The Legal 500

London: Private client

Art and cultural property

Within: Art and cultural property

Farrer & Co   has a number of ‘standout individuals’ among them the ‘very impressive’ Adrian Parkhouse, who acts for dealers, galleries, individuals and foreign governments in disputes over art and heritage property. The ‘brilliant and pragmatic’ James Carleton  has particular expertise in cross-border art and heritage law. The ‘exceptionally able’ Rhoddy Voremberg is well regarded for his advice on the tax treatment of heritage property; the ‘excellent and immensely experienced’ Mike Chantler is also recommended for his work on the administration and taxation of heritage property. Julian Smith  is highly respected for his work in advising charities and non-departmental public bodies. Adam Carvalho  is an ‘up-and-coming senior associate whose reputation continues to grow’. The team represents major museums and galleries such as the Natural History Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Science Museum, and also acts for the international super-rich, dealers and collectors. Other major clients include Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College, Historic Royal Palaces and the Art Fund.

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Charities and not-for-profit

Within: Leading individuals

Julian Smith - Farrer & Co

Within: Charities and not-for-profit

Farrer & Co  fields a ‘very responsive team that provides clear advice and guidance’. It is a ‘good all-round and solid team that always has someone available to assist who is a safe pair of hands’. The ‘excellent’ Anne-Marie Piper heads the team, which includes the ‘very professional and approachable’ James Carleton, who is ‘experienced and pragmatic’; Elizabeth Jones, whose ‘response times are always quick and clients feel that the advice is realistic in terms of tailoring the advice to ensure that it is commercially viable'; 'superb' newly promoted partner James Maloney; and Sam MacDonald, who advises charities and other not-for-profit institutions on all aspects of UK charity law and related tax law. Another key member of the team is Julian Smith who advises a wide range of foundations and functional charities including those organisations that have been established by statute or by Royal charter. At associate level Laetitia Ransley  is ‘extremely professional and thorough. She provides clear and concise yet comprehensive advice’. Philip Reed  is also ‘effective and personable’. The ‘strong’ team continues to advise Leonard Cheshire Disability (a major international disability charity) on a wide range of issues. In other key matters it advised on the establishment of the London Emergencies Trusts. This is a charity that was established to help victims of terror attacks and other emergencies in London.

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London: Public sector

Education: institutions

Within: Education: institutions

Farrer & Co's team 'is highly knowledgeable, easily approachable and offers very clear advice'. It provides extensive expertise across charity, constitutional and employment law together with safeguarding matters and large-scale collaborative projects and joint ventures. David Copping is the chair of the higher education group; Sam MacDonald, who is 'excellent in all respects', and David Smellie, 'who has excellent industry knowledge', are two of the senior specialists within the team; and Julian Smith focuses on charity, trusts tax and governance matters for universities. The team advised Imperial College London on safeguarding matters following an audit, and in other work it assisted King’s College London’s international directorate - King's Worldwide - on the correct structuring of international collaborations, work that included producing a suite of contracts and the formation of a new subsidiary company. Its client roster includes Oxford and Cambridge colleges, the London Business School and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

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