Farrer & Co > London, England > Firm Profile

‘The partnership team’s collaboration with the firm’s private client team make them uniquely well placed to assist clients with landed estates. Jonathan Haley is a standout practitioner. He knows partnerships inside out, is quick and efficient and generally a joy to work with.’

‘A strong partnership practice with some standout individuals. Anna Birtwistle is truly outstanding. She is hard as nails as a litigator, who offers strategic nous, an ability to negotiate even the most difficult of settlements and having her client’s back every step of the way.’

‘A team with a good reputation, having them in your corner makes a difference and they have a tenacious approach in negotiating.’

‘Anna Birtwistle is sympathetic. She showed real empathy towards my cause. She has the ability to understand the legal and practical issues quickly, she is able to pull out the subtle matters and make a case of it. She is a hands on partner on the case.’

‘This practice is unique. We were attracted to them for their knowledge and experience of partnership and LLP law and we have received prompt attention to our requirements for legal advice to 17 different individuals as clients.’

‘First class as always with amazing and instant responses to emails and partners that are accessible. David Smellie and Jonathan Haley know their areas well.’

‘A very good partnership team with expertise in both litigation and structuring and non-contentious issues. They are extremely well regarded.’

‘Jonathan Haley is a highly experienced corporate lawyer who is fantastic with clients and commands total respect. Anna Birtwistle is a great litigator, sensible, knowledgeable and all round superb. Eleanor Rowswell is very experienced and knows her stuff.’

‘The dispute resolution team is second to none in terms of technical quality and relationship building.’

‘They understand the benefit of building two-way relationships with barristers’ chambers and the clerks in particular. They understand the need for barristers in a way that a lot of firms don’t.’

‘Kate Allass is one of the best in the mid-market sector.’

‘Ben Longworth particularly impresses, providing robust and commercial advice, and taking great care to investigate the factual matrix underlying the claim. Unreservedly recommended.’

‘Jolyon Connell is a class act, who speaks honestly and directly, but always in a collegiate way. He is razor-sharp, and it is clear that he is a technically very gifted lawyer and would be the first port of call for a dispute.’

‘Jolyon Connell is a super partner – extremely competent, commercial, and great to work with.’

‘Good ability to work in a fluid way with clients’ own teams – good, honest advice, whether it’s saying what is wanted or not’

‘A great team, providing fantastic value for money for clients. Seamless to deal with, and technology is used to maximum efficiency.’

‘Kathleen Heycock a superb lawyer. She is great at understanding the nuances of a situation and guiding the client to be practical.’

‘David Smellie and David Hunt have a wealth of legal expertise and practical experience. They give great attention to detail, and are great tacticians and wonderful with clients.’

‘Alice Yandle has great tactical sense and can draw on her deep knowledge of all aspects of employment law.’

‘Farrer & Co’s breadth of technical expertise enables them to provide great advice and solutions with a personable approach.’

‘The Farrer & Co team is exceptionally responsive and practical. They go to great lengths to understand the sector in order to give thoughtfully tailored advice and service.’

‘Expert advice delivered with empathy.’

‘Farrer & Co are experts in their field and combine fantastic attention to detail with expert legal advice and we consider them to be a core part of our team. James Maxwell and Thomas Kirkman in particular will go above and beyond to be available to assist us with urgent needs and provide the best advice at all times’.

‘A highly intelligent, personable and interested set of individuals. Simon Pring – Experience and breadth as well as depth of knowledge’.

‘Emily Zethraeus is a first class solicitor, providing clear, coherent advice which is delivered in a very user-friendly manner. Emily is extremely responsive, enabling deals to be driven forwards in a timely fashion’.

‘Strength in depth. Good communication skills and very knowledgeable’.

‘Heavyweight landed estates team of the highest depth and experience. Positive attitude and ‘likeability’ which is important for a long term close working relationship’.

‘Edmund Fetherston-Dilke – one word: wow! He is simply a superlative lawyer with such a wide range of knowledge and expertise. Calm, convincing and brilliant’.

‘Great knowledge and diverse expertise across all sectors of the property legal fields’.

‘Patrick Hammond is superb, calm, helpful and thoroughly nice and professional to deal with as well as being extremely capable and knowledgeable’.

