The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > London > Commercial litigation: mid-market

‘Extremely detailed and responsive. I moved from another lawyer’s practice and you really can’t compare their letters – extremely well written , concise and very detailed.’

‘Contacts listen and absorb the information provided, they sum up all my thoughts in a very concise and detailed manner.’

‘It is a real team, working very well together. it is really easy to talk to each member of the team, having full and deep knowledge of our case.’

‘The individuals we work with are very good professionals, with deep knowledge of our case and applicable legislation, which makes it easy for us to understand our position better. However, what I would say stands out is their capacity to understand the client and use that understanding to improve our case position.’

‘Utter commitment to their client. Prepared to work all night if necessary.’

‘Extremely attentive, very sharp. Straight to the point. Immediately understood any points/concerns I raised and able to explain to me in a very clear manner. Attention to detail and good tacticians.’

‘This firm provides a first-rate litigation service where the client’s needs are always given priority.’

‘I work with John Wilkinson – hugely experienced partner in international litigation.’

‘Oli Blundell – still relatively junior but very hard-working and with excellent judgement.’

‘Top quality, and punches well above its weight. This team is picking up very significant commercial litigation disputes.’

‘Adrian Parkhouse (partner): he’s absolutely excellent and, in terms of raw brain-power, one of the top commercial litigation solicitors in London. Clients rightly love him, because he gives top-quality service and gets superb results. He’s also utterly unflappable in the most extreme circumstances.’

‘Ian de Freitas is a top-quality litigator, always on top of the detail but able to see the big picture, always thinking both inside and outside the box, a great team leader, and he gets superb results for his clients.’

‘Will Charrington is super clever, unbelievably hard-working, and an excellent lawyer. You don’t get a better associates than Will.’

‘The team headed up by Adrian Parkhouse is not only made up of excellent lawyers, but they are also a thoroughly nice group of people. They’re creative, flexible and able to think outside the box.’

‘Adrian Parkhouse is unflappable. The case we’ve been working on is unusual and has thrown up all sorts of issues, which Adrian has handled with aplomb. He is particularly good at handling ‘difficult’ clients.’

‘The associates are all good, but I’ve been particularly impressed with Blue Eliott. Her drafting is excellent and she is great with clients.’

‘Farrer & Co have an intimate working knowledge of our business and a number of individuals have worked with us on secondment at some point over the last ten years. This experience has provided Farrer with a unique insight into our business and its operations allowing the firm to provide legal support with full knowledge of our systems and processes and the requirements of functional partners. The litigation team at Farrer & Co are highly respected by the legal department and by internal business partners.’

‘Kate Allass has acted as a trusted advisor to our business for many years. Kate provides excellent commercial advice in an timely, efficient and cost-effective manner.’

‘Always available when needed both by the client and by the counsel team. Really sensible, practical advice given. The team knows which fights to pick and which to avoid.’

‘Kate Allass – very switched on, superb tactical brain, firm with opponents while maintaining their respect. Victoria Atkins – hard working, very efficient, practical, knows when to use counsel and when not to.’

‘Farrers look after their clients like family.’

‘Kate Allass is extremely intelligent and astute.’

‘They are very thorough in their approach, and always provide in-depth comments on any letters or other material so that we (as clients) understand the situation 100% and can (together with the lawyers) make informed and optimal decisions about the way forward. They are very pro-active in keeping us in the loop and are always on top of everything. They showed time and again that they turn things (any letters or documents they need to draft or any other work) around very quickly if needed which is very important in my opinion in commercial litigation.’

‘Ian De Freitas, William Charrington, Lucy Penn – my experience with working all three is very positive. They are constantly on top of everything, always well informed, and don’t mind working in evenings or weekends if required. Their analyses, arguments, suggestions, etc. are usually very good as far as I (not being a lawyer myself) can judge on this.’

‘Personalised service, deep knowledge of their subject area, ability to bring together various parties and control them to save in-house counsel trying to pull on multiple strings.‘

‘Really good whole service law firm. Blends regional law firm with City focus. Very price-sensitive and aware of value against ‘cost’.‘

‘High-class commercial litigators, with some particular skills in multinational work.‘

‘Very reasonable and client-oriented‘

‘Tom Ellis provides clarity of approach, detailed knowledge of each matter and is always available to speak. Takes time to know his client as an individual and has a great breadth of experience’

Tom Frapwell is a fantastic senior associate.‘

‘Andrew Bartlett – few solicitors have his sophisticated understanding of multinational litigation.‘

‘Knowledgeable and focused’

‘The litigation team has a reputation for meticulous attention to detail. It exploits the latest technology to achieve the best results and cut costs‘

‘Christopher Webber is a masterful technical lawyer and delivers consistently exceptional service for his clients.‘

‘Kate Wakeham is exceptional.‘

‘Tom Noble is a very efficient and bright associate.‘

‘Andrew Ward is calm, focused, diligent, thorough – and always good-humoured.’

‘The best thing about the team is their commercial awareness. They are as closely involved with banking/ship finance litigation as any other firm and their awareness of the global issues which arise is as good as anyone’s.’

‘Charles Buss is the author of the leading textbook on ship financing, and has a very deep understanding of enforcement action and related litigation.’

‘Watson Farley & Williams have a strong oil, gas and renewables practice based on the firm’s extensive finance practice and has built a small but formidable construction disputes team over the past five years.’

‘Robert Fidoe is an outstanding lawyer, adept at managing complex technical disputes and with a good eye for the issues that are important in a dispute. Robert’s easy-going manner is very popular with clients and other team members who find him very easy to work with.’

‘Experienced and multinational team with in-depth knowledge of issues related to certain very specific sectors (maritime, air, oil and gas).’

‘Andrew Hutcheon is attentive to concerns and concerned with the clients’ objectives – he is pragmatic, very combative, persevering and successful.’

‘WFW have an incredible level of industry knowledge in the energy and transport sectors, which gives them a real understanding of what their clients want and the issues which they face.’

‘Andrew Hutcheon is one of the most intelligent, careful and diligent lawyers I have ever worked with. Andrew Ward also stands out as intelligent and capable.’

‘Andrew Ward is excellent. Insightful, incisive and commercial. Really bright and a pleasure to work with.’

‘This is a highly skilled and experienced team of commercial litigators with a global practice. They are often involved in high-profile, high-value cases in the Commercial Court, Chancery Division and in arbitration on behalf of HNW individuals, corporate clients and State actors. They are indefatigable in pursuit of their clients’ interests and deliver a very high-quality service. There is a real team spirit and they are great to work with.’

‘Tatiana Menshenina (partner) is a dual-qualified Russian lawyer and English solicitor. She has a large following of CIS and Ukrainian clients (including the government of Ukraine) whom she represents in proceedings in England and in international arbitrations. She is an astute and clever tactician who is very good at managing complex, multi-jurisdictional litigation. One of her particular strengths is finding creative solutions to unexpected problems and developments that occur during litigation.’

‘Georgina Bailey s a very competent and experienced litigator who basically operates at partner level. She gets things done quickly and efficiently and is a joy to work with. She is in complete command of every aspect of a case and has a great eye for detail.’

‘Lesley Timms is an excellent commercial litigator with a strong focus on Italy and Italian clients. Her approach to dispute resolution is wise and measured and she is very good with clients.’

‘Very strong team, particularly in case involving Russian and Ukrainian issues.’

‘Tatiana Menshenina – knows the CIS market back to front. Commercially savvy.’

‘Julia Alaverdashvili – extremely intelligent and diligent. A real rising star.’

‘A market leader for cases with an Italian element. Extensive experience of Italian clients and cases and numerous fluent Italian speakers make them a first choice. Also strong in international arbitration, and notable for the breadth and quality of its practice.’

‘This a firm with a deep pool of talent from partners to associates. The team provides an excellent service to clients and also stands out for being particularly user-friendly and collegiate.’

‘Among the partners, Peter Wood stands out for corporate disputes. Utterly charming but a touch litigator when he needs to be, he gets outstanding results for clients. In arbitration, Eleni Polycarpou stands out for the range of her experience and her ability to manage even the most difficult clients with ease. Finally, among junior partners, Lesley Timms is clearly going to be star partner in the coming years. She is totally unflappable, and has outstanding commercial judgment.’

‘Among associates, Caroline Thompson is recommended for her efficiency and thoroughness; she’s a great addition to any team. Peter Leckey is a non-nonsense litigator with bags of common sense.’

‘Excellent private client/litigation firm with specialist expertise across a number of industry sectors including fashion and motor racing.’

‘Roberto Moruzzi is hugely experienced and hard-working.’

‘A strong understanding of cross-border disputes and the cultural sensitivities in certain jurisdictions.’

‘Eleni Polycarpou is an exceptional disputes lawyer and manages her wider team very efficiently. Always available and up-to-speed.’

‘Strong litigation practice capable of handling complex cases and deal effectively with all intricacies of the case.’

‘Tatiana Menshenina is very good in creating rock-solid litigation strategies. Tatiana is extremely effective in managing the client’s expectations and bringing in results.’

‘Very friendly and capable commercial litigation team that always has the client’s best interests at heart. The focus is always on achieving the best possible outcome and reducing risk.’

‘Peter Wood: head of commercial litigation, he has a very hands-on commercial approach to disputes which often brings excellent results/ Robert Moruzzi: very tenacious in an attractively understated way. Peter Leckey: very able senior associate.’

“A one-stop, top-quality shop for any litigation matter, and provides very good, commercial and focused advice.”

“Responsive, knowledgeable, strategic and tactical – you feel confident that they can achieve results and they are good value for money.”

“Yuri Botiuk has very good knowledge of the law and is very practical and effective in his approach. The Candey team has strength at all levels of seniority and is effective and competent.”

“The firm provides excellent and sound advice and an excellent value-for-money service. Yuri Botiuk and James Collins are practical, knowledgeable, stress-free-lawyers and excellent case co-ordinators.”

‘High quality associates and partners able to cover a broad range of commercial work always to an excellent standard.’

‘Ed Craig – has real commercial nous. Excellent with clients and achieves excellent results. Katy Ackroyd – excellent litigator. Always on top of the detail ‘and has excellent client management. A real pleasure to work with.’

‘Edward Craig leads a superb team of commercial litigators.’

‘Edward Craig is an old-school team leader: knows the market; knows his team; knows the law and can be trusted to exercise sound and principled judgement.’

‘The CRS Dispute Resolution team is excellent at resourcing work, both in terms of ensuring the right level of human resource is directed to the work in hand but also by regular rotation ensuring every team member is fully up to speed on the key issues in a case and how to address them.’

‘Charlotte Pender is an exceptionally dedicated litigation professional with a very strong commercial sense, an impressive understanding of the technical aspects of complex large scale litigation and, most importantly, an unerring sense for the right tactical step to take at every step of the way.’

‘Ed Craig is highly knowledgeable and understands our needs.’

‘Global reach, a team of really talented lawyers and a client-focused approach.’

‘Stewart Hey is a great lawyer – excellent eye for detail and team leader. Ed Craig and John Sykes are brilliant with clients. Some very good associates in Caroline Greenwell, Hannah Kent and Danielle Sharkey.’

‘They really know their law and can manage a case expertly across the team. These are givens at CRS, but why I really like working with them is they are so highly client focused – doing what’s best for the client; in a human way (they work hard but are fun to work with too); and transparently in terms of cost management.’

‘Stewart Hey: seemingly a workaholic; available at the most unsociable hours; a rapid responder par excellence.’

‘Charlotte Pender is a great big-picture thinker; mild and gregarious but underneath as sharp and forceful as anyone when the need arises. Caroline Greenwell works incredibly hard; a fantastic client relationship ambassador for CRS; but again has that sharp forcefulness when it’s needed.’

‘They offer dedication and commitment, a very personal service, and a commercially focused practical and sensible approach. I think they have the experience and ability to play in the big-litigation market at a cost far below that of the magic circle firms.’

‘Emma Carr is extremely committed and responsible and has shown why she deserved being elevated to partner a few years ago. Andrew Smith is everything you would want from a more senior partner: very experienced, independent thinking, considered, careful; and supported by two fantastic associates in Sean Adams and Tom Cox, extremely diligent and thoughtful.’

