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The Legal 500 Hall of Fame Icon The Legal 500 Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence. The Hall of Fame highlights, to clients, the law firm partners who are at the pinnacle of the profession. In the United Kingdon, the criteria for entry is to have been recognised by The Legal 500 as one of the elite leading lawyers for eight years. These partners are highlighted below and throughout the editorial.
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Crime: fraud

Index of tables

  1. Crime: fraud
  2. Leading individuals
  3. Next generation lawyers

Leading individuals

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Next generation lawyers

  1. 1
    • Bridgette Hibbert - Farleys Solicitors LLP

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Farleys Solicitors LLP has an β€˜extremely efficient, thorough, affable and knowledgeable team’ that is β€˜immensely experienced at acting for professional clients as well as lay clients’. The β€˜truly excellent’ department is led by the β€˜superb and vastly experienced’ Paul Schofield, who is a Very High Costs Panel supervisor and a Higher Courts (Criminal) Advocate – β€˜he leaves no stone unturned for his clients and is the master of patient strategy’. The β€˜tactically astute’ Bridgette Hibbert is praised for her knowledge of all aspects of business crime and regulatory matters; she β€˜rapidly identifies the relevant issues in complex cases, easily develops a rapport with clients and has the knack of explaining complicated issues in simple terms’. Other key figures include Sian Hall, who regularly represents clients in cases involving fraud, money laundering, cybercrime and confiscation; and solicitor Laura Walmsley.

Garstangs Cartwright King LLP has a β€˜long history of success in defending the largest fraud cases’. Key figures include the β€˜immensely experienced’ Lesley Burrows, Richard Cornthwaite (β€˜an oasis of calm in the storm’), the β€˜excellent’ Gary Broadfield, a β€˜no-nonsense pragmatist’ who has particular expertise in defending allegations of internet-based crime involving hacking, data theft and harassment through social media, and Michael Balmer, who is a higher court advocate and an β€˜outstanding white-collar crime advocate’. The group continues to act in some of the most high-profile and complex white collar crime cases currently being prosecuted in the UK, and is adept at defending investigations and prosecutions brought by the SFO, NCA, HMRC, the FCA and the Department of Business Innovation and Skills. The practice’s workload comprises a mix of privately paid, legal aid-funded and insurance-backed fraud work.

JMW Solicitors LLP is β€˜one of the go-to outfits in the North West for complex fraud cases’, with clients singling out Peter Grogan, who heads the business crime and regulation team and has a β€˜fantastic rapport with clients; his ability to absorb the details of the most complicated cases ensures that he represents his clients effectively and properly’. The β€˜outstanding’ practice regularly features in cases involving financial wrongdoing, fraud, FCA-regulated matters including insider trading, and Proceeds of Crime Act matters. Key work included acting for four defendants being indicted for conspiracies to defraud and commit money laundering offences in the UK and overseas arising from the alleged wholesale importation and sale of counterfeit music CDs with an estimated value of Β£2m. The team features a number of key individuals, including Evan Wright, who attracts praise for his expertise in major financial crime cases; the β€˜absolutely excellent’ Mike Rainford; Derek Millard-Smith, who is known for his work in regulatory investigations and his assistance to corporate clients facing criminal charges; and the β€˜vastly experienced’ Ian Lewis, who joined from LHS Solicitors LLP.

Clients of MSB Solicitors single out β€˜the personal interest the firm takes in each and every case’, and the track record the firm has in complex, large-scale fraud and confiscation cases. Sean Sexton heads the department and is praised for his β€˜precise and thorough preparation and extensive knowledge of and experience in serious and complex financial crime. Sexton gives the right support and advice to his clients each time.’ The practice is particularly known for its skill in representing individuals who are subject to major criminal investigations by the HMRC; key matters included representing a professional in a case involving alleged breaches of Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes regulations through the selling of high-risk investment schemes to high-net-worth individuals. The β€˜outstanding’ Andrew Pearson is singled out for his specialism in representing defendants who are autistic or suffer from Asperger’s syndrome.

