The Legal 500

South West: Corporate and commercial

Corporate and commercial: Bristol

Corporate and commercial: Bristol - ranked: tier 4

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey advises national and international clients on corporate M&A, private equity transactions and fundraising. It demonstrates strong capabilities advising mid-market businesses from across the UK on cross-border transactions. On the commercial side, the team has undergone significant expansion with the arrival of a number of new lawyers, including managing associate Annalisa Checchi and senior associate Helen Mouser (both from in-house positions). Another notable hire is Mark Millar, who heads up the commercial side of the practice, while Chris Worrell leads the corporate practice. Emily Settle works closely with corporate and private equity clients to advise on complex M&A transactions and corporate development.

Next Generation Partners

[back to top]

Corporate and commercial: The West Country

Corporate and commercial: The West Country - ranked: tier 1

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey provides corporate and commercial services through its four core sector lines of financial services, media and technology, property and infrastructure, and retail and leisure. The firm's varied workload includes M&A, private equity, commercial contracts and restructurings. Ken Lewins has an excellent reputation acting for larger businesses with an international or national focus, as well as ambitious management teams in the South West.

[back to top]

Corporate tax

Corporate tax - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey handles both contentious and non-contentious corporate tax matters for clients such as private equity houses, household-name corporates and high net worth individuals. A notable feature of the practice is that, on the contentious side, the firm conducts the majority of tax litigation in-house, as opposed to instructing external barristers. Non-contentious work includes advising on employment-related taxation, and assisting with the tax aspects of corporate reorganisations and commercial real estate transactions. Plymouth-based John Pindard, who heads up the team, is both a qualified lawyer and Chartered Tax Adviser. Anna Parker made partner in 2018.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

South West: Crime, fraud and licensing

Licensing

Licensing - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey advises on the acquisition of licences in the mobile gaming, copyright, music and sports industries and provides licences for outdoor events and festivals. The firm also assists with a wide range of licensing aspects regarding construction and refurbishment work and has experience in dealing with venue hire for private and public gatherings, noise management and safety regulations.

[back to top]

South West: Dispute resolution

Commercial litigation: The West Country

Commercial litigation: The West Country - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey has a significant presence in the media and entertainment sector, and represents clients in high-value disputes in this area. In addition, the firm has strong links with the publishing sector, and the team also regularly acts for high-profile clients in this space, including in cross-border matters. Steven Richards, who is the key contact in the Exeter office, undertakes corporate disputes, banking and financial services litigation and contentious insolvency.

[back to top]

South West: Finance

Banking and finance

Banking and finance - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey's banking and finance practice is one of the core areas of focus at the firm. Its team provides extensive support on a full range of matters, such as corporate lending, development finance, leisure and healthcare finance, acquisition and event-driven finance, and project finance, among others. Also notable is that the group has established a strong presence in the real estate investment finance space, and it also increasingly generates work in the renewable energy sector. Clients include bank and non-bank lenders, borrowers and sponsors. Practice head Will Whitt focuses on corporate banking facilities, leveraged finance and real estate finance. Legal director Chris White has expertise in acquisition finance and project finance.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

Insolvency and corporate recovery

Insolvency and corporate recovery - ranked: tier 1

Foot Anstey

The team at Foot Anstey has a first-rate reputation in corporate rescues, restructures, turnarounds and insolvencies (including formal and non-formal procedures). The group's work spans sectors such as energy, infrastructure, retail and charities, among others. Clients include banks, creditors, turnaround specialists, distressed equity investors and stakeholders. The 'excellent' Joanne Rumley regularly advises boards of directors on handling financial distress in the context of directors' duties and managing insolvency risk. Legal director Tim Pritchard, who joined from Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP, has particular experience of the special administration process applicable to investment banks. Managing associate Brett Eeles focuses on insolvency litigation.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

South West: Human resources

Employment: Bristol

Employment: Bristol - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey provides support to national and international clients in the retail, media and technology sectors. It is particularly strong in defending clients in high-value litigation cases and, on the non-contentious side, advising on the implementation of pay and grading schemes. Elsewhere, the team's recent work included assisting several local authorities with negotiating pay deals for council staff and handling a high-value TUPE claim, which involved a significant number of staff. Richard Neary has particular expertise in collective workforce issues.

[back to top]

Employment: The West Country

Employment: The West Country - ranked: tier 1

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey has a strong track record defending clients in employment litigation, including equal pay claims. In addition, it is highly regarded for non-contentious matters, which includes assisting local governments with nationally negotiated pay deals and large-scale TUPE matters. Also notable is that the firm has a strong pedigree in the retail, media and technology sectors. The firm's standing in the market is evidenced by it featuring on the panels of clients such as Lloyds Bank and Flybe. Exeter-based Karen Bates leads the department.