‘Gowling employ excellent team work. Good knowledge of the law and procedures, flexible and client friendly.’

‘Gowling have some fantastic lawyers who are really focused on getting the best result for the client: they are very sensible about cost-effective solutions and always aim for a quick solution if that is what the client needs. Many of the individual lawyers are outstanding: very clever but also very level-headed in litigation.’

‘Andrew Smith is a true stand-out partner in my view, and Cat Naylor is also very reliable. Among the senior associates Tom Cox and Sean Adams have really impressed me.’

‘One of the best teams around. They work for blue chip companies, but bring a realistic approach without in any way compromising the client’s interests.’

‘Andrew Smith is one of the top litigators in the country. Tom Cox is bright and very efficient. Maintains the client’s confidence at all times.’

‘Strong reputation.’

‘Rob Lawrie is standout.’

‘Alex Ferrari has more than 20 years’ experience of commercial litigation in particular in the context of insurance, aviation, life sciences and financial services. And it shows. A man who knows the ropes and all the tricks of the trade.’

‘Keystone is an innovative practice that operates more like chambers, which means that clients benefit from almost exclusive advice at partner level and avoid having their affairs dealt with by junior staff to whom they have been delegated.’

‘Joanna McKenzie is one of the most dedicated lawyers with whom I have worked. She is tremendously hard-working and willing to share the risk with clients by accepting instructions on a no-win no-fee basis. She regularly goes the extra mile for her clients and always give pragmatic advice.’

‘Elaine Chan is an excellent solicitor and somebody who clearly has an abundance of knowledge and capability when it comes to both providing advice and dealing with insurance matters. Elaine’s down to earth persona makes working with her very easy and enjoyable.‘

‘Elaine Chan is an expert on insurance issues, including in the international context. Her work with Chinese colleagues has meant that she has expertly deployed mediation to resolve disputes. She has enhanced her own skills by training as a mediator.’

‘They have an impressive approach to litigation which focuses on the client’s business.’

‘The team benefits from being able to draw on lawyers from a number of specialisms to put together teams which are particularly suited to individual disputes, whether they arise out of sporting and media contracts or international tax fraud. They are a lively bunch of people who are also extremely good lawyers.’

‘Ryan Mowat handles high-value sports and leisure industry cases. He is focused and unflappable, especially when the going gets tough. Sue Thackeray is one of sport’s law’s doyennes. She has a contact book to die for and client care skills to match. Brings unparalleled commitment to her cases. Daniel Staunton has added real weight to the team. He is adept at ensuring that all the dots are joined and that nothing gets missed, even in the hardest fought cases.’

‘Fiona Simpson is extremely polished.’

‘Strength in depth, with very good collaboration between departments in cases which straddle different legal disciplines.’

‘Standout lawyer is the Ryan Mowat who combines exceptional strategic and negotiating skills with great client management and sound legal knowledge. He can go toe-to-toe with any magic circle firm, and has experience of taking litigation all the way to the Supreme Court – and winning. Partners Sue Thackeray and Fiona Simpson are both also excellent – tough and hard working, again with an excellent litigator’s sense for judging the strengths and weaknesses of both sides’ cases. Mark Fallman and Hannah Fitzwilliam are associates to watch.’

‘The team have a really varied practice, dealing with anything from construction and development disputes and property disputes to “one-off” pieces of unusual litigation. The broad ranges of skills and experience adds value in all areas. In my experience, the litigation team is partner-led, but provides the associates beneath the partner(s) with considerable autonomy.’

‘Ryan Mowat is a really considered and tactical litigator. He analyses his clients’ positions very closely, not just legally but also with a view to the strategy of and behind the litigation and how that will or might impact upon the psychology of the litigants. That really comes to the fore in mediations in particular; he is a master of the strategy and psychology of mediation.’

‘They are focussed. They all work very well together. They put a team together on a case and that is the team – there are very few, if any, changes for the duration of the case. There is always heavy partner involvement both in strategy and overseeing the team. They are unique in the market because they are not large but they have a very big kick.’

‘Richard Foss is a brilliant strategic thinker. Also very supportive even when things are not going that well. He is always absolutely upfront with clients on the strengths and weaknesses of their case and does not pull any punches. That way there are no surprises other than good ones – and he does amazingly manage to pull rabbits out of a hat.’

‘Mary Young is a fabulous new made up partner. So well deserved. A real bloodhound for details that will move a case her way a few notches. Very good on cross-border cases. Fiona Simpson is also extremely good extremely in relation to fraud, freezing injunctions and claims against directors.’

‘Great value for money. As hard hitting as the silver circle but without the terrifying hourly rates.’

‘Iain MacWhannall is excellent. He has keen eye for detail and is an excellent negotiator and litigator. Clients are in the safest of hands with Iain. Mark Whelan is also a class act.’

‘They are hands-on, practical, efficient and experienced.’

‘Harvey Rands has enormous experience and a very skilful problem-solver and litigator.’

‘Strong team – approachable, sensible and commercial. Very astute strategically.’

‘Joel Seager – excellent advice – aggressive at the right points and gave us confidence to take the steps we needed to. Very cost conscious also.’

‘We have had to use Memery Crystal across a range of jurisdictions and forms of dispute – they have risen to the challenges on each occasion.’

‘Incredibly user friendly and very savvy litigators. Their partners give sound practical commercial advice, giving overall consideration to the commercial reality and not just the balks letter law. Tactically sound but pragmatic at the same time.’

‘Mark Whelan – one of the leading commercial litigators in the mid-size firms. Frequently boxing above his weight, he has carved out a formidable reputation for himself with banks and financial institutions.’

‘Iain MacWhannell – charming and forensically bright. He has fantastic judgment and instinctively knows the right decisions to make in complex, high value commercial litigation. As a former barrister, Iain’s tactics are at the heart of what he does and why he is so very much in demand. Revered for his knowledge and experience of FS, tax, civil fraud and injunctions work, he has a proven track record in heavy weight litigation.’

‘Carl Rohsler – somebody who goes out of his way to achieve the best results for his clients. Highly regarded in the IP and Gaming/Gambling sector, he is somebody that you want on your side. A real thinker, Carl will go over and over various different scenarios in order to arrive at the right decision. It is that diligence and pride in his work that set him apart from others.’

‘Focused with an eye on the a good outcome from a lengthy process, emphasising the cost-benefits in analysing the pursuit of a claim.’

‘Joel Seager (partner) and Nick Mitchell (associate) make a good team and provide a blend of experience and quick comprehension of complex commercial issues.’

‘David Niven: commercially savvy; aggressive when he need to be; fearless in defending and advancing clients’ interests. David O’Brien: one of the brightest and most astute litigators in the market. Phenomenally clever, hard-working and insightful. Jenna Coad: efficient, easy to deal with and never misses a beat.’

‘The team has a good depth of experience in a range of commercial litigation. They provide advice that is both practically and commercially sound, whilst being highly effective. Also, with clients located in certain geographical areas (in particularly India) this firm has particular expertise and contacts, which gives such clients a distinct advantage over the competition.’

‘Phillip D’Costa is a particularly astute tactician. He has many years of experience of commercial litigation and provides legal advice which based on my personal experience is both practical and commercially sound. Clients appear to have confidence in his ability to deliver results and he motivates clients well and keeps them focussed on the important points. He has particular expertise and understanding of the Indian legal system and has a loyal (and substantial) following of clients from India.’

‘Peters & Peters regularly punch above their weight. They are a go-to firm for civil fraud, partly because of the very high quality and experience of their fee earners but also due to the appealing mix of high-stakes white collar criminal work alongside the civil fraud offering. Their international connections are excellent.‘

‘The specialist team has experience and expertise in handling big ticket commercial disputes, particularly those involving fraud and asset tracing. It is also adept at handling multi-jurisdictional disputes and dealing with asset preservation and tracing issues. It has increasing experience in financial services related group litigation.’

‘Strong boutique litigation practice – with deep experience of criminal and regulatory issues putting the firm in a unique position for civil fraud cases, whether acting for claimants or defendants.‘

‘Keith Oliver is a longstanding leader in the field with deep knowledge and experience. He’s a skilled litigator with a team behind him that punches above its weight and takes on all and any big-ticket litigation against big firms – clients love him.‘

‘Jonathan Tickner is bright as a button, very experienced, incisive and a delight with clients. Sound judgement as to what works and what doesn’t.‘

‘Sarah Gabriel is an outstanding litigation expert. Her combination of knowledge, skill and tactical guidance is outstanding.‘

‘Philip Gardner – an outstanding associate, has a great future ahead – one to watch.‘

‘Jonathan Tickner is a master tactician and expert litigator with sound instincts. He is supported by a conscientious and young team of able associates. Jonathan leads the team well and involves himself in the key decisions in a case.‘

‘A dynamic and friendly team with in-depth expertise and a great no-nonsense approach.’

‘Anna Cook is a standout partner: she combines a first-class intellect with tremendous enthusiasm, and is a pleasure to work with. Rob Graham (Senior Associate but surely a next-generation partner) – combines a deep knowledge of IP and technology law with a practical solutions-focussed approach to dispute resolution.’

‘Mark Brown: experienced and skilful in commercial dispute resolution generally; Gemma Barret: passionate in achieving the goal and the quality of the deliverables is excellent, endowed with rare blend of scientific knowledge (biochemistry) and legal skill in litigation management/strategy. Westley Walker: good knowledge/knowhow and experience in litigation practices especially in disclosure (document search/collection/production).’

‘We work with Anna Cook and Rob Graham – both are very bright, responsive, commercially minded and a pleasure to deal with.’

‘Anna Cook is extremely bright, knowledgeable (both on the technology and legal side) and very commercial. She is great at coming up with innovative solutions to complex legal and commercial problems. Always calm, Anna is a pleasure to deal with.’

‘Mark Brown and his team stand out for going the extra mile to add value and bring their (considerable) knowledge, expertise and brainpower to bear on a case. This is not a firm that subcontracts their thought process to counsel, but whose instructions are underpinned by very well thought-out analysis and well structured documentation.’

‘The output from teams headed by Mark Brown is invariably impressive, whoever the associates on the case might be. He is clearly an exceptional leader who combines high standards with being a pleasure to work for.’

‘I have worked with them now on four separate cases. In each the team is a real team – working together, understanding each other’s roles, delegating and taking responsibility when appropriate and involving counsel and the clients in the team work. Everyone feels part of the team and as if their input is important. This sounds obvious but is quite rare in practice: a function of a positive, friendly and commercial culture.’

‘The result is an efficient, effective, relaxed and most of all client focused working environment – it is a joy to work with and I believe brings out the best in everyone whilst keeping the client centre stage.’

‘Anna Cook is incredibly client focused, a pleasure to work with, has immense technical knowledge, an astute tactical brain and is a great team player. It is no surprise she has a loyal following of clients.’

‘Angela Fouracre – partner. Angela is great to work with and also very client focused. She has a good strategic brain and is very accessible. Again an excellent team player.’

‘Bristows offer an excellent client-oriented service and give sound commercial advice.’

‘Mark Brown is a pleasure to work with. He combines good technical knowledge with a strong commercial, client focused approach and is a great team player.’

‘Of all the legal firm professionals I have worked with over the years, DWF has earned my greatest respect, appreciation, and trust. Specifically, for their attention to detail, outstanding communication, consistent availability, and unarguably the most human group of lawyers I have ever had the opportunity to work with.’

‘The team is intellectually impressive yet affable and approachable, providing a welcome interface for clients and counsel alike.’

‘Multi-jurisdictional conflicts require a deep understanding of not only the commercial agreement over which the dispute is originated but also the applicable regulations in each country involved in such dispute and the idiosyncrasy of the involved individuals, in order to find the right strategy for a specific dispute. DWF Law LLP has this understanding.’

‘I cannot praise Richard Twomey and Joshua Fineman, and thus the firm, highly enough for their diligence, commercial and litigation nous, and client-management skills. Outstanding in all respects.’

‘Empathetic and decluttering the issues and honing into and developing the best arguments. Very hard working and always available to take your call even outside of working hours.’

‘Very intelligent in getting to grips with the core issues and devising a sound strategy.’

‘Not money orientated to bill you for every minute, they always keep an eye on the bigger picture.’

