Fox & Partners > London, England > Firm Profile
Fox & Partners Offices
4-6 THROGMORTON AVENUE
LONDON
EC2N 2DL
England
Fox & Partners > The Legal 500 Rankings
Corporate and commercial > Partnership Tier 2
Acting for both LLPs and partners, particularly across the professional and financial services sectors, the ‘highly focused boutique’ Fox & Partners has a ‘very commercial and practical’ partnership team. The unit is jointly headed up by the ‘exceptionally talented’ Catriona Watt, who advises on issues including contentious departures and arrivals, and Caroline Field, an ‘extremely competent and good strategist’ who has experience litigating in a broad range of dispute resolution forums. Founder of the Association of Partnership Practitioners Ronnie Fox
is a ‘brilliant deal maker’ and is particularly known for negotiating departure arrangements. The ‘responsive and helpful’ Shoshana Bacall offers extensive experience in advising on partner departures, contentious exit arrangements, partner investigations and disciplinary matters, an area of growth for the team. Dean Fuller advises on regulatory and corporate aspects of partnership law, while Ivor Adair has recent experience of advising international law firms in relation to contentious exits. Other key lawyers include senior associate Shiv Raja, who acts for partners, LLPs and partnerships in the professional services sector. Eleanor Diamond moved to Lewis Silkin in August 2023. Practice head(s):
Catriona Watt; Caroline Field
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘This is a highly focused boutique team representing senior executives and employers in high value cases.’
‘A very commercial and practical team with great client skills. Catriona Watt is strategically adept and commercially astute, with great client management skills. Shiv Raja is very approachable and practical.’
‘Fox and Partners have built the leading partnership practice in the country, with deep knowledge of the issues, huge dedication to their clients, and a profile to be envied.’
‘Caroline Field is a wonderful lawyer. Ronnie Fox is a giant in the area. He has significant experience and is a brilliant deal maker. Ivor Adair is extremely bright and intellectually on the button. Shiv Raja is a fantastic associate, so efficient and capable.’
‘I sought advice on a partnership agreement under considerable time pressure. Fox & Partners accommodated my needs in a flexible and thoughtful manner and provided sound advice in a digestible format. Shoshana Bacall was particularly responsive and helpful.’
‘Caroline Field leads the team with effortless elan. She is very tough and commercial and ensures that her clients do not fight cases without coming out on top at the end of it. Ivor Adair is an excellent litigator.’
‘The team of Catriona Watt and Shoshana Bacall were exceptionally good, both personable and professional and appeared to collaborate well. Shoshana delves deep into issues with great attention to detail. She is very impressive.’
‘Caroline Field and Shiv Raja are both superlative and exceptional lawyers. They are exceptional legal analysts with brilliant reputations.’
Employment > Senior executives Tier 3
Fox & Partners broad client base spans CEOs and senior managing directors, particularly those operating in the financial industry. Team heads Caroline Field and Ivor Adair advise on arrivals and departures, exit negotiations, and restrictive covenants. The teams also handles discrimination claims under the 2010 Equality Act and related whistleblowing claims. Other key team members include Catriona Watt and Dean Fuller, who work on data protection, and statuary and contractual rights claims.Practice head(s):
Caroline Field; Ivor Adair
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is extremely personable and supportive but with clear, structured and thought through advice.’
‘Catriona Watt is very impressive. She is strategic and very strong technically, while being very accessible and empathetic.’
‘The team are very reactive, engaging and have a great approach.’
‘They were all engaging, willing to be challenged, and eager to adapt to the client’s needs.’
‘Strategic approach, commercial awareness, comprehensive knowledge of legislation/litigation, attention to details and ability to alter their advice to my needs in particular circumstances.’
Employment > Employers
Fox & Partners > Firm Profile
Lawyers at Fox & Partners collectively have decades of experience resolving high profile and sensitive City issues involving employers, employees, directors, shareholders, firms, partners and LLP members. Potentially litigious matters are often resolved discreetly and efficiently; when that is not possible Fox & Partners litigates vigorously on behalf of clients in court, tribunal and arbitration proceedings. Fox & Partners combine employment, partnership and dispute resolution in one team and prides itself on its understanding of how the law intersects with the regulation, culture and practice of the clients it represents.
Partnership law: Fox & Partners is engaged by partners/members and partnerships and LLPs within the legal, insurance and financial services sectors (including hedge funds, asset management and private equity), where there are not only high value financial issues at stake, but also regulatory and reputational issues to consider.
The firm has undertaken partnership litigation in multiple jurisdictions and forums including in arbitration, the dispute resolution forum of choice for many partnerships and LLPs. Business protection issues are common in the partnership space and the firm has acted for recruiting firms, departing partners and firms seeking to protect their clients and teams, including bringing and defending injunctions. It has represented clients in large scale team move cases and arbitrations addressing highly technical areas of partnership law, including dissolution and forfeiture claims.