Olliers has an β€˜excellent’ fraud practice that is handling a growing privately funded workload in addition to acting in publicly funded matters. Joint practice heads Matthew Claughton and Richard Holliday have defended several significant fraud matters; Claughton’s recent work included acting for the directors of a multi-currency payment processing company in an 18-month criminal investigation, and representing a solicitor in an investigation by the City of London Police relating to alleged money laundering and a complex investor scam. Holliday has extensive experience handling all aspects of commercial fraud and business crime matters; he recently represented a company secretary of an asset financing company who was facing two counts of large-scale conspiracy to defraud banks by way of the fraudulent sale of receivables agreements totalling Β£160m.

Stephensons Solicitors LLP has β€˜amassed a team of bright, adaptive and experienced litigators who know which buttons to press at the investigative stage and beyond’. The team is the β€˜real deal; it has a complete focus on clients’ interests and immense experience of how best to defend the most serious business crime’. Head of fraud and regulatory Rachel Adamson β€˜sets the tone for the team’s utterly professional approach; she can sniff out a poor prosecution performance from a mile away’. John Greenwood β€˜has been in the trenches for a long time and is definitely someone you would want alongside you when the flak starts to fly’. Solicitor Priscilla Addo-Quaye is β€˜brilliant at eliciting trust in her clients and managing complex cases’. The team’s VHCC accreditation allows it to act in the most high-value and large-scale cases such as land-banking, Ponzi and VAT fraud, in addition to other areas such as investment fraud, the proceeds of crime and money laundering. It has a proven track record of defending the most high-profile investigations and prosecutions brought by a variety of agencies including the Environment Agency, the SFO and the FCA.

Burton Copeland LLP’s strength β€˜lies in its attention to detail and the level of care it gives to clients in all their cases’. The team regularly acts for both corporate and individual clients in relation to high-profile commercial crime, with Kim Holden singled out for her work in large-scale technical fraud, money laundering, tax investigations and corporate crime, and Mike Mackey praised for his work in white-collar crime and for his β€˜thoroughness and commitment to his clients’. Clients also single out Erin Cowley, who is acting for a defendant in a personal injury fraud matter involving allegations that the defendant recruited people who subsequently submitted false injury claims via a company set up by the defendant.

Clients consider Irwin Mitchell to be among the β€˜leading criminal firms in respect of fraud and white-collar crime’. The team is headed by Paul Haycock, β€˜a leader in his field’ who β€˜ensures his clients are suitably represented at all times’. Other key figures in the team of β€˜professional, knowledgeable and extremely approachable’ solicitors include associate Emma Windle, who β€˜leaves no stone unturned, is always well prepared and is extremely diligent’. The team regularly advises individuals, companies and boards on criminal liability, compliance and multi-jurisdictional investigations. It is also well regarded for its extensive experience in internal investigations concerning issues of internal theft and fraud in addition to bribery and corruption. Other areas of expertise include insider dealing and breaches of financial services regulations.

Keoghs LLP’s team is β€˜simply excellent; it has huge amounts of experience in fraud, enabling it to to view matters from a business perspective whilst remaining savvy about how things will play out in court’. It acts for many of the UK’s biggest insurers, including Aviva, esure and Allianz, as well as corporate clients on a wide range of insurance fraud issues, including motor fraud, liability fraud, first-party fraud and disease fraud. Key figures include Damian Ward and Ruth Needham. The firm recently acted in a case involving the tort of deceit in relation to nine alleged RTAs against 29 defendants after they made fraudulent compensation claims.

Slater and Gordon has a β€˜professional and thorough team’ with a β€˜superb reputation’ for proceeds of crime work and for representing corporate clients facing investigation and prosecution by all the major regulators. The β€˜hardworking and thorough’ Helen Simm heads the department and is well regarded for her work in white-collar crime and corporate defence work; she is a β€˜class act and an exceptional lawyer’.