‘Extremely supportive of the client in stressful times.’

‘The team has a very practical approach and they respond very quickly. Their responses are always in line with our company vision and reassure our position.’

‘Over the last year and a half, I have gotten to know Joe Martin and Jonathan Issacs very well and witnessed them take my legal case beyond anything I could have imagined. Simply put, Joe and Jonathan care about their clients and they have went through great lengths to fully understand why my case matters how we will win. Most importantly, DWF Law firm partners and associates have all demonstrated unarguably the best performance anyone could hope for with the best expertise I have ever witnessed.’

‘Richard Twomey stands out as a partner who is tactically astute, knowing which battles to fight and how to develop the most effective strategy for dealing with complex cases.’

‘Jonathan Isaacs has a very practical approach. He doesn’t only give advice, he also helps us to make decisions when they are needed quickly. He responds very quickly and will go above and beyond to help on a specific topic.’

‘Lizzie Williams has been excellent at managing the client and attention to detail. Sandi Simons has an unusual grasp of detail and unusually good legal brain for a partner.’

‘Strength in depth. Efficiency and rapid turnaround.’

‘Team of Sandi Simons (partner) and Lizzie Williams and Ben Stevens (associates) all excellent.’

‘All round team. Consistently good. Always available and deliver results.’

‘John Kelly and Matt Leverton are an excellent team.’

‘If you want Magic Circle quality and service, with really nice people to work with, but without the price tag, that is Harbottles. They cover most areas of commercial work and can (and do) absolutely go head to head against the giant firms. They have impressive clients, especially in media, and are very much valued by them. In this practice area I think they are brilliant.’

‘I think the whole team demonstrate a no-nonsense commercial approach to cases, always putting clients’ interests first and doing the necessary to achieve the best. Louis Castellani would be my personal choice of lead partner if I had a commercial issue in any area of commercial litigation, but especially if there were a media or publicity angle. Sandi Simons (partner) is a great tactician, always two steps ahead, but also a stickler for the details as well as a very knowledgeable technical lawyer. Matthew Leverton is cracking on detail, with a fantastic memory for it, and with a dog-like ability to keep gnawing at the other side until he gets an answer. More junior people include Georgina Long who is really switched on to all the complexities and tactics of a case, and Lizzie Williams who shows judgement and instinct beyond her years of qualification!’

‘I struggle to think of a better commercial disputes firm in their part of the market. They combine a wealth of hands-on litigation experience, a deep grasp of how use the court system to get results and an overarching commercial focus on their clients’ interests.’

‘All the H&L people I have worked with have been distinctive for their sheer grasp of how to conduct litigation. It is rare to find this combination of technical expertise and strategic acumen, not just in one or two individuals but across a whole team.’

‘On the partner side, I would single out Andy Millmore (a keen eye for the key point), Louis Castellani (very shrewd litigator) and Matt Leverton (a real rising star).’

‘Joel Leigh and Julia Wookey are excellent.’

‘Joel Leigh – hard-working, astute, charming to work for but steel runs through the veins, an excellent practitioner who gets results.’

‘Julia Wookey – very bright and capable.’

‘This is a strong litigation team. It is results focused and delivers greater value than other perhaps more prestigious firms whilst achieving better results.’

‘Joel Leigh is a fine lawyer and aggressive litigator. He has a good grasp of the law and commercial reality, and is an excellent communicator.’

‘A very personable practice, leading industry knowledge, with a keen eye on the detail.’

‘Dom Offord is our go-to UK lawyer for specialist turnaround, restructuring and insolvency cases. His cross-border case experience is unparalleled and his analytical advisory is exceptional. Dom’s crystal clear communication and personable nature helps manage client expectations from start to finish. We would and have recommended Dom highly to associates.’

‘The team’s primary strength is the quality of its staff, in particular the excellent Dominic Offord.’

‘Dominic Offord is quite simply one of the best lawyers I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Not only is he technically brilliant, acutely commercial and able to provide a wonderfully calm and balanced approach, his real strength is his ability to follow your thought process. I have never felt as if Dom and I have been working against each other. In terms of strategy, Dom has a canny knack of being able to translate an IP’s creative solutions into workable legal strategies. Many lawyers are able to tell you what you can and can’t do. However, I have found few who can ascertain and provide you with a legal mechanism for you to do what you want to do, and fewer still who can get close to doing so as effectively as Dom.’

‘Imogen Maclean’s particular strength is cases which require complex investigation. Imogen is quite the sleuth and provided valuable assistance with the investigation and collation of supporting evidence for a highly contentious matter we working on. Her ability to join the dots in the evidence allowed us to build a robust and ultimately successful case.’

‘Arish Bharucha is a very intelligent, hard-working and insightful lawyer with a keen sense of strategy.’

‘A highly professional outfit with a fierce determination to win for the client.’

‘Nick Goldstone: a terrier-like grip on litigation and excellent negotiator.’

‘The teams are very good at dealing with urgent issues and working hard to ensure that deadlines are met and that clients get the best service.’

‘Nick Goldstone is an expert at ensuring the litigation teams know what is required of them and working with counsel to get the best results for the client in a cost-effective way.’

‘The team is extremely well managed. They are efficient, knowledgeable and explain things in a no-nonsense way. They are very commercially minded.’

‘We normally deal with Nick Goldstone who gives good advice. We find him extremely tough but with an underlying sense of humour. He is very knowledgeable but unlike some solicitors is aiming for an end result rather than prolonging cases.’

‘Excellent partner engagement with the work, and highly skilled associates. Melanie Hart is a particular star: really gets to grips with the clients’ needs, and combines strategic insight with hands-on hard work.’

‘A very “savvy” firm, offering firm practical advice.’

‘Philip Cohen and Vikash Savani are a formidable team.’

‘Nick Goldstone is the leading light in the team and increasingly prominent in the firm as a whole.’

‘Nick Goldstone is an outstanding litigator whose judgement is excellent. He is very tenacious and has great intuition.’

‘Pragmatic and results-focused firm that does not over-bill.’

‘Melanie Hart – very rare to find a lawyer who has the full package, but Melanie does. Great client management skills – reassuring, expert, confident but caring. Fine legal mind. Determined deliverer. Very very impressed by her work.’

‘Robin Shaw is a superlative litigator who is leading a diverse young team of keen and talented junior lawyers. The firm is properly resourced and provides an all-round, value-for-money service with the client’s interests at the heart of everything they do.’

‘The media litigation team lead by Robin Shaw is truly excellent. Robin is not only a clever, knowledgeable media lawyer but an excellent strategician with immense good humour and a calm manner coupled with a genuine commercial understanding of the industry.’

‘Very knowledge and hardworking team, who represent good value for money for a top London firm.’

‘Stand out performer is new Head of Dept, Mark Lim. Highly motivated and very approachable, he is excellent with clients on difficult cases.’

‘Mark Lim leads a consistently strong team. The team are in Mark’s image: clever, thoughtful and assertive. They are careful, innovative and client friendly. Lewis Silkin is a medium-sized law firm but doing top end work, with brilliance and at a reasonable cost. If one has a tricky commercial dispute that one wants fought properly and effectively to a satisfactory conclusion then this is the team.’

‘Mark Lim leads the team with unflappable brilliance. He is a very bright, knowledgeable lawyer, equally at home in insolvency, insurance, or banking litigation.’

‘Mark Lim is very good, sensible no-nonsense approach, very thoughtful and thorough, gives good clear and direct advice.’

‘Mark Lim – excellent commercial approach, careful and good with clients; Nigel Enticknap – clever, thoughtful and thorough.’

‘The team that handled my case were exceptionally customer focussed and had studied the case documents thoroughly. I was impressed with the knowledge they had on a fairly unique part of commercial law. Suggestions were made and a very clear road map was laid out at the start with what documents and information would be required. Meeting notes and any conversations that were held were accurately documented and quickly shared.’

‘Andrew Wanambwa was excellent throughout the time I was involved in the case. No question was considered foolish and Andrew had a clear ability to assess the argument and the behaviour of the legal team of the other party. This enabled us to make decisive actions as to what path we would follow. I was also impressed and how Andrew personally followed up and chased for information from our side when delays occurred. I learned a huge amount working with Andrew and would not hesitate to recommend him in any dispute case.’

‘An exceptionally hard-working team, with a particularly sophisticated approach to the law and the issues. Very good at understanding the client’s objectives and concerns and putting these at the centre of its strategy.’

‘Simon Willis – very bright; excellent grasp of relevant areas of law; authoritative leader of teams on large-scale litigation.’

‘Adam Rizzo – diligent and intelligent approach; liaises well with client and with counsel team.’

‘An excellent team, picking up top quality big-ticket litigation.’

‘Amanda Vos is fabulous! She’ll stop at nothing to produce an excellent document, and her contributions on every aspect of a case are invaluable. She someone you can depend upon with total confidence. Terrific.’

‘Very strong team. Know us and our sector. Supportive and responsive.’

‘Simon Willis – Winning combination of legal knowledge and practicality. Very sound judgment. Amanda Voss – Clever and tenacious.’

‘I rate Simon Willis as one of the best lawyers operating in the Accountant’s liability space, and he is a joy to work with as well!’

‘The individuals we have worked with are outstanding in their field and a pleasure to work with. Adam Rizzo deserves a special mention for the dedication he has shown in handling our litigation.’

‘Great attention to detail, hard working, practical, excellent with clients.’

‘A wide ranging practice – and excellent at everything.’

‘This firm is well set up to conduct heavy and complex high-value litigation, with experienced teams of lawyers. It has particular expertise in corporate litigation, especially with an international aspect.’

‘Simon Willis is highly experienced in conducting heavy litigation, often with a corporate element. He is tactically astute and painstaking, and develops strong relationships with his clients (who are often longstanding clients of his).’

‘Simon Willis runs a hard working team and, importantly, his oversight is close and effective.’

‘Simon Willis is simply an outstanding litigation solicitor. He is tough, hard working, well informed and highly tactical in his thinking. Yet he is easy to work with.’

‘A growing and ambitious litigation team – they have real focus and drive.’

‘Lucas Moore – an outstandingly bright solicitor, with a ton of litigation experience – he can take the most complex commercial litigation in his stride.’

‘Ane Vernon will fight her client’s corner hard, but not lose sight of commercial realities.’

‘The litigation team is 100% focused on obtaining the best result for us. They always have an excellent grasp of all the facts of a case and provide us with first class legal advice. They are the firm to turn to when we have a difficult legal problem.’

‘Lucas Moore is extremely thorough and has a commanding grasp of all the facts of a case. He has quickly gained respect of our company with his detailed knowledge and professional handling of cases.’

‘Excellent and capable team across a range of disciplines and suitability for different types of cases.’

‘Tony Riem and Trevor Mascarenhas are highly experienced. New partners have joined, who seem very good, and have also been made up internally which is great to see. This is a practice on the up.’

‘They are market leaders who have a long track record of success. They got a particularly good result on a case I referred as I was conflicted. Tony Riem kept me well informed throughout, and the client was extremely pleased both with the outcome and the recommendation.’

‘Able to understand the case quickly and gather the necessary information for case analysis.’

Excellent strategic litigators.’

‘A heavyweight team of litigators that provide practical and commercial advice in resolving disputes.’

‘A team with strong Russia/CIS expertise bolstered by the recruitment of David Harby from HFW.’

‘Great professional team. Client-oriented.’

‘Very savvy. And very good value for clients. A team of top litigators, many of whom have come from magic circle firms. There is no fat on their business model, which means you get significantly more bang for your buck than at comparable firms.’

‘You know what you’re getting with PCB – partner expertise at sensible prices.  It’s shoulder to the wheel as soon as you ask; not delegating it to a junior to whom you have to spend more time explaining what you need. They bill you when they say you will and the amount agreed.’

‘Lucy James heads up the commercial litigation segment of the firm. She works very hard and is very focused and dedicated. She deals things in a calm and efficient way. She works well with the bar in order to bring the best team for the client.’

‘Very strong in depth in banking and general commercial litigation, with international reach while remaining good value. Blue-chip partners.’

‘Alex Burton is a well respected and balanced litigator who has a keen strategic sense. He doesn’t waste time or dither. He gives careful and measured advice.’

