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 1
Recognised as a ‘superb firm who are really at the top of the partnership game,’ Fox & Partners has a broad partnership offering which covers both contentious and non-contentious matters. While the group focuses on dispute resolution, it is capable of handling exits and retirements, discrimination and harassment, and whistleblowing allegations, as well as lounge clauses, investigations, and disciplinary issues. With a growing client base, the team is predominantly instructed by businesses from the professional services and financial services sectors. Co-heading the department are partnership specialist Catriona Watt and litigation expert Caroline Field. Watt is sought after for her expertise in departures and arrivals, partner rights and entitlements, and fiduciary duty matters, while Field is noted for her aptitude in leading on disputes regarding rights and entitlements on exit, misconduct, and remuneration. The practice also benefits from the proficiency of Dean Fuller who concentrates on contentious and advisory matters such as disputes, partner moves, and cross-border matters. Ivor Adair stands out for his experience advising hedge fund and law firm partners on contentious exits and LLPs. His position in the Legislative and Policy Committee of the Employment Lawyers Association makes him an asset to the team. Other notable names in the department include Shoshana Bacall and Shiv Raja, both of whom are adept in advising on conduct and harassment investigations, as well as vastly experienced firm founder Ronnie Fox
. Practice head(s):
Catriona Watt; Caroline Field
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Excellent at all areas of partnership and employment law. Good strength in depth at all levels, with the partners being leaders in the field. Can be trusted with the most sensitive of instructions, and will handle these delicately.’
‘Caroline Field provides commercial advice with a human touch. She is highly responsive and dedicated to her client’s interests.’
‘Catriona Watt is very knowledgeable and leads a great team with excellent insights and support for clients. Strongly recommend her. Shiv Raja is a very good associate.’
‘An extremely experienced, specialist team of highly capable, intellectual and personable lawyers who bring a true sense of analytical rigour to any complex legal problem or case.’
‘Caroline Field is exceptionally bright and disarmingly personable. This makes for a highly effective combination in litigation that revolves around the actions of individuals.’
‘Fox is a superb firm who are really at the top of the partnership game. A real delight to work with a group of driven and client focused individuals keen to deliver 110%.’
‘Dean Fuller is technically superb and extremely knowledgeable.’
‘They are supported by superb associates, including the brilliant Shiv Raja and knowledgeable Clare Plumb.’
Work highlights
Employment > Senior executives Tier 3
Distinguished by its ‘tactical and strategic brilliance, Fox & Partners is regularly instructed to handle discrimination, harassment and whistleblowing allegations, as well as regulatory complaints. Caroline Field is often engaged to represent senior executives in disputes related to rights and entitlements, as well as misconduct allegations; she jointly leads the practice alongside Ivor Adair, whose client base stems from the financial services, technology, insurance and media sectors. Catriona Watt is noted for her proficiency in senior-level contentious departures and arrivals. Dean Fuller is well versed in cases involving industry-specific issues, such as regulatory references, non-financial misconduct concerns and corporate governance constraints.Practice head(s):
Caroline Field; Ivor Adair
Other key lawyers:
Catriona Watt; Dean Fuller; Shoshana Bacall
Testimonials
‘The team at Fox manages to get excellent ultimate results for the client through tactical and strategic brilliance, keeping steps ahead of the opposition and sheer doggedness.’
‘I highly rate Catriona Watt and Caroline Field, who are top-class practitioners.’
‘Catriona Watt is intelligent and tenacious and knows her space well. Caroline Field is a quality High Court practitioner who is a pleasure to deal with and also knows her space.’
‘Catriona Watt is cool, calm, collected and classy. You definitely want her fighting in your corner. Caroline Field is tenacious, calm and assiduous. I would instruct her in a heartbeat.’
‘This is an excellent specialist team of employment lawyers who are able to provide high-level advice on complex scenarios relating to the legal sector.’
‘The individuals stand out in particular because of their humanity and their ability to deal with sensitive and confidential information in complex disputes. Dealing with other lawyers requires very distinct skills which this firm has.’
‘A great team. I dealt with Catriona Watt and Shoshana Bacall mostly. They were outstanding – specifically, they were intelligent and quick to grasp complex issues, empathetic, responsive, kind and appropriately rigorous. The billing was transparent and appropriate. Also of note was Catriona and Shoshana’s ability to pass my case between themselves without any errors or miscommunications.’
‘Ivor Adair is clearly a consummate professional and he interrupted his holiday to accommodate a call given the timing of my requirements.’
Work highlights
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 | [email protected] | +44 20 7618 2883 |
| Partnership | Catriona Watt | [email protected] | +44 20 7618 2887 |
| Litigation | Caroline Field | [email protected] | +44 20 7618 2880 |
Solicitor Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mr Ivor Adair | Ivor is a highly experienced, specialist contentious employment and partnership lawyer, acting… | View Profile |
|
|
Shoshana Bacall | Shoshana is a highly experienced Senior Associate specialising in the full range… | View Profile |
|
|
Caroline Field | Caroline is a Partner and head of Fox & Partners’ litigation practice.… | View Profile |
|
|
Mr Ronnie Fox | Partner at Fox & Partners specialising in Partnership and Employment Law | View Profile |
|
|
Mr Dean Fuller | Dean is a partner who brings more than 30 years’ experience as… | View Profile |
|
|
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 AssociationDiversity
Fox & Partners is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of is work, from recruitment to engagement of services from others.
The firm has developed a clear strategy to ensure our commitment to a fairer community is evidenced by action. We engage with and support the local community through charitable initiatives. We undertake internal training and events to increase our understanding of inequalities which exist in the workplace and how we can champion a culture where everyone feels they belong. We include a handful of examples below of our activity in this area.
- We are proud to have gender equality at partnership level.
- We have a charity sub-committee so that right across the firm staff can take an active part in decisions on how best to support our local and wider community as a responsible and sustainable law firm.
- The firm has also recently commissioned research into the gender pay gap and regularly speaks out regarding different efforts to level the playing field.
Diversity
Fox & Partners is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of its work, from recruitment to engagement of services from others.
The firm has developed a clear strategy to ensure our commitment to a fairer community is evidenced by action. We engage with and support the local community through charitable initiatives. We undertake internal training and events to increase our understanding of inequalities which exist in the workplace and how we can champion a culture where everyone feels they belong. We include a handful of examples below of our activity in this area.
We are proud to have gender equality at partnership level.
We have a charity sub-committee so that right across the firm staff can take an active part in decisions on how best to support our local and wider community as a responsible and sustainable law firm.
The firm has also recently commissioned research into the gender pay gap and regularly speaks out regarding different efforts to level the playing field.
Finally, the firm has introduced volunteering time for staff to enable them to pursue their own charitable endeavours and maximise their impact in their own communities.
Client Testimonials
CLIENT: Anonymous
COMPANY/FIRM:
TESTIMONIAL: “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.”
CLIENT: Anonymous
COMPANY/FIRM: Anonymous
TESTIMONIAL: “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.”
CLIENT: Anonymous
COMPANY/FIRM: Anonymous
TESTIMONIAL: “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.”
CLIENT: Anonymous
COMPANY/FIRM: Anonymous
TESTIMONIAL: “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 empathic and supportive individual. It was a pleasure to work with her.”
CLIENT: Anonymous
COMPANY/FIRM: Anonymous
TESTIMONIAL: “Dean, once again, I want to thank you for all of your support and truly professional service. You are a credit to the profession.”
Client 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.”
- Corporate and commercial > Partnership
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Employment > Senior executives