The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Birmingham, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau’s ‘partner-led’ practice has considerable expertise in fund formations and fundraisings, and is regularly instructed in matters involving an international element. Its standout deal was advising South Staffordshire on the acquisition of Omega Red from Lloyds Development Capital and management. Recommended partners include the ‘very commercial and client-focused’ Richard Underwood, and the ‘practical’ Adam McGiveron. The commercial department is particularly recommended for its franchise expertise, with Peter Manford a key contact.

Within Corporate tax, SGH Martineau LLP is a third tier firm,

The mainstay of Martineau’s practice remains assisting fund managers operating in the venture capital trust and enterprise investment scheme arenas, while another specialism is advising on both equity and debt financing for clean-tech companies. Richard Wrigley is ‘very competent’.

Within EU and competition, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau has a strong reputation for public procurement and state aid work, and has considerable experience in the automotive sector. Clients span the public and private sectors and include Foresight Group and Aston University. The ‘very knowledgeable and extremely helpful’ James Dilley heads the team.

Within Licensing, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau is currently acting for a new golf club on its licensing, and continues to advise Staffordshire University on various licensing issues, including on the reorganisation and development of its hospitality services. Senior associate Andrew Holden leads the team, which is particularly well known for its work in the education and leisure sectors.

Within Commercial litigation: Birmingham, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau has a diverse practice and provides a ‘very professional and timely service’. It is advising YouTravel.com in a claim brought by an Irish company in the Bankruptcy Court of Florida. Other clients include npower, the British Hallmarking Council, and over 30 higher and further education institutions nationwide. The ‘very accessible’ Andrew Adams heads the team, and David Gwyther provides ‘robust advice when necessary’.

Within Debt recovery , SGH Martineau LLP is a first tier firm,

Martineau has been particularly active in the energy and education sectors, and acted for British Energy in the recovery of a portfolio of industrial and commercial debts. Practice head Andrew Adams ‘gets results’, and senior associate Debbie Beet is appreciated for her ‘professional yet warm manner’.

Within Banking and finance , SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau has a ‘first-class team’ under the leadership of the ‘very experienced’ Ian Baker. Core areas of expertise include leveraged finance, asset finance and property finance, and it is experienced in high-value restructuring and turnaround transactions. Active clients include Santander and Yorkshire Bank. Naomi Tudor and David Doogan are ‘strong negotiators with a high degree of commercial flair’. The firm is on the panel of 12 banks.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery , tier 4

Martineau’s four-partner practice, led by Ian Baker, regularly advises on contentious matters, and restructuring work remains a major focus. The team includes Helen Readett, who is ‘willing to think outside the box’; and Sam Payne, who joined from Freeth Cartwright LLP. It advised King Sturge London on an LPA receivership concerning a development site.

Within Employment, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau’s clients credit the ‘legal interventions made by the group with adding significant value’, and cite the ‘proactive, practical and pragmatic approach’ as crucial to ‘steering matters to a successful conclusion’. The team recently advised a university on the closure of two schools and the creation of a new school. David Faulkner, Jane Byford and Ben Thornber are ‘concise and pragmatic’.

Within Health and safety, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau represented a number of clients facing HSE prosecutions in relation to serious agricultural accidents, machine safety issues and asbestos management. Andrew Adams heads the team.

Within Professional negligence Professional negligence

Within Regional review, SGH Martineau LLP is a third tier firm,

Martineau stands out for its experience in the education and energy sectors, and has been increasingly active in cross-border work.

Within Agriculture and estates, SGH Martineau LLP is a first tier firm,

Martineau covers the full spectrum of agriculture and estates work, and has specialist teams focusing on raising awareness of issues around plans for a new High Speed Rail network and equine matters, as well as energy and utilities issues. James Spreckley, who leads the practice, is highly recommended.

Within Charities, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau’s David Allison advised the University of Gloucester Students’ Union on the requirements to register as a charity, and acted for Nurture Cumbria on establishing a trading subsidiary.

