The Wilkes Partnership > Birmingham, England > Firm Profile

‘Very helpful, fast reacting, extremely knowledgeable’.

‘Clear and precise communication, detailed knowledge’.

‘Strong people, excellent coordination and cooperation, quick reactions and excellent availability; clear legal communication about administrative questions’.

‘They are reliable with information about chances to get work visa’.

‘Pam Sidhu is very capable and knows all about immigration and changing laws’.

‘I have had great experience with Wilkes so far, especially their response times, transparency, clarification (to someone who is not familiar with UK matters) is really good’.

‘I have been assisted by Pam Sidhu, who has been exceptional. Her expertise on immigration matters, detailed explanation on the very last bit and understanding of our needs has been amazing’.

‘What I liked the most was Pam’s guidance as she provided all the available options but highlighted what would make most sense for us given our company’s outlook’.

‘Aaron Keene – was at all times pleasant, helpful, professional, knowledgeable and very kind‘.

‘Aaron Keene had a very positive and supportive attitude and I felt from our first meeting that my case was in good hands. He answered questions promptly and was able to explain a very complicated situation clearly and helpfully’.

‘Aaron Keene- Very quickly developed a good understanding of my situation, has given me good advice over what has turned out to be a complicated and drawn out divorce proceeding. Thank you Aaron’.

‘I find the team responsive, caring and professional. They care about their clients and their clients’ lives, particularly those who are going through a major life changing event such as divorce or surrogacy’.

‘Sian Kenkre – her knowledge is strong and her client care skills are exceptional. Her no-nonsense and pragmatic approach resonates with clients and her calm manner when dealing with opposing solicitors provides clients with reassurance when they need it most’.

‘The Wilkes Partnership has a very high quality, specialist family team with a very good reputation in Birmingham and the surrounding area’.

‘Aaron Keene is a leading light of the Birmingham family law community and always a pleasure to deal with. Chris Allen-Jones is an absolute gentleman, but he’s not afraid to roll up his sleeves and get stuck in in the determined pursuit of the best possible outcome for his clients. Sian Kenkre is extremely capable‘.

‘Sian Kenkre – A caring, clever solicitor. First class client care skills. Aaron Keane – a seasoned pro. Chris Allen Jones – very experienced’.

‘I was very impressed with the team’s proactive approach and can do attitude, I feel very reassured whilst they are dealing with my case. I am so grateful in how professional, Sophie Fenn and Ann Marie Aston have dealt with everything, they really do go above and beyond‘.

‘Philip Harrison impressed us greatly’.

‘Ellie Holland was approachable, sympathetic and very responsive. She and her associate dealt quickly and clearly with all queries and I was kept up to date with billing matters’.

‘One of the strengths is their honest and transparent approach, which is clear to see and understand. They have a broad range of services and appear strong as a team, with excellent leadership skills‘.

‘Ann-Marie Aston – an intrinsic leader, who is approachable and never dismissive of you, giving me and the client time… never hurrying you and always pleasant. She has a calm approach and her professionalism is clear to see and fills you with confidence‘.

‘Ann-Marie – her knowledge surrounding complex cases is formidable and she is assertive and decisive! Sophie Fenn – a fantastic Solicitor – kudos to Sophie – engaging with all her clients, and professionals alike, showing excellent knowledge, and efficiency’.

‘Andrew Hasnip (Probate) – is always available when needed and goes the extra mile’.

‘Their expertise is second to none and I have found them to be approachable, happy to help and always act in a most professional manner. I specifically refer clients to Adrian Schuck. He is extremely knowledgeable and I know my clients will be given great service’.

‘Wilkes has a genuine focus on the SME market and an understanding of the key issues that impact deals in this sector. Always pragmatic and commercial. Excellent in effectively working with other professionals.’

‘Rick Smyth is the stand-out legal adviser for SME/owner-managed businesses in the West Midlands. Yes, his legal knowledge is second to none, but beyond that he comes up with commercial and creative solutions for clients facing a range of business challenges. For owner-managers who want trusted business advisers rather than legal technicians, this skill set distinguishes Rick from his peers.’

‘The team were very personable when dealing with us, if we didn’t understand anything they would find a way of explaining it. Nothing was too much trouble or too simplistic. We were given an estimate at the beginning and informed along the way if anything was an additional cost before it was started, so there were no surprises.’

‘The corporate team guided us every step of the way, making recommendations when appropriate, being patient when needed, and robust when necessary. For us, this was a foreign environment, and they guided us through the process and made us feel very comfortable with each step.’

