‘Richard Marsh and Sophie Reese were great to work with. Their knowledge and experience was absolutely key to the project we worked together on. We couldn’t have done our work without them!’

‘We have instructed BDB Pitmans on a number of occasions. They have acted promptly and with the upmost professionalism in all endeavours on our behalf.’

‘BDB Pitmans have an extensive team of highly capable lawyers. Specifically, Richard Marsh has been outstanding.’

‘Very deep collective knowledge and experience of the infrastructure planning sector in particular.’

‘Mark Challis – a great team leader: measured, careful and sees the big picture. Tom Henderson-  his calm and decisive input is invaluable. Mustafa Latif-Aramesh- a rising star in the firm, who is supremely bright and thoughtful. Angus Walker- encyclopaedic knowledge of infrastructure planning.’

‘Duncan O’Connor – very good technical skills combined with an appreciation of the needs of the client. Nicholas Evans – strong on infrastructure.’

‘My experience of Duncan O’Connor is that he has a drive and determination to deliver against often challenging project timescales and he is pragmatic in his advice which helps enormously in taking risk based decisions.’

‘Richard Marsh – easy to deal with and quick to provide pragmatic advice.’

‘A strong and proactive team offering expedient advice.’

‘Engaging, highly professional and personable.’

‘The teams experience and knowledge are second to none, there was no choice of what law firm to use when it comes to planning law expertise. The partners and associates are knowledgeable and supportive.’

‘Practitioners of national standing very highly regarded in the planning, compulsory purchase and compensation sector offering both London and regional presence. Very deep experience in these areas – market leaders up there with the best.’

‘Elizabeth Dunn has provided our company with exceptional service. Liz’s knowledge and advice is second to none. We value her transparency, experience and approach to overcoming complex issues.’

‘Gary Solomon – calm headed, a pleasure to work with, maintains perspective and good humour even in challenging moments, understands the real needs of clients.’

‘Alex Minhinick – very capable associate, analytical, brave and willing to be creative and explore out of the box.’

‘The Burges Salmon planning team are very friendly and easy to work with. They work collaboratively and proactively and I am always happy to put my full trust in them.’

‘Elizabeth Dunn in particular is highly experienced with a very detailed knowledge of the offshore wind industry. Her profile within the industry is great and her depth of knowledge is exceptional.’

‘The strength of the team is in the assurance they give to me as a client. This is based on experience, understanding of our motivations and constraints, and personable nature.’

‘Incisive analysis, quick to grasp the salient issues and arguments, and great communication skills.’

‘Nigel Howorth is a very experienced and talented planning solicitor with a natural overview of the situation at hand ably assisted by his associate Anneke Theelen who is nimble in understanding the core arguments and researching different lines of analysis and getting back to us quickly.’

‘Clifford Chance has a small, but really strong, team of very bright planning lawyers. As a team they work very well together and are able to resource even the largest of matters.’

‘Nigel Howorth is an absolutely excellent planning partner and has huge commercial acumen that makes him very well regarded. Katie Kempthorne is outstandingly hard working and able, and an absolute pleasure to work with. Anneka Theelen is another of Clifford Chance’s outstanding senior associates.’

‘Nigel Howorth – great technical knowledge but allied to a pragmatic / practical approach which enables the business to focus on the critical risks / issues. Very personable and able to communicate effectively across all levels of the business.’

‘Katie Kempthorne – able to digest and analyse complex issues quickly and adapt advice accordingly to a fast changing project. Very personable and also able to work very effectively across all levels of the business with the wider team.’

‘All staff were very competent & professional in terms of their work & timely in their communications.’

‘The team is not only technically very strong but they are a pleasure to work with. They are highly committed but have created a supportive, family-like environment.’

‘Roy Pinnock is an extremely strong strategist, a clear and independent thinker who looks beyond the conventional to offer new insights that advance and unlock cases – a highly effective and experienced partner.’

‘Reach – the ability to cover all aspect of planning and other permitting in the UK and internationally.’

