Firm Profile > Ashurst > London , England

‘The team has deep and incredibly insightful experience of highly complicated deals.’

‘The working relationships between infrastructure, planning and commercial real estate partners is personal and collaborative in a way that delivers frictionless and excellent advice.’

‘Highly knowledgeable and specialised in their field. Very accessible and consistently provide a high service and results regarding of the situation and problems encountered’.

‘Very versatile and pragmatic in their approach. Always willing and able to overcome issues that with other firms can derail a deal’.

‘Jamie Chapman and Henry Moss have between them a depth of legal and commercial expertise in real estate generally’

‘Ashurst are extremely adept at tackling complex issues and identifying solutions in a clear, concise and professional manner. They have a broad range of expertise which makes them first choice for the most complex deals’.

‘Donna Fleming stands out. She is an excellent negotiator, and understands the value of building excellent working relationships with the other side’s counsel during deals. Her tenacity and commitment to get the deal done, in the right manner, on the right terms for her clients, and in the demanding timeframes, is exceptional’.

‘What sets this practice apart from others we deal with is their attentiveness and unbridled commitment and persistence to seeing a transaction through to completion’.

‘Jamie Chapman and Julie Connolly are most highly regarded given their tenacity and attentiveness and unbridled and persistence and commitment to seeing a transaction through to completion’.

‘Henry Moss navigates complex legal and commercial points and discussions well. Good understanding of the real estate industry and where potential pitfalls can lie.’

‘The Ashurst team is unquestionably different to other real estate legal teams in other firms. They have an unrivalled attitude to supporting their clients and have the expertise across the real estate practice to deliver. The property law, tax and structuring and real estate debt advisory teams all work seamlessly together and the result is excellence’.

‘All members of the Ashurst team excel in putting their finger on the issues in a real estate transaction and they guide their clients to a solution that will work for them and the other party on the opposite side of the deal’.

‘The team has deep and incredibly insightful experience of highly complicated deals.’

‘The working relationships between infrastructure, planning and commercial real estate partners is personal and collaborative in a way that delivers frictionless and excellent advice.’

‘Highly knowledgeable and specialised in their field. Very accessible and consistently provide a high service and results regarding of the situation and problems encountered’.

‘Very versatile and pragmatic in their approach. Always willing and able to overcome issues that with other firms can derail a deal’.

‘Jamie Chapman and Henry Moss have between them a depth of legal and commercial expertise in real estate generally’

‘Ashurst are extremely adept at tackling complex issues and identifying solutions in a clear, concise and professional manner. They have a broad range of expertise which makes them first choice for the most complex deals’.

‘Donna Fleming stands out. She is an excellent negotiator, and understands the value of building excellent working relationships with the other side’s counsel during deals. Her tenacity and commitment to get the deal done, in the right manner, on the right terms for her clients, and in the demanding timeframes, is exceptional’.

‘What sets this practice apart from others we deal with is their attentiveness and unbridled commitment and persistence to seeing a transaction through to completion’.

‘Jamie Chapman and Julie Connolly are most highly regarded given their tenacity and attentiveness and unbridled and persistence and commitment to seeing a transaction through to completion’.

‘Henry Moss navigates complex legal and commercial points and discussions well. Good understanding of the real estate industry and where potential pitfalls can lie.’

‘The Ashurst team is unquestionably different to other real estate legal teams in other firms. They have an unrivalled attitude to supporting their clients and have the expertise across the real estate practice to deliver. The property law, tax and structuring and real estate debt advisory teams all work seamlessly together and the result is excellence’.

‘All members of the Ashurst team excel in putting their finger on the issues in a real estate transaction and they guide their clients to a solution that will work for them and the other party on the opposite side of the deal’.

‘The team has deep and incredibly insightful experience of highly complicated deals.’

‘The working relationships between infrastructure, planning and commercial real estate partners is personal and collaborative in a way that delivers frictionless and excellent advice.’

‘Highly knowledgeable and specialised in their field. Very accessible and consistently provide a high service and results regarding of the situation and problems encountered’.

‘Very versatile and pragmatic in their approach. Always willing and able to overcome issues that with other firms can derail a deal’.

‘Jamie Chapman and Henry Moss have between them a depth of legal and commercial expertise in real estate generally’

‘Ashurst are extremely adept at tackling complex issues and identifying solutions in a clear, concise and professional manner. They have a broad range of expertise which makes them first choice for the most complex deals’.