‘Very attentive and understanding of the particular business needs in a sensitive matter.’

‘Ned Beale. Extremely experienced, navigated complex negotiations calmly and precisely.’

‘Trowers was one of the first English firms to open offices in the Gulf, and has a particular expertise in litigation involving parties from the GCC region, built on decades of experience. That incudes understanding the interaction between the English and Gulf states’ legal systems and substantive laws, handling disputes with a Sharia law element, and understanding the cultural differences between West European and GCC businesses.’

‘Ned Beale is one of London’s leading litigators, combining focused and creative strategy with a determination to win for his clients. James Lancaster is an excellent senior associate, adept at handling complex and long running cases. And moreover , they update the client on each step of the litigation matters with detailed options and reports and are always available for discussion.’

The practice is very practical and commercial in its approach. The team listen, understand and advise at the key moments to make a practical difference. The team also don’t spend huge amounts of time explaining the possible outcomes but focus on the outcome I would like.

They listen well; really listen to what the objectives are. They evaluate the issue from alternate angles and make recommendations. They will also challenge as appropriate which makes them more than just a processing team. They are open to new ideas and approaches and hugely respect the cultural differences across the globe.

The two stand out individuals are Sarah Latham and Simon Fitzpatrick. Two truly exceptional legal professionals.

Good communication, accessible, professional.

Good commercial sense, quick to understand issues, responsive.

The team were fantastically professional, completely understood the nature of the dispute and gave us excellent advice on the strategy to resolve, and we eventually reached a satisfactory conclusion.

I was impressed with the whole team, Rebecca Foden was a pleasure to work with.

Highly competent and efficient, responsive and pragmatic

Great team work with proper back up, very clear vision and a personal touch.

Excellent sectoral knowledge and close attention to detail and client needs.

Simon Fitzpatrick and Sarah Latham: extraordinary commitment to the client’s cause.

An ambitious and energetic commercial litigation team, planning to punch above its traditional reputation.

Creative and thorough.

No nonsense, realistic, reasonably priced, litigators.

Excellent partner engagement with the work, and highly skilled associates.

A very strong team with real in-depth experience and expertise across a multitude of legal and industry areas. They provide clear and pragmatic advice, and are genuine trusted advisers in this space.

Highly strategic and client-focused team with a can-do, hands-on attitude.

Michael Ward gives his all to each case, and is always available to clients.

Michael Ward is exceptionally clever, energetic and imaginative – always thinking up cunning plans to defeat the opposition.

David Hall is a very experienced and wise litigator.

Excellent partner engagement with the work, and highly skilled associates.  Sian Edmunds is a particular star: really gets to grips with the clients’ needs.

Chris Jackson – a genuine in-depth understanding of the industry and a real feel for where the strengths and weaknesses of a case lie.

Ian Tucker is another industry expert who provides very clear and commercially focused advice.

Lloyd Nail has a phenomenal intellect and unerring ability to identify the heart of an issue, provides clear and cogent advice.

David Hall is an extremely able disputes resolution solicitor. He works ferociously hard to win his clients’ trust and leaves no stone unturned in exploring every facet of each case.  He is a fantastic team-leader, who mucks in in terms of trial preparation and seems to have a sixth sense in terms of knowing when to call on counsel.

Exceptionally well-informed about the market, intelligent and able to learn new areas of business very quickly. They are also commercial and pragmatic.

Rich Viegas in particular is excellent. He is fiercely bright, endlessly hardworking and knows that what I care about is a sensible, commercial settlement, not a point-scoring competition. There is no lawyer I’d rather use for this kind of work. Cannot rate him highly enough.

Technical and tactical expertise and a great ethic of client communication, which is regular and clear.

Richard Viegas is excellent in his clear and incisive thinking and superb at presenting relevant information to the client in a clear and digestible manner.

Lucy Waddicor has exceptional attention to detail and stand out work ethic.

Unlike other law firms we previously used, Collyer Bristow LLP have shown nimbleness and out of the box thinking we had not previously experienced, nor appreciated. The firm’s commitment to our case has pro-actively been on the front foot, and their counsel clear with conscience legal correspondence that is elegant, cost effective and coherent; on the whole we are very impressed by the firms offering!

We are extremely impressed and grateful to Richard Viegas for his total 24/7 commitment to our claim; we changed law firms midway and hence Richard essentially inherited our claim. The team at Collyers quickly got into the minutiae of matters, took control of, drove complex litigation and provided us tremendous comfort they fully understood the dynamics of our claim.

It is clear to us Richard Viegas has created a litigation practice that is a cut above the rest in London and the nicest thing is Richard, Ryan Lynch and Lucy Waddicor are wonderful people to work with.

Tim Mahoney is smart, engaged, great judgement, and always available when needed.

Excellent strength in depth across the full range of commercial fields.

Very strong individuals – Ali Zaidi and David Greene in particular are excellent both tactically and technically. Zahira Hussain is also excellent.

Edwin Coe has great strength in depth in its property litigation team, both at partner and associate level.

A good dispute resolution firm for all needs.

Jane Anderson is an exceptional litigator. Able to drive the team to its goal and charismatically lead the team and the client.

I regularly recommend Irwin Mitchell to clients that have approached me on a direct access basis. My own dealings with Irwin Mitchell and the experience of clients of mine that have worked with IM are: (1) IM are extremely approachable, client friendly and client focused; (2) Clients are generally very satisfied with the quality of service they get from IM; (3) IM have solicitors at various levels of seniority and are thus particularly able to tailoring their service to a client’s budget; (4) They are Rottweilers when they need to be but can play nicely too. The result is they can get the best out of opponents. (5) Cases are always beautifully prepared and everyone that is involved in a case is always entirely on top of things.

Jonathan Sachs is one of the most approachable and decent people I know. He identifies with the client to the extent that he really works to get the best results but remains sufficiently intellectually detached that he is able to give sensible advice. Most of the clients that we have in common trust JS to an extent that is unusual and he is able to speak to them with a frankness that few solicitor can. He has been around for a while and knows most of his opponents (counsel and solicitors), their foibles and has a phenomenal understanding of what will fly in court.

Dominique Dolman is one of the most easy to work with solicitors I know. DD is always on top of the cases. She is amazing at dealing with clients (probably the best client skills I have seen), fantastically aware of best litigation tactics and determined (more so than many of her peers) to get the best and most commercially sensible outcome for the client.

Jonathan Sachs is an extremely competent litigator who combines commercial acumen with a warm and engaging personality. One can see why his clients trust his advice.

Irwin Mitchell’s commercial litigation team is well able to operate at a level expected of city firms, significantly punching above its weight. Its smaller size (and regional offices) enable it to operate more flexibly than its bigger competitors without any dilution in the very high quality of service it is able to provide.

Dominique Dolman is an exceptionally good lawyer with wide-ranging experience of commercial disputes and a client-friendly touch, more than capable of managing high-value claims (in my own recent experience a number of claims valued well into 8 figures).

Samantha Leung is a very bright and detail-focused associate with a great future.

Bags of experience across the full spectrum of commercial dispute resolution. Responsive approaches to funding and a real appetite for pursuing appropriate resolution.

Jonathan Sachs – strong commercial acumen and not to be bullied.

Jonathan Sachs is a very savvy lawyer. He is legally knowledgeable (particularly in the prof-neg area) but his years of experience have given him an exceptional feel for how claims are likely to unfold and where the other side’s pressure points are likely to be. Every penny of value is eked out for the benefit of his clients with the settlement point usually right at the top end of the range for the cases concerned.

Andrew Savage is technically excellent and also able to give the practical advice that clients need.

Andrew Savage is a first-class rainmaker and legal strategist who gets the job done.

They have an exceptionally strong team of very experienced individuals who provide advice which is always incisive and exactly on-point. They benefit from great global coverage. They always do the utmost to secure a win for their clients. The main partner, Andrew Savage, has done a great job of building up a team of very impressive associates. You couldn’t want a better team – and I don’t hesitate to recommend them when the opportunity arises.

Andrew Savage is absolutely dedicated to his clients, a superb tactician and a fantastic lawyer overall. One of his main achievements is that he has built up a team of very impressive associates. These include Ben Lamble, Kimberley Smith and Edward Perkins, each of whom is a future star. I’ve worked with each for more than a year on multiple cases and have been very impressed.

This is a first rate team that’s really going places. Andrew Savage is going it again, building a team that he continues to lead brilliantly.

Andrew Savage is one of the top litigators in London. He is at the sweet spot of experience (whisper it, but some people who spent their career in bigger firms haven’t seen as much litigation) and has the intellectual ability to grapple with the most complex and high-value cases. A real fighter and a nice guy too, who brings out the best in his team. Ben Lamble is a really able associate. He’s spotted points on papers missed by the silks, and has the charm to point it out nicely.

Andrew Savage brings a depth of experience to the team – his broad knowledge of commercial law means that there is nothing he can’t take on and do so successfully.

Highly motivated, efficient and well organised team led by Hardeep Nahal. They get on with delivering first-rate advice in commercial matters.

I have worked closely with Hardeep Nahal. He is a stand-out lawyer who connects extremely well with clients. He brings extensive experience to ‘heavy’ commercial matters and gives well-thought-through and reliable (and usually successful) strategic advice. He is comfortable in most sector areas and has good contacts with the leading chambers and the magic circle firms. His leadership skills ensure his team provide an optimum service.

Excellent commercial team led by Hardeep Nahal. They have an excellent manner in dealing with complex issues and getting to grips with the case. The team have a user-friendly approach and are able to extract the best from the clients under pressure. Unlike many firms they have excellent team approach, providing legal advice and we as able to “think outside the box”. Leadership and team work is superb.

They are a quality and intelligent team. They work well with us as a client in that they know what advice we are looking for and how to deliver it with the right tone and with minimal fuss. They are also not afraid to disagree and gently steer us back on course in difficult matters. I also find them to be very lateral and commercial in their thinking. They are always looking to find clever solutions to our issues and the results have been good for us. They know our business well and as such they have become trusted advisers.

Hardeep Nahal is intelligent and very well connected. He has excellent case strategy and is a good leader in difficult situations. Chloe Steele (associate) has excellent attention to detail and turns around work product very quickly. She is very impressive.

Highly professional, efficient, friendly and sensible.

John Gould is a very experienced litigator. Michael Stacy is an acute commercial lawyer, friendly and efficient.

Always on top of the material and 100% engaged in the case, creating a collaborative process with counsel. Excellent client management, leading to clear and helpful instructions.

Mark Fletcher: a great eye for arguments that will persuade the Court.

Ricky Cella: always on top of the material and 100% engaged in the case, creating a collaborative process with counsel.

Customer service and focus genuinely exceptional. Excellent balance between specialists within the firm.

Andrew Pavlovic: excellent anchor for the team representing us, produced stand-out work for us.

The litigation team at Russell-Cooke have a very commercial and pragmatic approach to litigation. They take the time to get to know their clients, and are always aware of the commercial context in which they are advising. They never lost sight of the need to manage the litigation and secure an outcome which preserved our commercial interests. They are responsive and easy to deal with, and they have ensured that the case has been managed in a way which has kept costs proportionate to the dispute.

Andrew Pavlovic is pragmatic, on top of the detail, and is able to explain complicated legal concepts succinctly and clearly.

Diligence, attention to detail, availability, custom made service, friendly environment, making client feel safe and comfortable.

Good communication, availability, fast response to our needs, ethical, good understanding of our business, trustworthy and reliable, good expertise in many fields around our business; resourceful.

Highly professional responsive team who have breadth and depth in their competency base.

Andrew Pavlovic has been supportive and extremely helpful throughout. He is diligent and very knowledgeable and achieves a good balance of commerciality.

A great value alternative to larger, more expensive firms. They have an exceptional atmosphere at the firm, which means they attract a continuous stream of top-quality associates.

Elliot Elsey: Clever, calm and with judgment well beyond his years.

A fantastic team of lawyers who really know what they are doing, are great at dealing with difficult and demanding clients and get things done.

The team, led by John Gould, provides excellent, and commercial, advice and a top-notch service. They provide creative solutions to problems so are the go-to team with anything out-of-the-ordinary.