‘They are experts and know inside out how to talk to artists and to clients. They are quick because this knowledge is current and up to date. The key capabilities are expert knowledge, care and human ability to communicate across legal and human concerns’.

‘The team are experts and they have built trust with me so that I can ask any question and that will be taken seriously’.

‘Adrian Parkhouse (Partner). He’s top quality and, in terms of raw brain-power, one of the finest litigation solicitors in London. Clients rightly love him, because he gives top quality service and gets superb results. He’s also utterly unflappable in the most extreme circumstances’. 

‘Will Charrington – He’s super clever, unbelievably hard-working, and an excellent lawyer. Top drawer for any art dispute‘.

‘Farrer’s Art and Cultural Property practice is the market leader in this sector’.

‘Bethan Waters is truly exceptional in terms of client service, technical knowledge and commercial aptitude. She’s always going to be our ‘go-to’ lawyer in this field and has been a very safe pair of hands on our art financing transactions’.

‘The team at Farrer are pre-eminent: they have an impressively broad and deep range of expertise and therefore stand out among other UK firms. William Charrington operates at a high level. His writing is admirably clear and his advice is always top-drawer. He is calm and clever’.

‘The team is well established and highly knowledgeable with many combined years of experience in dealing with charities and not-for-profits as well as the regulators they work with. Anne-Marie Piper along with James Maloney – both provide exceptional knowledge and candid advice’.

‘The practice is strong in charity law and company law which are the two areas where we seek advice. I have found them to be very responsive and eager to find solutions. James Maloney is always available and responsive’.

‘Throughout all our dealings with Farrer & Co, they are always incredibly diligent, clear and swift in their advice. We trust their incredible expertise and technical knowledge on complex cases which is communicated to us clearly and in a manner that is easy to digest and forward on to our clients where necessary’.

‘We have worked closely with James Maloney who has gone above and beyond to get to know myself and my colleagues, but more importantly, our charitable organisation, product and client base. This is evident in his communications with us and willingness to go above and beyond so that we can respond swiftly to our clients’.

‘Farrers are the market leaders in advising Royal Charter charities. They have a strong sense of the drivers within the organisation and how that interacts with Charity law’.

‘Principally we work with Elizabeth Jones and to a lesser extent with Anne-Marie Piper and Sam Macdonald. It is a genuinely partner led service with access to the individual flair and experience each has. Sara van der Pas gives steady support’.

‘The team sits at the heart of the firm and so is able to draw on the expertise of other teams to provide a full service. Sam Macdonald is not only an expert in charity law he truly understands us and the context in which we operate, tailoring his advice accordingly, meaning it is more impactful and cost effective.’

‘Sam Macdonald and Hannah Whyatt –  Universally, I would describe the lawyers at Farrers as having a good technical knowledge but an ability to apply it in a practical way in the support they give us’.

‘Farrers have a longstanding and well-deserved reputation in this field.  They have experienced partners, including Toby Graham and Jo Poole, who are not only great lawyers but great tacticians. Their assistants are very able too.’

‘Toby Graham is a very sound strategist and extremely experienced. Very nice to work with. Melody Munro, who is extremely clever, a very good lawyer, and extremely pleasant to work with. Joseph De Lacey is a very forceful and hardworking litigator.’

‘Toby Graham has a wealth of knowledge and experience and offers a highly effective client-focussed approach. Tom McPhail – simply the best solicitor below partner grade I have ever worked with. He’s an absolute star.’

‘It is one of the few contentious private client teams that feels and performs like a team.  Many of their competitors are made up of individuals, but the Farrers team works collectively, and the management really do support their juniors.’

‘Elizabeth Sainsbury is truly amazing for her qualification and there is no wonder they have made her up to partner, while on maternity leave.  She is serene in her style of work and leaves the client feeling that she is always on their side, even if the point raised is perhaps not relevant.’

‘Charlotte Fraser has a staggering grip on the law and applies it with laser like precision to the facts, so the client feels that they have the best on their side.’

‘The team has a very strong focus on client care and is considerate of the individual client’s position and alive to their sensitivities. They handle matters with a delicate force, are very clear and manage expectations exceptionally well.’

‘They are extremely personable and able to communicate and empathise with clients. Joanne Poole has been exceptional in all her work and is assisted by an extremely able team.’

