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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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United Kingdom > North West > Dispute resolution > Banking litigation > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

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Index of tables

  1. Banking litigation
  2. Leading individuals
  3. Next Generation Partners
  4. Rising stars

Leading individuals

  1. 1

Addleshaw Goddard acts for a prestigious roster of clients including major UK and international banks, private equity firms, independent funders and financial service institutions, advising on negligence and fraud claims. Other areas of expertise include the recovery of assets in overseas jurisdictions, as well as regulatory investigations. The 'incredibly personable' and 'highly regarded' Harold Brako heads the team, while Helen Collinge is also recommended. The firm also offers a wide range of innovative litigation funding options to financial services clients looking to keep a handle on costs.

Practice head(s):Harold Brako

Other key lawyers:Helen Collinge; Ben Lowans; Matthew O'Neill; Lauren Lee; Ashlee Simms

Testimonials

‘This team is friendly and approachable but at the same time extremely professional and knowledgeable’.

‘Solutions offered are always pragmatic and I sometimes feel as though the team knows our business better than I do’.

‘Harold Brako is our go-to person, he is incredibly personable and humble and is known and highly regarded to many in our business across all levels’.

‘The team is extremely knowledgeable and offers clear and concise advice in a timely manner’.

‘A highly experienced team that always give a first class service’.

Key Clients

HSBC Bank plc

Paragon Bank

Aldermore Invoice Finance

Seneca Trade Finance

Aldermore Bank

Avicenna Capital

Santander UK plc

Amicus Asset Finance Limited

Davenham Asset Finance Limited

Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banking Group

Ultimate Invoice Finance Limited

Bibby Financial Services

Praetura Asset Finance

DLA Piper UK LLP represents top-tier financial institutions and multinational banks on the full range of banking litigation issues. In Manchester, areas of expertise include complex commercial recoveries, group litigation and class actions, through to asset finance disputes and fraud. The practice has also recently added contentious financial regulatory expertise and offers innovative pricing structures to meet client demands for commercial flexibility. Stewart Plant and John Gollaglee head the team, while legal director Nicola Higgins and senior associate Krystle Robinson are also recommended.

Practice head(s):Stewart Plant; John Gollaglee

Other key lawyers:Nicola Higgins; Krystle Robinson; Philip Williams; Benjamin Fellows

Testimonials

‘Responsive, collaborative, and cost effective’

‘Happy to talk and very personable’

‘They have in-depth knowledge of the banking and credit industry and this goes across the whole team’

‘All the lawyers are extremely good - including the trainees’

‘They turn cases round quickly and are great at ensuring that deadlines are met’

‘Benjamin Fellowes is great, very knowledgeable, unflappable and very organized’

Key Clients

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (incl. Nat West, Lombard, RBS Invoice Finance)

The Co-operative Bank

Elavon Financial Services

First Data Corporation

WorldPay (UK) Limited

Metro Bank

Payvision

Lloyds Banking Group (incl. HBOS and C&G)

Global Payments

Close Brothers Group

Work highlights

  • Acting for the Co-operative Bank in relation to a claim for professional negligence and/or breach of contract against a firm of surveyors.

DWF advises major banks and finance houses on PPI mis-selling, cyber and external frauds, regulatory compliance and multijurisdictional litigation. Other areas of expertise include possession claims, mortgage fraud, professional negligence, operational loss claims, recovery claims, and fraud prevention and detection. John Perez heads the team, while senior associate Daniel Fitzgerald is also recommended. The team was boosted in September 2018 by the arrival of finance litigator Ben Johnson from DLA Piper UK LLP.

Practice head(s):John Perez

Other key lawyers:Daniel Fitzgerald; Ritchie Irvine; Ben Johnson; David Wood

Key Clients

Lloyds Banking Group, including Lloyds Bank plc, Bank of Scotland plc and Lloyds Commercial Finance

Shawbrook Bank

RBS Group, including National Westminster Bank Plc

Nationwide Building Society

Aldermore Bank Plc

Santander Consumer (UK) plc trading as Santander Consumer Finance.

FirstRand Bank t/a MotoNovo Finance.

KBL European Private Bankers SA

UK Asset Resolution (UKAR), including Bradford & Bingley plc, Mortgage Express and NRAM plc (formerly called Northern Rock plc).