[back to top]

Health and safety

Health and safety - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

The health and safety team at Foot Anstey has extensive expertise in handling prosecutions for the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities. The team also provides strategic and operational advice, as well as corporate due diligence. Practice head Nathan Peacey specialises in regulatory work, and advises clients on risk management, compliance and the defence of regulatory crime.

[back to top]

South West: Insurance

Clinical negligence: claimant

Clinical negligence: claimant - ranked: tier 1

Enable Law

Enable Law, the standalone clinical negligence practice of Foot Anstey, advises on the settlement of maximum severity cases. Andrew Hannam is experienced in investigating and litigating clinical negligence cases, particularly those linked to birth injury, cerebral palsy claims and brain injuries. The firm also handles clinical negligence claims linked to the management of orthopaedic injuries. The practice acts for parents in cases involving stillbirths and neonatal deaths. Laurence Vick specialises in child cardiac surgery claims.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

Personal injury: claimant

Personal injury: claimant - ranked: tier 2

Enable Law

As the personal injury practice of Foot Anstey, Enable Law has a particular expertise in handling acquired brain injury claims, assisting with group litigations, and advising on amputee as well as spinal cord, orthopaedic and multiple injury claims. This involves assistance with the securing of rehabilitation funds. The practice also advises on workplace, traffic and sports accidents. The firm is also experienced in handling claims involving injured children.

[back to top]

South West: Private client

Agriculture and estates

Agriculture and estates - ranked: tier 3

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey’s expertise encompasses contentious disputes, including estoppel claims as well as tenancy, partnership, will land and property disputes and non-contentious activities involving the drafting and negotiation of sale and purchase agreements. The practice also provides regulatory advice on subsidies, environmental issues and health and safety. Clients include high-net-worth farming families and individuals, business owners, trustees, charities and beneficiaries.

[back to top]

Charities and not-for-profit

Charities and not-for-profit - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey advises trustees, executors, beneficiaries and charities on inheritance and legacy disputes, legacy administration involving secondments as well as on trust compliance and recovering shares of estates. Practice head Lucy Gill also advises on property planning and provides strategic advice to charities with the aim of optimising legacy income and fundraising capabilities. Tax planning is another area of expertise.

[back to top]

Contentious trusts and probate

Contentious trusts and probate - ranked: tier 1

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey advises on a wide range of contentious trusts and probate matters, including claims relating to the construction and validity of wills and trust documents, inheritance act claims, disputes involving executors and trustees, as well as trust variation applications, proprietary estoppel and claims relating to disputed lifetime transactions that affect the value of the respective estate or trust. The practice’s client base involves high-net-worth individuals and families, trust corporations and charities.

[back to top]

Family

Family - ranked: tier 3

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey assists with divorce proceedings, cohabitation disputes, children-related disputes as well as wealth protection measures and property disputes. The firm is also experienced in the drafting and negotiation of pre- and postnuptial agreements. Exeter-based Jessica Pitt is the practice head and regularly liaises with high-net-worth clients and farming families on setting out financial claims arising out of relationship breakdown.

[back to top]

Personal tax, trusts and probate

Personal tax, trusts and probate - ranked: tier 1

Foot Anstey

The expertise of Foot Anstey encompasses domestic and international tax, trusts and succession matters, which involves property structuring, shari’ah-compliant wealth structuring and succession planning, as well as the administration of landed estates. The practice also runs a trust corporation and advises financial institutions on trust law, fiduciary duties and compliance issues. The firm is additionally experienced in providing tax and probate advice tailored to elderly clients.

[back to top]

South West: Projects, energy and natural resources

Energy

Energy - ranked: tier 3

Foot Anstey

The ‘extremely capable’ lawyers at Foot Anstey handle matters concerning renewable energy transactions, emerging technologies, and generation and distribution projects, among others. The team works closely with other departments in providing assistance to its growing client base, which includes developers and funders of energy projects. The ‘very knowledgeable’ Chris Pritchett, who leads the department, specialises in battery storage, electric vehicle infrastructure and renewables projects and financing. Stuart Cleak leads on the real estate aspects of energy projects; Cleak’s practice places special emphasis on renewables.

[back to top]

South West: Public sector

Local government

Local government - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey’s team provides a wide range of services to clients, such as advising on regulatory issues, judicial reviews, procurement, state aid, real estate, planning and litigation. Department head Duncan Tringham is adept at handling collaborations in the public and private sector, including grant-funded development, regeneration and infrastructure projects. Legal director Mark Li, who has experience of acting on local government-led regeneration projects, joined from Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP. In February 2019, James Falle departed to join Temple Bright LLP.