‘The team consistently meet deadlines and offer sound advice on a complex planning application. They have been instrumental in ongoing s106 negotiations to secure a deliverable agreement.’

‘Roy Pinnock’s legal negotiations have been very valuable on a s106 agreement.’

‘Sensible, pragmatic approach to complex planning issues.’

‘The team are helpful and easy to reach. Their depth of experience is helpful when negotiating contracts and agreements and will come up with commercial and helpful suggestions and solutions.’

‘The planning legal team is strong and are able to turn around documents and responses very quickly and to a high standard.’

‘The planning team at Eversheds are truly exceptional and among the elite in the country. The take control of a case with total competence, providing excellent advice with immaculate attention to detail. I have recommended them to clients who have a difficult job that needs high class solicitors to solve, and they have always delivered.’

‘Matthew Nixon is an exceptionally good planning litigator. He is calm, writes with complete clarity, and approaches problems with a clear head and gives sensible advice. In all of the cases I have done with him, he has been a pleasure to work with, and completely reliable. I would (and frequently do) recommend him to clients in need of a safe pair of hands.’

‘Very reliant and time conscious.’

‘Extremely personable and professional.’

‘Engaging and responsive. Clear, quick advice. People are positive to work with and collaborative.’

‘Enthusiastic and passionate about the Project work.’

‘Every member of the team I have interacted with is competent, responsive and very personable. Their varied backgrounds provide them with a depth of knowledge across the board, and the leadership is second to none.’

‘My main contact is Hannah Quarterman who leads the team. She is an exceptional lawyer and one of the most approachable and personable in the field. With a calm and pleasant demeanour she is able to provide sound and commercial advice and is a skilled advocate. I trust her analysis and advice implicitly.’

‘Hannah Quarterman is well organised and efficient. She is a first-rate manager of large teams, understanding the different needs of the different members and channelling energy to best effect.’

‘Fantastic service for clients with a modern and classy approach.’

‘Anita Rivera is a standout for me. She is determined, creative and will always go above and beyond for her clients.’

‘Tom Barton is a real star and an absolute pleasure to deal with.’

‘Anita Rivera (Partner): a highly experienced and effective planning solicitor with superb ability to deconstruct opposing arguments before reaching the most advantageous strategic and tactical judgments. She has a unique combination of determination, charm and creativity, with a willingness to take on responsibility and an absolute commitment to achieving the best outcome for her clients.’

‘Martyn Hanmore: a technically very strong, hard-working planning lawyer with an eye for details and angles that others have not spotted – a valuable addition to any team.’

‘Roisin Hogan: a pleasure to work with: extremely diligent, highly organised and committed, with an ability to focus on what matters.’

‘Anita Rivera: What stands out most to me about Anita is her ability to focus on her client’s commercial objectives and to think really creatively in order to maximise the chances of attaining them.’

‘Roisin Hogan: She’s hardworking and really dependable. She supported the rest of the legal team very effectively on a large case; she was very responsive and I noticed that her client skills were strong too.’

‘The team very quickly became not just very competent advisors, but integrated themselves fully into my vision of what I wanted from a challenging property situation.’

‘Alistair Watson cared about achieving a successful outcome as much as I did. He contributed thoughtful and creative insights that saw us achieve a better conclusion that I had set out to achieve’

‘Exceptional dedication to serving their client at any time on any matter. Value for money. Commercially astute. Won’t waste time debating theoretical outcomes. Can cut to the heart of any situation with relative ease. Feel like an extension of our own business with a “skin in the game” approach.’

‘Emma Tait – Great planning lawyer, focused on obtaining results. Exceptionally user friendly and available.’

‘The Planning Team at Winckworth Sherwood are one of the most experienced in London. The team are able to take complicated matters and simplify them in a way that allows myself as a client to make key commercial decisions with the important facts to hand.’

‘Lindsay Garratt understands our business inside out, which has developed through working across numerous projects. This in turn is then passed down throughout the associate and junior team.’

‘Winckworth Sherwood have worked incredibly well collaboratively with myself as a client as well as the wider design team, constantly offer solutions and advice that have benefitted every project I have worked on with them.’

