JMW Solicitors LLP > Manchester, England > Firm Profile

‘Mike Rainford remains as the go-to solicitor for the major fraud and crime clients in the north-west.’

‘The team provides an efficient, cost effective and professional service.’

‘Ian Lewis – great tactical awareness, always thinking outside the box, only works on top end cases. Mike Rainford – vastly experienced solicitor, really thorough on his cases, with an excellent knowledge of cases. Very smooth and calm. ’

‘Well-led team which provides a first class service to the client.’

‘The team is strong from top to bottom. Professional yet approachable.’

‘The fraud team at JMW is immensely talented and with a wealth of experience in the most serious and complex fraud cases. The practice is unique because it boasts a group of senior solicitors of the highest calibre who are all at the very top of their game. In summary, a practice that is geared up to provide a top drawer service to clients in the biggest and best fraud cases.’

‘JMW have some extremely experienced individuals who have been at the coalface of the big cases for a number of years. They are able to draw on that experience and knowledge to deliver outstanding client service and outstanding results. The firm is also backed up by some very very good junior members.’

‘They attack a case with all levels of resources and personnel. A strong work force right down to trainees.’

‘JMW have deliberately attracted partners of the highest reputation from other practices who have brought with them immense experience to add to an already impressive crime team. This has resulted in JMW going from strength to strength in this sector and they continue to deal with the most serious and complex of crime cases. Commitment, quality, and a burning desire to achieve the best result possible in every case are qualities which run through this crime team from top to bottom.’

‘Two of the senior solicitors are Mike Rainford and Ian Lewis. They have brought an extra dimension to JMW and continue to attract seriously heavy criminal work, which they then deal with to an extraordinarily high level. They have both enjoyed stellar careers and deserve all the plaudits they receive.’

‘JMW are able to draw on experienced individuals, who are considered market leaders, and fantastic support staff to deliver an outstanding service to their clients.’

‘The team at JMW never fail to impress. In a world where standards can be seen to be slipping in relation to preparation and client care JMW stands out as a firm offering an excellent service. I have never found the standard other than outstanding. The team work well together which ensures continuity and consistency. I have always felt confident that everything that is required is provided by JMW.’

‘A fabulous team of rigorous, committed and caring solicitors. Persistent and thorough, taking a compassionate approach to clients, but realistic and sensible. Leading for overall coverage in the North West in my opinion. Eddie Jones, Angharad Hughes and Melissa Gardner embody all of this.’

‘Angharad Hughes is very experienced and knowledgeable. Clients appreciate her compassionate and friendly approach.  She is widely respected by opponents.

‘Jodie Miller is hard-working and committed. She constantly seeks to secure the best outcome for each individual client and secures their confidence by keeping them informed and explaining matters in easily comprehensible ways.’

‘I would single Angharad Hughes, a formidable litigator who is always thoroughly on top of her cases, and Melissa Gardner who is excellent with her clients and her experts.’

‘Jodie Miller deals effortlessly with medically complex cases. She gets the best out of the expert evidence and achieves excellent results for her clients. She is hugely experienced in managing all aspects of clinical negligence cases.’

‘Angharad Hughes is a good lawyer. She is very thoughtful and considerate and is super with clients and with experts. She has a delightfully happy personality which lightens any difficult aspects of the work.’

‘Melissa Gardner is very dedicated to her clients.’

‘Angharad Hughes is incredibly empathetic, which gains the trust of the client, but is also able to see the weaknesses of a case so that she gives realistic, balanced advice and does not give clients false hope. She is a very experienced litigator who doesn’t take any nonsense from the other side, but at the same time guides the client through every step of the process so as to minimise any stress of upset they might be feeling.’

‘The best family law firm in the North West to my mind. Every associate I have worked with has been exceptional – well-versed in law and totally invested in the case but equally prepared to give the client robust and sensible advice.’

‘The JMW Family team are a fantastic team of highly qualified professionals who work very effectively for all clients. One of the key team strengths is their collaborative working practice and also the blend of personalities within the team which enables them to provide advice to all walks of life and also very challenging situations. I have been particularly impressed by the way they very quickly adapted to the very difficult situation we all faced with the impact of the coronavirus. I know that their clients continued to receive the best possible service and support and this is why they are my first choice when recommending a family solicitor to my clients, contacts and also my friends and family.’

