The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Norwich, Ashton KCJ is a third tier firm,

At Kester Cunningham John, Edward O’Rourke is ‘always prompt to respond and proactive’; and associate Damian Humphrey comes highly recommended on corporate issues. Recent deals include the merger of a £4.5m supplier to the offshore industry.

Within Commercial litigation: Cambridge, Ashton KCJ is a second tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s Michael Frape is ‘a safe pair of hands’ for shareholder and partnership disputes. He advised Taiwan’s Sunplus in a £450,000 claim against a Cambridge technology company.

Within Commercial litigation: Elsewhere in East Anglia, Ashton KCJ is a second tier firm,

At Kester Cunningham John, Luke Hibbert (‘knowledgeable, effective, a safe pair of hands’) and Don Sheahan advise regional and national corporates.

Within Commercial litigation: Norwich, Ashton KCJ is a third tier firm,

At Kester Cunningham John, solicitor Matthew Bowden has been advising on matters including a high-value shareholder dispute. Chris Gilbert is no longer at the firm.

Within Banking and finance, Ashton KCJ is a third tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s Ron Clare and Edward O’Rourke provide ‘high-quality advice with a commercial edge’.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Ashton KCJ is a second tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s Luke Hibbert, Edward O’Rourke and Michael Frape are ‘sensible, accurate, commercial and effective’. They advise administrators such as Baker Tilly, and McTear Williams & Wood.

Within Employment, Ashton KCJ is a second tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s Ross Strowger acts for employers such as Network SI, and is ‘always available, efficient, and good value’. Hywel Griffiths advises many Cambridge colleges. Caroline Banwell joined from Barr Ellison LLP.

Within Clinical negligence: claimant, Ashton KCJ is a first tier firm,

At Kester Cunningham John, Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp is ‘a tour de force’ renowned for her ‘dogged determination and terrier-like qualities’; Tom Cook is ‘highly intelligent, sensible and organised’; Trefine Maynard is ‘dedicated to her clients’; and Sandra Patton is ‘unfailingly polite and patient’; ‘there is no better firm’. Recent work includes multimillion-pound cerebral palsy and failure-to-diagnose cases.

Within Personal injury: claimant, Ashton KCJ is a first tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John is ‘a top-class firm with top-class practitioners’, notably Ruth Booy, who is noted for her ‘excellent strategic thinking’; Hannah Rutterford, who is ‘bright, and highly regarded by other PI lawyers’; Simon Davis (‘organised and calm’); and Justina Molloy (‘absolutely fantastic’). Recent work includes a £2.5m RTA claim.

Within Regional review,

Nevertheless, in East Anglia that story could be overshadowed by the merger between Ashton Graham, where Mark Merriam has stepped down from the managing partner role to be replaced by head of private client Alan Brown, and Kester Cunningham John. The merger is scheduled for completion in October 2011 and is set to create a new firm, Ashton KCJ, with many synergies and a very strong presence across seven offices in the region, unless some rationalisation takes place.

Within Agriculture and estates, Ashton KCJ is a third tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s Simon Cunningham is ‘honest, straightforward, and robust’, and associate Damian Humphrey is ‘strong on commercial issues’. The practice includes agricultural finance and land transactions.

Within Charities, Ashton KCJ is a second tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s ‘proactive, courteous, and patient’ team includes Mary Ambrose, who is ‘extremely bright, and will make a big impact in the region’, and Mark Watson, who is ‘thorough, and good value’. The firm counts many Cambridge colleges as clients.

Within Family, tier 4

Kester Cunningham John’s Mary Pearce is ‘rightly recognised as a leader in her field, and provides high-quality service, particularly for ancillary relief’. Fiona McLeman (née Bethel) left to set up her own firm, and Neale Grearson moved to Hayes + Storr.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate: Cambridge, Ashton KCJ is a second tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John ‘provides high-quality advice and practical solutions’, through Lynn Wicks and the ‘helpful, sensitive’ Jennie Pratt.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate: Elsewhere in East Anglia, Ashton KCJ is a first tier firm,

Simon Crooks is expanding Kester Cunningham John’s high-net-worth client base and oversees the firm’s online wills service. Adrian Mundell in the Court of Protection team is ‘very knowledgeable, reliable, dedicated and thorough, and provides exceptional service’.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate: Norwich, Ashton KCJ is a third tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s wealth management team is ‘approachable and friendly, and has an excellent rapport with clients’. Robert Chalmers is ‘very efficient, and particularly helpful on complex trust and taxation matters’.

Within Local government, Ashton KCJ is a second tier firm,

Consultant Bob McGeady’s planning expertise and in-house experience is a boon to public sector clients of Kester Cunningham John.

Within Commercial property: Cambridge, Ashton KCJ is a third tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s Charles Webb and Magnus McManus are noted for the client-centred approach and eye for value. McManus handles the national portfolio of Savills, and is advising a Cambridge College on a £10m land sale to a national housebuilder.

Within Commercial property: Elsewhere in East Anglia, Ashton KCJ is a first tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s Ron Clare is advising on the relocation of a local manufacturing company, and acts for other clients throughout the region.

Within Commercial property: Norwich, Ashton KCJ is a second tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John has lost Chris Gilbert, but Simon Cunningham and James Slinger are prominent in the region and beyond. The team advised Dacorum Borough Council on the £3.2m redevelopment of a derelict site in Hemel Hempstead.

Within Construction, tier 4

Kester Cunningham John’s team is ‘excellent in all regards, knowledgeable and commercially aware’, and includes James Slinger, Magnus McManus and consultant Bob McGeady. The firm advises Camgrain, the UK’s largest farmer-owned central storage business. Associate Samantha Houlden is ‘a pleasure to deal with, and will feature in the industry for many years to come’.

Within Planning, Ashton KCJ is a second tier firm,

‘Star player’ Bob McGeady at Kester Cunningham John is ‘an expert negotiator, and fights his corner vigorously’, and is ‘equally at home in planning inquiries, High Court judicial reviews, and the nuts and bolts of complex planning applications’.

Within Property litigation, Ashton KCJ is a third tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s team includes experienced specialist Michael Frape and Don Sheahan, who has expertise advising housebuilders and developers. It advised Trinity Hall on a £340,000 dilapidations claim.

Within Social housing, Ashton KCJ is a second tier firm,

Kester Cunningham John’s Bob McGeady and Charles Webb are on the boards of major housing associations. RSLs call on the firm’s employment and construction teams.