John Gould has an unparalleled knowledge of legal services – he literally wrote the book on it – which is invaluable when it comes to dealing with commercial disputes in this area. John is well supported by Michael Stacey who is efficient, thorough and responsive.

The team at Wallace LLP communication, knowledge and strategy was excellent which led them to resolve my case within two weeks which meant it had minimal impact to my business. They were transparent at all stages and implemented the right steps immediately to help close the case.

As a collective every member of the firm we’ve dealt with always breeds confidence. They respond quickly and provide detailed but easy to follow guidance and advice. They have become an extension of our team and reach out to us with opportunities and pain points to be aware of before we have even thought of them.  This team extension element is something we value.

The sheer dynamism and energy of the commercial litigation team. It punches well above its weight despite being a medium-sized practice, in large part because its team members have had experience of heavyweight litigation from the highest tier of litigation practices in London.

Wallace are a strong independent litigation firm with very sensible practitioners who can see the wood for the trees.

There was an equal emphasis on attention to detail and communication, both of which gave me utter confidence in the process and them. The matter they represented me on was quite complicated and had generated a lot of personal animosity. So by breaking things down into manageable chunks and by talking me through things all the time, Wallace LLP calmed me at every stage of the process and helped de-escalate the incredible stress I was feeling at the time.

Provision of clear, considered and to-the-point advice.

The team I have encountered are very knowledgeable in the both the theory and application of the law. The team have a very strong command of the bespoke aspects of UK law for each relevant case.

A very thorough practice with the ability to handle complex international cases with focus and speed.

Approachable, supportive, diligent, persistent, honest.

Very good communicators, hard working and dedicated. They know their subject extremely well and are able to strategize with intelligence.

Excellent case analysis and diligent work. Good client communication.

Oli Goldman at Wallace LLP was very friendly, charismatic and knowledgeable and always kept me in the loop of the stages of the case. Oli was very aware that we needed to resolve the legal issue immediately and led a strategy which persuaded the plaintiff to agree to our terms. I would highly recommend him due to this and he was always available when I needed him.

Wedlake is an excellent firm. The members of the commercial litigation team are all very switched on.

Glenn Chidgey has worked his way up from legal executive to partner, which is not an easy thing to do. He is a brilliant lawyer and fantastic communicator. Mike Gardner is also very good on the law and will work unceasingly to get the best result for his client. Aggressive at the right times, but with very good judgement.

Edward Starling is quite understated but is very clever and an excellent tactical litigator.

They are big enough to provide full service to major commercial clients, but small enough for you to really get to know the team. This works both ways and you really feel they are there to help. All members of the team are accessible and friendly, extremely thorough and hard working and always willing to go the extra mile. All that is on top of their being really good lawyers.

David Golten works tirelessly for his clients. He tries to eke out every last point, thinks laterally, puts together good teams and generally gets very good results.

Calm under pressure and proactive advice.

Robust advice and deep rooted knowledge of their specialist area.

Real team players when we work with them we feel we are in it together.

Tal Goldsmith and Ed Starling – both tenacious lawyers who give clear advice. We regard them as part of our team.

A very personable and commercial approach is taken across the team. The firm have sufficient depth to consider the more unusual points whilst never seeming too large to navigate.

David Golten and Nick Saville continue to perform well delivering good service in a practical manner always designed to match the best settlement with the need to control costs.

They are an outstanding alternative to the magic circle firms in London. US headquartered, they have built a very serious London team in this area in a short space of time by very astute lateral hire and rapid promotion. They have the capacity and skill sets to go toe-to-toe with the best and they never fail to impress.

Peter Burrell is a remarkable litigator and leads his team from the front. He has a prodigious appetite for work, displays first class judgement and draws heavily from the very talented team behind him.

Mike Thorne, Andrew Turnbull and Cristina Caggiano are all stand-out solicitors.

The team understands our business and needs.

Super responsive and diligent.

‘James Thorndyke – very strong industry knowledge, great case management and keeps the client duly informed. Both technical and practical.’

‘Emma Shaw – great enthusiasm. Strong industry knowledge. Good client management.’

‘I have worked closely with Robin Pickworth this year and have also been referred one matter from another lawyer there. The firm has proved to be excellent in its dispute resolution work.’

‘Robin Pickworth is a highly skilled lawyer, being expert in the law and procedure of litigation but also highly competent in devising a proactive strategy for successful dispute resolution. He gets on very well with clients, gives clear legal advice which is given in the commercial context of his client. I have no hesitation in referring him litigation and arbitration work.’

‘The dispute resolution team punches well about their weight, both in terms of the service they provide and the scale of the matters in which they are involved. A top-class London outfit; better and more affordable than their rivals.’

‘Robin Pickworth is really stand-out. One of the best solicitors I have worked with. Engaged; hard-working; commercial and very bright. He would fit right into the dispute resolution team in any top firm in the City.’

‘Packs a very large punch, providing an outstanding service across all the disputes that it handles, from medium to the highest value. The team has excellent strength in depth.’

‘James Thorndyke is an excellent younger partner, with gravitas and experience well beyond his years. A first-rate litigator. One to watch is Associate Emma Shaw, who has an excellent eye for detail and provides an excellent service to clients. An extremely good lawyer.’

‘Robin Pickworth: hard working, very sensible towards recommendations and costs, highly structured and impressive knowledge.’

‘I have worked closely with Robin Pickworth. We were adverse to each other in a very hostile and volatile situation. Normally I end up despising the lawyer on the other side but although he was tough as nails, he won my respect as an excellent lawyer – he is also unflappable and a pleasure to deal with.’

‘James Thorndyke is brilliant with clients and with getting a deal done. Also a good sounding board for bouncing ideas off.’

Ashfords offers an efficient and high-quality commercial litigation team which punches considerably above its weight. Whether at partner level or trainee, everyone is extremely responsive and willing to roll-up their sleeves to deliver whatever is necessary for the client.

James Crighton is a very experienced partner and someone in whom clients can have confidence. Offering a highly commercial outlook, he ensures that clients benefit, not only from a highly skilled legal approach but imaginative solutions as well. Tom Leach is a very good solicitor who, with an excellent eye for detail, ensures that no stone is left unturned.

Ashfords has an effective litigation team which appears to me to give good value to clients.

James Crighton is an excellent litigator. East to deal with, impressive and effective.

Excellent commercial litigators who are particularly well experienced in handling litigation involving elements of insolvency, civil fraud and company law and are able to traverse these areas.

James Crighton: an experienced and adept at commercial litigator. His correspondence is excellent and he is very tactically astute in court and more generally. Clients get on with him very well and he is able to command their trust very quickly. He is also well experienced with commercial litigation that has a multi jurisdictional angle. He also has an eye for a good settlement when required, and is a very able negotiator.

‘Thoroughness, diligence and tactical acuity.’

‘This firm has a number of lawyers who are intellectually able, legally knowledgeable and client friendly. It has a strong litigation department, and its charges are reasonable for the quality of service which it provides.’

‘BDB Pitmans offer a real alternative to top-tier firms, delivering a quality dispute resolution service with sensible resourcing and at an attractive overall price.’

‘I’ve always been impressed by BDB Pitmans’ responsiveness and their ability to provide clear, straightforward commercial advice in a timely manner. The communication between the teams at BDB Pitmans is excellent with each department kept up to speed with issues so they can add input if required.’

‘The BDB team are collaborative, friendly (not to the other side) and provide pragmatic advice at key moments in disputes which have the potential to lead to litigation.’

‘Sinéad Lester and Katie Smith have in particular combined very effectively on numerous engagements for us.’

‘Sinéad Lester, the Head of Commercial Litigation, is a very capable litigator: bright, hard-working, knowledgeable legally and tactically astute and a pleasure to work with.  She has a particular expertise in minority shareholder litigation.’

‘I have worked with Richard Langley, Sinéad’s predecessor as Head of Commercial Litigation, on several cases over the last 15 years.  He is intellectually curious but also commercially savvy, with a sharp mind but also an excellent sense of humour.’

‘Sinéad Lester is a stand out partner within the department, running a team with confidence and skill and ably dealing with (to my knowledge) exceptionally challenging clients and their often wholly unreasonable demands. Sinéad is a true commercial litigator with a wide network of valuable contacts in the field.’

‘Sinéad Lester and Katie Smith provide practical advice in a timely manner and never appear to be averse to resolving matters early which is entirely desirable in many of the matters for which we seek advice.’

Blake Morgan’s strength is its twin focus on specialist expertise and value for money.

Justin Weare is the stand-out partner. His dedication to getting the job done through thick and thin has been impressive – even over the Christmas holidays.

Strong commercial litigation team, with experience in technical disputes involving expert evidence. I have worked with the Blake Morgan team on software and engineering disputes, in which I have found the level of engagement and technical expertise higher than even much larger firms. Takes a steady and proportionate approach (eg, does not send pointless or lengthy letters; correspondence is short and punchy). Punches above its weight.

Justin Weare did an exceptional job of managing resources, dealing with a demanding client, and progressing the case in a measured and targeted way. He was a pleasure to work with, was on top of the detail (impressive in a highly technical dispute) and had excellent judgement about where to deploy the client’s limited resources. My sense was that Blake Morgan delivered far more value to its clients than our opponents.

A good value alternative to City firms.

Justin Weare – smart and sensible

Blake Morgan’s dispute resolution practice is unique because of its exceptional attention to detail and commitment to client service. The team’s strengths include its in-depth knowledge of procedure, considerable experience and its developed commercial nous. One of the team’s key capabilities is its excellent ability to sustain and develop working relationships with Counsel – a market leader in that respect.

Justin Weare is simply a first-class lawyer – clever, strategic and commercially savvy. His ability to understand and respond to clients’ needs is outstanding.

Strongly focused on client’s interests and result. This team is not of those who can sell just efforts.

Sarah Rees is perfect in managing multi-jurisdictional disputes, joining and coordinating effort of lawyers in different countries

My go-to firm for tricky trust, partnership and asset recovery disputes. Cost effective and nice people to deal with.

Sarah Rees is a complete star. Remains personally involved throughout, and is a joy to work with.

A solid choice for sophisticated and demanding clients – especially in the international context. Offshore aspects don’t phase them. They are hands-on, accessible and sensibly priced.

Alex Shirtcliff is a former colleague and will drive business in. His hire seems a statement of intent.

The team is effective, friendly, and focused on results. They run right teams of committed lawyers and provide excellent value for money. Clients appreciate their uncluttered and direct approach to getting the client what they want. The best of the litigation mid-market.

Sarah Rees is a pleasure to deal with. She inspires confidence in clients and coordinates teams across multiple jurisdictions with efficiency and good humour. Conor Daly is hard-working, detail-focused, and excellent at dealing with demanding clients.

‘The firm’s commercial offering has been growing steadily for many years. It brings to this area the litigation expertise of the higher-profile libel work and is achieving increasingly impressive results.’

‘Adam Tudor is an excellent all-round litigator with a keen strategic eye for the opponent’s weak spot. Cameron Doley is good on large-scale arbitrations.’

‘Carter-Ruck well deserves its fine reputation in commercial litigation.’

Close-knit and very capable team of lawyers, who punch well above their weight in terms of their size and regularly hold their own against major firms.

Superb service of a kind you can only get from a small firm: that is, personal service from the firm’s principal.

The key attributes are the willingness to work all hours to achieve the goal. They are always accommodating and the advice they give for a layman is clearly understood. They do not sugar coat one’s legal position. They are factual, precise and their communication skills are excellent. I have never been in doubt the advice they give is always the best for the client.

An excellent boutique practice offering on a small scale the quality of a magic circle firm but with lower prices and a more personal service.

Very responsive, savvy and effective on complex commercial disputes.

They were a litigation boutique before anyone had invented the concept. Small and nimble, they provide an excellent litigation service, very efficiently and with the minimum of fuss. Always prepared to go above and beyond.

The firm has a wide experience of many aspects of commercial litigation, including civil fraud, interim orders, insolvency, and company and banking law. What makes Charles Fussell & Co different is that the individual partners really roll up their sleeves and become involved in individual cases – there is no palming it off to the associates.

Agile and high-calibre litigation team, with particular expertise in financial disputes.

Charles Fussell is an outstanding lawyer, and can and will sue the banks. He does not have conflict issues.

