The Legal 500

Within Corporate and commercial: Manchester, tier 5

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s Leila Porter has ‘an excellent legal brain combined with commercial acuity, charm and determination’, and advises clients such as Pirelli, Topps Tiles and Johnson Service Group on corporate matters.

Within Licensing, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a second tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s licensing team is led by Jan Levinson, and deals with high-value, complex matters. It continues to act for Manchester United FC, and also has a strong health sector client base.

Within Commercial litigation: Manchester, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s three-partner team is led by Jan Levinson, and offers expertise in areas such as healthcare, technology, pensions and fraud, with experience in high-profile, large-scale claims. Representative clients include DB Schenker, Aviva, Pirelli and Balfour Beatty. The ‘calm, precise’ Sydney Fulda is experienced in contractual and shareholder disputes, and associate Harald Loeffler is also recommended.

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

DAC Beachcroft LLP has a ‘dedicated team of people’ for whom ‘nothing is ever too much trouble’. Clients include the Royal Mail Group and a number of retail sector companies, such as Flannels and Arcadia Group. The team also remains a leading adviser to NHS trusts. The highly regarded Paula Cole provides ‘timely advice in a cost-effective manner’, and Deborah Hely is ‘well organised, knowledgeable and very responsive’.

Within Health and safety, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

Iain Moore is recommended at DAC Beachcroft LLP.

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

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s healthcare team is jointly led by ‘outstanding lawyer’ Simon Wortley and Christopher Briggs. It handled numerous instructions for the Medical Defence Union and private hospitals such as the General Healthcare Group.

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

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s practice head Iain Moore has particular experience in claims relating to industrial goods and services. The team handles the full range of insurance matters, including catastrophic and volume work. Newly promoted Antonia Ford specialises in fraud matters, and heads the firm’s expanding claims validation team. Clients include Aviva, Allianz and BAE Systems.

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

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s team is led by Ian McConkey, and has seen an increase in D&O and media-related professional claims. It acts for Zurich Professional in cases involving solicitors, accountants and surveyors. Stephen Gorman joined from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP.

Within Regional overview, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a second tier firm,

Recently merged firm DAC Beachcroft LLP stands out for its capabilities in the insurance, healthcare and real estate sectors, while other areas of focus include employment, fraud/regulatory and corporate services.

Within Project finance and PFI, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP advises numerous public sector clients on PFI and PPP projects. Alison Key recently advised Liverpool City Council and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

Within Health, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s recent work includes TCS matters, and assistance to PCTs and foundations. Rachael Heenan leads the team in Manchester, and Georgina Rowley* provides ‘excellent support’ on inquest work. *Georgina Rowley has since moved to Hempsons.

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

DAC Beachcroft LLP was reappointed to the North West Legal Consortium. Eve Gregory leads the public sector real estate team, which was instructed on a number of redevelopment and regeneration matters.

Within Commercial property: Manchester, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s ‘focused and motivated’ practice head Alison Key advises across the public and private sectors, recently advising Westfield Shoppingtowns on leasing matters for a Nottingham retail centre redevelopment, and acting for Alder Hey Children’s NHS Trust on a land exchange agreement with Liverpool City Council. The firm’s 2011 merger added Peter Williams to the team; he is notable for his property finance expertise.

Within Construction, tier 4

Appreciated for its ‘professional and authoritative approach’, DAC Beachcroft LLP focuses on contentious work, with Barry Goodall leading on high-value professional indemnity, defect and negligence claims. The firm advised JCS Group, Halton Housing Trust and Close Investments on transactional matters.

Within Property litigation, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a first tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP’s ‘very impressive’ practice head Robert Moss is experienced in high-value claims, service charge disputes and judicial reviews, and Lesley Hughes is also recommended. The practice recently acted for the Ministry of Justice, CIS/AXA and Royal Mail Group.

Within Intellectual property, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP focuses on the technology sector, and acts for diverse public sector bodies. It is also advising INFOR in a number of disputes.

Within IT and telecoms, DAC Beachcroft LLP is a third tier firm,

DAC Beachcroft LLP handles contentious and non-contentious issues, and has seen a particular increase in IT disputes. Clients include diverse NHS clients, and INFOR.