The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > Yorkshire And The Humber > Corporate and commercial: Leeds, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire

Addleshaw Goddard's corporate finance team has an impressive breadth of experience handling high-profile M&A transactions, particularly in the private equity, financial services, retail and consumer sectors. The Leeds-based practice, headed up by Garry Elliott, was recently bolstered by the promotion of James Tatro to the partnership and lateral hire of Richard Hunt from Squire Patton Boggs; Hunt is well-regarded for his experience advising corporates in the chemicals and industrials sectors, and assisting individual entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals in Yorkshire and the North East.

DLA Piper UK LLP's Leeds-based corporate and commercial practice provides a broad service to its impressive client roster of local, domestic and, increasingly, international companies. Led by Andrew Davies, the corporate team, which handles a range of high-profile M&A and private and public equity transactions, also includes Jonathan Procter, who is well-regarded for his financial services and retail sector expertise. The firm's commercial offering is headed up by Matthew Duncombe. The hospitality and leisure, healthcare, retail, energy and technology sectors are all key areas of strength for the department.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP combines local expertise with the ability to leverage the global reach of its international network to handle a range of multi-jurisdictional transactions. The food and drink, retail, diversified industrials and financial services sectors are all areas of strength for the Leeds-based corporate and commercial teams, which are led by Robin Skelton and Peter McCormack respectively. Principal associate Jonathan Pollard is a name to note for public and private company work.

Pinsent Masons LLP has a varied client roster of domestic and international companies; practice head Andrew Black counts several large publicly listed companies based in the region as clients, and the 'well-regarded' Andrew Kerr has strong links with clients in Japan and Asia. The team frequently acts across the infrastructure,  manufacturing, technology, and real estate sectors, while senior associate Joanna Jowitt has a particular focus on the financial services and waste management sectors. The commercial team, which is headed up by Lisa Harley, is carving a niche in advising its education sector clients on digital and IT transformation projects.

Hannah Kendrick leads Squire Patton Boggs' Leeds-based practice, which regularly handles high-value domestic and international transactions. On the corporate side, Jonathan Jones and Adam Hastings focus on private equity and capital markets respectively, while Paul Jinks heads up the commercial practice, which frequently advises on the delivery and contractual structures of large IT projects for customer and supplier clients. Francesca Fellowes brings significant data protection and privacy expertise to major technology transactions.

Clarion's corporate and commercial teams are led by Richard Moran and Matthew Hattersley respectively and are particularly strong in the media, marketing and digital sectors alongside expertise in the manufacturing and logistics sectors. The group has the ability to handle the full range of M&A, private equity, buyouts and acquisition finance work. The arrival of legal director Hitesh Tailor from DLA Piper UK LLP strengthened the firm's private equity offering.

The corporate practice at Schofield Sweeney is spread across its three Yorkshire bases in Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield; it advises individuals and companies on a range of mergers, acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures and also handles equity and debt financing transactions. Chris Schofield heads up the corporate team and is based in Leeds alongside Adrian Ballam and David Strachan, while Martin Sweeney is a key contact in the Bradford office. Also in Leeds, Luisa D’Alessandro leads the group's commercial offering.

The corporate finance practice at Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP is led by Simon Pilling and is particularly strong in private equity transactions. The team in Leeds includes recently promoted legal director James Cook. Beyond its private equity expertise, the group also has experience assisting clients in the manufacturing, real estate and retail sectors.

Blacks Solicitors LLP assists SMEs and owner-managed businesses with a range of corporate transactions and regularly acts for healthcare and hospitality sector clients; it has also recently further developed its specialism in the hotel sector. Nigel Hoyle, who specialises in corporate transactions; and David Paterson, who handles corporate, financing and commercial matters, jointly lead the practice with commercial lawyer Philip Parkinson, who recently joined from Raworths.

Langleys Solicitors LLP's corporate team acts for a range of regional businesses, SMEs and national companies on corporate transactions and advisory work. Christian Hunt heads up the practice and also counts owner-managed businesses and entrepreneurs as clients.

Shoosmiths LLP continues to build its reputation in Leeds for its representation of local, national and international clients in M&A and private equity transactions, with notable expertise in the oil and gas, real estate and hotel and leisure sectors. Philip Goldsborough, who counts a combination of private and public companies as clients, heads up the practice, which includes corporate finance lawyer James Foster, who leads the firm's private equity and venture capital initiatives in the North.

Freeths LLP handles M&A, private equity work, financing and corporate restructuring and reorganisation transactions for its diverse client roster, which includes owner-managed businesses, SMEs and national public and private companies. Dahren Naidoo jointly heads up the team with Andy Francey, who has particular experience handling bank refinancings in the leisure sector.

Gavin Maddison and Joanne Bone head up Irwin Mitchell's corporate and commercial teams respectively; Maddison recently joined the firm from Ward Hadaway. On the commercial side, the group has particular expertise in data protection and IT sector contracts. The corporate team also includes senior associate Catherine Hinchliffe, who also recently joined from Ward Hadaway, and handles a range of mid-market corporate transactions.

Ward Hadaway's practice includes commercial lawyer and group head Philip Jordan, who has particular experience in the manufacturing, engineering and construction industries; corporate partner James Nightingale, who has experience handling a range of M&A and private equity transactions, investments and reorganisations; and banking and finance specialist Mark Smith. Gavin Maddison and Andrew Finfer left the practice to Irwin Mitchell and Addleshaw Goddard respectively.

McCormicks is frequently instructed by a range of high-net-worth individuals, local SMEs and large corporates, particularly in the sport, hospitality and leisure sectors. Jon Healey heads up the team and specialises in transactions with complex finance arrangements, while Peter McCormick has significant sports sector expertise.