‘Outstanding service all round, could not wish for better or more – truly exceptional. I feel in very safe hands. Sarah Hutchinson is one of the most outstanding professionals I have ever worked with in my life. Incredible technical skills and experience, great judgement and a human touch and empathy that I find unique, and I value very highly. I trust her 100%.’

‘Amy Radnor was exceptionally supportive before and throughout the case, providing sound, constructive and realistic advice, particularly when the case was getting more and more difficult and complicated. She acted with extreme empathy, compassion and integrity, supporting me throughout until reaching a sound solution.’

‘Claire Gordon and Edward Floyd are two of the finest solicitors in London. They have good judgement, dignity, analysis and gravitas.’

‘Caroline Holley is one of the greats of family law. She is an incredible solicitor totally dedicated to her work and clients. She has an enormous intellect and a wonderful client manner. She brings a light touch to her cases which clients love. All her opponents respect her for her judgement and sensibility.’

‘John Davies has recently been appointed partner. He deserves it. He is a totally dedicated lawyer. I have been involved with him on a long-running international case and he has coordinated the litigation in multiple jurisdictions. His attention to detail is quite unbelievable.’

‘William Massey is one of the best lawyers out there on the senior end. Flora Harrigan is a go-to on cross-border cases, whether with respect to money or children.’

‘Farrer’s reputation speaks for itself. Their family team represents the very best in the business. What is perhaps more uncommon is for a firm of this pedigree to have such a young partnership team.’

‘Alexander Woolley never stops thinking – he is obsessed with every aspect of the case he is working on and, seemingly, loves the law more than most academics. He has an innate sense of fairness and is not afraid to disagree with others, irrespective of their seniority. He is a star in the making.’

‘The team are a harmonious bunch with exceptional technical skills and wonderful client service. Bryony Cove, Richard McDermott, Sarah von Schmidt – and others. They all have a passion for outstanding client service encompassing empathy and honesty’.

‘Farrers have a strong reputation as one of the best general practice private client law firms. They have a prestigious client base and are known for providing high end advice to a range of clients’.

‘The Farrer team provides excellent services. They are very personable and their advice is always of the highest quality. Russell Cohen is one of the best Private Client lawyers I have worked with. He is intelligent and knowledgeable while being at the same time very personable’.

‘Strong experts and very cohesive and interconnected teams, able to support UHNW families on all matters. Expert technical advice but also completely client minded, allowing client to properly prioritise their matters and concerns’.

‘They are responsive and knowledgeable and listen rather than giving stock responses‘.

‘Farrer & CO LLP are the Rolls-Royce of the Private Client world. Their Private Client team combine charm, excellent client handling skills and heavy duty intellectual firepower in equal measure’. 

‘Russell Cohen – Partner – Calm, reassuring and able to identify quickly, and communicate clearly, the heart of the matter. Claire Randall – Partner – a diamond edged mind capable of handling the most complex tax problems’.

‘Exceptional team willing to find solutions to complex problem. Georgina James is innovative and creative’.

‘Our counsel at Farrers understand the unique needs and culture of our school in a way that is unlike any other legal firm I have worked with. They are highly responsive and can be relied upon to give timely, thorough and helpful advice. Their knowledge of safeguarding issues in education is second to none.’

‘Katie Fudakowski is a fountain of knowledge, especially as it pertains to safeguarding issues in education. When we work with her, we feel that we are in very good hands and that we are getting top-of-the-line legal advice.’

‘Their depth of knowledge is unparalleled and the overall quality of their team is consistently impressive. Their special expertise in safeguarding matters is hugely valued.’

‘Paul Jones stands out as he has a long experience of the independent schools sector and is aware of forthcoming changes in legislation that will affect the operation of schools. An intricate and sensitive area for schools which he handles with knowledge and clear direction.’

‘Alice Yandle is an excellent lawyer and a fantastic all-round operator. Her client care skills are superb: She takes great trouble to get to know the client well, both the institution and the individuals who work there. She always goes above and beyond for her clients, fights hard for them when needed, and is always strategic in her approach. I am confident that she will continue to be a really valuable asset to the firm and the sector.’

‘A market leading team with strength in depth and partners who are sector leaders. You get a quality service from Farrer & Co, and their sector insights are valuable.’

‘Expert knowledge, particularly in safeguarding, anti-racism and equalities law. Kind, reassuring manner with gravitas and confidence.’

