Univ Prof Dr Ashley Norman > Bevan Brittan LLP > Birmingham, England > Lawyer Profile

Bevan Brittan LLP advises a substantial number of clients on their immigration issues in the public health sector. Under the direction of Ashley Norman, it also acts for various commercial services clients, university sector clients and has been working with some major City and US law firms on a range of immigration matters. Norman advises on diverse matters such as immigration compliance and audits as well as on right to work issues. Rajinder Bhambra joined, as a legal director, from Harrison Clark Rickerbys.

Bevan Brittan LLP advises a number of registered providers, local authorities and developers, offering a range of services, covering corporate governance, property development, financing, housing management and regulation. The team leadership in Birmingham is comprised of Sarah Greenhalgh, housing lead partner, and Rebecca Pendlebury, head of property. Adam Kendall leads the contentious practice and advises on health and safety issues. Ashley Norman, an employment law specialist, has a focus on social housing, advising housing associations on employment issues, typically post-merger or in the context of restructurings. Senior associate Emma Holmes is a key practitioner in the team, advising housing associations and local authorities. Legal director Louise Mansfield recently joined the firm from Pinsent Masons LLP.

The employment team at Bevan Brittan LLP has an excellent reputation for its work in the healthcare, housing and local government sectors. In recent years, its work has also expanded more into the private, education and international sphere. Ashley Norman deftly handles a variety of contentious and advisory issues for various large private sector employers and numerous public sector bodies. James Gutteridge is also recommended.

The ‘commercially astute’ Bevan Brittan LLP education department has particular expertise in advising higher education clients on issues of a corporate and employment nature, as well as a range of others. Ashley Norman helms the practice, with specialisms in advising on employment, immigration and discrimination issues for higher and further education clients. Key contact Rachel Soundy, who has ‘excellent legal skills’, has considerable experience in handling higher education M&A work, whilst Rebecca Pendlebury is particularly familiar with mixed use regeneration schemes and other issues.

Bevan Brittan LLP‘s education team provides ‘high quality advice and an excellent service‘ across the full range of education matters, with clients such as Swansea University and the University of West London instructing the firm in contentious and non-contentious mandates related to procurements and campus construction projects, student safeguarding issues, educational partnerships, and Equality Act compliance. The nationwide team is co-led by London-based lawyer Virginia Cooper, who acts for universities in sensitive contract disputes and student claims, and employment specialist Ashley Norman, who practices from Birmingham. Educational governance and regulations expert Amy Tschobotko is also recommended.