The firm has long been recognised as the “partner’s partner”. Advising on sensitive partner conduct issues, performance issues, discrimination and whistleblowing complaints are core aspects of the firm’s practice. Fox & Partners receive regular instructions from LLP members to advise on issues at the cutting edge of partnership law, including relating to discretionary decision making to expel or retire partners. In the financial services sector this typically involves disputes concerning the loss of multi-million pounds of carried interest or profit share.
The firm has been instructed on a number of high profile matters, including complex misconduct investigations, including harassment, against a backdrop of regulation and detailed scrutiny of proper process. Fox & Partners’ experience in acting for many players – the victim, the alleged perpetrator and the firm – means the firm is uniquely placed to assist clients in these sensitive (with potentially career-ending and business reputation damaging consequences) matters.
Employment law: Fox & Partners has undertaken employment litigation in multiple jurisdictions and across a variety of forums, with increasing cross-border elements.
The firm is often instructed on business protection and team move cases across a variety of sectors and regularly provide the full spectrum of advice, including initial review of express and implied restrictions, advice on fiduciary duties and the law relating to confidentiality, coordinating the interrelationship with other participants’ advisers through to bringing and defending injunctions. The last few years have seen a growth in the firm’s instruction on complex business protection work. With experience acting for all players a major strength is understanding the issues from all angles. Our recent experience, acting in some of the most high profile team move cases amongst the best in the business has cemented the firm’s reputation as a go-to firm in the employee competition space.
Fox & Partners is regularly instructed by employees and employers bringing or defending high value and sensitive discrimination and whistleblowing claims and have seen many through to a final Employment Tribunal hearing.
The firm’s employer clients, often small and medium-sized businesses or firms, typically seek us out to advise on “bet the business” type work. Work regularly relates to business protection (restrictive covenants and team move matters) or high value, sensitive and potentially reputation damaging claims threatened or brought.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Dean Fuller | dfuller@foxlawyers.com | +44 20 7618 2883 |
| Partnership | Catriona Watt | cwatt@foxlawyers.com | +44 20 7618 2887 |
| Litigation | Caroline Field | cfield@foxlawyers.com | +44 20 7618 2880 |
Solicitor Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Mr Ivor Adair | Ivor is a highly experienced, specialist contentious employment and partnership lawyer, acting… | View Profile |
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Shoshana Bacall | Shoshana is a highly experienced Senior Associate specialising in the full range… | View Profile |
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Caroline Field | Caroline is a Partner and head of Fox & Partners’ litigation practice.… | View Profile |
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Mr Ronnie Fox | Partner at Fox & Partners specialising in Partnership and Employment Law | View Profile |
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Mr Dean Fuller | Dean is a partner who brings more than 30 years’ experience as… | View Profile |
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Catriona Watt | Catriona Watt is a Partner specialising in contentious partnership law as well… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of UK partners : 4 Number of other UK fee-earners : 7Memberships
Association of Partnership Practitioners ELA (Employment Lawyers Association) IBA (International Bar Association) London Solicitors Litigation AssociationClient Testimonials
“I feel very supported and have been very impressed by the responsiveness of the lawyers, especially when under time pressure. Their technical strength is accompanied by a practical approach and realistic view of what is possible, and their client care is also second to none.”
“The team took a highly structured and strategic approach; listening carefully, picking up key points, seeking evidence and then preparing a thorough and considered strategy paper setting out the situation, the legal options and a proposed way forward. The team were professional and supportive throughout the process showed a solid understanding the situation and the organisation I was dealing with. They were highly responsive and the advice was excellent. It was reassuring to know that I had Fox and Co on my side of the table.”
“I feel very fortunate to have been represented by Fox. Their advice, at a time of great personal stress and difficulty, was good, professional and solid. Explanations and alternatives were explored, full attention to detail was always maintained, and an air of firm confidence and knowledge prevailed. At no time did I feel left adrift in a complex situation, and the friendly attitude of the whole team also made me feel very well represented.”
“Caroline provided me with invaluable legal advice and expertise in a long and highly contentious financial dispute. Caroline was unfailingly attentive and responsive. She is very hard working, and has an excellent understanding of complicated issues, a very thorough approach, and an undeterred, committed attitude that instilled in me confidence, even during the most difficult moments one inevitably experiences during a legal dispute. Caroline is not only a first-class lawyer, but a truly empathetic and supportive individual. It was a pleasure to work with her.”
“Dean, once again, I want to thank you for all of your support and truly professional service. You are a credit to the profession.”