Arkle Finance

PSA Finance UK Ltd

Redstone Mortgages

Brown Shipley & Co

MyJar

Together Money (formerly Lancashire Mortgages/Blemain)

Bank of Cyprus UK

Work highlights

  • Advised on a claim brought by a company on behalf of an individual using a champertous assignment, for damages in excess of £71m in relation to an allegation of conspiracy and collusion with the landlord and local council to deprive the company of the benefit of a high-end London property by way of a sale by receivers.
  • Acting for a payday lender in respect of a wave of alleged mis-selling claims relating to the affordability of payday loans.
  • Assisting a number of finance houses facing vehicle mis-selling claims in a new wage of claims, akin to the PPI mis-selling claims, involving vehicles supplied on finance terms to retail customers.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP has long-established relationships with a raft of major banks including HSBC, for which it manages a multimillion-pound portfolio of live matters. The team also advises clients on regulatory risks and contentious regulatory matters, as well as pensions litigation and financial crime. In recent months the firm has been working on an increasing amount of cyber and data privacy matters in relation to fraud. James Southworth and Birmingham-based Chris Busby head the team, while Sarah Louise Naylor is also recommended.

Practice head(s):James Southworth; Chris Busby

Other key lawyers:Sarah Naylor; Zia Ullah; David Cook; Lindsey Roberts; Tom Parry

Key Clients

The Co-operative Bank

HSBC UK Bank Plc

Work highlights

  • Handling a portfolio of commercial banking litigation for HSBC, consisting of over 100 live matters with an aggregate value of £20m.

Squire Patton Boggs handles complex, high-value litigation for clients including banks, mortgage servicers, building societies and investment funds. The practice's expertise covers international arbitration, regulatory issues, investigations and risk mitigation, while other areas of focus include sanctions, professional negligence and enforcement actions. Anthony Taylor, who was recently promoted to head of UK litigation and is recognised for his 'sharp intelligence', heads up the team. Senior associates Mike Caird and Peter Lees are also recommended.

Practice head(s):Anthony Taylor

Other key lawyers:Mike Caird; Peter Lees; Rebecca Green

Testimonials

‘Anthony Taylor has a sharp intelligence that allows him to cut into issues quickly’.

‘Anthony Taylor handles his clients well, often in difficult circumstances’.

Work highlights

  • Acted for a financial institution in a claim against its auditors.
  • Acted for a major lender in relation to professional negligence claims.
  • Acted for a major lender in the defence of residential valuation claims.
  • Acted for a major lender in the investigation of fraudulent residential transactions.
  • Acted for a lender in a complex professional negligence claim.

TLT advises on high-profile and high-value financial services disputes, while also demonstrating a strong track record on contentious regulatory investigations. Clients include major banks, alternative lenders and fintech companies, as well as peer to peer lenders, loan acquirers and building societies. James Chadwick heads the team, which aims to distinguish itself from larger peers by offering agile and innovative pricing and service offerings via collaboration with other firms and accountants.

Practice head(s):James Chadwick

Other key lawyers:Roisin McGlinn; Chantal Peters; Ben Spivey

Testimonials

'Experts in their field and highly commercial.'

'Exceptional in dealing with complex matters.'

'James Chadwick and his team have a deep understanding of their field and do not encourage us to pursue situations unless they have confidence in the outcome.'

Key Clients

Aldermore Bank

Bank of America, ML

Capita/Link

Computershare

The Cooperative Bank plc

FRP

Handelsbanken

The Royal Bank of Scotland

Santander

Templeton

UKAR

Unicredit, Redstone Mortgages Ltd

Work highlights

  • Acted for the Co-operative Bank on the successful defence of two 'test case' claims from a claims management company with allegations of interest only mortgage misspelling and breach of mortgage conduct of business.
  • Acting for a major clearing bank on a highly confidential internal investigation following whistleblowing allegations concerning the conduct of a large scale remediation project.
  • Instructed on behalf of a commercial bridging lender in respect of a portfolio that had been subject to fraudulent activity leading to a loss of security.
  • Advised on claim by a panel law firm against a major client relating to the sale of the secured Redstone portfolio and purported breaches of the contract for litigation and conveyancing services.

Gateley Plc 's practice acts for banks, building societies and other finance providers on a range of litigation matters, including asset finance disputes and regulatory issues. Other areas of expertise include mis-selling and misrepresentation allegations, professional negligence, unfair relationship claims and authorised push payment fraud. Birmingham-based James Baird heads the team, while Manchester partner Andrew Field, who has advocacy and mediation experience, is also recommended.