‘Donna Fleming stands out. She is an excellent negotiator, and understands the value of building excellent working relationships with the other side’s counsel during deals. Her tenacity and commitment to get the deal done, in the right manner, on the right terms for her clients, and in the demanding timeframes, is exceptional’.

‘What sets this practice apart from others we deal with is their attentiveness and unbridled commitment and persistence to seeing a transaction through to completion’.

‘Jamie Chapman and Julie Connolly are most highly regarded given their tenacity and attentiveness and unbridled and persistence and commitment to seeing a transaction through to completion’.

‘Henry Moss navigates complex legal and commercial points and discussions well. Good understanding of the real estate industry and where potential pitfalls can lie.’

‘The Ashurst team is unquestionably different to other real estate legal teams in other firms. They have an unrivalled attitude to supporting their clients and have the expertise across the real estate practice to deliver. The property law, tax and structuring and real estate debt advisory teams all work seamlessly together and the result is excellence’.

‘All members of the Ashurst team excel in putting their finger on the issues in a real estate transaction and they guide their clients to a solution that will work for them and the other party on the opposite side of the deal’.

‘The practice at Ashurst is an industry leader in all aspects of development of environmental infrastructure projects.  It always approaches projects in a pro-active and innovative manner, seeking to find solutions and identifying key issues for negotiation.‘

‘The team has extensive experience in, and a sound working knowledge of, the UK waste management sector and benefits from its position as an important practice within the wider partnership.’

‘Ashurst has excellent sector specific knowledge and very accessible staff.‘

‘Cameron Smith is committed, energetic and effective at all times.’

‘Anthony Johnson is outstanding. He is commercial, accessible and provides consistently high quality advice.’

‘Logan Mair is excellent in developing strategies and seeing wider commercial implications.‘

‘Patrick Boyle and Logan Mair have  clear insight into their client’s motivations and an ability to address those motivations with their advice.’

‘Experts in more than just ad hoc real estate transactions; the team is well known for issuing Islamic bonds and structuring novel shari’ah-compliant financial products.‘

‘Varied and wide-ranging experience, with a unique understanding of the Islamic finance market.‘

‘Ashurst has the capacity, team spirit and the firepower to get complex deals over the finish line within very challenging time periods’

‘The oil and gas practitioners at Ashurst proactively progress a transaction with many tasks being carried out in the background, making life for an in-house lawyer much easier.’

‘This team is synonymous with low ego excellence.’

‘Quentin Robinson always meets required timelines, and is reliable, professional and friendly.’

‘Quentin Robinson provides timely, accessible and practical advice in a straightforward and always affable manner. He is razor sharp and incredibly diligent and hardworking.’

‘Michael Burns is not only an excellent lawyer but also very commercially minded. He provides great value-added across the whole transaction, spotting issues that one normally would not expect from a lawyer. In negotiations, Michael is extremely versatile and able to adapt to different situations and to deal with challenging counterparts.’

‘One of Michael’s main strengths is his ability to build and manage cross-functional teams seamlessly.’

‘Michael Burns is a very pragmatic lawyer – a direct communicator who is easy to work with. He is a very outcome-focused practitioner and his commercial sharpness and manner make transactions run smoothly.’

‘Huw Thomas is a go-to on the financing side and Julia Derrick for oil and gas transactions. They are both easy to work with, efficient, knowledgeable and team up well with other disciplines which may be relevant.’

‘Ashurst provides excellent expertise, drive and service delivery in reviewing project and financing agreements and advising lenders.’

‘The team is practical and pragmatic: its experts don’t complicate things and have a good understanding of commercial matters and the key driving factors behind them which underpins their solid guidance and high quality advice to lenders.’

‘Ashurst is known for its combination of all the components required to support a complex industrial development.’

‘David Wadham has excellent commercial acumen and delivers sound and pragmatic advice at very short notice.’

‘David Wadham offers specialist knowledge and extensive expertise in the power market internationally. His detailed insights on precedents combined with commercial acumen enable him to come up with a pragmatic and balanced approach to solve issues and keep the process moving. He is very analytical and provides compelling guidance and high quality advice to his clients. He is always responsive and able to fully grasp any concern of the clients and proposes adequate ways of mitigating them.’