Tuckers Solicitors specialises in all aspects of criminal defence work, including fraud and regulatory matters. It provides an β€˜excellent service’ to clients, who are β€˜reassured that its dedicated team will always put clients’ interest first’. Leigh Wright heads the proceeds of crime and complex case unit and is acting in an alleged fraud exceeding Β£10m where the perpetrators used copies of government websites to garner service fees for the production of visas and other official documentation. Wright is also acting in a case involving a serious allegation of a systematic attempt by six individuals to perpetrate a fraud on Barclays Bank by manipulating the bank’s loan approval system. Other key figures include Franklin Sinclair, who has higher rights of audience, and senior case worker Paul Callaghan, who handles complex fraud matters and is praised for his β€˜thorough and detailed case preparation and excellent client-handling skills’.

Abbey Solicitors fields an β€˜outstanding and proactive team’ with considerable experience in high-value fraud cases. Nadeem Ullah has a β€˜calm and quiet assurance that immediately earns the respect from everyone he meets’; he is acting for three defendants in proceedings involving a Β£385m MTIC (missing trade intra community) fraud, which involves issues to be considered in the UAE. In another highlight the team acted in a case involving fraudulent claims companies that were set up to defraud insurers and related legal firms.

BLM predominantly handles civil fraud claims and civil enforcement actions with a criminal law component, as well as defending fraudulent insurance claims. Raymond Southern heads the team and handles all aspects of motor fraud and casualty claims in addition to managing punitive civil actions for the recovery of investigation costs. Naomi Grant has considerable experience in defendant insurance litigation and covers all aspects of motor claims fraud including cross-industry fraud investigations. Other areas of expertise include handling fraudulent home policy and casualty claims. Clients include insurers such as Ecclesiastical, Zurich, Allianz and Tradex.

The highly regarded David Caplin heads the team at Cunninghams Solicitors, which is adept at handling serious fraud matters in addition to complex and high-value confiscation and restraint proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The team is also skilled at handling cases related to allegations of bribery and corruption often involving people who are trusted by the general public. The group also handles matters concerning the Bribery Act 2010, particularly where the alleged offences have been committed abroad. Recent work includes acting for two defendants in bribery allegations, and acting for a UK company director in a wide-ranging criminal enquiry into alleged VAT fraud.

DWF’s Jamie Taylor β€˜has encountered most of the challenges imaginable in fraud litigation; time and time again he delivers a robust approach, demonstrates excellent attention to detail, has sound judgement and achieves outstanding results’. The firm’s excellent counter-fraud team acts for clients such as the RSA and QBE. Highlights included acting for ERS where a suspended prison sentence was handed down to a fraudulent claimant – the suspension of the sentence was conditional on the payment of Β£5,000 by the claimant.

Daniel King heads the β€˜strong’ financial crime team at Forbes Solicitors, which advises on various fraud, tax, internet and cybercrime cases. The department recently successfully defended a client in one of the UK’s largest-ever mortgage fraud cases, and acted for a businessman in a case concerning allegations of multimillion-pound procurement fraud. It is also handling a significant number of complex fraud investigations and large-scale conspiracies to defraud.

Linskills handles the full range of regulatory and financial crimes ranging from bribery and money laundering to income tax and VAT fraud. Julian Linskill is a key contact.

Richard Nelson LLP is a boutique practice that primarily concentrates on high-value cases for clients with a commercial background. Mark Wilson is well known for his track record in tax-based investigations and prosecutions, and Richard Nelson is skilled at cases involving legal professionals. Jonathan Wright is highly regarded for handling cases involving complex issues relating to money laundering and the proceeds of crime.

Crime: general

Index of tables

  1. Crime: general
  2. Leading individuals
  3. Next generation lawyers

Leading individuals

  1. 1

Next generation lawyers

  1. 1
    • Michael Balmer - Garstangs Cartwright King LLP
    • Gary Broadfield - Garstangs Cartwright King LLP
    • Deborah Britstone - LHS Solicitors LLP
    • Alan Greenidge - Slater and Gordon
    • Alex Preston - Olliers

Who Represents Who

Find out which law firms are representing which Crime: general clients in North West using The Legal 500's new comprehensive database of law firm/client relationships. Instantly search over 925,000 relationships, including over 83,000 Fortune 500, 46,000 FTSE350 and 13,000 DAX 30 relationships globally. Access is free for in-house lawyers, and by subscription for law firms. For more information, contact david.burgess@legal500.com.

