The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Manchester, Squire Sanders LLP is a second tier firm,

Squire Sanders Hammonds provides ‘technically excellent’ advice to corporates and private equity firms including Stobart Group, Findel and ISIS Private Equity. Transactional highlights included advising Finnish chemicals company Kemira Oyj on the acquisition of the oilfield chemicals business Albermarle UK, while on the commercial side Peter Donaldson advised INEOS on numerous high-value cross-jurisdictional supply chain and procurement agreements. Enhanced by the firm’s recent merger, the team can provide clients with increased cross-border capabilities, particularly in the US and CEE. Darren Warburton is ‘very experienced in the chemical industry’; Giles Chesher is ‘client focused and creative’; Andrew Millar is noted for his ‘sound advice’; and Jane Haxby is ‘excellent’.

Within Corporate tax, Squire Sanders LLP is a third tier firm,

The team at Squire Sanders Hammonds has recently handled a raft of share incentive and employment tax issues, in addition to a steady flow of tax work arising from the corporate mandates handled by the firm. The ‘first-class’ Patrick Ford is the sole partner, and acts for clients such as BASF, Brown & Brown, and Findel plc.

Within EU and competition , Squire Sanders LLP is a second tier firm,

Bolstered internationally by the firm’s recent US merger, Squire Sanders Hammonds provides ‘expert advice’ across a range of matters including merger control and cartel enforcement. Splitting his time between Manchester and London, Diarmuid Ryan provides ‘sound and informed advice on complex matters’. He recently assisted BSS Group on the UK merger control aspects of its acquisition by Travis Perkins.

Within Banking litigation , Squire Sanders LLP is a third tier firm,

Headed by Anthony Taylor, Squire Sanders Hammonds’ ten-strong team is particularly adept at handling professional negligence matters for banks. ‘Innovative and resourceful’, it recently developed a bespoke online system for Lloyds relating to professional negligence claims handling.

Within Commercial litigation: Manchester, Squire Sanders LLP is a third tier firm,

At Squire Sanders Hammonds, the ‘highly analytical’ Lucci Dammone heads a three-partner team that handles significant commercial disputes regionally, nationally and, increasingly, as part of a cross-border offering. The ‘helpful and pragmatic’ Victoria Leigh provides particular expertise in pensions and financial services litigation. Shareholder and commercial fraud disputes have been the main drivers of the practice, whose client base has grown to include US Airways, NWF plc and Scottish Power.

Within Banking and finance, Squire Sanders LLP is a third tier firm,

Weakened somewhat by the loss of Jonathan Edwards to DWF LLP, Squire Sanders Hammonds’ team is undergoing a period of consolidation. Team head Claire Shepherd handles a range of instructions from banks and corporates such as the Stobart Group, which she advised on its ten-year £100m financing by the Prudential Fund. Senior associate Graham Ball has handled a number of mandates for RBS, and is praised for the ‘clarity of his advice’.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Squire Sanders LLP is a third tier firm,

Susan Kelly heads Squire Sanders Hammonds’ practice nationally as well as in Manchester. With a broad level of expertise advising banks, ABLs and accountancy firms, the Manchester team is particularly strong in pensions-related matters, and a multi-disciplinary team of eight lawyers recently advised the trustees and administrators of First City’s pension scheme on its defined benefit scheme deficit and insolvency recovery options. The team also has particular expertise in distressed property matters.

Within Employment, Squire Sanders LLP is a first tier firm,

The team at Squire Sanders Hammonds provides advice to some of the UK’s biggest blue-chip companies. Nick Jones and Dan Bickerstaffe are both praised for their commitment to getting the job done; ‘with this firm there is no debate, you don’t ask twice, they just do it’. Simon Ost handles union work.

Within Health and safety, Squire Sanders LLP is a second tier firm,

Squire Sanders Hammonds acts predominantly for corporate clients including National Grid, EDF/British Energy, BASF, and Kier. Rob Elvin leads the team.

Within Pensions, Squire Sanders LLP is a first tier firm,

In 2010, the pensions team at Squire Sanders Hammonds won some 28 new clients, and on the disputes side saw an increase in applications to court on scheme administration issues. Practice head Steven Southern is ‘very pragmatic’.

Within Regional review, Squire Sanders LLP is a second tier firm,

Squire Sanders Hammonds’ Manchester office had an interesting year, seeing the firm’s US merger and also appointing a new managing partner in Jane Haxby. It continues to do well in the region across a plethora of practice areas, acting for high-calibre clients such as BASF, INEOS, Manchester Airport, Princes Foods and RBS.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI), Squire Sanders LLP is a second tier firm,

Squire Sanders Hammonds has recently been involved in a number of energy projects, such as Julian Scott’s lead role in the drafting of a contract for a €700m 200MW German offshore wind farm. The firm also regularly handles work for banks in PFI projects.

Within Local government, Squire Sanders LLP is a third tier firm,

Significant developments for the team at Squire Sanders Hammonds included the addition of the ‘very able’ Mark Gaffney from Halliwells; and its appointment to the North West Legal Consortium.

Within Commercial property: Manchester, Squire Sanders LLP is a second tier firm,

Headed by Liam Buckley, Squire Sanders Hammonds’ real estate team continues to go from strength to strength, recently recruiting the ‘exceptional’ Mark Gaffney and consultant Chris Eddlestone from Halliwells. Gaffney’s development focus plays to the strengths of the group, while Eddlestone’s remit is to build up the firm’s hospitality and leisure client base. The team is also developing considerable strength in the renewables sector, and has advised on several wind farm and solar projects.

Within Construction, Squire Sanders LLP is a third tier firm,

At Squire Sanders Hammonds, Julian Scott has been particularly active in the energy sector, and recently advised on a €700m German offshore wind farm project. The team was weakened on the contentious side by the departure of David Moss and Paul Giles to McGrigors LLP.

Within Planning and environment, Squire Sanders LLP is a second tier firm,

At Squire Sanders Hammonds, environment head Rob Elvin has broad expertise across transactional, criminal and civil matters across a range of sectors, and is recognised as ‘one of the few private practitioners with a true understanding of the nuclear industry’. Senior solicitor Gary Lewis is increasingly visible in the market, and has advised Veolia on a number of issues including in connection with a noise abatement notice at a waste management facility.

Within Property litigation, Squire Sanders LLP is a third tier firm,

Senior associate Helen Hoath at Squire Sanders Hammonds is praised for her ‘very sharp legal mind’.

Within Intellectual property, Squire Sanders LLP is a third tier firm,

Squire Sanders Hammonds is prolific in non-contentious IP work, where team head Peter Donaldson (‘an invaluable “go-to” person’) has particular expertise in technology issues. Tom Bridgford left for Eversheds LLP.

Within IT and telecoms, Squire Sanders LLP is a second tier firm,

The team at Squire Sanders Hammonds acts for both customers and suppliers. Highlights included advising AppSense on a £70m outsourcing deal with Fujitsu to provide desktop management solutions to the DWP. Other clients include Cooperative Bank and INEOS. Tom Bridgford left for Eversheds LLP.