‘Lindsay Garratt – Lindsay’s competence is well known throughout the industry, leading to her having a reputation that speaks for itself. I have worked with Lindsay on a number of complex projects and have always been incredibly impressed with her approach to thinking outside of the box to collaboratively find solutions and to translate these to the wider team.’

‘They never drop the ball and are always extremely attentive to each site’s issues and requirements and think and focus about us and what we are trying to achieve.’

‘Colette McCormack leads the team admirably, is thorough and friendly; always willing to make herself available for a discussion at short notice. Colette is very well supported in particular by Matt Steinbrecher, and a wider team at Winckworth Sherwood, who have our full trust to deal efficiently and effectively with our Planning needs.’

‘Matthew Steinbrecher is an associate who pays attention to the detail, is always well prepared for meetings with clients and is on hand to assist with advice even at short notice which is greatly appreciated.’

‘The Planning team are knowledgeable and have strength in depth. They are innovative in their problem solving and will find a way through issues arising.’

‘Easy access to the Partner at all times, knowledgeable, clear and easy to understand advice. In addition the ability to negotiate at meetings.’

‘Clear team ethos, support each other on jobs.’

‘Friendly, helpful, clear in their advice, always willing to help.’

‘Farrer & Co have a good strong team dealing with property and land issues. Having dealt with the firm over a number of years I am impressed by their practical advice.’

‘Karen Phull is first rate, having a local authority background which gives her a significant advantage over other planning lawyers. Combined with the huge strength in depth of the firm’s extensive property work this puts her in the ideal space to advise on complex transactions.’

‘Very proactive very knowledgeable and always happy to discuss tactics, the approachability was very very impressive.’

‘I would say that the team are very commercially aware and provide pragmatic advice by setting out options for discussion. Their strength is their strong relationships with clients and consultants.’

‘I would say that they are highly skilled and, most importantly, easy and good to work with. Many projects go on for many months or years and it is essential to have confidence in their abilities and to be able to work well together.’

‘Excellent knowledge of planning law and careful and attentive service to private clients concerned about planning issues.’

‘Karen Phull is excellent and very personable.’

‘The team is very personable and approachable and make themselves available – they go above and beyond. They have a good range of knowledge and have the ability to explain complex technical points in really user friendly ways.’

‘They understand their client’s needs and appreciate and account for the overall strategy in place.’

‘Having been involved in various projects with the property and planning teams from Forsters, I have never had cause to question their professionalism or quality of advice. They really are an excellent all-round practice.’

‘Victoria Du Croz has a real knack at getting to the crux of an issue without any fuss or drama. Plain speaking, honest and totally trustworthy – she is an excellent ambassador for her profession.’

‘Expert planning legal advice in a timely manner.’

‘Key people in key positions, always understanding the client’s needs balanced against probability of success.’

‘Jade Chalmers – led from the front and delivered an incredible appeal decision and costs award.’

‘Jade Chalmers is brilliant. Very competent, Howard Kennedy (HK) have a great relationship with councils and other firms which makes the process much easier.’

‘Jade Chalmers – always available, nice to deal with, understands a developers mindset, understands money and cost against timing, great relationship with others, respected.’

‘The team is well-known nationally for providing good, down-to-earth but highly knowledgeable advice.’

‘Nicola Gooch is thoughtful, smart and a delight to work with.’

‘An excellent team working in the planning and infrastructure area. They have a wide ranging expertise and work on many national projects. They are always at the forefront of the issues at large and a joy to work with.’

‘Nicola Gooch – exceptionally hard working. Highly diligent and cares about her clients and her work immensely. It is always a joy to collaborate with her.

‘Claire Petricca-Riding; leads a team which is working at the forefront of a highly complex and quickly changing environment.’

‘Their strengths are that they are approachable, provide clear advice on what are often complex difficult issues. They do this with a high level of client care going beyond what is expected to ensure that client interests are properly served.’

‘I value that they are team players. They see the value in a joined up approach between planning consultants and legal advice. It means that we can openly discuss and agree approach and put forward a considered strategy.’