‘Farrer & Co is not only a leading light in the field of Education and Schools, they are frankly stellar. They know the DNA of schools inside out and play a hugely influential role in pioneering guidance in areas such as Safeguarding and EDI. Principled but pragmatic, intellectual and innovative, we feel fortunate to have them working alongside us and understanding our community as well as they do.’

‘Farrer & Co work brilliant as a team, everyone I have worked with in the residential property team have a calm, organised and diligent approach’.

‘They are fantastic at what they do, and I hold them all in high regard. I have recently worked a lot with Jenna Whistler and Laurie Horwood, who I rate being at the very top of their profession’.

‘Very good team, great communication among them and broad cumulated knowledge. Very knowledgeable also has great experience and expertise’.

‘Lindsay Cunningham and Annabel Dean were both superb, communicative, decisive, clear and helpful as well as being extremely good lawyers’.

‘The team, directed by Laurie Horwood, are exceptionally professional. They have a great understanding of client’s needs which, tied with a very practical application of law and regulations, means that they are perfectly positioned to offer best in class legal advice to their clients’.

‘Particularly Annabel Dean, Lindsay Cunningham and Hugh Wigzell are excellent in their professional capacity, help drive on sales, engage with other highly regarded professionals to assist the transactions, and are excellent communicators, allowing transactions to advance expediently and smoothly‘.

‘Hugh Wigzell and Edmund Featherston-Dilke are always forthcoming and go above and beyond the role of legal advisor’.

‘Adam Fletcher fights his clients’ corner really well, but is also very good to deal with’.

‘The Farrers team are extremely supportive of in-house teams. For instance, their programme of live webinars and knowledge updates to assist in-house legal teams is excellent.’

‘Each of the individuals I have worked with has shown a willingness to go above and beyond in order to support me and my team. They are extremely accommodating when we are subject to tight deadlines.’

‘The team were highly responsive, tailored their advice very specifically to the SME client, were cost-conscious without cutting corners and gave clear explanations underlying their thinking. They gave meaningful insight into the likely thinking of the other side and were equally capable of charm and menace as the situation required, without burning bridges.’

‘Richard Lane and India Benjamin were efficient, experienced, didn’t need things explaining twice, deeply understood and could articulate the client’s needs intimately – without any condescension. A pleasure to deal with.’

‘They brought in specialists (tax, employment, IT etc) as required and managed their input and billing well. They dealt with the corporate finance adviser very well and managed a closing and earn out payment date without stress for the client.’

‘In addition to their legal work, which was excellent, they were particularly good at working with the management and shareholders, most of whom had not been involved in a transaction like this before.’

‘Excellent mid-market firm with broad knowledge and experience. They embrace technology (such as Kudocs), but draw on all of the experience that their history provides.’

‘Jon Haley – Knowledgeable, intelligent, genial and highly commercial.’

‘David Copping – Impressive expert in all commercial and intellectual property matters. A go-to person.’

‘Julian Pike has done exceptionally well to build the media department into what it is today – I have observed him in conversation with clients and seen how trusted he is by them. He gives very sensible but positive advice.’

‘Their knowledge, network, and creativity of solutions.’

‘Julian Pike and Tom Rudkin are my go-to people.’

‘Discreet in their approach, honest and direct with their advice and very open to collaboration with other experts across the reputation management value chain. There are only a handful of other firms that come close to meeting their capabilities.’

‘Julian Pike is a highly respected, trusted and experienced adviser with a long and distinguished record of reputation management. He is calm, fair, but also direct in his assessments of clients’ challenges.’

‘Tom Rudkin has a keen intellect and a very personable disposition which allows him to quickly forge a relationship with clients and find the best course of action for them.’

‘Excellent team with the right balance of seniority tailored to the matter in hand.’

‘John Wilkinson – very experienced commercial litigator, rising above other lawyers in this area. He is extremely creative, swift and it is also very pleasant to work with him.’

‘Top team and excellent commentators – pleasure to work with – wide capabilities which has been very helpful and adds to the efficiency of matters.’

‘Excellent at long term strategic planning for disputes, with a keen eye on reputation management. Plus Farrers have a huge stock of good credit with the judiciary and courts for how they conduct themselves i.e. properly.’