‘There is real camaraderie in the team, led by Beverley Jones. They all pull together and go above and beyond what is their duty in order to push for the best evidence and the best service for their client. I am well aware that the team put in far more work than they billed for and they were willing to very actively pursue cutting edge high profile litigation, which we were successful in. They made appropriate employees available to attend key ancillary meetings with the Local Authority and provided a holistic litigation service to ensure that the clients were properly and vigorously represented at all times.

‘There is a fantastic collaborative team ethos at this firm. There is always somebody available to assist at short notice . All solicitors have client focused approached and dispense legal advise with precision. The litigation support and service provided was really exceptional in my view in all key respects including; evidence gathering, building and maintaining client relationships, exceptional communication with me and a deeply held commitment to diversity and human rights.’

‘Elspeth Kinder has great empathy but also can be really clear and directive in situations that need it. She is my go to at JMW. Clients love her and she gives the right time and focus to each individual.’

‘Beverley Jones stands out from other competitors as she is supportive and extremely helpful to myself and colleagues in the fertility clinic setting. She ensures that clients feel well cared for and that healthcare professionals are armed with the knowledge needed for looking after patients where legal parenthood may be a factor. Beverley is also recognised as a leader in the field and regularly contributes to projects with charities.’

‘This is a recognised an established leader in the field of matrimonial finance (financial remedy) cases in Manchester. The team is lead by David Pickering, who has a towering reputation in the field and has a number of prominent and highly regarded individuals in the team.’

‘Beverley Jones is an outstanding legal professional. Not only does she have superior knowledge and experience of family law, she is also extremely empathetic with her clients and their situations which are often complex and highly emotional. Beverley goes above and beyond for her clients and is not afraid to challenge the status quo to provide the best outcomes for all involved. She is a beacon for diversity and has made huge progress for LGBTQ community particularly around adoption and surrogacy and is an inspiration to others.’

‘The team are very person-centred and they have got the size and depth within the team to nominate the correct fee earner that would work best with the dynamics of the service user. I have found them all very positive in dealing with all aspects of the complex needs of the service users. They have been able to show good understanding of processes and procedures to work with a number of commissioning provisions including continuing healthcare, local education providers and social services.’

‘I have found Andrew Cusworth to be very person-centred, professional and knowledgable whilst at the same time being easy to work with. Andrew’s breadth of legal knowledge plays a key role in navigating the team that supports these very vulnerable service users with complex needs. Andrew is a calm voice during times of crisis and difficulty which has a positive affect on the rest of the team and professionals but most importantly the client and the family. Andrew does not step back from a challenge where it acts in the best interest of the service user. He is willing to make decisions to enhance the quality of life for the service users.’

‘JMW provide both personal injury and Court of Protection services. This promotes excellent collaboration, good communication and a seamless support for both the client and case manager. They have significant experience in the area of personal and catastrophic injuries as well as Court of Protection work.’

‘JMW has a great private client offering – the team they have recruited over the years is very strong and compliments the JMW wider offering extremely well. The firm has a great reputation in the North West.’

‘Joe Cobb is an excellent communicator and he can adapt his style very quickly, to suit the client. He is technically very strong and experienced, so he can relate to the client situation and give appropriate solutions very quickly. More than anything, he is very likeable and clients warm to him very quickly.’

‘I have worked with JMW for many years now and with various different departments including Tax, Trusts and probate and Court of Protection teams. In each department their strengths are definitely how they deal with their clients. They are always clear with how they bill and very transparent with clients. Each individual within the firm have a very caring side with clients and that’s not something you see with every law firm and this is definitely the culture at JMW.’

‘Each individual I deal with at JMW is extremely knowledgeable in their area and go above and beyond with clients.’

‘Megan Christie-Copeland and Andrew Cusworth are very dedicated to their clients and have built a substantial team and profile.’

‘A great team with knowledge and practical experience across the sector. Really good to work with, always collaborative. One of the best teams out there.’

‘Laura Wilkinson – Great to work with, always makes herself available and very personable. Very knowledgeable with excellent practical skills and experience.’

‘Nick McAleenan – Great experience, knowledge and practical skills.’

‘JMW provide a top quality service and have a real depth of knowledge in relation to privacy and data protection claims. In a growing landscape of data protection complaints JMW are in the front of the field in what they offer.’

‘I have worked with Laura Wilkinson on several occasions and found her to be  dedicated and knowledgeable. She is particularly good at client relations and is very communicative.’