‘They also make themselves readily available and are quick to revert back.’

‘Excellent knowledge and able to handle cases swiftly and in a professional manner.’

‘The Team at K&L Gates are exceptional; partners and associates will always make themselves available and distil complex matters into innovative, workable solutions and set these out in a clear way as well as taking the time to explain to clients of all levels. The diversity of partners and associates at K&L Gates is much greater than with other firms we have worked with and is a great reflection on the inclusivity of the firm.’

‘The prompt and excellent advice we receive from both Feroze Abbas and Rebecca Daniels are exceptional. The personable approach and willingness to clearly explain complex matters to junior staff at clients is unique and sets them apart from other firms we have used.’

‘Feroze Abbas and Rebecca Daniels: their communication is clear and concise. I have compete trust in their advice and negotiating skills.’

‘Organised, responsive, high-quality advice, good to work with.’

‘Impressive relationship with clients, engendering trust. Good subject matter knowledge.’

‘Sara Hanrahan, planning specialist. Very good with clients and knowledgeable in her field.’

‘I have worked with a few of the solicitors in this firm, all of whom are knowledgeable, approachable and professional. They are able to provide concise, thoughtful advice that I have found helpful. They are able to tackle a multitude of different problems and keep it within the team, which has made it really easy to communicate. I think there is a good dynamic between all team members and this is reflected in their collaborative approach.’

‘Sara Hanrahan – have known her for nearly 6 years now working on various issues. She is responsive, timely, thoughtful and efficient.’

‘Experience and listens. Advice, even if against one’s instincts, is sound.’

‘I am very satisfied with the way they follow up and forewarn of expenses and ask if it is a choice expenditure, whether the client wants to take it up.’

‘Sara Hanrahan is an excellent strategic planning adviser.’

‘NRF’s planning team acts in some of the biggest planning cases. Its wider strengths in energy and litigation make it a powerhouse for planning cases in the field of energy and natural resources, including renewables.’

‘It is also unpretentious, doing top tier work without any sense of self-importance.’

‘Sarah Fitzpatrick is highly experienced and guides the department with clarity and a good strategic mind.’

‘Carina Wentzel is one of the standout planning solicitors in London, and is surely a Partner in the making. She’s extremely bright, enormously personable, and has a staggering capacity for hard work. She is able to unpick the detail of even the knottiest problem, but also to manage a case and clients in a sensible and pragmatic way. A genuine star.’

‘Osborne Clarke has an impressive line of partners that can handle a wide rage of planning and compulsory purchase matters.’

‘John Baird – John is a really solid performer who can be trusted to get it right first time. Anna Fouracre – Excellent on compulsory purchase matters and planning generally.’

‘Because of the amount of public sector (particularly local authority) work that this firm has historically undertaken, it can provide a really helpful and “added value” perspective on disputes involving private sector clients.’

‘Andrew Swaffer is excellent. Always very well prepared and will have thought through a legal problem. A first-class lawyer.’

‘Sharpe Pritchard have a very personable approach and are always quick to respond. The team takes a clear approach and don’t over complicate issues, which as a client is very welcomed.’

‘Bernadette Hillman provides robust and straightforward advice in a very clear, concise and timely manner. We know that we will get legal drafting which works for us commercially.’

‘Sharpe Pritchard provides ease of access to senior staff members and a very high quality of customer service that I’d normally only expect from a significantly smaller practice. They have a long-standing working relationship with the council, and this is reflected in the background knowledge and strong working relationships their solicitors have developed with me and my colleagues.’

‘Rachel Lee and Emily Knowles – Both of these solicitors are extremely knowledgeable in their chosen field and I have utmost confidence in their ability to negotiate the best outcomes for borough residents. Both Rachel and Emily are a pleasure to work with and I’d highly recommend them to other local planning authorities.’

‘This is a practice with a fantastic combination of experience and energy, managing large cases with impressive efficiency.’

‘Of particular note is Karen Howard, an excellent, experienced solicitor whose intuition and insight is harnessed to good effect in the planning cases she oversees.’