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Burton Copeland LLP is praised for its β€˜no-nonsense approach and for its ability to tell clients the situation as it is, without the flannel’. Mike Mackey, who is a well-known name for his work on serious/organised crime, road traffic and regulatory crime in particular, β€˜brings a very great level of preparation and commitment to the cases he works on’. Mackey led for the Police Federation on the widely reported case against a retired police superintendent involving historic sexual abuse in North Wales care homes. The team is also acting for the British Cycling’s lead physiotherapist in relation to an ongoing investigation by UKAD. Other recommended individuals include Gwyn Lewis and Louise Straw, who has developed a strong reputation representing individuals in cases involving historical sexual abuse and sexual offences.

DLA Piper UK LLP’s β€˜first-class’ team is praised for its β€˜impeccable preparation and ability to always achieve the best outcome for clients’. Practice head John Gollaglee is described as a β€˜down-to-earth partner who remains very calm and does not get easily flustered’; he β€˜has great industry knowledge and awareness of court practice and procedure, and is an incredible tactician who immediately puts clients at ease’. Other key team members include Richard Smyth, associate James Moss, and senior associate Poppy Williams, who is β€˜always fully prepared’. The practice acts primarily for corporate clients on a diverse range of issues, from internal investigations through to trade export compliance and sanctions. Highlights included achieving a favourable outcome for a client facing prosecution by the Environment Agency relating to a serious pollution incident. It also represented a major client in parallel prosecutions stemming from street works.

Farleys Solicitors LLP’s team of β€˜true experts’ includes the β€˜outstanding’ Paul Schofield and the β€˜very impressive and knowledgeable’ Bridgette Hibbert, whose β€˜advice is always accurate’. The β€˜immensely reassuring’ Schofield has been active in a number of major fraud and money laundering cases and is known for his skill at gathering defence materials in foreign countries. Hibbert is vastly experienced in all aspects of serious and complex fraud, money laundering and confiscation proceedings and has developed considerable niche expertise in high-value Trading Standards cases. Jonathan Taylor is also recommended for his work in mainstream and general crime and Sian Hall is noted for her skill in fraud, regulatory and serious crime. Solicitor Laura Walmsley is β€˜meticulous – she has a knack for detecting and unpicking flaws in the prosecution case and is the solicitor every defendant would want on their side’. The practice’s key highlights included a number of substantial and serious drugs importation/supply conspiracies.

A β€˜truly excellent criminal defence firm’, Garstangs Cartwright King LLP β€˜has a hardworking team’ that is praised for its β€˜great integrity and willingness to go the extra mile for clients’. Mike Garstang heads the general crime team and is a β€˜superb advocate’ who is β€˜calm, experienced, very patient and tactically strong; he is a solicitor who seems not to have any weaknesses’. Richard Cornthwaite is β€˜a very clever tactician who quickly detects any weaknesses in the prosecution case and is great with clients’. The practice handles the full spectrum of criminal matters and is particularly known for its considerable expertise in the niche area of cybercrime, where some clients consider it to β€˜have no equal in the North West’; Gary Broadfield β€˜oozes intellectual prowess and expertise in this area’. The β€˜immensely clever’ Michael Balmer is also recommended.

LHS Solicitors LLP’s β€˜highly efficient team’ attracts praise for its β€˜great commitment and skill’. Key figures include Deborah Britstone, who is β€˜unbelievably hardworking, bright and personable – she is very much on the up and is very highly thought of’; and Gareth Martin, who is rated for his β€˜complete dedication to his clients’. The β€˜highly intelligent’ Deirdre Scott has niche expertise in professional discipline and is described as β€˜a determined and a tough fighter when needs be’. The practice handles a broad spectrum of serious sexual offences, murder and serious violence and drugs cases. Recent work includes successfully representing a retired chief superintendent who was charged with misconduct in public office, perjury and perverting the course of justice. The team also acted for a defendant who was charged with conspiracy to rob articulated lorries at motorway service stations. Graham Neyt is another key contact. Ian Lewis is now at JMW Solicitors LLP.

