The Legal 500

Within EU and competition EU and competition

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Within Financial services, tier 5

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s merger has made for an enhanced UK non-contentious regulatory capability. The team advised AXA Wealth on the regulatory side to a key exclusive distribution agreement. David Pollitt, David Hunt, and James MacNish Porter are principal contacts.

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Within Flotations: small and mid-cap, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

Nick Gibbon and Matthew Darling at DAC Beachcroft LLP are ‘highly effective, and work diligently’. Clive Garston ‘sees both sides and balances practical legal advice with commercial outcomes’. ‘Efficient and well-organised’ associate Michelle Jones has ‘an excellent grasp of commercial issues’. Highlight deals included the IPOs of Ceres Media International, Coral Products and TLA Worldwide.

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Within M&A: smaller deals, up to £50m, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a first tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP has a strong post-merger offering, particularly in the recruitment industry, where both legacy firms shared ‘deep knowledge of the sector and the issues pertinent to these businesses’. The insurance sector is another key area of focus for the team, which in 2011 advised Groupama on the sale of its health insurance business. Steven Raize is ‘commercially minded’, and Matthew Darling is praised for his ‘ability to cut to the nub of the issue’.

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Within Fraud: civil, tier 4

DAC Beachcroft LLP has particular expertise in the investigation and surveillance of suspected fraudsters, and in advising on the legal issues surrounding covert investigations and techniques to uncover evidence of theft. Jonathan Brogden provides ‘robust’ advice.

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Within Commercial litigation, tier 5

The team at DAC Beachcroft LLP is a strong choice for contentious insurance, construction and engineering matters, and has a growing reputation for commercial litigation. It regularly acts for European-based banks, including a Moscow-based bank. Team head John Bramhall is ‘calm under pressure’; Jonathan Brogden is a ‘pleasure to work with’; and Ken Forsyth ‘performs excellently’. Richard Highley, Philip Davis, Matthew Wescott and Campbell Dye are all experienced practitioners.

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Within International arbitration International arbitration

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Within Overview,

Mergers among law firms have also been to the benefit of certain litigation teams, most notably those between Clyde & Co LLP and Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP, which created one of the largest dispute resolution practices of any UK law firm, and Davies Arnold Cooper LLP and Beachcroft, to form DAC Beachcroft LLP. Also of note was Pinsent Masons LLP’s joining forces with McGrigors LLP.

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Within Professional discipline, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s practice is led by Stephen Hocking. It acts as legal assessor to the disciplinary committee of the Charted Institute of Building, advising on all misconduct cases that come before it; and regularly represents local authority members charged with breaches of the members’ code of conduct. It also carries out a range of work for the MDU.

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Within Employment: employers and senior executives, tier 4

The team at newly merged DAC Beachcroft LLP can draw on the international expertise of Chris Syder, and is gaining market share in new sectors such as financial services and retail, handling High Court litigation for investment banks. The insurance and healthcare specialist advised NHS Employers in relation to recent strike action relating to pension reform. The ‘very experienced’ Elizabeth Adams leads a nine-partner team in London.

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Within Health and safety, tier 4

DAC Beachcroft LLP added Fiona Gill to its team of London health and safety lawyers. It successfully represented Swift Horseman in a trial over a construction site fatality. The practice also acts for a variety of insurers, including Zurich and Newline.

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Within Overview,

Against this, there is increased competition from in-house teams which continue to up-skill, particularly in the banking sector, and from third-party HR advisers and claims handlers; and the prevailing economic climate is having a heavy impact on the available legal spend. Shrewd clients have sought to commoditise work outside of the City and demand greater efficiency and alternative fee arrangements. National firms – notably Addleshaw Goddard LLP; DAC Beachcroft LLP; Eversheds LLP; and Pinsent Masons LLP – are well placed to capitalise on this while also handling top-end work from London.

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Within Pensions, tier 5

DAC Beachcroft LLP is a leading adviser on public sector pensions, but also has an impressive list of private sector employer and trustee clients, among them Amway UK, Mitie, and Christ’s Hospital Pension Scheme. The firm rise a tier this year in the non-contentious ranking. Neil Bhan has ‘a wealth of knowledge and a sharp intellect’.