‘Rebecca Young – a fantastic lawyer. Her command of a case both legally and factually is unbelievable. She lives and breathes the case and clients know that. One of the most impressive litigators I have come across at her level.’

‘What I love about the team at JMW is how at ease they make you feel. I felt part of the family and they were available always at anytime of the day, with rapid replies to emails, home calls and text messages.’

‘The team is led by Nick McAleenan, who is genuinely one of the most authoritative media and data lawyers in the country.’

‘The practice might be 80 partners plus but they operate with large firm services and efficiently in a way that makes you feel the comfort of small medium firm.’

‘Highly responsive and each team is about getting results. Not once have I seen anything to suggest that they will waste money litigating in correspondence.’

‘I value every bit of advice I get from Insolvency to litigation to personal injury. Each partner knows where their expertise stops and they always ensure that you get an expert in the field you need. I can mention three partners that stand out: Marc Yaffe, Richard Wolff, Jason Harwood. These three are in no particular order exceptional in all their work.’

‘My point of contact is Graham Small. Whilst he is an excellent commercial litigator I have also found Graham to be a great problem solver who understands the clients needs and how to achieve a good outcome. This can straddle corporate and insolvency issues as well as formal litigation proceedings. He is somebody whose judgement I trust and he quickly gains the confidence of the people I am working with.’

‘Ability at every level of their team means that they are the busiest and one of the best commercial litigation practices in Manchester. The ethos of the firm and the team is the client and providing a service that is geared to that. They offer the complete package in terms of not only dealing with the dispute that you find yourselves in but providing a consideration from all angles.’

‘Mike Kennedy – one of the best litigators around – has experience of every kind of litigation and if he’s on your side the other side won’t like it but for all the right reasons. Mark Jones – loves a difficult case.’

‘Rebecca Young – an ability that belies her years. She is the best litigator of her level I have dealt with. She will be a superstar partner and litigator of the future. Complete command of every aspect of her case and sets and commands the very highest standards from those who work with her.’

‘Commerciality is understood and embraced. Whilst other firms often just quote law or give law lectures, JMW give advice including a good balance between the law and commercial practicalities.’

‘Paul Chamberlain has an unrivalled reputation in the recruitment business sector. Ian Tranter is an excellent all rounder with particular expertise in senior executive terminations.’

‘The practice has a good attitude to understanding our business and therefore our needs and requirements. This practice make a good effort to understanding the business and changes that may be affecting our environment and therefore getting to understand the needs and the priorities also as to how we try to manage our people, our culture and behaviours.’

‘The team at JMW work extremely collaboratively together which I find exceptional, we recently had a case that a number of the team dealt with and it felt like the same person was dealing with the case, it required assistance from various team members at JMW every team members was up to scratch with the case and what was going on, never once did I have to repeat myself. It certainly stood out from previous experiences I have had working with other firms having to continually repeat myself.’

‘Personable, engaging, friendly. Willing to collaborate with us on new legislation issues that might affect our industry sector for example, by co-hosting events. They are also agile enough to take a real-world view of cases and react accordingly.’

‘Paul Chamberlain offers an honest, very knowledgeable approach to all matters he has worked with us on and generally with great success, which is reassuring for us. He is also quite unique in how he engages with us as a client, because he has a personable, less stuffy approach and is not afraid to think outside the box to get the right result on a case.’

‘I’ve worked with Paul Chamberlain for 7 years. He is an extremely commercial lawyer, robust in his advice and has no hesitation in challenging my views. I trust him and his advice completely; which is tailored to the situation at the time and the organisation I work for (which Paul knows well).’

‘JMW are trusted partners to our business. Having worked with their partner for a number of years we have built a solid working relationship whereby they understand our business and industry better than anyone else I have come across. They are pragmatic, down to earth and human in approach. ’

‘Marcus Difelice is a partner and our main contact and relationship manager. Having worked with Marcus for a number of years I trust his advice and judgement on employment matters and always appreciates the way he goes out of his way to support whether this be late nights or over a weekend. He also knows the hospitality sector exceptionally well.’

‘Strongly led, and with good strength in depth, the team at JMW is one of, if not the, specialist trust and probate litigation teams in Manchester and the North West’

‘Alison Parry – robust and with an eye to detail, Alison is a formidable opponent with a real understanding of the law and how to use it to the benefit of her clients. Ben Wilson – recently joined from Forbes, Ben brings a particular expertise in Inheritance Act disputes Ian Johnston – combines excellent technical knowledge with a strong client-focused approach.’