At Olliers, Richard Holliday is acting for a defendant in a large-scale drugs conspiracy case. He is recommended alongside Matthew Claughton, who specialises in defending sexual offences and secured acquittals in all of his five cases in this area. He is currently representing a defendant facing a 56-count indictment. The β€˜clever, tough but sensible’ Alex Preston is representing a high-profile politician being investigated by the police in respect of historical rape allegations. Preston is a β€˜defender through and through and provides a β€˜private client’ quality of service even in publicly funded cases’.

Slater and Gordon provides an β€˜excellent service; all communications are dealt with promptly, professionally, and the team is very knowledgeable’. The practice has a β€˜justifiably impressive reputation’ thanks to its β€˜high-calibre lawyers who are all industrious, dedicated and tenacious’. Richard Black is β€˜one of the most experienced solicitors around and is renowned for his defence work for police officers’. Also recommended are associate Alan Greenidge, who β€˜represents his clients to the highest standards’, and Paul Reddy, who has a β€˜deserved reputation for his private client motoring offences practice’. Solicitor Chris Fallows is β€˜emerging as a strong presence in police and private client criminal work’. The team has particular expertise in police law – the Police Federation is a major client, and the team regularly represents police officers facing criminal investigations or misconduct proceedings. It also has substantial experience in representing individuals in criminal investigations stemming from work-related deaths and road traffic matters.

For some, Stephensons Solicitors LLP β€˜leads the way nationally in human rights and civil liberties litigation ’. The β€˜very well-regarded and long-established legal aid firm’ impresses by virtue of its team’s β€˜efficiency and grasp of the essentials of every case’. Sean Joyce leads the team, which includes Mike Pemberton, whose β€˜good humour and the mastery of the detail of their cases immediately puts clients at ease’. Correna Platt and Rachel Adamson are β€˜outstanding performers who are extremely thorough, are committed to their clients and who bring a very great level of preparation and commitment to the cases they work on’.

β€˜Up there amongst the very best in the North West’, the team at Tuckers Solicitors includes senior case worker Jill Eastwood, who is β€˜among the best for criminal defence matters’, and Leigh Wright, who heads the proceeds of crime and complex case unit. The team, which is praised for its ability to β€˜always provide an excellent service to clients’, specialises in criminal defence, fraud, regulatory, civil liberties and prison law work. Other key figures include Franklin Sinclair, who represented a defendant charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, blackmail, assault and perverting the course of justice, successfully securing his acquittal. In another complex matter, Wright is representing a defendant in a Β£30m money laundering and duty evasion case over the illegal importation of cigarettes and alcohol, which involves related litigation in Spain. Solicitor Stuart Sutton defends clients accused of sexual offences and has represented clients charged with sexual assaults, rape, offences against children and those who have made pornographic images.

AGI Criminal Solicitors fields an β€˜efficient and switched-on team’ that covers the full range of serious and more general crime, with particular skill in extradition matters. Highlights included representing a defendant in a case concerning rape, sexual assault, grooming and trafficking of three girls between the ages of 14-18. Yasmin Aslam and Michael Levy are both well-regarded.

Brian Koffman & Co handles a wide range of matters including murders, firearms and drug conspiracies, and has substantially expanded its volume of privately funded motoring work, for which Brian Koffman has developed an excellent reputation. The practice recently represented a taxi driver who was charged with Section 18 wounding and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. In another matter the team represented a client who was investigated by the police in relation to allegations of historic sexual abuse; the investigation lasted for two years before the police and the CPS determined that there should be no further action.