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Within Clinical negligence: claimant Leading individuals: Clinical negligence

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Within Clinical negligence: defendant, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a first tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP has a strong and highly rated national team, headed from the Bristol office by the ‘hugely experienced’ Nigel Montgomery. It has one of the largest portfolios of work for the NHSLA, including several complex group actions, and the firm features a nominated NHSLA partner at each of the Bristol, Winchester, Leeds and Newcastle offices. The breadth of experience in the team is also illustrated by its non-NHSLA client list, which includes the MDU, private healthcare providers such as Spire and the Priory Group, and medical malpractice insurers such as Allianz, QBE and Zurich.

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Within Insurance and reinsurance litigation, tier 4

DAC Beachcroft LLP has an ‘agile and responsive’ team, and an enhanced presence in the London market, post merger. Chris Wilkes recently acted for various insurers following claims made following the London riots. Mark Sutton acted for a Lloyds broker and its insurers in a claim arising from the placement of a facultative reinsurance contract into the London and Singaporean markets, relating to a loss of 7,000 motor vehicles in a freak hail storm in Dubai. Also recommended are Julian Miller, who ‘does not sit on the fence and is a real tower of strength’; Trevor Chamberlain; David Bear; consultant Michael Dobias; and Nick Young, who is ‘the man to have in your corner when the going gets tough’.

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Within Insurance: corporate and regulatory, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP is praised for its ‘quality of advice, judgement and turnaround times’. The team acted for Groupama on the sale of its health insurance business to Simplyhealth, and Mathew Rutter advised AXA on a seven-year distribution agreement with the Co-operative Bank. Other clients include BUPA and Ageas. Bristol-based David Pollitt heads the group. Funds specialist Barry Stimpson joined from RPC.

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Within Overview,

On the law firm merger front, November 2011 saw two very significant amalgamations for the sector, in the form of Clyde & Co LLP’s merger with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP, creating the largest insurance firm in the UK; and Beachcroft LLP’s tie-up with Davies Arnold Cooper LLP, to form DAC Beachcroft LLP.

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Within Personal injury: claimant Leading individuals: Personal Injury

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Within Personal injury: defendant, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a first tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP is highly regarded in the industry, acting for corporates such as BP and BA and insurers such as Zurich, Allianz, and Ecclesiastical. Strategic litigation specialist Andrew Parker was instructed by the NDLB in two significant asbestos test cases in 2011. The ‘collaborative’ and ‘proactive’ Paula Jefferson is responsible for the national disease team, which acted on behalf of Land of Leather in the sofa dermatitis claims. The ‘hugely experienced’ Tania Sless leads the catastrophic injury team, which is ‘quite simply the best’.

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Within Product liability: claimant Leading individuals: Product liability

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Within Product liability: defendant, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a first tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP has an outstanding pharmaceutical and healthcare practice. Simon Pearl has an international reputation in the field, and is leading advice to AstraZeneca Insurance Company regarding antipsychotic drug Seroquel. GlaxoSmithKline, Zurich Insurance and the National Blood Authority are also clients of the ‘leading team’, which includes ‘brilliant strategic and tactical thinker’ Alison McAdams. The firm also has a role in the headline case relating to PIP breast implants.

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Within Professional negligence, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s ‘first-class’ 15-partner team is led by the ‘outstanding’ Harriet Strevens. Its high-profile client base includes names such as Allianz, Catlin, Chartis, Groupama, Markel, QBE and Zurich. The ‘experienced’ Richard Beaty, Karen Cargill, William Allison, Ross Risby and Julian Miller are singled out for praise. Dispute resolution head Trevor Chamberlain is also recommended.

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Within Charities and not-for-profit, tier 6

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s offering is headed up by Julian Gizzi, who is known for representing education and health charities.

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Within Administrative and public law, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a second tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s ‘helpful and responsive’ team gives ‘wise advice’ that is ‘constructive and thorough’. It advised NICE on its proposed re-establishment from a special health authority to a non-departmental public body, and advised Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust on constitutional amendments and governance issues. The London team is complemented by strong regional practices, notably in Bristol and Leeds. The ‘very accessible’ Stephen Hocking and Julian Gizzi are key names. Tony Child recently joined Browne Jacobson LLP.

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Within Education: institutions, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a first tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s ‘invaluable’ team is ‘excellent in every aspect’ and has ‘superb’ knowledge. In 2011 it advised the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency on arrangements for National Curriculum testing, and advised the Office for Fair Access on various agreements. Team head Stephen Hocking and Julian Gizzi provide ‘excellent advice’.