‘JMW Solicitors LLP are dedicated, forward-looking people at the top of their game. Those I encountered were courteous, efficient and helpful.’

‘My dealings with Alison Parry have been first class from Day 1. At every point of contact I have been supported by Alison, her experience, interpersonal skills and clear communication style are a great asset. Alison has worked tirelessly for the best possible outcome for myself and kept me constantly up to date throughout all proceedings.’

‘Alison Parry has been largely responsible for my case, and she has been excellent in every relevant regard. Alison has handled aggressive and frankly unprofessional correspondence from the other party with skill, and has been excellent at keeping her correspondence relevant, calm, and professional.’

‘Alison Parry is an expert in the field of contentious probate. Alison is a skilled and experienced practitioner, but equally she is understanding and empathic in the guidance and support she gives to clients on this emotive journey. Alison is alive to the financial anxieties that trouble clients along the way. Sadly, many solicitors are not so sympathetic in this regard. It is a great comfort the way Alison responds expeditiously to emails and telephone calls from clients. Though a polished professional, Alison is easy to talk to.’

‘JMW has a capable private client litigation team with a strong client focus, and a good sense of how practically to help individuals, some of whom have limited resources.’

‘I have worked mostly with Alison Parry, who is a very capable private client litigator. She is hard-working and robust in her approach to cases and opponents. I have also worked with Ian Johnston, who is a sensible senior associate with good judgment in managing complex cases.’

‘The practice is very good because they are efficient, timely and knowledgeable. They are also very helpful. I can’t recommend them enough.’

‘The individuals there are very driven and work hard to get to an outcome. They are subject mater experts in their specific areas of expertise.’

‘This practice provides specialist commercial advice to the sports sector. They are brilliant.’

‘Stephen Heath – pragmatic and sensible but robust when required. Very powerful judgment. Very intuitive to the sector.’

‘The sports practice is very experienced which is key to understanding the issues around sport. They provide first rate advice and representation across football and boxing.’

‘Stephen Taylor Heath has enormous experience in handling and strategising complex problems. He is a solid and reliable lawyer with a strong following.’

‘JMW are a creative law firm. They continually look for solutions to clients issues. My company was a start-up in a relatively new media sector. The service I received was and still is outstanding. They were very innovative in the way they structured complex partnerships with high profile entertainment personalities and always took the time to explain the whole structure to ourselves but also the individual concerned. JMW are problem solvers which allows me to focus on the running of my business. They are outstanding communicators and provide a brilliant all round legal service.’

‘Mike Blood has been working with my company from the very start. He helped establish the whole legal process at the company. He has amazing patience and always offers sound and thoughtful advice – and not just in terms of legal advice – his knowledge of the business world gives him a great perspective.’

‘Emma Hickman – the most creative and talented lawyer I have ever come across. An absolute joy to work with. She is always prepared to go above and beyond in her work to find the best legal solutions. Amazing team player.’

‘Since we’ve used JMW for our corporate and commercial legal affairs we’ve never looked back. What makes them unique from previous firms that we’ve used is the speed and quality with which they turn around work packages. Whilst other firms may look to spend longer on projects than necessary, JMW look to use, as far as possible, pieces of work they’ve done previously as a base to keep costs down. They also turn things around remarkably quickly and are always looking out for our commercial interests. They’ve delivered a number of very important contracts for us, and this is enabling us to grow with confidence.’

‘Great strength in depth and specialist knowledge.’

‘My experience of working with JMW has been only positive. At times of stress we need our advisers to be focused and commercial, and that has been my experience, to the extent that they have felt like an extension of my own team. I am also appreciative of the follow up on relevant matters that JMW have identified as being relevant for cases I am dealing with – it is this extra layer of commerciality and understanding of the market that makes me consider JMW as a go-to advisor.’

‘Over the course of the last 12 months, I have worked a great deal with James Williams, and he is truly excellent and a great capture for the JMW team. Solid pragmatic advice at all times, absolutely relevant to the circumstances and sector. Often, some can default to a position of the law without applying it to the situation, whereas James is able to use his knowledge of the law to apply it to the circumstances, meaning that as the client I get the best service possible.’

