Lodders Solicitors LLP

With its head office in Stratford upon Avon, Lodders Solicitors LLP is established as one of the Midlands’ leading private client practices and is now gaining a strong reputation in Gloucestershire since opening its Cheltenham office in 2013. In addition to private client work, the firm is known for its expertise in agriculture, real estate, business and charity law.

The firm: Founded 230 years ago, Lodders Solicitors LLP has a strong heritage in services for individuals and privately owned businesses, with clients including private individuals, family and owner-managed businesses, agriculturalists, property developers, and landowners.

Types of work undertaken: Lodders’ nationally recognised private client division, led by senior partner Martin Green, is one of the largest in the Midlands, with 20 fee-earners providing a comprehensive service for private clients. The main areas of expertise are tax and estate planning; wills and probate services; trust administration services; probate disputes; and care and capacity matters.

Martin Green has long had an enviable reputation as a leading private client lawyer, and tax specialist partners Louise Igoe and Stephen Brignull also have a strong following. In addition, the care and capacity team has gone from strength to strength under team head Sofia Tayton and has acknowledged expertise in advising on the care of the elderly and care funding. The firm is also a member of Solicitors for the Elderly.

Partner Ian Flavell specialises in estate and tax planning, trusts and wills, for owners and trustees of landed estates and for farmers. He represents the Warwickshire branch of the Country Land and Business Association on the London Taxation Committee and is a member of the Agricultural Law Association and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.

The commercial property department has a strong reputation in the property investment and development sectors, acting for private property companies, national house builders, developers and owner-occupiers. Paul Mourton, head of Lodders’ Cheltenham office and James Mottram act for an expanding stable of investment clients, where they are known for their commercial approach and speed in concluding investment acquisitions and disposals and their proactive portfolio management.

James Spreckley leads the very experienced and well-respected agriculture department, supported by partner Caroline Nemecek and consultant David Lodder. The team, which acts for a large number of landowners and farmers, is one of the strongest in the Midlands. Specialist areas include the sale and purchase of farms; farm partnerships; farm business issues; succession; taxation; landlord and tenant; contentious matters; and EU matters. Individuals within the team are members of the National Farmer’s Union and are on the board of the Business and Rural Economy Committees of the Country Land and Business Association.

James Spreckley and Caroline Nemecek split their time equally between the Stratford upon Avon and Cheltenham offices. The addition of charity law and breed specialist Mark Lewis as a partner in 2014 has further strengthened the agriculture and business teams. Michael Orlik and his team continue to attract attention as nationally recognised experts on compulsory purchase, and highways, footpaths and rights of way. They advise landowners of all types and sizes, including local authorities.

Led by partner Victor Matts, the business department’s expertise includes company formations, partnership agreements, terms of trading and intellectual property. It also handles every aspect of buying and selling businesses. The team has significant sector expertise in care homes and charity law. The team was further strengthened by Cheltenham-based business and commercial specialist Steven Thomas in June 2015.

Lodders’ growing dispute resolution team supports the many other services which Lodders offers. The team has been particularly strengthened by the addition of property litigation expert Jane Senior which allows the team to offer the full range of residential and commercial property litigation services.

The firm is also known for employment work, including contracts of employment, settlement agreements, unfair dismissal, redundancy issues and discrimination. The team was bolstered by the addition of new head of employment Nick Rowe in June 2015. Members of the team are members of the Employment Lawyers Association.

Lodders’ large and reputable residential conveyancing team specialises in high-value and complex residential property transactions.