‘The firm’s strength is based on sufficient knowledge and abundant experiences in the sector.’

‘Tara Waters coordinates and follows all processes, which is invaluable when it comes to executing a transaction in timely manner.’

‘The team gets on with what needs to be done without fuss but ensures that you know what is going on and comes to you for input when necessary; because of this approach, their client service is second to none‘.

‘Nick Rainsford’s calm, measured, yet firm approach, makes him a pleasure to deal with. He takes the time to understand the pressures at play internally and externally‘.

‘Naomi Horton stands out for her creativity and strength in negotiations’.

‘It has very deep industry knowledge’.

‘It impresses with its general technical skills, negotiation skills, clarity and communication’.

‘The team has excellent strength-in-depth’.

‘Its strengths lie in its ability to work well and alongside in-house legal teams’.

‘It uses its skills and experience to provide pragmatic legal and commercial advice’.

‘The team is able to deliver no-nonsense and focused legal and commercial solutions’.

‘Terence Van Poortvliet and Jonathan Turner have an exceptionally proactive, pragmatic and commercial approach’.

‘It provides a seamless service’.

‘The team is experienced in innovative forms of rail franchising and development agreements’.

‘A quality acquisition finance practice with some very experienced and detail oriented partners that give you the confidence to handle even the most complex of transactions.‘

‘Helen Burton’s work ethic and ability to boil a deal down to three or four key points is very welcome in a busy deal environment.‘

‘Nigel Ward has exceptional experience, attention to detail and creative nous.’

‘Ross Ollerhead is very intelligent with attention to detail – not simply a lawyer that tells you what is precedent, as many are these days in this space.‘

‘Laura Ho is a very solid pair of hands with an excellent grasp on the details.‘

‘It is the most experienced law firm advising on cash confirmations for UK public M&A transactions, which gives them a unique view on what is market practice, and the ability to provide value-added advice to the financial advisers.‘

‘It provides particularly helpful advice on complex financings with multiple currencies, takeouts and hedging requirements.‘

‘The team understands the dynamics of high pressure deals and works all hours to give the best service.‘

‘The professional and engaging team has an excellent knowledge of the market.‘

‘Nicholas Moore is a standout partner by any standards.‘

‘The responsive and hardworking Nicholas Moore keeps clients well abreast of developments and how they affect them.‘

‘Tim Rennie is happy to get his hands dirty on the detail.‘

‘Lee Doyle is exceptional in his client focus and client care.’

‘Darren Phelan delivers a very high quality work product.‘

‘It has a deserved reputation as being one of the City’s more cerebral firms. Clients instruct it on particularly complex and intellectually challenging pieces of litigation.‘

‘Jon Gale is a standout partner who always delivers.‘

‘A pleasure to deal with. They are focused on understanding the needs of the client and working out how best to support in a holistic manner rather than merely concentrating on the immediate issue in front of them.’

‘They listen to what client’s require and tailor advice and reporting accordingly. This is a different, and much more positive, experience than from other law firms.’

‘Ashurst have particular strength in energy related construction disputes and PFI disputes.’

‘They have a great understanding of the commercial and regulatory pressures in the energy sector, with a particular strength being renewables.’

‘Ashurst has a great mix of partners, from the most senior through to more junior partners, and highly quality associates, all with great industry knowledge and understanding.’

‘Good strength and depth of quality associates who are very pleasant and bright and produce high-quality written material.’

‘Simon Bromwich is experienced, pragmatic and a good man to have when gravitas and experience is necessary to calm the CEO.’

‘Tom Duncan is organised and able to provide good advice in a succinct and effective manner, whilst at the same time being all over the detail. An effective strategist who has a good feel for the issues to hand.’

‘Madeleine Pope is a hard working and astute senior associate, who is a pleasure to deal with whilst ensuring that she delivers the strategy and hits deadlines.’

‘Tom Duncan was a fantastic recruit from Mayer Brown.’

‘Joseph Harrington has great commercial and legal judgement and is brilliant at devising and then navigating strategy in complex cases.’

‘Simon Bromwich’s reputation as one of the leading construction dispute lawyers in London is entirely deserved. Clients love his strategic and commercial approach.’

‘Emma Johnson has an excellent grasp of detail, good on strategy.’

‘Alex Beaton is very user friendly.’

