The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Nottingham and Derby, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP has a six-partner corporate team, while four partners handle commercial projects ranging from technology transfer and licensing matters to EU and competition law. Commercial highlights – for the ‘unlawyerish’ Mark Snelgrove (who has ‘good business acumen’), Sharon Jones, Caroline Green and Simon White – included advising luxury brands in the perfume, clothing and automotive sectors on sponsorship and services agreements; and outsourcing agreements for a major discount retailer. On the corporate side, Gavin Cummings, Mark Hughes and Shaun McCabe acted for the seller in the MBO of Synseal Group and sale to HIG Europe, while Oliver Pritchard acted for Alliance Boots in the sale of nine pharmacies to Morrisons.

Within Corporate tax, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP’s Birmingham-based tax and incentives group in 2010 advised on the Synseal Group sale and a £40m acquisition by an international travel company.

Within Licensing, Browne Jacobson LLP is a third tier firm,

Regular instructions from the Security Industry Authority keep Fiona Carter at Browne Jacobson LLP active in tribunal and appeal work. Assistant Nina Best focuses on regulatory and licensing training, and matters for clients in the food and drink, entertainment and retail sectors, providing standalone and transactional advice.

Within Commercial litigation: Nottingham and Derby, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Dominic Offord at Browne Jacobson LLP handles disputes with international elements alongside shareholder, warranty and contractual disputes and restrictive covenant cases for clients such as Triumph Motorcycles and Siemens Enterprise Communications.

Within Banking and finance, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP increased its property finance capability with the hire of associate Nina Armstrong, to add to the acquisition and asset-backed finance expertise of Shaun McCabe and Julie Newton – ‘both very helpful, efficient and always keen to provide guidance’. Highlights included acting for Santander and Lloyds TSB on refinancings, including those of Nottingham Recycling (£6m) and Agellus Hotels (£9.75m). The team is on 15 bank panels, and has notable healthcare sector expertise.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Dominic Offord at Browne Jacobson LLP, on the contentious side, acts for insolvency practitioners, and saw an increase in LPA receiverships in 2010. The team also advises shareholders and directors of companies facing administration and liquidation, on procedural and restructuring matters.

Within Employment, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP has recently advised in relation to potential strike action and equal pay claims in the education sector. Other public sector instructions have included matters involving disability discrimination and part-time workers regulations, with Edward Benson handling a case involving the latter that is now at the ECJ stage. Peter Jones is now national employment head.

Within Health and safety, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP’s cross-departmental team delivers a wide range of health and safety advice and representation to public sector clients. Fiona Carter provides prosecution advice to the Midlands HSE and local authorities, and Andrew Hopkin’s eight years of criminal law experience is valuable on HSE and police investigations. Hopkin also has experience in corporate manslaughter matters.

Within Pensions, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Following the loss of pensions guru Maralyn Thomas, Browne Jacobson LLP’s practice is led by assistant Victoria Laybourn. The firm provides specialist advice to significant trusts on a standalone basis, and to corporates in the context of transactions.

Within Personal injury and clinical negligence: defendant, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP has a streamlined offering of dedicated groups defending clients in the insurance, local authority, health and social care, housing, and education sectors. ‘From the efficient settlement of “run-of-the-mill” personal injury matters to innovative strategic management of a portfolio of industrial disease claims’, the firm delivers a ‘professional and cost-effective service’.

Within Professional negligence, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP is an adviser of choice for 
insurers such as Hiscox, and has seen its practice grow in the wake of increased claims against surveyors and solicitors, IFAs and property agents. Derek Bambury acted for MCP Pension Trustees in a Court of Appeal victory against allegedly negligent pension scheme administrators.

Within Regional review, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP’s public sector client base helped it weather the financial downturn, but public spending cuts are likely to cause some change of direction. Its education team is ahead of the curve on academy and trust school innovations, and its online services for private clients, such as IP and IT-tracking facilities, indicate its adaptability.

Within Charities , Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP’s experienced team has assisted schools on conversions to trust and academy status, in addition to training trustees in the public and health sectors. In 2010 it advised The Ramblers’ Association on its conversion to a company limited by guarantee. William Colacicchi is ‘helpful and constructive, providing sensible advice’.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP excels in the structuring and reorganisation of trusts, and in contentious trusts and probate. Alan Radford and William Colacicchi obtained distribution of a £15m estate to next of kin in a high-profile contested estate case, while other work for the team included acting on the implementation of several innovative tax planning strategies.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI), Browne Jacobson LLP is a second tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP has ‘the skills and balance’ to provide procurement, property and funding advice to public and health authorities, and its strength in PFI waste projects was boosted by the arrival of Craig Elder. In 2010 he advised Sterecycle on its bid for North Lincolnshire’s waste management scheme.