Cunninghams Solicitors attracts praise for its β€˜personable approach and willingness to go the extra mile for its clients’. David Caplin heads the team, which includes director Philip Lythgoe, whose β€˜client-handling skills are second to none’, and solicitor James McDermott, who is β€˜incredibly hardworking, organised and down to earth’. The firm has an extensive track record handling cases concerning serious organised crime, such as large-scale drugs conspiracies, people trafficking and murder, as well as having demonstrable skill in handling high-value confiscation and restraint proceedings. Recent work includes acting in a people trafficking and related money laundering conspiracy case involving the alleged facilitation of the unlawful immigration of a large number of individuals to the UK by an organised crime unit. In addition the group is defending two members of a significant organised crime group who are alleged to have distributed vast quantities of controlled drugs throughout England and Wales.

Forbes Solicitors undertakes all types of criminal work, from motoring offences to murder trials and has considerable experience in sexual offence cases. Craig Liversidge is representing defendants charged with gangland murder and international drug trafficking offences. Recent successes included defending in a modern day slavery case that lasted for six weeks at Manchester Crown Court. In addition Liversidge successfully defended a gang member who faced an allegation that he had robbed 14 firearms. The team also represented the head of a Bolton-based organised crime group at Preston Crown Court in a case concerning a large-scale conspiracy to supply drugs.

Irwin Mitchell has particular expertise in fraud and financial crime but is also experienced in handling serious general crime and complex regulatory matters. Paul Haycock, who heads the team, is predominantly based in Sheffield but also operates out of Manchester and Leeds. Emma Windle is also recommended. Recent work includes defending an individual who was accused of being involved in an alleged bogus environmental tax avoidance scheme. In another significant matter it defended an individual accused of an online conspiracy to defraud that exposed a high street retailer to the risk of a loss of approximately Β£1m by virtue of the hijacking of online customer accounts.

The β€˜outstanding’ Peter Grogan heads the department at JMW Solicitors LLP, which is β€˜well regarded in the North West and nationally’. Other key figures include Mike Rainford and Evan Wright, who are β€˜highly thought-of for their work in fraud and complex crime’, and Ian Lewis, who joined the team from LHS Solicitors LLP. The practice continues to handle a diverse range of criminal matters, including representing an 18-year-old defendant in a multi-defendant murder by stabbing/beating in Manchester. In another matter the team represented a defendant in a case concering allegations of fly-tipping (contrary to the Environmental Protection Act), and secured the acquittal of a schoolboy accused of multiple counts of rape. Other clients include the Police Federation of England & Wales, JustPark, ParkingEye and Creative Parking Solutions.

Keoghs LLP fields a criminal team in the North West that attracts praise for its track record in motoring offences. The Motor Crime and Regulatory team handles all aspects of regulatory and motor crime prosecutions for individuals, businesses and many of the UK’s top insurance companies. Key figures include Neena Sharma, who has a β€˜wealth of experience, and is realistic and forceful in her approach’; the β€˜very knowledgeable’ David Walton, who acted for an individual who was investigated for gross negligence manslaughter following an explosion at a factory; and Suzanne Drinkwater, who β€˜works extremely hard for her clients and is devoted to her cases’. Drinkwater acted for a company that faced prosecution following a fatal fall from a height. Associate Heather Vyse is also recommended.

The practice at MSB Solicitors is headed by Sean Sexton, who is a β€˜real heavyweight in crime’; β€˜he likes nothing better than to roll up his sleeves and get involved from the earliest stages of a case right through to, very often, a successful conclusion’. Clients also single out Andrew Pearson, who β€˜excels in client care’. Sexton is currently representing a client arrested on suspicion of involvement in a large tobacco smuggling conspiracy. In addition he is representing a defendant in major confiscation proceedings concerning a conspiracy to supply controlled drugs over a four-year period.

ABR Solicitors has been busy defending clients in a diverse range of matters from terrorism, human trafficking, and drug conspiracy to gross manslaughter charges. In addition the team is known for its strength in motor crime and transport law. Rob Rode is recommended.

Abbey Solicitors handles a high volume of particularly challenging serious criminal work and has a successful track record of β€˜securing excellent outcomes for its clients’. Key figures include Nadeem Ullah, who is a β€˜fearsome defender – precise and incisive’; and Shahid Ali, who can β€˜seemingly distil a case from thousands of documents to a few issues and is both tactically astute and hugely effective’.