‘I have dealt with Wilkes for almost 20 years on a wide range of legal issues, using a number of different partners. Everyone I have dealt with has been very professional and reliable, giving sensible and solid advice.’

‘I have worked closely with Gareth O’Hara over the years, and recently on the sale of my business. I have always been reassured that all the details would be dealt with conscientiously. On the recent sale Helen Smart did a fantastic job, making sure every minute detail was dealt with, and this led to a very smooth process.’

‘Matt Hartas is our go-to at the firm.’

‘Andrew Garland is a highly competent professional, showed good judgment in the case we worked on together, and is demonstrably technically excellent in his area of specialism. A good tactician.’

‘They are skilled negotiators, litigators, and advisors, and are passionate about achieving the best possible outcomes for clients.’

‘Andrew Garland’s dedication to his clients is truly remarkable, and he consistently goes above and beyond to provide exceptional legal services. His unwavering commitment to achieving the best possible results, coupled with his exceptional skills as a lawyer, make him a highly sought-after and respected member of the legal community.’

‘I have worked both with and against Andrew Garland. He is a very good insolvency litigator.’

‘Our experience of the Wilkes Partnership is that they have the resources and expertise to deal with complex and multifaceted assignments in a commercial and efficient manner.’

‘Andrew Garland stood out due to his approachability and knowledge of often complex subject matters (tax law and insolvency) and was able to obtain the desired result in an efficient manner in an extremely tight timeframe.’

‘This team has a very strong presence in the market for insolvency work in the Midlands and beyond. The practice is known for its specialism in insolvency matters.’

‘The partner team at The Wilkes Partnership is particularly strong. David Cleary, Andrew Garland and John Cooper are exceptionally good partners who strive at every opportunity to meet client’s needs as effectively as possible.’

‘I have to say they have been great, helping me through a very difficult probate case. Billing was very clear and Jack Ackrill explained everything to me. Jack was so good when I first talked with him, I was so upset but he talked to me and walked me through everything I needed to do’.

‘This is a really solid team who have a good local reputation. They are a longstanding ‘safe pair of hands’. Jack Ackrill and Kevin Lynch are experienced litigators’.

‘I have had excellent experiences working with the Wilkes Partnership contentious trusts and probate team. A well versed and well put together team, that have a broad wealth of experience and sufficient depth that they can take on high value and quite complicated estates cases’.

‘The team is headed up by the excellent and always reliable Kevin Lynch. My own experience has mostly been cases involving the also excellent Jack Ackrill, who is not only very competent and conscientious but also very approachable, as well as able to relate to a wide range of clients’.

‘A large and well-resourced group.  Andrew Piddock of the old school’.

‘A good value alternative to other more expensive firms. Well able to hold their own against the bigger boys. Kevin Lynch is a very engaging and likeable character’.

‘Wilkes have a strong reputation for contentious probate in the West Midlands. I primarily work for Kevin Lynch. He is an affable and efficient practitioner who collaborates well with counsel and has a good understanding of when to pursue a claim to trial and when to settle’.

‘Technically strong and very personable. Gives good practical commercial advice and experienced in large matters, but gives the same attention to small ones.’

‘Gavin Evans is technically strong and commercially aware, as well as very responsive and very knowledgeable on shareholder disputes.’

‘Highly professional company; complex cases dealt with in a timely and sensitive manner’.

‘Kate Campbell Gunn. Incredibly professional and easy to work with solicitor. Great communication skills; very detailed referral letters. Helps clients to feel supported not only through the trauma of index event, but also the stressful nature of litigation’.

‘I have worked with Ann Marie Wilde for many years and I find her approachable, professional and a pleasure to work with on cases, many of which are complex’.

‘Instructions are clear and any additional information required is promptly provided, wherever possible. Ms Wilde is clearly highly skilled and experienced’.

‘Kate Campbell-Gunn is our usual contact at The Wilkes Partnership. She is helpful, professional and committed and communicates well with us and her clients.’

‘Ms. Campbell-Gunn has been instructing me as an expert in clinical negligence claims over a number of years. She is highly effective and efficient and I strongly recommend her’.

‘Collaboration: the approach of the clinical negligence team at the Wilkes Partnership to engage with Hospitals/ GPs/ Trusts to try and narrow issues and push in favour of their clients for a beneficial resolution of matters ahead of proceeding to litigate is second-to-none’.

‘Kate Campbell-Gunn is absolutely fantastic with clients. She is so very empathetic and understanding both of what they have gone through medically and what they are going through from a legal perspective. She knows the right expert and the right counsel for any given case’.

‘Strong people, excellent coordination and cooperation, quick reactions and excellent availability; clear legal communication’.