‘Planning legal services (Nick Walker and Hetty Tombs) able to cut through to the heart of the issue and provide clear, concise advice.’

‘Nick Walker and Hetty Tombs. Approachable and willing to discuss and advise on an informal basis. Understand commercial realities in providing professional advice which is very useful.’

‘Nick Walker was very reliable, spontaneous and knowledgeable.’

‘The team is extremely responsive, very practical, diligent, commercial and very user-friendly. They are also extremely knowledgeable and do not get bogged down in minutiae.’

‘Danny Drukatz is the main partner that I deal with. He has excellent client handling skills and has the ability to manage complex planning issues. He is a pleasure to deal with.’

‘Asserson have a small but very experienced team who really work hard to provide a first class service to clients.’

‘Daniel Drukatz – Daniel has a very tactical brain and a wide wide knowledge of planning and property law that makes him a first class operator in the field. James Kon – James works hard and impresses clients with his dedication to the task. As well as performing the traditional role of solicitor, he is also a Court advocate.’

‘A strong commercial focus on planning law issues which impact on land and property, whilst understanding issues that relate to the public sector.’

‘Has an excellent service in providing advice in planning (large regeneration schemes) and compulsory purchase process.’

‘Excellent service.’

‘Dalee Kaur, partner at Bevan Brittan. She is thoughtful and thorough, and very level-headed in high pressure moments.’

‘Dalee Kaur: Pragmatic. Experienced. No fuss. Really works for the client. Dedicated and passionate.’

‘Close working relations, flexibility to advise on ad-hoc basis, thorough knowledge and expertise in this field and help de-risk legalistic and delivery concerns.’

‘Dalee Kaur brings private sector experience and a real commercial focus to help provide excellent, well-considered advice.’

‘Stephanie Hall recently joined as a partner for DJB, and is exceptional. She is able to cut through detailed and complex issues to give advice that is robust, commercially practical, clear and concise. She is always approachable. Her experience across the public and private sectors places her in a strong position to appreciate the bigger picture, and to secure the best outcome for her clients.’

‘As a local authority, looking for value for money and expertise, we find Nigel Hewitson a real star. He is incredibly smart, understands local government, incredibly fast at turning stuff around and a real joy to work with. Nigel’s grasp of planning is fantastic. He works brilliantly with officers and is so personable. He is extremely talented and delivers for his clients.’

‘The planning practice of DJB (used for section 106 work) provides a high quality service in a timely manner. Team members have a wealth of knowledge and are very experienced in dealing with complex planning agreements for high profile re-generation projects in a proactive and practical way and understand the needs of the client and what needs to be achieved. Advice is provided in a clear, concise and easy to understand way. The team is approachable, friendly and excellent at lawyer/client relationships.’

‘I worked with Stephanie Hall. Stephanie was an outstanding solicitor. She was always approachable and responded to any challenges swiftly and positively. Through our examination Stephanie fostered a very positive relationship with counsel and also made very productive contributions throughout the process, ensuring that we were very well prepared and used officers’ time as effectively as possible. I felt that Stephanie worked as ‘one of the team’ for our local plan.’

‘A very versatile, knowledgeable firm with strong skills in the planning/commons area.’

‘Expert knowledge together with years of experience are qualities I value in the individuals I work with at DJB.’

‘DJB provide helpful and prompt advice which is supported by a clear depth of understanding and knowledge across planning and highways law and related disciplines.’

‘Nigel Hewitson has been a pleasure to work with and a valuable asset to our team in progressing various matters relating to complex planning issues. He has always been prompt in his responses and always accessible by email and telephone. It is clear that Nigel has a wide range of experience which he brings to the table and uses to inform helpful advice. We have received detailed and helpful advice.’

‘Fladgate are among the finest planning solicitors I have worked with.’

‘Mark Harnett is a model planning solicitor. He has total command of the subject area and is a completely reliable litigator. He writes with impeccable clarity and provides clear instructions to counsel. He is dynamic and creative, but also totally sensible in his advice and approach.’

