The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > North West > Health

Addleshaw Goddard is active across a range of mandates covering public sector and health infrastructure, social and long term care, life sciences and private healthcare. The team stands out for its experience in handling PFI secondary market transactions and has experience in advising on the management of healthcare portfolios of substantial infrastructure funds. It also houses a growing care home practice covering commercial, transactional, restructuring,  insolvency and funding mandates. Head of health Michael O’Connor , Andrew Pettinger and Shelley McGivern  are key contacts, as is legal director Stephanie Townley, who is the public sector and health infrastructure lead.

Browne Jacobson LLP is active across public and private health sector mandates and it has a vast client base in the sector. The team defends clinicians in the private sector and handles clinical negligence claims; it regularly represents NHS bodies in judicial reviews and advises on service reconfiguration. Independent health and social care real estate work is another key focus, as is handling corporate, commercial, public law, governance, regulation and compliance for the NHS, its commercial partners and the wider health sector. The team also handles healthcare and public sector disputes and it has a dedicated mental health and social care advisory team. Amanda Callaghan   heads the department.

Hempsons is noted for its 'specialist knowledge of the healthcare sector' and handles a raft of instructions such as corporate, commercial, social care, projects, employment, negligence, regulatory, procurement and real estate mandates for public and private healthcare organisations, charities and social enterprises. The team also handles criminal and regulatory work, is instructed on complex procurement and outsourcing projects, and advises on data protection.  Anne Ball heads the team and jointly heads the healthcare litigation team with Kirsten Blohm. Recently promoted partner Oliver Crich is experienced in public procurement work.

Hill Dickinson LLP offers a range of services such as inquest representation; mental health and mental capacity advisory work; Court of Protection expertise; support in relation to inquiries and investigations; judicial review; and healthcare governance. It also handles a range of property, commercial, employment and dispute resolution instructions in the sector. Andrew Craggs is head of health, while Manchester healthcare head Joanna Trewin is ably supported by deputy team head Paul Allerston. Emma Stockwell leads the health group’s governance, regulatory and public law team and recently promoted partner Amanda Hurst is a healthcare property specialist.

Weightmans LLP is instructed by healthcare clients in the public sector. Its expertise spans commercial,  regulatory, employment and social care work. The team represents NHS Trusts and doctors in healthcare inquests, handles a number of group actions arising out of major patient safety incidents, advises on procurement and is also active on GDPR-related mandates. The team is also able to handle employment matters and medical defence cases. Richard Jolly is the firm's national sector lead for health and Dewi Ap-Thomas  heads the regulatory team.

DAC Beachcroft LLP fields an 'excellent multi-skilled team' and acts for public and private sector health clients across a range of real estate, negligence, employment, technology, IT, procurement and regulatory mandates. The team handles defendant clinical negligence work where team head Sean Doherty, who is based across the Manchester and Leeds offices, is noted. The team also handles commercial disputes in the sector and represents professionals in the health and care sector in disciplinary proceedings.

Fieldfisher is best known for its regulatory practice; the team advises a range of clients including online providers, prescribers, device and technology companies and medical and dental practitioners. It is also noted for its ability to provide corporate, commercial, real estate, tech, outsourcing and privacy advice for health sector clients. Sarah Ellson, who co-heads the regulatory team, senior associate Debbie Nicholson and associate Holly Bontoft are key figures.

Mills & Reeve LLP offers a 'responsive, expert and professional service on healthcare and strategic commercial healthcare transactional matters' and it is 'increasingly present in the North West'. In Manchester, commercial, technology and information specialist Paul Knight is developing a health tech practice and is ably supported by senior associate Charlotte Lewis . The team also offers specialist healthcare estates experience.

Slater Heelis LLP  has a 'cohesive team of specialists' and is best known for its ability to provide corporate and commercial advice to medical partnerships, dental practitioners and pharmacy owners. It regularly provides partnership advice for GPs and dentists, advises on GP mergers, and advises on the acquisition and disposal of pharmacy businesses, dental practices and health centres. Advising primary care sector clients on corporate governance is also a key area of expertise, as is property and employment work. Team head Nicky Collins  is 'exceptional in combining a very professional but approachable persona' and Simon Wallwork handles acquisitions and disposals and has experience in the life sciences and bio-medical sectors.