‘Take time to listen before offering commercial and pragmatic advice which is easy to implement’.

‘James Leo is a highly professional lawyer. His advices are business oriented and practical’.

‘Excellent legal knowledge, excellent communication, understandable for non legal people. Outstanding: Pam Sidhu’.

‘James Leo could very quickly reduce legal complexities to a few relevant bullet points I could understand. He improved the size of a settlement agreement and reduced some of the risks. I felt like I had his whole attention’.

‘Team is very skilled in international cross-border issues. Hands on, fast communication, detailed practical knowledge’.

‘A personal and fast response to questions dealt with in a professional manner. Very knowledgeable and honest approach to cases’.

‘I never felt like I needed a calendar appointment for another billable hour, I was able to send an email and get a quick useful reply or have a quick ‘phone call. This was really important as the situation was changing frequently at my end’.

‘Very knowledgeable, professional and efficient. A lot of care was given to collecting all necessary documents that would be necessary. Listening carefully to what we had to say and not embellishing or making details insignificant. The absolute truth was always sorted’. 

‘Our solicitor Mrs Annemarie Wilde was brilliant. In our opinion went above and beyond our expectations. Really caring to do the best and explanations were given so that we understood all procedures etc so we were fully included in all things’.

‘Amazing professional courtesy. Anne Marie’.

‘The team are professional, friendly, approachable and efficient in handling my complex case’.

‘Kate is approachable, a good listener, keen to investigate, and enthusiastic about finding a resolution to the case by enquiring in depth into the claim. She is unafraid to take on unique and new challenges. Kate is patient’.

‘A very practical, hands-on firm that provides an excellent service to its commercial property clients.’

‘Mark Hodgson is the man who delivers!’

‘Always receive high-quality support and advice provided on a timely basis – I’ve never had to chase them for responses, and they always act in our best interests.’

‘Quick response times, explanations are jargon free, and they always act professionally.’

‘Good depth of knowledge and availability of specialities to assist.’

‘Mark Hodgson has a broad property knowledge, good follow up, and is able to see the bigger picture in transactions.’

‘Practical advice with risks clearly explained which allows informed decisions to be made.’

‘Mark Hodgson – very easy to deal with and always commercial in his outlook.’

‘The Planning Team at Wilkes is extremely knowledgeable and approaches problems and issues with a clear, logical and thorough approach. They have excellent strategic thinkers and explain issues to clients with precision and tact. A superb team.’

‘Leenamari Aantaa-Collier is passionate about her cases and will always ensure that no stone is ever left unturned in achieving the best possible outcome for her clients. Her attention to detail is second to none and she is a clear strategic thinker.’

‘The firm is constantly reevaluating strategies and efficiencies to provide better client service. The partners keep abreast of cutting edge legal developments to ensure that they have the latest advice to give to clients.’

‘Leenamari Aantaa-Collier – Absolutely dogged and committed to client care. Works incredibly hard and is always up to date with the latest legal cases and developments in her field – often they are her cases.’

‘I cannot praise the company and employees enough who go the extra mile. I have found them to be extremely knowledgeable, very efficient, helpful, warm and empathetic, honest, very engaging, readily available and efficient responding quickly to enquiries, very informative with good communication guiding every step of the way, which is reassuring whilst also being very good value for money.’

‘I have worked with Leanamari Aantia-Collier regarding planning matters and planning law for quite some time who goes the extra mile without request, is highly efficient, responds very quickly to any enquiry, extremely informative at each step, very knowledgeable in the subject matter, extremely helpful and empathetic and very engaging. I honestly cannot recommend Leanamari enough or thank her enough for her services to date and would highly recommend with honours her service.’

‘Extensive experience in NHS law and contributions.’

‘Leenamari Aantaa-Collier has extensive expertise in planning obligations to address impacts on providers of NHS services.’

‘A local firm which offers a nationwide service and with a wide ranging department list.’

‘Kevin Lynch gives unmatched personal commitment to his cases and his team. Aimee Redican is one to watch, with excellent client skills.’

‘A smaller outfit than some in Birmingham, but a match for some of the biggest regional players.’

‘Kevin Lynch has attuned instinct and nous. A strong negotiator and strategist.’

‘The team are well-resourced and someone is always available, and keen, to discuss the issues and consider the pragmatic approach to litigation as well as the technical side.’

‘A safe pair of hands.’

‘The team at The Wilkes Partnership are well placed in the market and well known for the strength and depth of their expertise, whilst providing a personal service to clients.’

‘A well-respected name in the Birmingham legal market, covering a wide range of disputes for many long-standing clients who implicitly trust their judgement.’