‘Jolyon Connell – I have worked with Joe for 15 years on commercial disputes and civil fraud matters. Really bright, hugely likeable but tough and a very capable negotiator.’

‘Great teamwork to ensure issues can be addressed timely and professionally at the relevant level, providing high-quality legal knowledge and expertise which is translated to practical solutions and management of risk.’

‘Approachability and timely, accurate advice.’

‘David Hunt – very approachable and easy to talk with. Often provides excellent advice in a simple, digestible manner.’

‘I have worked closely with Farrer & Co since 2017 and have found all those that I have worked with to be exceptionally supportive; providing immediate and highly contextual legal advice.’

‘Here I have to single out Alice Yandle; she has been quite exceptional; providing superb, highly responsive advice whatever the nature of my query. I think every Director of HR needs an Alice in their toolkit.’

‘Anna Birtwistle and her team are extremely strategic, skilled and precise negotiators.’

‘Anna Birtwistle – unflappable, clear vision and strategy on how we should approach the case. Never wavered and her preciseness steered us efficiently through the process.’

‘The employment team is excellent, very knowledgeable and practical in their advice. They have understood our organisation and therefore are able to add value.’

‘A great team that does the job. Very responsible, caring and efficient at both partner and associate level.’

‘Ease of communication, descriptive responses, scenarios explained and a warm attitude.’

‘The immigration team is very highly regarded in acting for HMW individuals in complex matters.’

‘Elena Hinchin leads the team and is a leading practitioner. She has unparalleled experience, strategic judgment and is excellent with clients.’

‘Elena Hinchin is just a great partner and leader of this collection of legal practitioners. It is very easy to recommend her in the UNHW individual space.‘

‘Very knowledgeable team that always have experts on hand across multiple specialisms to ensure that advice considers all aspects of an issue.’

‘The team was very transparent about the actions, documents and process overall. They were helpful and very punctual in delivering the results.’

‘Always available to deal with immediate issues and work through an issue from beginning to end.‘

‘One of the most widely respected commercial property teams in the UK. An attentive and highly professional service with original and innovative solutions to problems that are tailored to clients’ needs.’

‘They are my go-to practice for all legal property matters.’

‘A highly professional, innovative and bespoke service that is perfectly tailored to clients’ needs.’

‘Great service from a fantastic team.’

‘There is no one in the industry who understands legacy developments and the legal requirements and specifics to make these schemes work as well as Farrer & Co.’

‘Exceptional depth.’

‘The people combine a traditional focus on serving the client with sound commercial instincts.’

‘Siobhan Jones is approachable and has sound judgment; Jo Ord is a very able and efficient solicitor.’

‘The team bats above its weight in all real estate litigation. They are routinely involved in high-value, heavyweight cases with thorny legal and practical issues. They work collaboratively across all levels to achieve excellent, commercially-focused client outcomes.’

‘Tom Dobson has brilliant global vision of his cases, is clear and decisive in his advice and is a shrewd tactician.’

‘Siobhan Jones is excellent – patient, calm, and inspiring. She has very good client-handling skills as well as being a top-notch lawyer.’

‘Proactive, robust and most of all sensible and pragmatic giving great advice.’

‘Siobhan Jones is a haven of sensible and robust, pragmatic advice in the sea of chaos which always seem to be the case with property litigation’

‘Jo Ord is wonderful and has a real can-do attitude’

‘We mainly instruct Julian Pike who is the best in the field – in my view – for reputational management, crisis management, defamation etc.’

‘Julian Pike is always available and gives spot-on pragmatic, comprehensive and business oriented advice. He has huge respect in the media.’

‘Excellent commitment to pull all the necessary resources together to work and produce the required results on a complex project against a challenging timetable. Also, a delight to work with.’

‘The practice strengths are their breadth of knowledge and response times. For our project, we required a variety of legal support to deliver our projects. This included advising on government contracts, setting up public frameworks and also building contract advice.’

‘The teams’ knowledge for each unique project was fantastic, and also they were able to respond at very short notice. The advice that they provided was also delivered efficiently and accurately so that it could be actioned very quickly.’

The company have been a joy to work with and were a valuable member of our team to enable the delivery of projects.’

‘They are lawyers of the highest calibre in terms of both their technical expertise but also their ability to see the bigger picture and really get under the skin of their clients. It feels like a genuine collaboration between law firm and client.’