‘Simon Bromwich has a strong client base and high-quality work.’

‘Ashurst is also an outstanding law firm in this sector with great quality.’

‘Partners are highly skilled, approachable and effective deal doers.’

‘Really impressive law firm giving magic circle quality advice without charging their rates.’

‘Ben Patton has a calm style and is very professional.’

‘Ben Patton has the quality of acting as a really good sounding board for issues and will come up with alternative solutions that achieve a good outcome for our business.’

‘Michael Smith has unrivalled knowledge in construction law.’

‘Chris Whitehouse is an associate to watch as he has great technical knowledge and experience.’

“They stick to the brief and provide on-point advice.”

“Kerion Ball is an excellent structured credit lawyer.”

‘Easily slots in as an extension of the in-house legal team.‘

‘A very strong technical team that works seamlessly across its departments.‘

‘A very safe pair of hands for distressed issuer transactions.‘

‘Very well-trained associates and consistently impressive partners.‘

‘Ashurst has developed an extremely strong bank-side practice and has a sound understanding of the inner workings of its investment bank clients.‘

‘Easily slots in as an extension of the in-house legal team.‘

‘A very strong technical team that works seamlessly across its departments.‘

‘A very safe pair of hands for distressed issuer transactions.‘

‘Very well-trained associates and consistently impressive partners.‘

‘Ashurst has developed an extremely strong bank-side practice and has a sound understanding of the inner workings of its investment bank clients.‘

‘All team members have an abundance of knowledge in their field of competition law. Discussing clients’ needs is seamless when dealing with any member of the team. They recognise a sense of urgency in a calm manner, and communicate complex issues in an easy-to-understand way that facilitates a more efficient decision-making process’

‘Duncan Liddell is always easy to reach, regardless of his busy schedule; communicating in a direct but polite manner with all parties involved, he provides elegant direction and articulate advice’

‘Ross Mackenzie and counsel Charles Hammon both respond and act quickly, making the effort to understand the specifics of the client’s particular sector and the complexities of the market’

“The team at Ashurst understand technology in its practical application and have extensive experience of working with technology start-ups and the challenges they face.”

“Ashurst’s fintech team have a great combination of technical expertise and  appreciation of the commercial, real world context.”

“The team at Ashurst provide highly responsive support and solutions-focused delivery.”

“David Futter is a very effective negotiator, balancing both technical and commercial requirements.”

“Brad Rice is a fintech specialist who is able to combine in-depth knowledge of a rapidly developing area with sound, commercial advice.”

“Tara Waters is what you want as a lawyer: experience of having worked in the tech sector before becoming a lawyer, and complete engagement with next generation tech and market developments.”

‘There seems to be no transaction they can’t cover.’

‘Organised, efficient, proficient and above all they put client and performance delivery first.’

‘Clients want Adam Levitt on their side – he is astute, technically and commercially impressive, strong in negotiation and has the ability to get complex transactions done.’

‘Akiko Morioka is a rising star – she knows her stuff, is organised and gets things done.’

‘Adam Levitt is a real expert in his field. Tons of market knowledge and experience.’

‘Adam Levitt’s team leadership is the standout factor for us in selecting Ashurst’.

‘Provides a wonderful combination of strategy and attention to detail.’

‘Trevor Goode stands out as a leader in his field.  He listens and challenges appropriately before imparting his sage advice in his own inimitable style.’

‘Trevor Good is a deep thinker, patient, approachable and understands his client’s modus operandi.’

‘Ben Groves has a clarity of thinking and is accessible, responsive, committed and approachable.’

‘Brian Cheung pays clinical attention to detail and is responsive and solid.’

‘Trevor Goode is a brilliant strategist; calm, rational and sensible.’

‘Charlie Reid is a details man with an astonishingly impressive grasp of every nuance.’

‘Ben Groves is diligent, thorough and hard working.’

‘Trevor Goode and Charles Reid are very responsive and demonstrate the values of the company very closely. They work tirelessly to offer a great service.’

‘Alison Hardy knows her stuff.’

‘Alison Hardy is simply fantastic. She is tremendously thorough in her preparation and her clients feel very well cared for, particularly through her clear analysis and simplification of complex issues.’

‘Great team approach.’

‘Nothing is too much trouble for them.’

