Corporate and commercial: Newcastle in North

‘We are generally impressed by the responsive nature of the team and the ability to have one focal client partner who leads the delivery of advice by their team. We are also impressed generally by the quality of advice in complex unique situations. We were impressed by their seamless transition to efficient working practices and its lack of impact on us as a client.’

‘Forward-thinking lawyers. Very collaborative, contactable and transparent. The whole team is excellent. Andrew Davison, Phil Clare, Adam Rayner, Matthew Walsh all stand out. It is excellent working with them on all types of transactions.’

‘Adam Rayner is available and responsive; nothing is too much for him. Cool-headed and very calm in dealing with transactions and the parties on the other side of those transactions.’

‘Speed with which they can mobilise when situations demand or unexpected events occur. Dedicated team which gives the matter the urgency and attention it deserves when time is of the essence, especially regarding corporate matters relating to sales process. We have needed to lean on Muckle for a variety of matters over the past couple of years in particular; they are very much our trusted and valued adviser. They have strength at all levels of the hierarchy, so whoever you deal with is quick, competent and value-enhancing. They seem to invest well in young people coming through the organisation which I like to see. The team also provide excellent training courses which have been done via Zoom during the Covid era.’

‘They are truly our advocate and will help us work our way through an issue in a pragmatic way. They help us direct our focus to the important points and not waste time on the minor issues. I feel they do keep the company’s best interests at the heart of what they do. Standout partners and associates I have dealt with are Philip Clare, Adam Rayner, Stuart Grieve, Amy Wanless.’

‘Alex Craig is very friendly, very capable, great at putting a point across. Exceptionally good at gathering and consolidating a lot of information into a single, simple and clear message.’

‘Matthew Walsh is knowledgeable, committed and strong at building relationships. He has significant experience which he brings to bear on each engagement as necessary, and is a trusted advisor to the business on a range of issues. I would have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone.’

‘Anthony Evans and his team make the legal side of our business seem very straightforward with the clarity and simplicity of their advice. Their understanding of our business is excellent and approach very amiable, reducing formality where possible.’

‘Firstly, beyond the core legal experience and knowledge Ward Hadaway’s corporate and commercial team build a firm understanding of their client and their business, this is key to understand the risk and reward appetite in any transaction. Second is their strong partner-led focus, always on the end of phone or in person literally 24 hours a day. Finally, their breadth and depth in all legal matters makes them a standout group.’

‘Robert Thompson is a standout, highly regarded corporate partner with exceptional pedigree and experience within the international M&A market.’

‘Largest Northern practice with an invaluable team skill set. An approachable, trustworthy and well-respected corporate team which delivers for their clients time and time again.’

‘Clare French is an exceptional lawyer providing exceptional support and leadership during the hard yards of a deal.’

‘Katherine Hay-Heddle is a respected, established and client-centric partner keep point on the key aspects for the project.’

‘The commercial team at Ward Hadaway has a broad range of expertise, providing a one-stop-shop for large corporate clients, for everything from GDPR queries, pensions issues to consumer matters. Their responsiveness is what sets them apart. Ward Hadaway are always keen and willing to help.’

‘Matthew Cormack is an excellent all-round lawyer. He has a wealth of experience in a wide-range of matters from corporate transactions through to consumer law issues. He is extremely responsive and it is clear he cares about his clients’ issues and objectives. Phil Tompkins is a great advisor on all things data and GDPR-related. He cuts through the technical detail of data protection legislation and gives practical, commercially focussed advice on how to manage data protection and breaches.’

‘They are sensible, grounded, approachable, friendly, intelligent. Steven Roper’s knowledge of a few of our client contracts (and the behaviour of these clients) is excellent. The advice we receive takes into consideration the whole picture and any possible implications we may need to be aware of. We also engage Judy Baker regularly in relation to data privacy advice and she is extremely professional and has a wealth of knowledge.’

‘Our go-to firm for corporate work. They make an effort to understand our business and the challenges we face.’

‘Ben Butler is a partner with a client-focused approach. He has been assisting us since our very early days and is always on hand for support.’

‘Commercial, efficient, effective, and highly contactable. Additional support and guidance has been superb on a particularly challenging matter.’

‘David Ridley was excellent from start to finish. Sound, sensible, pragmatic commercial advice. The transaction was emotional, but was handled sensitively with a personal touch which was hugely appreciated.’

‘Robert Phillips is the key partner we work with. He combines commerciality with a pragmatic and logical approach to negotiations with counterparties. This ensures that deal issues are resolved in a timely manner so that principals can focus on the key aspects of the transaction. The wider team, including David Ridley, Oliver Rickett and Jessica Christy, share this pragmatic approach and combine this with a focus on project management and proactive engagement with the other side to bring transactions to resolution quickly.’

‘Robert Phillips and Oli Rickett are extremely reliable and expertly knowledgeable in their field. They are always reactive, agile, pragmatic and commercially-focused on all of our engagements. Both Robert and Oli have taken the time to really understand our business and ensure that their advice aligns with our ultimate strategic goals for the business.’

‘Strong lawyers with a commercial attitude. In particular, Stacey Hall has really developed into a very strong associate with exceptional client care.’

‘A well-rounded and resourced team, always very responsive and knows our business well. We have used the team in the formation of two businesses in the past two years through their Accelerate program for new SMEs.’

‘Friendly, very efficient speed of service, availability for discussions and advice. Emma Pern and Danielle Dale provide very good services.’

‘Every single team member and every brief Sintons undertake is of the highest quality. They are a unique practice which delivers above and beyond my expectations.’

‘Each individual partner I work with makes me feel like we are one team. The used language is “we” and “us”, never “I” or “you”. The confidence they give me to run my business is a rare value to find and one that I could not be without. Chris Welch has made both myself and my business the success it is today.’

‘We have used Sintons twice for what were two complex family business splits which as well business matters, but also had the very emotional element being close family members. We found them to be very professional and extremely proficient understanding the family interaction. This was the first time we had used Sintons and this was on a recommendation by an outside contact. We are very grateful for the recommendation as it proved to be exactly the right firm for the types of deals we were undertaking. Technology was first-class as was even admin support from secretaries.’

‘Graeme Ritzema and Chris Welch are both very personable and extremely efficient always being available. Chris knew exactly how to handle the family ethics which was very welcome and he always kept a cool professional head. It was apparent Chris worked over weekends when required to keep the deal moving which was really appreciated. We were happy with the final outcome of the split. We would have no hesitation in recommending the firm and the partners, particularly Chris Welch.’

‘Chris Welch has been excellent throughout my dealings with him in relation to a business matter. My experience was such that I have also recommended him to my other contacts.’

‘Chris has a great way of explaining complexities and making them easier to understand. He is patient and very approachable and has a knack of getting straight to the crux of the matter and seeing the issues. He was enormously helpful, giving not just legal advice but practical and common-sense advice.’

‘Emma Pern is simply brilliant.’

‘Great breadth and depth of expertise offered from the team. What makes this team unique is the sense of priority we feel is given, no matter what the theme or situation. We always receive immediate response, and turnaround no matter what. Great customer service!’

‘Again, second to none. Every interaction is professional, supportive, and proactive in terms of working with us to ensure the best solution. Standout individuals have been Duncan Reid, Marc Allison and Richard Vaughan, to name a few.’