Within Education, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP is ‘ahead of the curve in terms of knowledge of the education sector, and able to translate changed policy and law into practical legal advice’; it is ‘really rooted in the sector, with a genuine passion for education that marks it out from other heavyweights in the field’. The ‘incredibly knowledgeable’ Mark Blois heads a ‘very commercial and astute’ team, which specialises in employment, governance, property and conversion matters.

Within Health, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP advises PCTs, foundation trusts, and other NHS trusts on a range of commercial matters, recently handling several TCS divestments of PCT provider-arm community services and also advising on the transition from PCTs/SHAs to GP consortia. Inquiries and investigations also feature; Nick Parsons has been instructed to advise one of the NHS bodies involved in the Mid-Staffs Inquiry.

Within Local government, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

A ‘truly one-stop shop’, Browne Jacobson LLP acts for 150 local authorities, several key local authority insurers, 12 fire services, and a series of registered social landlords, across transactions and litigation. Highlights of 2010 included advice on the regeneration of Loughborough town centre, and acting for Scape on a number of frameworks for construction, repair and maintenance, and design. The team is ‘robust, resilient and holistic in approach’.

Within Commercial property: Nottingham and Derby, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP stands out for the diversity of its practice, which ranges from commercial retail and major development projects for luxury brands such as Dior through to advice to the public sector on issues from regeneration to academy conversion and social housing developments. Caroline Green’s retail team advised on the site assembly of Louis Vuitton’s Maison store in New Bond Street in 2010; Stewart Gregory’s health group advised on a new £22m joint access centre under the Nottingham LIFT scheme; the public authority team advised on the redevelopment of Cotgrave Colliery; and the development team was instructed in relation to the 400-acre urban extension to the town of Mansfield.

Within Construction, Browne Jacobson LLP is a second tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP handled a growing number of mediations in 2010, and Peter Westlake successfully negotiated an agreement for GLF Construction Corporation in a $100m cross-border dispute with National Energy Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago. The team also acted for North Midland Construction, advising on an £85m framework agreement with Severn Trent; and Kettering Borough Council on the construction contracts for the regeneration of Kettering town centre.

Within Environment, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

At Browne Jacobson LLP, Richard Barlow’s team acts for a mix of public sector and commercial clients, including some 150 local authorities. Andrew Hopkin leads on regulatory prosecutions, recently assisting Wilkinsons with discharge and noise issues. The firm is preeminent in the field of nature conservation, and was recently appointed to advise the Marine Management Organisation.

Within Planning, Browne Jacobson LLP is a second tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP’s practice leverages the firm’s longstanding relationships with public sector bodies. It handled compulsory purchase orders for Natural England; secured a development and s106 agreement for the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, on the Wornington Green redevelopment; and conducted enforcement matters for Staffordshire County Council, in relation to a sand quarry. Anna Eastgate is ‘outstanding in her precision and resilience and consequent effectiveness’.

Within Property litigation, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP’s growing team gained new clients including the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, adding to existing clients such as Alliance Boots, which it advises on matters such as contested lease renewals, and local fire authorities. Mark Aldrich recently acted on a £6m dispute concerning the redevelopment of a disused fire station.

Within Social housing , Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP leads the field in terms of size of client base and depth of expertise. Barry Sully’s team has been advising housing associations, local authorities and the HCA in relation to the raft of policy and funding developments in the sector, from funding arrangements to joint venture structuring of projects, such as for Staffordshire Moorlands and Harvest Housing. The team is ‘very professional and customer focused, and value for money’.

Within Intellectual property, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

At Browne Jacobson LLP, the newly promoted 
Paula Dumbill joins ‘unlawyerish’ technology transfer and brand protection head Mark Snelgrove and contentious heavyweight Peter Ellis. The team 
recently advised Patrick Cox on the misappropriation of trade marks, and a transport company on passing 
off issues.

Within IT and telecoms, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Paula Dumbill at Browne Jacobson LLP is experienced in complex IT and telecoms system supply and service outsourcing agreements, and recently advised a global technology provider on a multi-jurisdictional outsourcing of central services. Mark Snelgrove advised a public authority on its exit from a consortium broadband services supply agreement. The team also handled a number of contentious matters relating to software copyright.

Within Sport, Browne Jacobson LLP is a first tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP is a partner of choice for a 
range of football, rugby and cricket organisations. In 
2010 it was appointed to the Lawn Tennis Association 
and UK Athletics panels, and advised the 
England and Wales Cricket Board on outsourcing and employment matters. On the corporate and 
commercial side, the firm assisted Notts County FC on its takeover.

Within Transport, Browne Jacobson LLP is a second tier firm,

Browne Jacobson LLP advises clients such as Arla Foods and Loomis in the transport and logistics sector, and Avon Cosmetics has instructed Caroline Green on a number of warehousing and transportation issues. Green is a ‘gifted lawyer’, ‘committed to finding practical and timely solutions to her clients’ problems’.