The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Bristol, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP provides an ‘excellent service’ through lawyers who are ‘focused on driving deals to conclusion’. Chris Godfrey heads the team, which advised Mapfre on the acquisition of InsureandGo, and also acted for ECI Partners, FirstGroup and Hargreaves Lansdown. Clients appreciate the ‘very good partner support’.

Within Corporate tax, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s Nigel Popplewell ‘creates effective solutions’ and has ‘extensive specialist knowledge in VAT and taxation’. The team acted for the shareholders of Snow & Rock on the company’s sale, and advised Mapfre on acquiring an insurance intermediary. The group’s ‘extremely talented’ lawyers ‘leave no stone unturned’.

Within EU and competition, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Featuring the ‘extremely good’ Laura Claydon, Burges Salmon LLP added new clients Virgin Management Group and National Trust to its portfolio. It acted for Cardiff Bus regarding the OFT’s Competition Act investigation, and advised the London Waste and Recycling Board on establishing its £84m funding stream. The team was joined by the well-regarded Tim Heywood from Bevan Brittan LLP

Within Licensing, Burges Salmon LLP is a second tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s licensing expertise includes horseracing, with key clients include The Racecourse Association, and Ascot Racecourse. The team also advises Bristol City FC and The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and clients in the gaming and entertainment sectors, covering betting, lottery and hi-tech gambling advice. Chris Pritchett heads the team.

Within Commercial litigation: Bristol, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s team is led by the ‘very strong’ Paul Haggett. Chris Jackson attracts high praise from clients, and has recently been representing Eurostar in relation to a third-party injunction seeking to prevent it from entering into a contract with Siemens. The team also defended new client Discovery Channel against a trade mark infringement claim. Peter Morris displays ‘excellent technical knowledge’ and a ‘keen ability to grasp details’.

Within Debt recovery, Burges Salmon LLP is a third tier firm,

Amanda Vaughan leads Burges Salmon LLP’s team, which forms part of the firm’s commercial disputes and litigation department. It handles a wide range of unpaid debt matters, including agricultural debt recovery alongside bankruptcy, winding up and charging orders.

Within Banking and finance, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP matches ‘London standards’ and is ‘very strong in development finance’. It advised HSBC on a £80m syndicated property finance facility, and new client Julian Hodge Bank on its £69m mortgage portfolio sale. Richard Leeming ‘provides solutions and warrants a recommendation’. Patrick Cook’s arrival from Taylor Wessing LLP enhances the group’s restructuring capabilities.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP ‘produces work of the highest standard’ and attracts high praise for its efficiency. David Hall heads the team, which acted on the £120m restructuring of James Hull Group, and also advised Lloyds on the £34.8m refinancing and sale of Forestdale Hotels. Patrick Cook, who ‘sets the benchmark in respect of quality and commerciality’, joined from Taylor Wessing LLP.

Within Employment: Bristol, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s practice is led by Chris Seaton and represents clients such as Standard Chartered, Bank of Ireland and the University of Bristol. It advised Babcock International Group on post-completion HR aspects of its £1.4bn acquisition of VT Group. Adrian Martin and Roger Bull are recommended.

Within Health and safety, Burges Salmon LLP is a second tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP acted for Hochtief during a police and HSE investigation and criminal prosecution. Practice head Ann Metherall and the highly rated Chris Jackson are recommended.

Within Pensions, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s team demonstrates ‘exceptional ability and client skills’, and advice is ‘always delivered in a clear, concise manner’. Tim Illston and Richard Knight are recommended, as is the ‘extremely approachable’ Clive Pugh. The team advised the trustees of Westland pension scheme on negotiating termination of final salary pension accrual under the Westland scheme.

Within Professional negligence, Burges Salmon LLP is a second tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s team is led by Paul Haggett, and acts for clients such as Lloyds Banking Group and Svenska Handelsbanken. It acted for the principal employer and trustee of a large occupational pension scheme in a claim against the scheme’s former legal advisers. Andrew Burnette is an up-and-coming talent.

Within Regional review, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP maintains its place as one of the two leading heavyweights in the region, and cemented its success with its move to a high-profile new office complex in 2010. It has wide-ranging corporate practice, and an outstanding reputation in the energy and nuclear fields. Notable clients include the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Eurostar, and the Discovery Channel.

Within Agriculture and estates, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s team acts for a number of high-profile clients including HSBC, The Crown Estate, the National Trust and many other landed estates. William Neville, and Charles Wyld lead the team, with Vivienne Williams handling contentious agricultural matters. Peter Williams departed to Wilsons.