[back to top]

South West: Real estate

Commercial property: Bristol

Commercial property: Bristol - ranked: tier 3

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey's practice has a focus on housebuilder and mixed-use development work, as well as property matters connected with the energy and infrastructure, financial services, retail and leisure, and public sectors. Richard Walford excels in corporate occupier and infrastructure work. Another key figure is Islamic finance expert Imam Qazi, who has extensive experience of investment, finance and development transactions. Duncan Tringham is also a name to note. In 2018, legal director Mark Li joined from Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP and managing associate Kutahya Cherry was hired from CMS.  Paul Clark departed for Burges Salmon LLP.

[back to top]

Commercial property: The West Country

Commercial property: The West Country - ranked: tier 1

Foot Anstey

Due to its commitment in providing ‘exceptional’ legal support to clients, Foot Anstey’s team has retained a long list of significant longstanding clients including developers, retailers and leisure operators, corporate occupiers and financial institutions. The team has also recently scored multiple client wins in the sectors of retail, leisure, financial services, and energy and infrastructure. Richard Walford’s specialisation is in corporate occupier and infrastructure matters with particular emphasis on development and regulated property. Besides serving as a primary contact for a number of public sector clients, Duncan Tringham also handles development, regeneration and infrastructure work.

[back to top]

Construction

Construction - ranked: tier 4

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey has established a reputation as a strong performer in the construction sphere, as is reflected by its work for clients in the energy, infrastructure, technology, retail and leisure sectors. In addition to acting for clients in domestic UK matters, a significant portion of the firm's work has a cross-border element; team head Ian Stubbs is experienced in acting for overseas-based clients. Legal director Brian Hitchcock and managing associate Tris Tucker are other key figures in the team, which was strengthened by the arrival of senior associate Suriya Edwards from Geldards LLP.

[back to top]

Planning

Planning - ranked: tier 4

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey advises on a wide-ranging scope of planning law issues concerning highways law, compulsory purchase advice, heritage law, advertisement regulations, listed building legislation and judicial reviews. Its team has particularly extensive experience of the planning aspects of large development schemes. The varied client base includes regional and national developers, housebuilders, councils, landed estates and private clients. Tim Taylor, who is a qualified chartered surveyor, heads up the group.

[back to top]

Property litigation

Property litigation - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

At Foot Anstey, the property litigation team assists clients with high-value disputes at all levels of the court system. The team is strong in multiple sectors including banking and financial services, media and technology infrastructure and construction. It has also increased its market presence in the retail and public sectors. ‘Superstar lawyer’ Patrick Wetherall joined from Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP in 2018. In a more recent development, Richard Bagwell moved to Stephens Scown LLP. Daniel Cuthbert and senior associate Nicola Purcell are highly recommended.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

South West: TMT (technology, media and telecoms)

IT and telecoms

IT and telecoms - ranked: tier 1

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey acts for both customers and providers of technology solutions. It supports clients on major technology projects, large-scale procurement and the implementation/exploitation of new technologies. Key clients (which include regional and international companies) come from the energy, fintech, retail and transport sectors. An area of recent growth for the practice has been blockchain technology and cloud-based solutions. Team head Martin Cuell has experience of working with City firms on technology matters. Senior associate Alexandra Leonidou specialises in privacy and data protection, digital media and advertising contracts, and has led the growth of the firm's strategic data practice. In 2018, managing associate Annalisa Checchi joined from Constituency Management Group. Will Foulkes was hired from FIDAL.

Leading individuals

Rising stars

[back to top]

Intellectual property

Intellectual property - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey acts for a wide range of household name clients, including Sky and Harper Collins, on contentious and non-contentious matters. The firm handles numerous disputes in the patent litigation arena. In addition, it assists clients with the management of IP portfolios. Practice head Paul Cox has particular experience of patent infringement claims, and he also assists clients with filing and prosecuting trade marks and designs all around the world, as well as conducting brand clearance searches. Neil Parkes has extensive expertise in contentious IP, anti-piracy and media litigation, and counts several high profile media providers as his clients. Rachel Warren specialises in contentious litigation up to the High Court.

Leading individuals

Rising stars

[back to top]

Media and entertainment

Media and entertainment - ranked: tier 1

Foot Anstey

In addition to having an impressive publishing client base, Foot Anstey has a notable profile in the film and TV, marketing and music sectors. Neil Parkes  regularly acts for media companies in both the UK and US, and also works with international law firms. Tony Jaffa is knowledgeable about all areas of publishing law, which is complemented by his expertise in reputation management, regulation and copyright, among other areas. Richard Neary is the head of the media and technology sector team.

Leading individuals

Next Generation Partners

[back to top]

Sport

Sport - ranked: tier 2

Foot Anstey

Foot Anstey's group is experienced in advising sportspeople, employers and governing bodies; the scope of the work covers commercial contracts, regulatory issues, technology, data protection and employment matters. Areas of expertise include football, rugby, sailing and cycling. Sports betting is a notable area of growth for the practice; the team acts for several betting companies and governing bodies. Jonathan Oddy leads the team from the Bristol office.

[back to top]