Freeths LLP

Freeths LLP

freeths.co.uk

West Midlands

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Simon Barker

Simon Barker

Simon is an intellectual property lawyer based in Birmingham. Qualified since 2000, he has many years’ experience in advising business on intellectual property related matters; covering trade marks, patents, designs, copyright and confidential information.A seasoned litigator of intellectual property disputes, Simon leads a team that is focussed on resolving disputes by keeping in mind the commercial objectives while ensuring there is understanding of all possible outcomes.Specialised with a team of dedicated lawyers, Simon’s practice is holistic. He offers intellectual property well-being with a fully integrated service that is necessary for efficient management and effective enforcement of intellectual property rights.Simon has acted in numerous cases before the UK courts, at the UK Intellectual Property Office and at the EU Intellectual Property Office. He has also appeared before the General Court in Luxembourg.
Lee Clifford

Lee Clifford

Lee has extensive experience in advising companies, institutional investors and management teams in the structuring, negotiation and financing of purchases and sales. Lee’s particular specialist area is private equity transactions. Lee’s clients include LDC, Maven Private Equity and Finance Birmingham. Lee has recently acted for LDC on their investment to support the management buy out of Forest Holidays, advised on the Investor buy out by Inflextion Private Equity of CTC Aviation. Lee also advised Maven Private Equity on its investment in Lawrence Recycling and Waste Management and advised the management team of Halfords when on the management buy out, supported by CVC.
Richard Coates

Richard Coates

Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution, Birmingham office Richard has acted for individuals to PLCs in disputes up to £500m, both at home and abroad. He has particular experience in representing clients in complex chancery/commercial and corporate disputes. He also acts for companies and individuals in prosecuting and defending restrictive covenant claims within an employment context. Recent cases include acting for: an independent UK manufacturer of diesel generators and power generation systems in successfully defending a claim issued by a company based in the Caribbean;several defendants (including corporate and individuals) in relation to a multi-million pound, multi-jurisdictional shareholder dispute;an equity partner in the dissolution of a law firm;a partner in a multi-party high value partnership dispute;an exiting an equity partner from a law firm;a finance director summarily removed from his position and the consequential dispute arising over his shares;a European wide provider of specialist care in dispute with a supplier; andvarious individuals/companies in relation to professional negligence disputes in the building, surveying and legal sectors. In addition to providing strategic and focused advice in the context of litigation, Richard understands the importance of avoiding litigation and has acquired a wealth of experience in advising clients in relation to methods of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation.   Client feedback:   "Having engaged the services of Richard Coates and his team over the past 30 months to support me with a number of commercial legacy issues I inherited I can highly recommend him. He is not only fiercely strategic and crucially proactive but also objective and pragmatic. He is without doubt the solicitor you should have on your team”. “Confidence in the ability and integrity of your most senior legal adviser is paramount in managing a successful commercial organisation in today’s ever moving business environment. Richard Coates provides unerring confidence to our board members whenever legal advice is required ensuring business decisions are taken from a trusted legal position”. Duncan Williams Excool CEO Legal guides Recommended in Legal 500, 2015. Described as “pragmatic” and “focused”, Legal 500, 2014  
Alison Heathcote

Alison Heathcote

Alison is a construction lawyer who specialises in non-contentious building procurement matters. Her experience includes work for both the private and public sector organisations.Alison has experience and expertise in drafting and amending building and engineering contracts, including all versions of the JCT suite of contracts and NEC and institutional forms of contract.She also advises on the drafting and amendments of consultant’s appointments (industry standard and bespoke), warranties, bonds, guarantees, development and funding agreements, agreement for leases, novation agreements and ancillary project documentation.Alison has previously spent five years working in the public sector for two different County Councils. Her experience there includes advising on public procurement procedures and issues such as state aid, internal governance, and the setting up and operation of framework agreements.
James Larmour

James Larmour

Partner with over ten years experience of advising on a number of complex and innovative infrastructure and project finance transactions, including a number of PFIs, PPPs, joint ventures, outsourcing and M&A deals across a diverse range of sectors, both within the UK and overseas. James has particular experience in the health sector and in secondary market PFI transactions. Clients include Amber Infrastructure, International Public Partnerships, Transmission Capital Partners, Calvin Capital and Care UK.
David Marsden

David Marsden

David is an experienced property litigation partner based in our Birmingham office. He is the co-author of “Enforcement and Debt Recovery: a Guide to the New Law”, published by the Law Society.He specialises in all commercial and residential disputes including rights to light, possession actions, dilapidations, consent to assign/sub-let, rent disputes, property fraud and insolvency.David has recent experience in the FTT involving the appointment of a manager and in complex property fraud cases.
Kishan Pattni

Kishan Pattni

Kishan is an expert in IP and Media law. He leads the firm’s service offering for brands and private individuals on Reputation Protection. This includes key areas such as defamation, privacy, breach of personal data, image rights and online harassment. His specialism covers pre-publication advice and strategy, bespoke reputation protection audits and consultancy, through to providing solutions for all reputation related disputes. He is particularly skilled in solving problems arising through online publications including on social media such as Facebook and Twitter.In relation to IP, Kishan has substantial experience in advising on the creation, management, exploitation and protection of Intellectual Property rights, including trade marks, rights in passing off, copyright, registered and unregistered design rights, patents, confidential information and trade secrets. His practice includes the drafting and negotiation of all IP and reputation related contracts including non-disclosure agreements and undertakings aimed at protecting confidential and private information.
Kirstin Roberts

Kirstin Roberts

Kirstin is a Chartered Waste Manager with the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), Midlands Representative to the CIWM Members Council and Secretary of the Midlands Centre Council of CIWM. She is an experienced commercial lawyer of 23 years standing, who has worked with businesses in the Waste and Renewables sector for over 15 years, including two 6-month secondments with FCC Environmental (one of the UK’s biggest Waste companies). Kirstin advises companies at all levels of the industry, advising on disputes and agreements in connection with EfW plants, reviewing and negotiating publicly procured contracts such as collections or treatment agreements with localauthorities, advising on offtaker arrangements, feedstock arrangements, haulage agreements, and advice in connection with Combined Heat and Power plants. Having also spent over 2 years as Head of Legal at an Internet & Telecoms plc, she is therefore, used to working with Ops Boards and in-house lawyers, operating as one of the in-house team.