‘Paul Jones is an excellent technician, especially regarding procurement contracts. No level of detail is too much for him. David Copping is very strong on both contracts and IP advice.’

‘Dealing with the commercial team at Farrer & Co feels like you have your own niche legal team that understands you and is exclusively available to you, while having the broad knowledge and resources of a larger firm.’

‘Antonia Lyne is a real star of the team. A pleasure to deal with, she is reassuring that whatever legal issue we are faced with is perfectly manageable, while making her support feel effortless, although the work and the result demonstrated otherwise.’

‘They provide reliable and solid advice, with impressive attention to detail. They always go the extra mile in terms of commitment to get the work completed.’

‘Hayley Wilson has a joie de vivre approach blended with commitment and focus.’

‘Not only are all the individuals capable, but incredibly attentive.’

‘Meghan Hatfield is a breath of fresh air with her can-do calm and detailed advice. A very talented solicitor who deserves to excel.’

‘The Farrer & Co Planning team, led by Karen Phull, is quick on its feet and provides timely, practical advice. Farrer & Co is outstanding in dealing with property issues and that has been my family’s experience over many years.’

‘The ability to understand what is important in a given set of circumstances is critical. Having the knowledge and experience of the day-to-day operations of local authorities in planning matters is key. Having these attributes, Karen Phull continues to be enormously helpful.’

‘Farrers’ long-established history and reputation in the planning property and landed estate management industry is wholly well deserved and unique.’

‘The breadth of experience, quality of legal advice and client care is exemplary. Karen Phull is a go-to for planning and property advice, including the financial implications of improving land value through planning.’

‘I was impressed by the quality and detail of Karen Phull’s instructions in a specialist area and her responsiveness to requests for further information; her ability to locate and access historic documents within a short period of time was a testament to her investigatory abilities.’

‘Overall, I have had an excellent experience of dealing with the real estate team at Farrer & Co. The team work well together across a number of disciplines and have an excellent commercial understanding of the market.’

‘Karen Phull provides excellent advice on town planning legal matters and is my go-to expert in this field.’

‘Karen Phull provides clear, pragmatic and helpful advice.’

‘Edward Banyard Smith takes a complex file and clarifies it in a no-nonsense style. He is reachable, keeps his deadlines and solves the case. He knows the construction market very well, which helps in contract negotiations.’

‘Edward Banyard Smith has an in-depth knowledge of construction.’

‘The Farrer & Co team are an exceptionally competent firm that provides a friendly, no-nonsense, client service-based approach to law.’

‘The Farrers team are always quick to respond and the quality of their work is always of a high standard.’

‘Clare Reddy is excellent. Clare works tirelessly to achieve the best results, successfully negotiating difficult and tricky contract points.’

‘Very knowledgeable and able to work through challenges to ensure the best outcome.’

‘Very commercial in advising what has become market standard, what is acceptable and what points are worth fighting.’

‘Great people to work with.’

‘Broad understanding of the issues in the business.’

‘What is important is finding a firm with good lawyers who engage with you, and Farrer & Co is that.’

‘Farrer & Co have good people at all levels.’

‘Highly knowledgeable, skilled, collaborative, hard-working and pragmatic approach to advice and legal services. Particularly impressed with the dedicated forums and webinar series to support in-house lawyers which, in my experience is unique and offers great support for myself and my team.’

‘A brilliant team of lawyers who take the time to give specific, commercially oriented advice. Owen O’Rorke stands out in particular for his responsiveness, exceptional knowledge, and real-world application of the law.’

‘Effective, experienced, personable, diverse team, especially the inspirational Ian De Freitas.’

‘Ian De Freitas – a very experienced skillful lawyer and safe pair of hands.’

‘Great team, providing clear, tailored advice.’

‘Owen O’Rorke gives clear advice, tailored to our needs.’

‘David Morgan is extremely responsive and provides sensible advice.’

‘The team has an excellent knowledge of our business and can therefore provide properly considered and tailored advice. They consider both the legal and commercial issues in all scenarios providing practical advice that can be implemented by the business.’

‘Very good regulatory knowledge and a helpful approach to problem-solving.’

‘Andy Peterkin has been knowledgeable and commercial in his advice.’

‘Hendrik Puschmann is highly skilled and has great humour.’