The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a second tier firm,

The ‘very good’ corporate finance department at Cripps Harries Hall LLP recently advised the majority shareholders of private equity-backed magazine publisher Grove House Publishing on the sale of its shares to Ten Alps. Practice head Chris Langridge is recommended, as is ‘flexible all-rounder’ Nigel Stanford. High-profile clients include Clydesdale Bank and WFCA.

Within Licensing Licensing

Within Commercial litigation: Kent, Surrey and Sussex, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a second tier firm,

Peter Ashford heads the disputes team at Cripps Harries Hall LLP, which specialises in complex commercial litigation. The ‘pragmatic and no-nonsense’ Peter Garry handles partnership and LLP disputes, and Ed Weeks advises on shareholder disputes.

Within Debt recovery , tier 4

The team at Cripps Harries Hall LLP has media and pharmaceuticals-sector expertise. Clients include Prudential Assurance.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery Insolvency and corporate recovery

Within Employment: Kent, Surrey and Sussex, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a first tier firm,

Roger Byard’s employment group at Cripps Harries Hall LLP demonstrates ‘tremendous business acumen’. The team recently advised the management team of an international company going into administration on numerous TUPE issues, as well as a pre-pack sale. Gavin Tyler is praised for his ‘excellent customer service skills’.

Within Personal injury: defendant Personal injury: defendant

Within Professional negligence, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a second tier firm,

Cripps Harries Hall LLP acts for developers and commercial clients on property-related matters, and recently acted in a claim against surveyors who allegedly failed to identify a property’s structural problems. Russell Simpson leads the team.

Within Regional review, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a first tier firm,

In Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, Stevens & Bolton LLP maintains its position as the region’s major heavyweight; Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a recognised leader in real estate and private client work; Clyde & Co remains pre-eminent for shipping and commercial litigation; and on the property and TMT side, DMH Stallard LLP is a key player.

Within Agriculture and estates, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘specialist’ and ‘excellent’ team at Cripps Harries Hall LLP typically advises on the sale and purchase of estates worth up to £6m, and recently completed the purchase of a £1.6m equestrian estate. Practice head Sally Firby is ‘a leading light of the legal profession’.

Within Charities, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a second tier firm,

In 2010 Cripps Harries Hall LLP advised Abbeyfield Mid Sussex on its merger with Abbeyfield and on the charity deregistration of Sovereign Harbour Trust, which involved the creation of a subsidiary community interest company. Team head Peter Scott has ‘a wide range of knowledge and skills’.

Within Family: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a second tier firm,

Cripps Harries Hall LLP delivers an ‘unrivalled combination of client empathy, robustness and depth of knowledge’. Clients find Amanda Andrews and Kirstie Law ‘extremely helpful’.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a first tier firm,

Clients praise the ‘excellent service’ at Cripps Harries Hall LLP, which delivers ‘clear, prompt and carefully thought-out advice’. With subgroups handling trust management, estates, tax services and contentious trusts and probate, the department is able to support clients across the spectrum of private client work. Anne Lewis, Peter Scott and practice head Simon Leney are recommended.

Within Local government , Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a first tier firm,

The team at Cripps Harries Hall LLP is now headed by Miles Paffard following Andrew Fermor’s retirement. It advises government authorities and public bodies, including Crawley Borough Council, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Home Office, on issues ranging from outstanding rent claims to property acquisitions and s106 agreements.

Within Commercial property: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a first tier firm,

Cripps Harries Hall LLP continues to reap praise from clients for its ‘high-level knowledge and clear, thought-out advice’. The firm provides an ‘excellent’ service, which is ‘equivalent to central London firms’, through three sub-groups handling portfolio property, development and public sector work separately. Work highlights for 2010 included big-ticket instructions from HS1 and Crossrail. Senior partner Michael Stevens is ‘both charming and commercially astute’, and head of development Bill Mackie is also recommended.

Within Construction , Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a second tier firm,

Cripps Harries Hall LLP construction team is led by Jane Ryland, who handles non-contentious and contentious construction law. She and associate James Lee are advising the UK Border Agency on a development agreement for a 200,000 sq ft floor refurbishment. Other clients include Berkeley Homes and Wagamama.

Within Environment, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a second tier firm,

Delivering ‘extremely good, pragmatic advice’, Cripps Harries Hall LLP continues to act for South East Water on contentious water pollution matters. Jason Towell and Myles McIntosh are key contacts.

Within Planning, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a second tier firm,

Cripps Harries Hall LLP was appointed to the Barratt Homes strategic land and planning panel in 2010, and reports significant instructions from this and other housebuilder clients including Berkeley Homes and Linden Homes (South East). Jason Towell is noted for his expertise in both greenfield strategic and brownfield regeneration projects.

Within Property litigation, Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a first tier firm,

Carol Wakeford heads a sizeable team of property litigators at Cripps Harries Hall LLP, which continues to receive substantial instructions from Crossrail. The firm’s landlord services group provides a fixed-fee litigation service for property managers and landlords of commercial and residential units.

Within Social housing , Cripps Harries Hall LLP is a second tier firm,

Cripps Harries Hall LLP advises clients such as AmicusHorizon, Genesis Housing and Town and Country Housing Group on s106, development and infrastructure agreements, and advised on the acquisition of a 120-unit portfolio in 2010. The eight-partner team is now headed by new arrival Paul Skelton, who joined from Devonshires in 2011.

Within Intellectual property Intellectual property

Within IT and telecoms IT and telecoms