‘The gold standard tax litigation practice; the team is, quite literally, faultless‘

‘Nick Gardner has outstanding knowledge and is incredibly easy to work with. He is the perfect bridge between the bar and the lay client‘

‘The specialist teams are very high quality, know their stuff and communicate well internally to ensure the wider team is up to speed and delivers joined-up solutions for clients‘

‘Simon Swann is leading authority on real estate tax; Tim Gummer is a future star; Alexander Cox is technically excellent.‘

‘Impressive level of property tax expertise, quality of work received and issued tax briefings.‘

‘Strong technical knowledge, diligent, responsive and considered advice provided.‘

‘Ashurst has a deep understanding of telecoms in Europe and Africa and, importantly, of the market context in the region’ 

Ashurst is familiar with the technical aspects of projects, coupled with a pragmatic approach to negotiating and concluding transactions with the minimum of fuss’

Ashurst works extremely hard, goes through all the details and provides robust support’

‘The team is considerate throughout’

‘The team has excellent communication skills, quickly establishes the client’s requirements and is able to deliver output in a timely and accurate manner’

‘The Ashurst team is both very responsive and very knowledgeable’

‘Their assistance was invaluable to negotiate a significantly complex contract in the required timeframes’

‘Nick Elverston can quickly cut through complex issues to deliver excellent outcomes. He is very well known in the industry and deserves the reverence shown to him by all’

‘Christopher Bates is smart and commercial. He provides hands-on commercial advice that is solution focused to deliver what the business needs in an efficient manner’

‘Christopher Bates is particularly excellent at reading a room and managing difficult interactions’

‘Christopher Bates takes time to understand the business. He is able to translate technical industry detail into legal documentation efficiently and accurately’

‘The Ashurst team is extraordinarily pragmatic and commercial in its approach and quickly able to grasp the concerns, risks, objectives and motivation of a business very early in the dispute process.’

‘James Levy, Jon Gale and Simon Bromwich get thoroughly into the details of their cases, give very sound advice to their clients, and defend their interests with impressive vigour and determination‘.

‘The team has deep and incredibly insightful experience of highly complicated deals.’

‘The working relationships between infrastructure, planning and commercial real estate partners is personal and collaborative in a way that delivers frictionless and excellent advice.’

‘Highly knowledgeable and specialised in their field. Very accessible and consistently provide a high service and results regarding of the situation and problems encountered’.

‘Very versatile and pragmatic in their approach. Always willing and able to overcome issues that with other firms can derail a deal’.

‘Jamie Chapman and Henry Moss have between them a depth of legal and commercial expertise in real estate generally’

‘Ashurst are extremely adept at tackling complex issues and identifying solutions in a clear, concise and professional manner. They have a broad range of expertise which makes them first choice for the most complex deals’.

‘Donna Fleming stands out. She is an excellent negotiator, and understands the value of building excellent working relationships with the other side’s counsel during deals. Her tenacity and commitment to get the deal done, in the right manner, on the right terms for her clients, and in the demanding timeframes, is exceptional’.

‘What sets this practice apart from others we deal with is their attentiveness and unbridled commitment and persistence to seeing a transaction through to completion’.

‘Jamie Chapman and Julie Connolly are most highly regarded given their tenacity and attentiveness and unbridled and persistence and commitment to seeing a transaction through to completion’.

‘Henry Moss navigates complex legal and commercial points and discussions well. Good understanding of the real estate industry and where potential pitfalls can lie.’

‘The Ashurst team is unquestionably different to other real estate legal teams in other firms. They have an unrivalled attitude to supporting their clients and have the expertise across the real estate practice to deliver. The property law, tax and structuring and real estate debt advisory teams all work seamlessly together and the result is excellence’.

‘All members of the Ashurst team excel in putting their finger on the issues in a real estate transaction and they guide their clients to a solution that will work for them and the other party on the opposite side of the deal’.

‘The breadth of technical knowledge is very strong, from senior partners to newly qualified associates.’

‘The team is able to leverage from its associate pool to be able to tackle large-scale tasks, whilst offering high level commercial and legal oversight.’

‘Giles Boothman commands respect in the boardroom and has the experience and leadership to deliver top quality advice.’

‘For NPL transactions in Greece think of Olga Galazoula.’

‘Ru-Woei Foong is extremely sharp, versatile and always on point.’