A very small but very highly effective boutique. Partners always hands-on. They get very close to their clients and ensure an effective and decent result. Sophisticated use of litigation funding. Excellent associates.

Michael Sparkes: considered, details man, very tough when it comes to negotiation. Sees the big picture and plays the long game.

John Day: bright, punchy and effective.

Gopi Binning: a very highly effective associate who punches well above his level of seniority

Tenacious and efficient. They punch well above their weight.

John Day is particularly good. He is engaged on the detail and has a sound commercial approach.

The team was always available and happy to discuss related issues even if they needed to point us to other specialists. They were always realistic in what could be achieved and helpful in managing our expectations – reminding us you get the law not justice. Their positive interaction with our Counsel helped manage our costs in what was a difficult case and they too did not look to bill for every minute, but discussed with us the cost development as the case went on. Finally their realistic assessment of the potential solution led to a positive outcome.

We worked with John Day and Gopi Binning throughout the case. In addition to the positive attributes described above, we found them thorough in their research, creative in the options provided and timely in their responses.

DaySparkes are a small boutique firm which offers an excellent service for small to medium sized commercial disputes. They have a technically strong team of lawyers and provide sound commercial advice which is focused on achieving their clients’ goals. They are particularly strong on banking/finance related disputes.

John Day has excellent commercial instincts and provides clear and focused advice.

This is a first-class specialist litigation boutique which punches well above its weight and is seen in large commercial disputes.

John Day is an excellent litigator who founded the firm together with Michael Sparkes, who is a sound tactician and smooth operator.

John Day and Michael Sparkes have superb knowledge on financial disputes.

John Day and Michael Sparkes provide a partner led, personal service. They are both innovative in finding solutions for their clients.

John Day and Mike Sparkes are a class outfit and punch way above their weight in terms of critical mass etc. Really solid and dependable, great strategists and lovely people o work with. They are my go-to litigation referral firm.

I have worked alongside Rachel Brown who is a senior associate at Druces. I found her to be very efficient and dedicated to her client’s cause. She was easy to work with and showed levels of maturity and skill one would expect from a partner.

They’re a dream to work with. I’ve found them to be professional, responsive and avoid unnecessary legal jargon.

Neil Hayter and Charles Spragg are very personable, which always makes working with professional advisors easier.

This is a team that you can really trust the judgment of. They are also always a pleasure to work with. With Druces, you can trust that your case is in safe hands. Their thorough approach to every case they deal with is distinctive and this, coupled with their dedication to defend the best interest of their clients, makes them an excellent team to work with.

Victoria Novikova’s interpersonal and client care skills are particularly valuable in her dealing with international clients. She is a very competent and experienced litigator dealing with international commercial matters. She is known in the Russian-speaking market and can be fully trusted to deal with complex international litigation. Victoria is a real asset in dealing with cases originating from the CIS/FSU region requiring Russian language skills and cultural experience.

Charles Spragge is a very experienced partner and deals with international commercial and banking cases. He can always be relied on when dealing with tricky or complex issues. He is also very approachable and a pleasure to work with.

Charles Spragge is a courteous and effective lawyer, who builds up strong client relationships.

Sensible approach while retaining thoroughness and technical skills.

Charles Spragge is my go to. He is always approachable and ready to have an initial look without the clock running wild. Calm-headed.

Small but dedicated with the ability to compete with bigger firms whilst keeping the more personal, client-based approach.

Rachel Brown – hard working, determined, commercially aware and sensitive. The sort of commercial litigation solicitor that every client would want to instruct.

We are very fond of Charles Spragge and his team. Their advice is focussed and spot on. Price/quality ratio is very good and always on time.

Charles Spragge has a more pragmatic and solution driven approach than many of his competitors in the City.

‘The team at DWFM Beckman is fantastic. We regularly refer clients to them and there is no potential client I would hesitate to send their way. What you get with DWFM is the quality and impact of a heavyweight City firm, but with the more intimate level of service and client care expected of a boutique firm. As most of our clients are HNW individuals with high expectations, DWFM is the perfect fit. The team’s real strength is in dispute resolution, with a focus on the wider implications for their clients, including reputation management.’

‘The practice is both strong and diverse in its areas of specialism covering a wide range of disputes from general commercial litigation to property, employment, insolvency, regulatory, disciplinary as well as civil fraud and white collar crime.’

‘The team has a good split of experience from senior partners down to paralegals so as to ensure that they can cater for all client requirements.’

‘I have always found the team very responsive and a pleasure to work with.’

‘A pragmatic approach to dispute resolution, achieving the right balance between taking matters to court and negotiating a resolution. Time and cost-effective advice.’

‘I have instructed Sharokh Koussari a several times over the years in relation to employment and commercial litigation matters. He is a strategic thinker, able to grasp complex issues very quickly. Sharokh is a shrewd negotiator who sees the big picture and is able to come up with solutions to very complex problems. I have also instructed Naylah Hamour. She is able to efficiently deal with complicated commercial and employment matters.’

‘The DWFM Dispute Resolution team works very effectively. It is made up of competent fee earners of varying levels of experience and charge out rates. The right person is always allocated from a cost benefit and skill set perspective and all my matters are overseen by Elizabeth Johnson. The team is well briefed; communicates seamlessly and on top of matters at every stage.’

‘A brilliant firm. Attentive, responsive, thorough, knowledgeable and very friendly. We have had no hesitation in recommending them to many of our clients and colleagues in our industry, both in the UK and Internationally.’

‘A razor-sharp team with a human touch. They are pragmatic and tenacious with a great ability to spot the tactical route to a good deal or the best outcome in litigation. They fight exceptionally hard for their clients, but aren’t afraid to give difficult advice.’

‘All the people at DWFM Beckman with whom I have interacted appear genuinely happy at work, motivated and are clearly valued by the firm. People in all roles routinely receive verbal thanks for their work input from peers and senior staff. Staff morale appears high and I always sense a good atmosphere within the workplace.’

The firm provides a very sensible, commercial and value-for-money service.

The culture separates Freeths from so many firms with whom I have worked over the years. While their grasp of the law is up with the best, I found them focused on me, my needs and on achieving justice rather than invoices or, worse, winning cheap shots against the other side or finding other ways of proving their superior knowledge.

Philippa Dempster is an exemplary lawyer. Her combination of knowledge, instinct and empathy made her my ideal partner as we navigated a complex case to a very satisfactory conclusion. It felt as if whenever I had a burning need to discuss something she made herself available in short order.

There were times when I contemplated giving up and cutting my losses and Philippa was there each time to lay out the logical reasons for staying the course. Her grasp of the law and her creativity combined to defeat the other side and to deliver a very satisfactory outcome. I would describe her approach to me as a client as being more akin to that of a friend than a service provider. I can’t speak too highly of the quality of her work.

The team stands out for its very user-friendly client-interface, actively cultivating a strategic relationship; taking a deep and proactive interest in the challenges and opportunities facing the business, and generally projecting the role of a partner genuinely interested in client success.

Amanda Burge stands out as a tireless champion for our interests, almost worrying more about us than ourselves. Her response time is one of the best I have ever come across for any external service provider legal or non-legal, and she keeps moving the file forward relentlessly towards a favorable outcome. Amanda always clarifies and simplifies complex and tangled issues which helps to guide action at moments of impasse. A core strength is that regardless of how much she invests in devising a solution, if the client is uncomfortable with it, she very easily comes up with multiple other options.

Great team, very user-friendly and committed; also realistic and commercial when needs be. The individuals within the commercial litigation team communicate well with each other and are particularly adept in dealings with QCs, seeking advice only when necessary and/or appropriate.

The team is an excellent choice for property litigation being responsive and technically very good and able to respond effectively and efficiently.

Amanda Burge is our principal contact and is an excellent litigator – very tenacious and sound. She is ably assisted by Laura Daly.

The entire team has a fundamental understanding of the subject matter involved, briefs properly and responds efficiently and effectively when questions arise. The focus appears to be on providing a first-rate service to the clients and, from my perspective, the team achieve that.

Martin Ochs has a commercial awareness and tactical intelligence to provide a first class service to his clients. Martin often appreciates what a client should be looking to achieve in any given dispute before they themselves have realised what is in their best interests.

Amanda Burge is a star of commercial litigation. Fantastic client care and an enormous pleasure to work with.

Amanda Burge has enormous experience of fighting large-scale commercial disputes and inexhaustible tenacity. You want her on your side. Not against you.

Ben Kilshaw took ownership of a large complicated transaction. Kept calm under immense pressure, even though he only got involved midway through the transaction.

‘They are never out of their depth and they are very proactive and efficient in the way they deal with cases.’

‘They bear comparison with the best boutique and premium commercial litigation practices in the UK.’

‘This is an excellent firm of solicitors, efficient and give first-rate advice.’

‘ONTIER LLP’s commercial litigation practice is highly effective and notably efficient.  Led by the superb Oliver Cain, the boutique firm is focuses particularly on its clients’ needs and responds to them with unrivalled care and attention.  Unlike some of the larger firms, cases are managed and run through small teams of able lawyers, meaning there is a continuity of approach at each stage of a dispute without losing sight of the global picture.’

‘Broad knowledge and experience.’

‘Very experienced litigation and arbitration team, able to handle disputes in sectors as diverse as shipbuilding and bitcoin. Their attention to detail and smooth organisation deliver a first-class product to the client.’

Paul Ferguson is a very high-grade lawyer, who provided excellent instructions and legal input and who managed admirably to communicate with and control demanding clients.’

Brilliant tacticians and top-class technicians.  Small really is beautiful.  My go-to-firm for small- to medium-sized litigation matters.

Dipti Hunter (Senior Associate) is smart, tough and widely experienced. She has litigated all sorts of disputes (with all sorts of interim applications) in all sorts of different jurisdictions. There’s nothing she can’t handle.

PwC has a robust disputes team with experienced focused litigators.

Dipti Hunter is an exceptionally tenacious litigator who leaves no stone unturned.

I have worked with Dipti Hunter who is a superb Senior Associate. She has the mental agility to administer large commercial matters of significant complexity. A real interest in commercial and banking law. A superb team leader of the sort that is vital in a commercial matter of any scale. A loyal team player who is unrelenting in the service of her clients.

This is a team that really punches above its weight in terms of value for money and sheer quality of the service they offer to clients. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for a quality product and work ethic at reasonable prices.

I have worked with Rudi Ramdarshan, David Burns and Rebecca Roberts over the last year or so, and each of them is excellent. Rudi, in particular, has an excellent bedside manner with clients, while David has the quiet charm and efficiency that one would ordinarily associate with the magic circle. Rebecca is a joy to work with because of her in-depth knowledge of company law and her commerciality.

Their advice was measured and realistic. I felt constantly supported and updated by their efficient team for whom nothing was too much to ask. We used a funding model that was highly appropriate to my circumstances and which placed the Claimant at significant costs risks. This was both convenient and tactically astute.

Rudi Ramdarshan was an outstanding litigator on my matter, with an excellent team ethos and a reassuringly confident approach. He remained unphased by numerous procedural setbacks and was robust and thoroughly detailed in his responses to the opponent.

Laura Gomme for her persistence and efficiency even in the face of difficult opponents. She is proactive and supports her clients by going the extra mile. Making her expertise available 24/7 to the property sector. She is frequently the face of firm-wide marketing initiatives and leads the way with a loyal client following.

They all worked well together, kept the client fully informed and engaged, met every deadline, and worked through the night when needed – such is the nature of litigation.

Rudi Ramdarshan is approachable and always contactable. He explains things very clearly, and is keen to engage the client throughout the whole process. He is relentless in his pursuit of justice. He knows the litigation rules inside out, thus ensuring every tactical angle is explored and used appropriately.

Samantha Gordon worked tirelessly and excelled in researching a complex area of law that also involved unravelling detailed government policy decisions.

Laura Gomme assisted the litigation team as required, and worked on bringing different elements to the claim to collate the necessary evidence.

Rudi Ramdarshan gives excellent client care whilst being a creative and thoughtful lawyer. He comes up with inventive solutions to tricky legal problems and leads a strong litigation team that can handle all sizes of disputes. Jonathan Roberts is a veteran litigator with experience of all forms of commercial litigation in all courts. His judgment is superb. David Burns is a tenacious litigator who over-achieves for clients.

