The Legal 500

The firm: Burges Salmon is a leading UK law firm with global reach. The firm delivers excellent client service, supporting clients’ business needs irrespective of jurisdiction, and working with independent law firms in other countries that share its high standards.

The firm’s client base ranges from private individuals to government departments and FTSE 100 companies. Its clients include The Crown Estate, Eurostar, Helius Energy, Lloyds Banking Group, Babcock International Group, BAE Systems, The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and FirstGroup.

With a reputation for technical excellence and commercially sound advice, the partners focus on building strong relationships with clients, working with them to agree the right legal team to meet their business needs.

During 2011/12, the firm made up seven new partners: Andrew Burnette (disputes), Jim Aveline (wealth structuring), Liz Dunn (planning), Matt Ramus (projects), Michael Hayles (pensions), Sarah Woodsford (family law) and Will Woodall (real estate). This supplemented several strategic lateral hires to further extend the firm’s expertise in areas including UK/EU competition law (Matthew O’Regan), sports litigation and international arbitration (Mark Gay), and insurance (Kari McCormick).

Burges Salmon is committed to supporting and enhancing local communities and aspires to the highest environmental standards. The firm was a founder member of the Legal Sector Alliance.

Types of work undertaken: Banking and finance: the banking team advises on corporate banking, asset finance, regulation, structured finance, insurance, corporate turnaround, securitisations, derivatives, property finance and project finance.

Commercial: the commercial team advises on general commercial, UK/EU competition, regulation, projects, procurement, IP, sports, technology and e-commerce across a wide range of industry sectors.

Corporate: the firm provides a full service to corporate and business clients including M&A, takeovers, flotations and equity financings, private equity, advisory and joint ventures.

Employment: the firm has one of the largest employment teams in the UK, working with a range of UK and multinational employers. It has considerable experience of complex projects including business restructures and outsourcings in multiple jurisdictions as well as day-to-day employment issues.

Energy and natural resources: Burges Salmon has a market-leading practice with what is widely recognised as the leading UK nuclear law practice and also one of the country’s leading renewables teams. Its environment and carbon law teams are top-ranked nationally in the major directories.

Financial services and products: specialist lawyers provide advice ranging from regulatory compliance to product design, development and distribution, with particular expertise in regulated funds.

Food, farming and land: recognised as the UK’s leading practice, Burges Salmon’s food, farming and land team’s services include advice on tenancy litigation, estates and tax planning and co-operative law.

Infrastructure: specialist lawyers provide award-winning expertise, including nuclear, waste, renewables, education, justice/emergency services, defence, transport and central/local government. This includes procurement, planning, construction, project finance and statutory regulation.

Litigation and dispute resolution: The disputes practice focuses on commercial disputes, with specialisms in corporate, banking, financial services, rail, property, construction, engineering, health and safety, sports, defamation and media, IP, insolvency, pensions, insurance and professional negligence.

Pensions and incentives: Burges Salmon now fields one of the largest pensions teams in the UK, advising public, private sector and pension trustee clients on all aspects of related law.

Private client services: the team advises UK and international clients on tax and succession planning; trusts, wills and probate; tax compliance and investigations; and family/cohabitation advice. It advises a number of banks/trust companies as clients and has specialist remuneration and charities units.

Real estate: the award-winning practice goes from strength to strength. With high-profile UK and international clients, and lawyers qualified in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, it works on some of the UK’s most high-profile, demanding transactions. It is enhanced by leading teams in construction, planning, environment, investment funds, dispute resolution, UK and international tax and real estate and corporate finance.

Tax: this award-winning team provides direct or indirect commercial tax advice to corporates, private clients, public sector organisations,intermediaries, entrepreneurs and other Burges Salmon departments. It has extensive experience of representing clients in tax disputes with HMRC.

Recruitment: Individuals from all practice areas should contact katy.main@burges-salmon.com or call 0117 902 7797

Number of UK Partners 77

Number of other UK fee-earners 347

Total staff 618