Fielding ‘a good all-round team’, Burnetts’ Carlisle-based practice is a key contact in the region for agribusiness, land and property disputes, contentious trusts and probate work, and commercial and corporate claims. Team leader James Johnston specialises in contractual and commercial litigation and is an accredited mediator, while senior associate Rob Winder focuses on property and debt work. Associate Georgina Nicholls supports Johnston on a varied range of mandates.
Commercial litigation: elsewhere in the North in North
Burnetts
Practice head(s):
James Johnston
Other key lawyers:
Rob Winder; Georgina Nicholls
Testimonials
‘It doesn’t matter which team or member you deal with they are always courteous and pleasant when dealing with you.’
‘We have been using Burnetts for 13 years now due to an ongoing issue – each solicitor we have seen has always handled our matter with professionalism and care, and our main contact has been Rob Winder who has always gone above and beyond with the advice provided.’
‘James Johnston leads the team. He is calm and effective.’
Endeavour Partnership LLP
In Stockton, Endeavour Partnership LLP ‘provides a national firm level service from a local commercial firm’ with experience in contractual and tortious claims, property litigation, professional negligence claims, shareholder disputes and insolvency claims. Practice head Ged Flanagan acts for clients spanning the engineering, chemical, manufacturing and utilities sectors; Alex Smith excels in contentious real estate work, and senior associate James Craddock provides support.
Practice head(s):
Ged Flanagan
Other key lawyers:
Alex Smith; James Craddock
Testimonials
‘You get a national firm level service from a local commercial firm.’
‘Ged Flanagan, the Head of the team, is a good pragmatic lawyer with commercial acumen. He will not “flog dead horses”. He looks for the solution and resolution not additional problems.’
‘Ged Flanagan is an astute, commercially minded and outcome focused litigator. A wise head and the lawyer you want in your corner on any heavyweight dispute. Cost focused and result orientated.’
Key clients
Taylor Goodchild Limited
Growth Capital Ventures
Bart’s Potato Company BVBA
Work highlights
- Acted for an individual in the successful appeal of an important decision in respect of allegations of abuse of process.
- Successfully resisted an application for a mandatory injunction for delivery of software produced by the client, Growth Capital Ventures Ltd, as part of a threatened claim against the client with a value in excess of £19m.
- Acted for Bart’s Potato Company BVBA in the enforcement of an RUCIP arbitral award and subsequent recovery in an insolvency process.
Knights plc
With ‘an exceptionally high level of client service and very nice people’, Baines Wilson LLP in Carlisle acts for a range of local businesses and national corporates in contractual disputes, partnership and shareholder litigation, professional negligence claims, insurance mandates and construction litigation. Elizabeth Black leads the practice and ‘always makes the right moves at the right time’, while Caroline Rayner regularly acts for employers. Since publication, the firm has been acquired by Knights plc.
Practice head(s):
Elizabeth Black
Other key lawyers:
Caroline Rayner; Christopher Clayton
Testimonials
‘A diverse team with real experience in their fields that work together to provide a unique level of service and support.’
‘Elizabeth Black – superb litigator – calm and unflappable – would be my solicitor of choice if I had a dispute.’
‘Exceptional high level of client service and very nice people.’
Swinburne Maddison LLP
Swinburne Maddison LLP’s ‘reassuring, easy to approach and professional’ group in Durham excels across a broad range of mandates including cross-border work, social housing issues and insolvency matters. Managing partner Jonathan Moreland acts in commercial and contractual claims and is also active in employment issues, David Low regularly handles contract claims and professional negligence disputes, and managing associate Abigail Zuk is ‘really user friendly’.
Practice head(s):
Jonathan Moreland
Other key lawyers:
David Low; Abigail Zuk; Lewis Brown
Testimonials
‘The team are highly approachable, accessible and communicate in clear, concise, jargon-free language.’
‘Knowledgeable and quick to respond.’
‘Jonathan Moreland – attentive, accurate, thorough, tenacious and above all a gentlemen.’
Key clients
Ramside Estates Limited
The Esh Group
Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation
The Enquire Learning Trust Limited
Martin Gray Football Academy
Baker Tilly Creditor Services LLP
Smart Office Systems Limited
Teescraft Engineering Limited
Allure Developments Limited
JEM Road Construction Limited
Northern Freight Services Limited
Trutec Pools and Leisure Limited
Evenmore Properties Limited
Durham County Council
Ingleford Scaffolding Limited
AKV Cladding Products Ltd
Aetrio Holdings Ltd
Box. North East Ltd
Certa Roofing and Cladding Ltd
North Shire Limited
Stichting Duits-Nederlandse Windtunnels
North East Pipeline Solutions Ltd
Mark Brown t/a 41 Consulting Group
Land Technologies Limited
Manolete Partners plc
Work highlights
- Defending a client in an £800k claim for the repayment of a director’s loan following a company’s insolvency.
- Representing an agricultural client in connection with a dispute concerning the purchase of pedigree livestock, with losses estimated to be in the region of £2m.
- Acting on behalf of the directors of a company in connection with a £10m shareholders dispute.
BHP Law
Phil Masters heads up the practice at BHP Law, which represents clients in a range of commercial litigation spanning contractual disputes, partnership disputes, professional negligence and product liability claims, trust litigation and contentious trust and probate work. Masters also has expertise in personal injury matters, and associate Rosie Woodward is ‘proactive and creative’.
Practice head(s):
Phil Masters
Other key lawyers:
Rosie Woodward
Testimonials
‘Professional, commercial approach to dispute resolution. Rosie Woodwood has dealt with the majority of our engagements and is proactive and has achieved good outcomes.’
‘Rosie Woodwood is proactive and creative when pursuing settlements which achieve the desired outcomes. Rosie always keeps us up to date on progress.’
‘Down to earth local lawyers who really understand their local market and their clients’ needs.’
Key clients
Stone Tech (Cleveland) Limited
The Opportunity Group Limited
Tilly Bailey & Irvine
Tilly Bailey & Irvine’s client base of local and regional SMEs benefit from the group’s ‘very good relationship building skills and responsiveness to the needs of the client’; the team also counts national names on its client roster. Key names in the Wynyard-based team include Alison Leith and Nigel Broadbent.
Practice head(s):
Alison Leith; Nigel Broadbent
Testimonials
‘Very good relationship building skills and responsiveness to the needs of the client. I always felt supported and listened to and felt like we were fighting my case together as a team. The interpersonal angle best describes how they stand out compared to other firms I have worked with.’
‘Nigel Broadbent, partner, was excellent in terms of how he handled my case and the depth of relationship we built up over the time of the case. His legal knowledge and skills of course impressed me but it was his interpersonal skills and relationship building that impressed me most. He became a friend and confidante as well my lawyer and that made a big difference through a very demanding and emotional journey.’
‘This is a friendly professional team who take time to understand their clients needs as well as understanding the issues involved and their clients aims. The process’s are described clearly and concisely and the potential costs involved are outlined from the start.’