as with its ongoing representation of Lancashire County Cricket Club on the redevelopment of Old Trafford cricket ground. Other clients include Aldi Stores, Ask Property Developments, Peel Holdings and Minories Estates.

Within Construction, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Having taken on Halliwells’ Manchester-based construction team, Gateley is now a significant player in the market. Karen Spencer heads the contentious group, and is noted in particular for her expertise in disputes relating to nuclear decommissioning projects.

Within Planning and environment, Gateley is a third tier firm,

At Gateley, Andrew Piatt has an excellent pedigree in planning matters, and recently advised Lancashire County Cricket Club on its scheme to redevelop Old Trafford Cricket Ground.

Within Property litigation, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Senior associate Gary Bird at Gateley is recommended.

Within Intellectual property, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Gateley has been busy on large-scale and complex IP licensing projects for clients such as Comic Relief. Other work included advising a Premiership football club on various IP disputes; and advising an international retailer on a high-value trade mark assignment. Jonathan Moakes leads the team.

Within IT and telecoms, Gateley is a second tier firm,

Peter Budd is a key figure in Gateley’s team, and is an established authority in the field; his recent work includes advising panel client Legal & General on a wide range of IT contracts, and advising Manchester City FC on new ticketing systems. Jonathan Moakes heads the practice.

Within Media and entertainment, Gateley is a first tier firm,

John Burns, previously of Halliwells, now leads the team at Gateley, and continues to act on a broad range of matters for major corporate clients and high-profile individuals.

Within Sport, Gateley is a third tier firm,

Gateley acts for various football clubs and local rugby clubs, and is advising Lancashire County Cricket Club on the redevelopment of Lancashire’s Old Trafford cricket ground. John Burns heads the team.