‘Readily available and pro-active.’

‘Miles Crawford – great planning knowledge and as to how local planning authorities work.’

‘The team were very engaged with myself and colleagues and provided a positive steer in terms of strategic direction as well as more targeted professional advice.’

‘Robert Bruce. I found him to be very knowledgeable in his field, and extremely willing to work with myself and colleagues on providing or checking complex responses within challenging timescales. His broader understanding of the issues meant that he often identified areas where we could improve or add value to technical as well as planning or legal responses.’

‘Very professional, very knowledgeable and worked hard to support us, providing us with prompt advice and a very responsive service overall.’

‘I felt far more assured having Robert Bruce representing us and presenting our case. He was quick to grasp key technical concepts and was able to present them in a strong format to the inspectors at the hearing. His efforts definitely strengthened our case.’

‘They stand out because they engage with the client in more detail and more than anyone else I know. It is very important to build a relationship with the client and engage long enough to fully understand the issues. Freeths excel in this, particularly Robert Bruce.’

‘Rob Bruce is an excellent planning solicitor who has a very good grasp of the law, possesses sound judgment, gives shrewd and well considered practical advice and always responds promptly and efficiently to client requests. I would unhesitatingly recommend him to others.’

‘The Freeths’ planning team is well led, conscientious, and goes the extra mile for their clients.’

‘Our experience with planning partner Robert Bruce is always positive, being very understanding of the challenges that our organisation faces and providing practical solutions to difficult situations with sound planning advice based on a wealth of knowledge.’

‘I appreciate the Keystone model which provides senior legal advice in a direct and cost-effective way.’

‘In depth knowledge of planning law and practice and a sound understanding of the commercial realities of development work. The team stands out for its willingness to give clients meaningful and concrete advice even where there is no easy answer, but also for its collaborative approach to working with counsel to ensure a joined up approach.’

‘Ben Garbett – having worked with him over the past year on a challenging development, I have been impressed with his commercial and pragmatic approach to planning issues, as well as his ability to think outside the box and find creative solutions. He is also extremely easy to work with and very likeable.’

‘The team seems efficient, well managed and responsive.’

‘I have worked with Yohanna Weber who was absolutely excellent, knowledgeable, organised, personable and had great judgment.’

‘Yohanna Weber – clever, knowledgeable and diligent. Past experience in a local authority gives her excellent insight and perspective into how local authorities approach matters.’

‘Ben Garbett provides an excellent all-round service and ensures his clients are well looked after.’

‘You have direct access at partner level to very senior and experienced members of the team.’

‘Personable, knowledgeable and clear.’

‘Strong and clear advice on all of the hot topics’

‘John Bosworth is the one of the best planning lawyers I have ever worked with – and he is a good guy as well!’

‘Russell Cooke have acted for me and my colleagues for more than 40 years. They have always provided an excellent service. Whenever there has been an “issue” it has been handled with complete integrity which is a refreshing change.’

‘Alex Ground is a very good planning lawyer. She is knowledgeable, approachable and likeable, and has a clear grasp of both planning and commercial matters.’

‘This is a practice which builds genuine and successful relationships with clients and other professionals. Its culture is open and collaborative, to the great benefit of client outcomes.’

‘Alex Ground is an astute, careful and committed lawyer with a good eye for detail.’

‘John Webster – Excellent technical skills but presented in a clear and understandable fashion and used to the greater advantage of the client.’

‘Extremely diligent, very knowledgeable and confident in the advice they provide which in turn, gives us the confidence we need on which to base our decisions. They pull in resources who have specific knowledge from within their team as required.’

‘Richard Keckzes – very professional, knowledgeable and diligent. Richard is able to set out situations and his advice in such a way that people with a non-legal background fully understand what is being discussed, which has been invaluable.’

‘Excellent at grappling with complex commercial situations and finding sensible contractual solutions.’

‘Approachable, tenacious and highly efficient.’

‘They are thorough and precise, their understanding of the practice area of planning is second to none.’

‘Intellectual ability.’