Within Family, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP has extensive experience in pre-marital, marital and divorce matters, and ‘cannot be faulted in any way’. It recently acted in a £30m-plus divorce involving significant overseas property, and a £25m divorce involving a landed estate. Team head Catherine Hallam is ‘calm and practical’; Sarah Woodsford has ‘great experience and real tenacity’, and Ashley Palminteri is also recommended.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s ‘high-calibre’ team whose clients include RBS Coutts and several families with multimillion-pound assets. Catherine Hallam heads the group, which includes the ‘extremely capable’ John Barnett.

Within Energy, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP provides advice of the ‘highest standard’, and is ‘excellent value for money’. Ian Salter has ‘great nuclear sector knowledge’, and the ‘outstanding’ Ross Fairley is ‘very easy to work with’. The group advised MeyGen on a large tidal stream development, and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority regarding the disposal of Springfields Fuels.

Within Private Finance Initiative (PFI), Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP delivers ‘exemplary service’. It advised the Ministry of Defence on its £6bn Search and Rescue Helicopter Services PFI; and UAE Armed Forces is another client. Keith Beattie ‘closes high-pressure, large deals’, and John Houlden is ‘extremely knowledgeable and attentive’. Mark Paterson heads the team.

Within Education, Burges Salmon LLP is a third tier firm,

At Burges Salmon LLP, Roger Bull’s group provides wide-ranging advice to clients including the University of Bristol, Imperial College London, and Bath Spa University.

Within Local government, Burges Salmon LLP is a third tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s cross-departmental group provides an ‘excellent, tailor-made’ service, with expertise in planning, commercial property, procurement and contracts. Gary Soloman is ‘knowledgeable and experienced’.

Within Commercial property: Bristol, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP is valued for its ‘strong knowledge, competitive pricing and good turnaround times’, and a service level ‘on a par with London firms’. The team acted for The Crown Estate on the £101m acquisition of a racecourse retail park, and St Modwen Developments on a £50m development agreement. Group head Richard Clark is ‘efficient and commercial’, and Paul Browne and Colin Ligman are ‘practical, helpful and swift’.

Within Construction, Burges Salmon LLP is a second tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP provides a ‘superb, professional service’. It acted for the University of Exeter and Grand Pier on £40m and £25m redevelopment projects, respectively. Marcus Harling and the ‘competent, practical and commercially focused’ William Gard are recommended.

Within Environment, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

The team at Burges Salmon LLP is considered comparable with those at City firms. It recently advised Ibstock Brick on environmental aspects of its historical sites, while other clients include International Power and The Carbon Trust. Georgie Messent provides ‘pragmatic and sensible advice’, and Ross Fairley is also recommended.

Within Planning, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s ‘exceptionally strong’ team acted for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in obtaining consent for a £500m radioactive waste storage facility, and advised Covanta Energy regarding compulsory purchases. Patrick Robinson heads the team.

Within Property litigation, Burges Salmon LLP is a second tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP advised Stroudwater Redevelopment on a £2m land dispute, and FirstGroup on a landslip damages claim. Richard Bedford is a ‘very good negotiator’, and ‘commercially astute’.

Within Intellectual property, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s team is ‘consistently responsive, accessible and well placed to deploy required resources’. It advised The Carbon Trust on IP matters regarding Pyrolysis Challenge, and the University of Bristol on establishing and operating the National Composites Centre. Other clients include Harrods, the Virgin Group, and Discovery Communications Europe. Jeremy Dickerson and practice head Helen Scott-Lawler are recommended.

Within IT and telecoms, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s IT group is ‘extremely responsive, client focused and commercially astute’. Its clients include Coca-Cola HBC and Standard Chartered, which it represents on large and complex technology transactions. The team advised First Great Western on four related projects worth £25m to procure new integrated customer information systems and CCTV equipment. Andrew Dunlop heads the team.

Within Media and entertainment, Burges Salmon LLP is a third tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s team is led by Jeremy Dickerson. It acted for Discovery Communications Europe in trade mark infringement matters, and for Bristol City FC regarding the staging of live events.

Within Sport, Burges Salmon LLP is a second tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s ‘highly regarded’ team is headed by Jeremy Dickerson, who provides ‘clear, sound’ advice to clients including the Racecourse Association, Newbury Racecourse, Bristol City FC and Bath Rugby.

Within Rail, Burges Salmon LLP is a first tier firm,

Burges Salmon LLP’s ‘very strong’ team provides an ‘excellent service’. It advised Eurostar International on procuring the new Eurostar high-speed train fleet. Other recent matters include rail franchise work, and acting for ATOC in developing a new industry scheme for the purchase of traction electricity by train operators. Other clients include FirstGroup, National Express and the Department for Transport. Group head Chris Jackson is recommended along with Simon Coppen, who is ‘pragmatic, with excellent technical skills’.