Brabners LLP has a β€˜first-rate crime practice and is especially accomplished in firearms licensing appeals’. Key contact Lachlan Nisbet is an β€˜excellent communicator, leaves no stone unturned, possesses a strong tactical awareness and prepares extensively for each case’. The team, which attracts praise for its β€˜unparalleled levels of client care and willingness to put in the long hours’, acts for privately funded clients including sports personalities, educational institutions, banks and major businesses.

Linskills’ team advises on the full range of serious crimes in addition to more general offences such as motoring and regulatory matters. Julian Linskill is recommended.

Licensing

Index of tables

  1. Licensing
  2. Hall of Fame
  3. Leading individuals
  4. Next generation lawyers

Leading individuals

  1. 1

Who Represents Who

Find out which law firms are representing which Licensing clients in North West using The Legal 500's new comprehensive database of law firm/client relationships. Instantly search over 925,000 relationships, including over 83,000 Fortune 500, 46,000 FTSE350 and 13,000 DAX 30 relationships globally. Access is free for in-house lawyers, and by subscription for law firms. For more information, contact david.burgess@legal500.com.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE WHO REPRESENTS WHO SITE

Kuit Steinart Levy LLP fields a β€˜knowledgeable, professional and diligent team that is well respected both regionally and nationally’. Anthony Lyons’ β€˜knowledge of the licensing trade is second to none’; he leads a team that includes newly promoted partner Felicity Tulloch and associate Rebecca Ingram, all of whom are β€˜experts in this field’. The β€˜first-class team’ advises a growing client base of multi-site operators, property developers and individuals such as Revolution Bars, Living Ventures and Turtle Bay Restaurants on all licensing matters, and has developed a specialism in obtaining new premises licences in so-called areas of cumulative impact. In one such recent example it successfully defended craft brewer BrewDog in an appeal by a local resident, enabling a new premises to be opened.

The β€˜exceptionally knowledgeable’ Jan Levinson heads the team at DAC Beachcroft LLP, which regularly advises clients such as Manchester United FC, the Department of Education and Chester West and Cheshire Borough Council. Highlights included advising the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on its "staff lottery", which involved over 9,500 people. Solicitor Andrew Martin is also recommended.

DWF’s team has a particular focus in the retail, food and hospitality sectors, and handles a steady flow of instructions from key clients such as Home Bargains, Booker Group and Liverpool FC. β€˜Very thorough’ associate David Crank is recommended.

Principal associate David Roberts heads the licensing team at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP, which has a strong established reputation in the leisure industry with a wide range of clientele especially in the betting and gaming industry. Roberts β€˜really takes the time to understand clients’ business’ and is also praised for his β€˜pragmatic approach and excellent interpersonal skills’. He advises household names such as Hilton Worldwide and Gala Bingo on alcohol/entertainment licensing and gambling licensing. The team recently advised on the operational licensing requirements for a new five-star hotel and exclusive private members club to be opened at Ten Trinity Square in London.

Anthony Horne heads the specialist team at Licensing Legal. Highlights included successfully handling an appeal against a decision of Warrington Borough Council to revoke a premises licence. Other key clients include University of Manchester, the University of Liverpool and Papa John’s.

Under the leadership of the β€˜extremely capable, commercial and responsive’ Malcolm Ireland, Napthens LLP’s dedicated licensing department attracts praise for being β€˜well led and well structured’. Its clients range from single-site operators through to the largest brewers and pub owners in the North of England, including Moorhouses Brewery, Weston Castle and Daniel Thwaites.

The team at Hill Dickinson LLP β€˜gets to the nub of the matter quickly and provides very sensible advice to clients’. The practice has a specialist firearms department is regularly instructed by the UK’s largest shooting organisations. β€˜Practical and very approachable’ associate David Keenan has β€˜extensive knowledge of firearms law’ and Simon Parrington is a β€˜highly experienced solicitor who consistently gets good results for his clients’.

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