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Within Education: schools, tier 4

Stephen Hocking’s team at DAC Beachcroft LLP advises on student-related matters.

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Within Healthcare, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a first tier firm,

Elizabeth Adams leads DAC Beachcroft LLP’s ‘excellent’ team, which acts for an array of NHS clients. Recent work includes advising NHS employers on handling industrial action, and acting for a foundation trust on the acquisition of the community service arms of two PCTs. Udara Ranasinghe is recommended, as is adviser Giles Peel, who joined the firm in 2011 from Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust as head of the health advisory team.

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Within Local government, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a second tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s merger combined two noted local government teams, with new practice head Judith Barnes subsequently joining from Eversheds LLP; Stephen Hocking now leads the overarching public sector department. The firm retains its place on the London Boroughs and Kent Districts consortium, the Sussex consortium, and the North West England consortium, among other panels. It also advised the Improvement and Efficiency South East consortium on procurement issues, and has handled a number of Code of Conduct cases.

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Within Overview,

Leading advisers to the education sector include DAC Beachcroft LLP, Mills & Reeve LLP, and SGH Martineau LLP. Prevailing market conditions have led to a number of mergers, redundancies and restructuring among educational institutions, and firms have also noticed an increased willingness to challenge schools, particularly in relation to fees. Firms are frequently being called upon to advise on securing DfE approval for free schools, and academies are also a substantial source of work. Student accommodation projects are on the increase as educational institutions seek to attract more foreign students; simultaneously, issues concerning foreign students continue to warrant firms’ assistance in terms of immigration support and applications to the UKBA.

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Within Commercial property, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a second tier firm,

Following its October 2011 merger, DAC Beachcroft LLP now has a national real estate group with 24 partners and 16 assistants based in London. Work highlights included advising new client Taylor Wimpey on a number of developments. On the retail side, clients include Westfield Stratford City and L’Oréal. Robert Lee heads the group.

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Within Construction, tier 4

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s ‘tenacious’ team provides ‘excellent’ advice on professional indemnity cases, and also advises contractors and health authorities. International arbitration is an area of specialism for Danny Gowan and team head Rowan Planterose, and Chris Doran specialises in defective design claims. Michael Blackburne displays ‘depth of knowledge’ and ‘breadth of experience’. Lloyd’s of London is a client.

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Within Planning, tier 5

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s planning team, post merger, has two partners and nine other fee-earners, and is led by Tim Johnson. It recently acted for David Wilson Homes on the proposed redevelopment of Newbury Racecourse.

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Within Property finance, tier 4

DAC Beachcroft LLP continues to act on lending transactions for numerous banks and funders, including mezzanine lenders. Clients include Allied Irish Bank, Bank of Ireland, Clydesdale Bank, and RBS. Paul McCartney heads the team.

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Within Property litigation, tier 4

DAC Beachcroft LLP is in a stronger position, after its merger, to handle big-ticket real estate disputes. Andrew Chesser is a specialist in the area. Practice head Caroline Howard represented Richard Caring (Caprice Holdings) in a judicial review against Westminster City Council. Thekla Fellas is ‘knowledgeable’ and ‘commercial’, and Guy Knight gets ‘straight to the point’.

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Within IT and telecoms, tier 5

DAC Beachcroft LLP handles a range of contentious matters as well as outsourcing, projects and contracts for public and private sector clients. Tim Sewart heads the practice, which acts for clients such as Intellect and Surrey County Council.

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Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP is ‘second to none in the application of legal principles to scientific evidence and understanding’ regarding product liability and insurance matters for the life sciences industry. Recent matters include advising GlaxoSmithKline on the MMR group action, and acting for both the National Blood Authority and NHS trusts in relation to claims relating to hepatitis allegedly contracted from products, transfusions and transplants. Practice head Simon Pearl, Alison McAdams and Michael Goldberg are ‘deeply experienced and competent’.

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Within Sport, tier 4

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s merger combined two practices into a greater whole. Sports-related personal injury law remains a great strength, and the team recently assisted former Manchester United FC trainee Ben Collett in winning a record award of £4.5m. Practice co-heads Jan Levinson (in Manchester) and Chris Syder are recommended, as is Nicholas Taylor.

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