Within Family: Birmingham, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau’s ‘service is exemplary; advice is balanced, accurate, and appropriate’. Mary Kaye is ‘exceptional’, and has built an outstanding team with the recruitment of the ‘prompt, efficient, knowledgeable and informed’ Zahra Pabani and assistant solicitor Fiona Farrell, from Shakespeare Putsman.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, SGH Martineau LLP is a first tier firm,

Martineau regularly advises clients worth tens of millions of pounds, and recently advised on the establishment of death-in-service trusts for several plc pension fund trustees. The team is ‘prompt, efficient and responsive’, and can ‘explain complex trust arrangements in plain English’. Keith Dudley and Lesley Davis are recommended.

Within Energy, SGH Martineau LLP is a first tier firm,

Martineau has a ‘very able team’, and counts major global utilities National Grid, EdF Energy and RWE among its clients. It advised three offshore wind developers on agreements with the Ministry of Defence and The Crown Estate. Practice head Andrew Whitehead ‘instills confidence in clients’. Catherine Burke is a ‘safe pair of hands’ for renewables matters, while James Spreckley is noted as ‘commercial’ on the property side.

Within Education, SGH Martineau LLP is a first tier firm,

Martineau represented the University of West London on the demerger of its further education provision to a joint venture, and handles contentious employment work for Bournemouth University. New clients include the University of Cambridge, Nottingham University and De Monfort University. Smita Jamdar leads the team.

Within Local government, SGH Martineau LLP is a third tier firm,

Martineau is known for handling general property and urban regeneration work for public and quasi-public sector clients. It has acted for Birmingham City Council and Wolverhampton City Council. Clive Read leads the team.

Within Commercial property: Birmingham, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau’s ‘proactive team’ acts for clients such as Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Claire’s Accessories UK, and Lloyds Banking Group, and recently advised the University of Worcester on its proposed 10-year joint venture with a developer for the development of 10 acres of a 40-acre site. Leading individuals include John Rice, who is particularly strong on property financing, and the ‘extremely calm’ Bhavesh Amlani. Kathy Toon has joined the firm, adding expertise on the retail side.

Within Construction, SGH Martineau LLP is a third tier firm,

Martineau remains strong in the education sector, as well as acting for private sector clients, and recently advised Aberystwyth University on the resolution of a dispute over the cancellation of a new-build project following a failure to obtain detailed planning permission. Paul Mountain is recommended on the non-contentious side, while practice head Michael Craik is the primary contact on the contentious side.

Within Environment, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau is advising Lancaster University on a significant planning application for a windfarm involving two wind turbines on its site near the M6 in Lancashire, while other clients include Moorlands and City Railway Company. Iain Johnston heads the team.

Within Planning, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau is acting for North Warwickshire and Hinckley College in the disposal and development of two sites with a combined value of £12m, and advised Toyota on the content of a specific planning application for an anemometer. Iain Johnston heads the team.

Within Property litigation, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

At Martineau, practice head Martin Edwards has the ‘happy knack of simplifying complex matters for the layman’. The team continues to receive significant instructions from major education and banking clients, and is retained by a growing number of City pension funds and investors. Mainstream commercial landlord and tenant work comprises a significant part of the team’s workload.

Within Intellectual property, SGH Martineau LLP is a third tier firm,

Martineau continued to represent Lyle & Scott in the long-running trade mark dispute with American Eagle Outfitters, and advises Springfoam Technology on whether developments are patentable. The team handles an even mix of contentious and non-contentious matters. Helen Driscoll and Des Burley are the key contacts.

Within IT and telecoms, SGH Martineau LLP is a second tier firm,

Martineau acts for Rackspace, one of the largest website hosting companies, on day-to-day issues, and recently advised it on a new suite of service contracts. It also represented Desi Mobile on contractual and legal matters leading up to its launch. Des Burley is the key contact.

Within Transport , SGH Martineau LLP is a first tier firm,

Martineau is best known for its work with electric transport, and its expertise in the automotive sector. It continues to act for Moorlands and City Railways on a large-scale private railway project. Catherine Burke heads the team.