‘The team is user-friendly and has deep-rooted knowledge of all taxes impacting the property sector‘

‘Good client management skills‘

‘Nicholas Gardner provides high quality advice, precisely identifying key issues. He has a strong industry background and delivers efficiently within the wider project programme‘

‘Ashurst has a tremendous knowledge base in the environmental field. The team operates to very high standards and with great attention to detail whilst at the same time being very approachable and attentive’

‘The practice takes care to understand the client’s needs and to build a client relationship that ensures a full understanding of the issues the client is facing. The team manages to create an environment of trust and a feeling of being in the best hands’

‘Ashurst has broad technical and market knowledge throughout the team’

‘A very client-oriented firm’

‘Tim Cant has strong technical and market knowledge and looks to understand the client’s needs holistically’

‘Jake Green is highly responsive and extremely commercial’

‘It has particularly strong expertise in energy, including biomass, renewables and oil and gas, and the team fully understands the complicated matrix of commercial pressures in the energy sector‘.

‘Matthew Saunders is an excellent lawyer and a first-class advocate. He has a particularly good manner in front of non-English arbitrators‘.

‘Tom Duncan is an outstanding lawyer, with great legal and commercial judgement – clients love his ability to set and navigate a clear strategy to achieve the best possible outcome in commercial and legal terms‘.

‘Particular standout stars in this extremely strong team include Tom Cummins and Tim Reid‘.

‘Emma Martin is really great at case strategy‘.

‘Senior associate Myfanwy Wood is a true powerhouse – clients and counsel alike love her efficiency and ability to focus on the essential elements of a case and drive it forward‘.

‘A team with a very commercial outlook‘

‘A breadth of knowledge across multiple areas‘

‘John Gordon is excellent; he has a full grasp on the details, but also the commercial big picture‘

‘Ashurst’s fund formation team is incredibly strong, reliable and easy to work with. They not only deliver high-quality results, but are also extremely good at easing the work load burden for in-house fundraising teams by adopting a highly structured approach‘.

‘Ashurst is able to thoroughly understand the broader commercial strategies being pursued and advise accordingly; the team is highly practical‘.

‘Nick Goddard always makes himself available and understands our goals.’

‘Piers Warburton is a humble fundraising superstar. He stands out thanks to his ability to fulfil his clients’ wishes while ensuring our investors feel satisfied with the structure and terms of their investment.’

“The firm has an extremely knowledgeable, commercially-minded securitisation team.”

“Jonathan Walsh is one of the legends of the European ABS market, with a plethora of knowledge and experience.”

“Jonathan Walsh is probably the most experienced lawyer for trade receivables securitisation. Not only knowledgeable, he is very much solutions-oriented.”

“Jonathan Walsh has exceptional market knowledge, goes above and beyond in transactions and is always very responsive. He works hard to get deals across the line and is a pleasure to deal with. It is thoroughly enjoyable working with him and his team.”

“The practice has great partner coverage when needed. Tom Picton always finds a pragmatic solution, even if it challenges the status quo.”

‘Very responsive and commercial‘

‘Tom Mercer is excellent. Very client focused, commercial and he never patronizes.’

‘Karen Davies is really standout, a top lawyer‘

‘A team with a very commercial outlook‘

‘A breadth of knowledge across multiple areas‘

‘John Gordon is excellent; he has a full grasp on the details, but also the commercial big picture‘

‘The team gets on with what needs to be done without fuss but ensures that you know what is going on and comes to you for input when necessary; because of this approach, their client service is second to none‘.

‘Nick Rainsford’s calm, measured, yet firm approach, makes him a pleasure to deal with. He takes the time to understand the pressures at play internally and externally’.

James Levy is one of the most experienced solicitors for claimant-side audit negligence cases.

‘Ashurst is very approachable, responds quickly and appropriately and, in general, offers great support.‘

‘Crowley Woodford provides with excellent advice under some quite challenging situations. His knowledge is far reaching and he provides in-depth advice.‘

‘David Wilkinson is assembling a top-drawer IP team at Ashurst.‘

‘David and team has the depth of experience across the full spectrum of IP to act in the most complex and heavyweight matters.‘

‘David Wilkinson is someone you would want in your corner.‘

‘Don McCombie is very effective in mediation and in knowing which levers to push and pull so as to achieve the best possible outcome for his client.‘