‘Gavin Jones has recently joined them. He is technically superb and a very good strategist, I would expect him to form a formidable partnership with Richard Wolff.’

‘Gavin Jones is the person I deal with a lot of the time at the firm. Gavin is a fantastic lawyer, giving commercial decisions based on his years of experience in the insolvency sector. Gavin really understands what the client is wanting to achieve and will do his best to achieve the clients aims and ambitions. I happily speak to Gavin when I need commercial legal advice, particularly in tricky situations.’

‘Very responsive team who work closely with clients to achieve desired outcomes. ’

‘I enjoy working with JMW. Trust is an important factor for me and having only two principal points of contact has allowed me to develop that. I know that JMW will deal with matters promptly, using the people necessary and will give meaningful advice that is actionable. In return, JMW know that I treat them as a valuable resource and rely on their expertise; they understand the nature of our business, our customers and suppliers and know if I ask for work to be undertaken it is important to us.  ’

‘The commercial awareness demonstrated in a proactive attitude that helps us to conclude land and development transactions is a key differential from other firms we have worked with.’

‘Thomas Pearson has continued to be not just accessible but at the heart of our ambitious development programme throughout the Covid pandemic. He has established a regular zoom networking/market intelligence programme, allowing clients from different market sectors and professions to gain first-hand knowledge of market trends. This has led to spin-off working relationships outside the forum at a time when establishing new business opportunities is naturally limited.’

‘Lee Adams is simply unflappable. He remains calm, assured and reassuring regardless of the pressure or situation.’

‘Amy Shaffron works exceptionally hard for her clients and has the unreachable ability to judge how each individual client needs to be managed.’

‘Daniel Martin is a force to be reckoned with. Wise beyond his years, he is vigorous in his case preparation and leaves no stone unturned. Opponents and competitors always need to be on their toes when Dan’s in their case.’

‘Daniel Martin is the epitome of focused professionalism. The energy, wisdom and enthusiasm he brings to each case I have worked on with him, makes him stand out from the competition. I would would and have recommended him to others due to his work ethic, the confidence he instills in clients and his determination to get a result.’

‘Lee Adams is very hard-working, realistic as to outcomes, but persuasive.  Sticks up for his client, recognises weaknesses in a case and works out how to address them.’

‘Lee Adams has brought with him his committed client base following his elevation to managing partner of the JMW London office. He continues to provide the top-notch personal client care his clients love, supported by the additional resources and greater power of JMW. He is the guy you call if you get in trouble, period.’

‘Lee Adams is a powerhouse of a partner in the criminal and fraud department. Bright as a button, and incredibly hard working.’

‘Amy Shaffron is a partner with huge experience in the fraud and crime space. Incredibly hard working and client focused.’

‘The practice has a good hands-on approach and explains in detail the relevant facts.’

‘Helen Daley is always careful to explain the whys and wherefores of an issue at the start before it runs away with costs.’

‘Michael Rowlands- hugely experienced, tireless, committed and so light on his toes when it comes to tactics that he is known as the legal equivalent of Fred Astaire‘.

‘A large firm with a nationwide team. Michael Rowlands is vastly experienced, urbane and wise. He will fight for his clients‘

‘A fast-growing firm that is recruiting well and really going places in the family law field. Tracey Rodford – a real coup for JMW to have landed her – a very impressive lawyer with excellent client-care skills‘.

‘Really good client engagement. I work with the London offshoot of a predominantly Manchester firm but it is very good. Tracey Rodford is excellent with clients. Exceptional people-skills. Jonathan Day is also extremely hardworking‘.

‘Michael Rowlands heads the London team. He has vast experience and gives his clients a first rate service. He champions their causes and fights hard to achieve their objectives. One would always want him on one’s side. Tenacious and always willing to go the extra mile‘.

‘Michael Rowlands  is a brilliant strategist and master tactician. He has recruited Patrick Hart from Royds RDW who is one of the best divorce solicitors in the country. He has an instinctive grasp of the strengths and weakness of his client’s case and is able to identify which points to press and which to leave well alone.’

‘Michael Rowlands is very bright, hugely experienced, a fierce negotiator who fights the client’s corner tenaciously. Patrick Hart is very experienced – a very steady hand on the tiller guiding clients through tricky cases. He is a brilliant negotiator and super to work with. Jonathan Day is a junior member of the team who works extremely hard and does a lot of the ‘heavy lifting’ in the background‘.