Practice head(s):James Baird

Other key lawyers:Andrew Field

Key Clients

Macquarie Equipment Finance UK Limited

Henry Howard Finance Plc

Scania Finance Great Britain Limited

Arkle Finance Limited

Tower Leasing Limited

Grenke Leasing Limited

Kennet Equipment Leasing Limited

CIAC Corporation Inc

Cambridge & Counties Bank Limited

Hill Dickinson LLP 's Manchester practice represents a growing roster of banks, financial services providers and asset-based lending clients, and in recent months the team has seen an increase in fraud-related instructions. Asset-based lending specialist Sharon Williamson, who was made up to the partnership in 2018, now heads up the practice, while John Quicler was promoted to senior associate.

Practice head(s):Sharon Williamson

Key Clients

Lloyds Bank Plc

Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Limited

Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC

Metro Bank PLC

Bank of Ireland (UK) Limited

KBC Bank Ireland Limited

Royal Bank of Scotland Invoice Finance

Bibby Factors Limited

Bibby Factors Manchester Limited

Bibby Factors North West Limited

Bibby Factors Leicester Limited

Bibby Invoice Discounting Limited

Bibby Factors Slough Limited

Bibby Factors Sussex Limited

Bibby Factors Scotland Limited

Work highlights

  • Instructed by Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Limited to make demand upon an indemnifier.
  • Instructed by Bibby Factors Limited to make demand upon indemnifiers.

Kennedys has continued to build on its 2017 merger with Berg, drawing on the Manchester outfit's strong track record on banking and financial disputes. The firm's Manchester team now primarily advises SME companies, entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals, with regulatory investigations a particular area of expertise. Senior associate  Andrew Davidson heads the team, working alongside partners Alison Loveday and Reuben Berg. Davidson, an experienced mediator, focuses on contact disputes, professional negligence claims, partnership and shareholder disputes and injunctions.

Practice head(s):Andrew Davidson

Other key lawyers:Christopher McDuff; John Colvin; Alison Loveday; Reuben Berg; Ian Mendelsohn

Key Clients

Mr & Mrs Hockin

Together Money

Nationwide

Julian Hodge Bank

Metro Bank

Begbies Traynor Group plc

Duff & Phelps

Arnold Laver Holdings Limited

Euro Hotels Group

Brabners LLP boosted its team in May 2018 with the hire of Phil Sheard and associate James Stephenson from Hill Dickinson. The team advises on all aspects of finance litigation, particularly invoice finance and asset-based lending disputes. Other areas of expertise include fraudulent misrepresentation, injunctive proceedings and recovery of assets.

Practice head(s):Phil Sheard

Other key lawyers:James Stephenson

Testimonials

‘Phil Sheard and his team are very accessible’.

‘Their knowledge of invoice finance is superb and they are able to give good advice on the different ways the agreements can be interpreted’.

‘I know they will give me the best advice even if it is not what I want to hear and are very honest about the chances of success and the potential costs involved’.

Key Clients

Bibby Factors Northwest

Bibby Factors Manchester

Bibby Factors Yorkshire

Bibby Factors Leicester

Bibby Factors Bristol

Bibby Factors Sussex

Bibby Factors Slough

Bibby Invoice Discounting

Bibby Financial Services

4Syte Limited

4Syte Funding Limited

4Syte Construction Limited (previously Cirrus 4Syte Construction Limited)

Work highlights

  • Instructed in relation to a threatened claim of fraudulent misrepresentation by former client of 4Syte Funding Limited
  • Advised Kingsway Asset Finance in recovering a pool of vans provided to its customer pursuant to nine hire purchase agreements which had fallen in arrears and which involved the recovery of those vehicles from the customer and its own customers to whom it had sub-hired some of the vans.
  • Acting for Bibby Factors Slough in relation to a number of claims for unpaid invoices where the debtors are refusing to pay due to a dispute over who is entitled to payment for goods supplied.
  • Advised Cellular Services Limited on injunctive proceedings to prevent the dissipation of and secure the return of a pool of vehicles secured by way of finance by our client.
  • Instructed to pursue debtors for invoices assigned to 4Syte Funding Limited by Pro Delta Limited and to also pursue the personal guarantor of Pro Delta for any shortfall.

Myerson Solicitors LLP advises on financial and regulatory disputes,  representing major corporates and owner-managed businesses on claims against banks and the national and international firms that represent them. Jonathan Hassall heads the team with support from senior solicitor Vicky Biggs.

Practice head(s):Jonathan Hassall

Other key lawyers:Vicky Biggs

Key Clients

Bennett Holdings Shrewsbury Limited

CGL Group Limited

Work highlights

  • Represented CGL Group Limited in a misrepresentation claim relating to a Property Participation Fee Agreement.

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