RFB really add value to a litigation team. Strong tactical expertise and very commercial.

‘Kamran Rehman is one of the leading partners in the commercial litigation. He is a very efficient, realistic and commercially-minded litigator. The firm as a whole is great value for money.’

‘Very committed to the cause of their clients. Very hard working and capable associates.’

‘Kamran Rehman is totally committed to his client’s corner. Always pushing his team to explore the potential of every argument and every shred of evidence. A street-fighter with real grit and determination.’

‘George Fahey is a superb young solicitor. Hard working and real judgment. Always showed both an understanding of the bigger picture and a real grasp of its granular detail. A star of the future.’

‘The firm provides a good service at competitive prices, with particular expertise in property litigation, professional negligence and insolvency.’

‘David Vaughan  is an experienced and bright lawyer, who has excellent people skills and adopts a commercial approach to litigating. He is often instructed on interesting or novel cases.’

A dedicated focus and account management that we didn’t feel we’d gain with a big London firm.

In working with S&B for over a decade, we’ve always been completely satisfied with the firm’s performance. They understand how we work as a business and how we approach our commercial risk profile – and that understanding allows them to tailor their advice and support to enable us to achieve what we needed to from each issue. That depth of understanding and experience saves a huge amount of time on briefing a firm’s team and bringing them up to speed, and allows us to progress more quickly to solutions.

S&B’s client service is first class. We know that when we pick up the phone on something new, we’ll be speaking to a trusted advisor who understands us and the way we work. We always feel valued. The depth of understanding of our business means we’re always being presented with a commercial solution that works for us. S&B deal with the reality of a situation, and tailor their advice accordingly. We very rarely need to have a conversation about value for money as a result.

Beverley Whittaker is our main liaison and starting point for any matter, and has been for over a decade. Beverley always impresses me with her depth of knowledge and experience, and her ability to not only appraise a situation quickly, but come up with pragmatic solutions. Her honest and thoughtful approach makes her very easy to work with.

Michael Frisby is normally our main contact on dispute and litigation matters, and his ability to evaluate and communicate complex and in-depth situations across a range of stakeholders is always invaluable. His experience in his field constantly shines through in his advice, and his ability to cut through the noise to get to the heart of an issue, whilst presenting a range of potential options, has led to the resolution of most of the disputes we face.

Kimberley Eyssell led us through a particularly complex and sensitive situation with a huge amount of skill, ensuring we were aware not only of the process steps but also the options available to us to drive the matter to a solution favourable to us. Over a period of 12 months plus, Kimberley kept us fully informed, and formed relationships with the other parties in the matter that allowed us to reach a settlement that would not have seemed likely at commencement.

Michael Frisby has always provided carefully considered advice. He takes the trouble to explain finer legal points in a way that non-legal clients can understand. He has built up our trust in his advice.

Stevens & Bolton is a small firm that punches above its weight in tricky commercial litigation. It is partner led, and therefore has a high level of senior input into any litigation.

Andrew Quick is an excellent partner, with great judgment, and impressive client handling cases in those cases I have worked with him on, which were both difficult factually and with somewhat difficult clients.

The team are ably led by the magnificent Sarah Murray who combines charm, efficiency and excellence in equal measure. There is significant strength and depth within the department which means that there is a consistently high work product.

Elaine O’Hare is, in my view, a particular star to watch.

The team are very personable communicative and provide the facts and their advice.  They have also been excellent in looking at the issues from both a strategic and tactical level in terms of next stages within the service provision and anticipating of future activities.

Close attention to detail and calm advice to clients in a highly emotive situation

You feel like you are their only client. Always approachable and happy to have sensible discussions around fees.

Professional and straightforward approach.  A practical approach to a complex issue. I have worked predominantly alongside Clare Toomer and have found her to be personable, approachable and highly knowledgeable.  She will defer to wise council / colleagues where issues are beyond her subject matter expertise and will be direct in her approach where needed and professional at all times.

Clare Toomer is very accessible, responsive and sensitive to a wide range of client needs.

Clare Toomer – the reason we work with Teacher Stern. Robust in her dealings with the other side and tells you exactly what is and is not possible, and why.

Daniel Gore – Recently promoted. Seems to be on every matter we are working with them on, however, able to shoulder the caseload. A real superstar and workhorse.

‘This is a new and dynamic firm where specialists have been taken from major firms to make up various teams. The firm has grown quickly and has a clean-cut hard-working ethic.’

‘Transparent billing, easy to work with, very good at what they do. Highly capable. This is the best firm I’ve ever worked with.’

‘It is not an overstatement to say that Tom Keya is probably the only solicitor of his generation that I know who I could have imagined starting a new law firm on the scale and with the ambition of Berkeley Rowe. It is no surprise that he is succeeding because he is a force of nature and incredibly client-focused. Clients would choose Berkeley Rowe because they would sense that Tom will give his all for them, and because he has a forward-thinking new firm around him with which to do so.’

‘The firm led by Tom Keya is very agile and therefore quickly puts together teams to work on cases that a full of experts in that area of law.  They are a truly international firm whist retaining a good amount national work.’

‘Highly strategic in their thinking, with a focus on obtaining the best possible outcome for their clients.  Experienced, pragmatic and highly engaged, they deliver a premium bespoke service that puts the client at the centre of the process.’

‘The young and dynamic team at Berkeley Rowe is second to none.  They are outstanding lawyers and negotiators.  They are extremely commercial and quick witted.  They are highly results oriented.’

‘Tom Keya is a resourceful and energetic lawyer who gets on well with clients and is up to the fight on behalf of his clients when necessary and is good at getting his cases resolved.’

‘Tom Keya – knowledgeable, meticulous, hard working, meets deadlines.’

‘Gemma Redfern is an exceptional lawyer – one of the best criminal fraud solicitors in the country.’

This is a well resourced team capable of delivering a quality product.

Philip Barden is a dynamic leader who brings out the best in a legal team.

The Devonshires teams headed by Philip Barden packs a punch and is a very good match for its larger rivals.

Philip Barden is a veteran commercial litigator who knows all the tricks. Steven Netherway is a fantastic acquisition and has given the team a real boost. Matt Garbutt has made a real name for himself in some very high-profile cases and is destined for partnership very soon.

Attentive, dynamic, clever and great value. Pin-point deployment of skills and resources, overseen by stand-out leaders. They are “in it to win it”, but highly mindful of their clients’ pockets and situations. Very nice people to work with too!

Philip Barden, Senior Partner – simply the best litigator I know. Both strategically and tactically brilliant, and excellent under pressure.

Very economic with exceptional return on time invested.

Philip Barden: excellent strategic overview of issues, understands formal litigation in law is the last resort.

Huw Wallis runs a highly client-focussed, commercial, and switched-on team. City quality, without the city overheads.

Huw Wallis is a first-class litigator – willing to test the arguments available, and explore how they can be developed to best achieve the client’s goals. A good lawyer, and a good person to work with.

Personal, affordable and best practice. Exceptional access to partners and very knowledgeable legal advisors in the litigation area.

Champagne service at a lemonade price.

Greenwoods is what I imagine a client would want from a mid-market litigation team. It has the experience, expertise, and attitude of a larger firm but at a price that reflects its provincial base.

Huw Wallis leads from the front. He runs a tight ship and also manages complex and (for barristers) interesting cases himself.

Nick Greenwood is an excellent litigator. He is careful, tactical, and commercial. Nick knows his law and is always looking for a solution.

The tax litigation team at Greenwoods GRM has takes the initiative and responds rapidly and efficiently to all the challenges of the litigation process.

Nick Scott is outstanding. He has tremendous knowledge and experience, is always available, and responds to challenges in a cal, decisive and unphased manner.

The practice is unique in that it provides a personalised service to its clients, and makes each of its clients feel special. The result is a splendid working relationship, one built on confidence and trust. Unlike other firms, the dispute resolution team does not treat clients, big or small, as fee fodder.

Michael Shapiro is an experienced and knowledgeable litigator who has a very calm, commercial and realistic approach to dispute resolution.

GSC provides excellent value for money compared to the larger City law firms. Its strengths lie in the fact that an entire team will be dedicated to your dispute and they will work round the clock for very reasonable fees to provide the best-quality service and legal advice for their clients. They have exceptional expertise in managing disputes for high-net-worth individuals.

I was particularly impressed working with Barry Samuels. He is a legend of the game and combines his vast experience in heavy-weight litigation with characteristic charm and warmth. He is a pleasure to work with and clients love him.

I was also very impressed working with Sana Sheikh. Her legal drafting skills are second to none and attention to detail excellent. She is a rising star and will be a force to be reckoned with in the future in commercial litigation.

GSC punch well above their weight. Despite having a modestly sized team they have specialists in almost all areas of civil law from fraud to media/entertainment and property. They are resourceful, adaptable and knowledgeable.

Barry Samuels is a litigation legend with decades of experience from heading up litigation departments elsewhere. He is tactically extremely astute and able effectively and with great strategic acumen to process and deploy vast amounts of information in multi-jurisdictional disputes.

Sana Sheikh is a stand-out associate with a wealth of detailed knowledge and technical expertise.

The team is a remarkable mix of highly qualified and experienced solicitors whose talents, as a focussed team, compliment one another. In modern terms it qualified as a boutique practice which punches well about its weight, certainly in litigation and arbitration work and the high-net worth private clients whom it attracts.

‘Efficient and professional.’

‘Sara Cato is outstanding – makes things clear and easy and is a huge asset to the company.’

‘Shilpen Savani was very good at client-handling and taking a commercial approach to the potential litigation.’

‘Robust, practical advice. Highly knowledgeable senior team members. Very hard-working and well trained junior team members.’

‘Shilpen Savani is knowledgeable, unflappable, efficient.’

‘Fergus Buckley was hands on, very accessible and delivered excellent advice.’

‘From a mediator’s perspective one can see immediately the quality of a firm from the preparation not just of the lawyers but the preparation of their clients by the lawyers. The teams from gunnercooke have been quite exceptional. Without conceding anything to the detriment of their clients, they have approached the mediation with the correct ethos: how can we achieve the best solution for our clients. I cannot recall any mediation in which they have not achieved a settlement, and that is in great part due to their realistic advice and support for their clients.’

‘Shilpen Savani’s support for his clients’ case has never clouded his judgment in assisting them to a sensible resolution. He is one of the ablest lawyers I have seen in mediation. I have also worked with Fergus Buckley and Laurence Katz, each of whom demonstrated their wholehearted commitment to their clients’ interests. It is clear that the ethos of the firm is client care which accounts for their popularity.’

‘The sheer wealth of experience is something which stands out as one of gunnercooke’s superb qualities. They are true experts in their respective fields but don’t stop that getting in the way of pragmatic and well-pitched advice.’

‘I have often worked with Shilpen Savani and he has always been professional, personable and highly competent. His advice is practical and accessible and I would have no hesitation in recommending him to others.’

‘Strong commercial awareness and highly responsive.’

‘Shilpen Savani – excellent client relationships based upon commercially sensible advice and strong strategic thinking.’

Strong team with good work ethic and excellent focus on key objectives.

Very approachable and knowledgeable, and very easy to deal with.

Small but effective firm with a range of expertise to support SMEs with all their legal needs. Have used iLaw for a range of issues for which they have always been responsive, individualistic and focused on solutions that centre on the clients needs.

Mark Culbert has proven to be an real legal asset and has excellent knowledge of his area of practice and the sectors in which he advises. The firm generally has an ethos of client focus and solutions first to solve the issues that are brought to it.

Responsive, unpretentious, expert, creative and a pleasure to work with. My experience has always been positive and I have recommended iLaw to numerous other business leaders. They are thorough, cut to the chase and provide pragmatic advice in a way that as a layman we can consider and feel supported by.

Mark Culbert is exceptional. His advice is clear, expert, insightful, pragmatic and relatable. While some aspects of a piece of work may be dealt with by his team, he is always on top of things and will respond if requested. Mark appreciates the stress his clients may be experience during litgation and he is reassuring and calm – combined with his responsiveness he is a pleasure to work with. Justin Ellis is efficient, creates trust and gets things done.

iLaw make complex litigation look simple across a range of industry sectors. It is not surprising they are involved in cases with high-profile litigants, from household name entrepreneurs to Hollywood scriptwriters.

iLaw excels at the execution of strategic negotiation with considerable success, both in terms of resolving intractable disputes and also achieving excellent settlement terms.

Mark Culbert is a highly experienced, savvy commercial litigator. Each case starts with a blank sheet of paper, which is rapidly turned into a detailed road map. He doesn’t like to lose. Whenever we have clients with difficult, complex claims, Mark is the first port of call, to check whether he is available to represent them. A polished operator.

Allan Murray is the epitome of the calm, collected litigator. Affable, sharp intellect and impeccable client care. A lawyer you want in your corner when it gets tough.

iLaw are small but expert. You get the service of a city law firm without the price tag.

Mark Culbert is fantastic. He really makes an effort to get to know clients and their individual circumstances in order to provide a tailored approach.

The team has excellent contacts with the accountancy and insolvency practitioner community.

Tom Clark is creative and consistent – not an easy combination to pull off !

The iLaw team is both responsive and proactive. iLaw are able to response to new issues quickly and then their proactivity sets them apart. This means a matter can be left in their hands in the knowledge that all dates and deadlines will be met without the need to prompt or chase. Further, iLaw have taken time to get to know us as a business saving time on individual cases.

The team specialises in insolvency litigation and know that area of the law inside out. Very thorough and pay attention to detail without losing sight of the bigger picture and overall objective.

Nick Oliver is outstanding. He is extremely knowledgeable, quick to grasp the issues and drives cases forward relentlessly.

The practice has a very clear specialism in insolvency. They have plenty of experience in bringing claims on behalf of insolvency practitioners.

They are a pleasure to spend time with, which helps in building a working relationship.

Isadore Goldman have a long history of giving good, commercial and pragmatic advice.

The small commercial litigation team at Isadore Goldman is largely though far from exclusively focused on disputes with an insolvency aspect, in respect of which it has vast experience and an ability to provide exceptional service to its clients.

Michelle Mollaghan has decades of experience at Isadore Goldman rising through the ranks from para-legal/clerk to partner. Michelle is extremely good with clients, empathetic to their legal difficulties and focused on providing commercially viable solutions.

A small but experienced firm with partner involvement in the cases which brings skill and knowledge to cases.

Michelle Mollaghan – experienced, particularly in banking and credit work, and prepared to be robust.

Michelle Mollaghan – truly excellent lawyer; diligent, intelligent, commercially astute and lovely to work with.

Michelle Mollaghan is well known and well respected and her great expertise also embraces insolvency and banking work.

Michelle Mollaghan has wonderful client skills and great commercial instincts with a brilliant balance between an eye for detail and an ability to see the bigger picture.

We have found this team to be extremely professional and accessible. As a new business, we have been given lots of advice and clear instruction, timely responses and transparent pricing structures that allow us to plan ahead. The team is particularly strong in relationship building and creating brand loyalty.

Jo Gregory has helped us understand where Joelson Law can help our business and been extremely patient getting to know our unique circumstances and gently helping us understand where they can help the most. It has never been a hard sell or an opaque process. We feel safe in her hands and she is very knowledgeable, accessibly and friendly.

We commissioned Joelson Law to help us draw up contracts with external companies and Matthew Overton helped us define our goals and create a document that we felt protected us and explained in detail every step of the way.

Nimble firm that punches way over its weight; great collection of interesting clients; great depth of knowledge across the firm.

Jo Gregory – dynamic partner; brilliant with clients Simon Wallis – partner in waiting; keen brain; on top of the detail.

A friendly firm who are always willing to go the extra mile, led by an excellent Chairman who leads from the front and always stays in touch even when we aren’t doing any business. Litigation work is conducted by Jo Gregory like a rapier, quick, fast and effective with a very sharp point!

If Jo Gregory and Phil Hails Smith weren’t lawyers they would be strikers for Arsenal football club. Always scoring goals for their clients !!

Despite being a small firm, they often get involved in big scale litigation, which they manage to handle as well as much bigger competitors.

Jo Gregory is likeable, tenacious and very bright.

The commercial disputes team provides real commercial support to the clients of the firm and punches well above its weight. One of its core strengths is its ability to provide dispute resolution support across a range of areas and industry sectors. The work which is undertaken is well thought out and structured and exceptionally well executed. It always seems to get the best possible result for the client.

Jim Mackie brings a real wealth of experience to commercial disputes. He seems to have an excellent rapport with clients and is fantastic at putting together and managing the right team for the case. He understands the commercial realities of the disputes and is great at focussing on the client’s commercial objectives.

The Marriott Harrison dispute resolution team is different to many of its competitors because of the high-standard, partner-led service whereas if we were to instruct one of the large City firms our work would be dealt with on a day to day basis by more junior lawyers. The team also has exceptional front-line court experience which differentiates them from many of their larger competitors who do not get into court as much.

We have worked primarily with Tamar Halevy who heads up the dispute resolution team. Tamar has been fully involved in, and on top of, all the details and complexity of our case right from the beginning and all the way through. She has provided sound legal advice and has been tenacious in seeking to achieve a commercial outcome for us in the case. She has constantly made herself available to communicate with us on the matter.

The firm offers very cost-effective approach and maintains good quality of services, which is a distinguishing feature.

Tamar Halevy is always there to provide a practical advice and ensure the most effective strategy.

Tamar Halevy and her team at Marriott Harrison were uniquely equipped to advise me on the particularly intricate details of my case with regard to legal, financial and social aspects. Tamar’s CV impressed me in the selection process with her experience in financial matters, international M&A and dispute resolution.

Tamar Halevy – accessible, focussed, diligent, patient and pragmatic.

Tamar Halevy is an excellent litigator. Tamar has always seen the best route forward for the pieces of litigation on which we have worked together. She is very practical in her approach, and avoid unnecessary wasting of time and resources. She takes counsel’s advice well, and never has a difficulty in understanding it.

In my experience Brett Israel turns around work very quick, and is an excellent leader of his team. There is never a wasted moment in his cases.

Tamar Halevy is exceptionally clear and definitive in her advice and explanations. Her oral delivery is unparalleled for a firm of this size.

They have excellent experience and strength in this area. I would compare them very favourably with other firms.

Tamar Halevy is superb – experienced, unflappable and great with clients.

Tamar Halevy, who leads the dispute resolution team, is really excellent: very knowledgeable in company law, experienced in shareholder disputes, hard-working, possessed of fine drafting skills and most enjoyable to work with.

Marvin Simons runs a small dispute resolution practice, taking a very hands-on approach with an exceptional eye for detail while never losing sight of the wider commercial context and client objectives.

Impressive range of international clients; outstanding service.

Christian Smith – the steadiest of hands; superb with clients.

Excellent and responsive customer service. Very intelligent team members who are always on the ball.

The unique attributes of Simmons, Muirhead and Burton are their availability and willingness to assist on the full range of commercial issues. Their advice is clear, concise and commercially focussed. They look for the best solutions not always via legal actions.

I have worked with Maninder Gill for 12 years and he assists in so many ways, not just in his specialisms, but across the range and introducing others as required. He is knowledgeable, direct and commercially astute.

I have worked with Antony Perlmutter for nearly eight years. He is one of the most tenacious litigators I know. He seems to never sleep and is always available to clients. He is exceptionally approachable. Most of the clients that we have in common eventually view AP as more of a friend than a solicitor. He always goes the extra mile to get the client the win.

The firm has a lively collaborative ethos and has been strengthened by a number of lateral hires in recent years which have helped it to reach out beyond its traditional media-related commercial disputes into property-based litigation and financial services disputes.

Razi Mireskandari is always focused on the practicalities of the dispute. He never loses sight of the long-term objective. Anthony Perlmutter is a litigator through and through. Loves to fight his client’s corner and clients love him for it. David Phillips gets through enormous amounts of work on cases and spots opportunities that others might miss. Dina Shiloh is a recent hire who has brought with her a real range of experience and clients, including from the finance sector.

It feels like a single effective practice rather than a series of specialist groups.

Antony Perlmutter is a perceptive, responsive and able litigator. His interpersonal skills are first rate. I appreciate his straight talking and decisive advice. I had every confidence that he would do a thorough job, and he did.

A very responsive and experienced firm whose people that give practical and helpful advice at a reasonable cost.

In a really unpleasant dispute resolution scenario this firm were supportive, sensitive and understanding. It was never about how much money they could get from me as a client. It was what’s going to be best for the client; how can we support the client; how can we best get the information we need from the client to settle successfully that has been brow beaten.

It’s the personal touch which was supported by a solid understanding of every aspect of the  case.

Mark Summerfield and Colin Nahon are solid, robust, intelligent, thoughtful and understanding lawyers. They were always available and incredibly responsive.

Impressive in handling the matter in a commercial and pragmatic way.

They provide a strong London litigation service at a competitive price.

I’ve been particularly impressed with Mark Summerfield. Mark has very good judgment and an excellent manner with his clients, being careful to understand their goals and then coming up with ways to achieve them, even where the case is difficult.

Mark Summerfield – very nice to work with, calm, and good with clients.

Great attention to detail and always pro-active in identifying issues and how to try and sort them at an early stage. Commerciality runs through the whole team. Easily on a par with much larger firms with heavier charging scales.

Mark Summerfield is always available and ultra relable, if he says something will be completed by a certain point in time, then you can assuredly plan on it being done. This together with a very commercial eye and strategic mind makes him ideal to have in your corner.

Excellent partner engagement with the work: city experience and skills without the price tag. Mark Summerfield is a particularly canny litigator, always with one eye on getting the client into the best position to achieve a successful outcome by negotiation if possible. Jeremy Harris has a focus on the property aspects of commercial disputes: nothing fazes him.

Their commerciality and sensitivity to the clients needs are excellent.

They have managed to make what is always a difficult situation manageable providing realistic expectations of success and a reality check when needed.

Firm specialises in media and communication matters – offers genuine expertise in the sector.

Matt Dando – hugely experienced parter with a long City pedigree in litigation.

Wiggin have cornered the market in relation to specialist gambling advice. Their knowledge of the industry is second to none, and the service they give to their clients is excellent.

Alan Owens and Steve Ketteley are both excellent. They have an in-depth knowledge of gambling matters, and are fantastic to work with.

Good on technical disputes especially involving modern media.

The team’s in-depth understanding of the industry that we operate in and their proactive and commercial approach and responsiveness in relation to any issues is outstanding.

Matthew Dando is outstanding and is always available when needed. His commercial and pragmatic approach has been important when called upon.

The team is well aware of the construction industry and JCT contracts. The took a balanced approach towards our case.

Team strength: diversity and organisation.

Key capabilities – Analytical and logical reasoning.

Sarosh is very intuitive and an easy person to work with. Even if he disagrees with the client’s approach, he can easily explain the logical reasoning behind his argument. He is one of the best lawyers we have worked with.

Wee were very impressed by Lawrence Jacobson’s knowledge of substantive law and legal procedures.

What makes this practice unique is the sheer range of matters they are prepared to take on if they think it is a good cause. Sarosh Zaiwalla has a fantastic ability to make contacts and has a superb client base from all around the world.

Sarosh’s ability to conjure up legal solutions out of the air, combined with his never-give-up attitude, has had a profound influence on the whole culture and approach of the firm.

Leigh Crestohl: very sharp, experienced in three (at least) jurisdictions and extremely hard-working.

Russell Strong: relatively recently arrived but has established himself as a top performer within the firm.

Special mention for Stephanie Limaco, a Spanish-speaking associate who has been of invaluable help on South American cases.

The head of the firm, Sarosh Zaiwalla, sets the tone in his unique, penetrative and tenacious way so as to give the galaxy of high-profile clients drawn to the firm the gold standard of service.

Sarosh Zaiwalla is a beacon in the field and an inspiration to other practitioners.

A small boutique litigation practice which punches well above its weight, taking on the biggest names in the industry and proving to be more nimble and strategically astute.

Leigh Crestohl has experience of litigation in the Magic Circle, which he brings to the firm’s clients with a much more hands on and personal approach. He is well supported by some exceptional senior associates such as Russell Strong. They are an experienced team, especially in complex factual or financial matters, often involving fraud.