Firm Profile > Boyes Turner > Reading, England

Commercial property: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40 Tier 1

Boyes Turner provides 'technically competent, client-focused' advice on both domestic and international property transactions across a wide range of sectors including commercial, industrial, and residential. Practice head Nick Carter has developed a practice managing portfolios of properties for large national and international corporate clients, often in the tech and innovation sector. 'Experienced, pragmatic and approachable' Derek Ching specialises in advising on land development issues, including all aspects of site acquisitions and site assembly, environmental issues and planning law. Mark Appleton deals with the management of investment properties and estates.  Rachel Duncan and Sarah Webb are recommended associates.

Employment: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40 Tier 1

Boyes Turner is 'in a league of its own' for employment work according to clients. The team specialises in advising national and international clients from the technology, leisure and hospitality sectors on a full spectrum of advisory and compliance work. The firm also handles complex litigation relating to equal pay, whistleblowing and discrimination claims. Barry Stanton leads the team and has recently worked on matters relating to the use of AI in Data Subject Access Requests. Michael Farrier and Helen Goss are other key partners. Former director Laurie Anstis departed the firm to become an employment judge in 2019.

Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 1

Boyes Turner's insolvency practice advises on contentious and non-contentious insolvencies across a range of sectors, including manufacturing, payday lending, and the growing area of restaurants. The practice also advises insolvency practitioners on personal bankruptcies, working alongside the firm's debt recovery team to offer clients a full service. The practice is led by the highly experienced Phil Smith, who handles both contentious and non-contentious work and frequently advises on administrations, LPA receiverships and the sale of insolvent businesses. Associate Ollie Fitzpatrick is also recommended. 

Intellectual property Tier 1

Clients in the tech and publishing sectors regularly turn to the IP team at Boyes Turner, which also has an established reputation as a go-to practice for foreign firms seeking assistance with UK and European matters. In terms of non-contentious work, the team covers brand guardianship and the exploitation of patents, copyright and trademarks. On the contentious side, it handles patent infringements across EMEA and defends a broad selection of copyright claims. Joint leads Bill Gornall-King and Mark Blunden cater for sectors including digital tech, biotech and precision automotive engineering. Stephen Baker is another key name for obtaining or defending injunctions.

IT and telecoms Tier 1

Reading-based Mark Blunden, who has more than 20 years' experience advising tech clients, heads up the sector team at Boyes Turner, regularly advising on international transactions. The 'pragmatic and practical' team handles both contentious and non-contentious matters for companies involved in media monitoring, content sharing, supply chain management and procurement. Key issues surrounding data protection are covered by Bill Gornall-King; these include cyber security threats, ransomware attacks and ensuring that documentation and policies are compliant with GDPR/ICO guidance. Amir Kousari is another name to note.

Personal injury and clinical negligence: claimant Tier 1

Boyes Turner, a 'solid firm with a wealth of talent and experience' has a strong offering for both personal injury and clinical negligence. Susan Brown leads the team alongside PI expert Kim Smerdon who has over twenty-five years of experience handling catastrophic injury cases. Key partner and experienced trial lawyer Richard Money-Kyrle handles high-value and complex cerebral palsy and neonatal brain injury matters, and is supported by Vanessa Wand and Julie Marsh, who comprise the medical negligence group. On the personal injury side, Claire Roantree is the contact for complex orthopaedic and musculoskeletal injury. Laura Magson heads up the mesothelioma and asbestos disease team and is highly rated by clients. She also acts for victims of road traffic accidents, including cyclists and pedestrians.

Commercial litigation: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40 Tier 2

Boyes Turner provides a 'good quality service' to corporate clients from a range of sectors on varied matters including intellectual property , professional negligence and partnership disputes. The team also assist individuals in trusts disputes involving fraud. Jonathan Grigg, who became managing partner in 2020, leads the practice and acts for large companies from the technology sector on matters with an international element. 'Outstanding' director Stephen Baker oversees many key client relationships and handles product liability and technology disputes. Adrian Griffiths  departed in 2019.

Corporate and commercial: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40 Tier 2

Specialising in the technology sector, Boyes Turner's 'efficient, knowledgeable and pragmatic' practitioners advise on outsourcing, licensing and product development, frequently at an international level. The team has also developed expertise advising clients from the water industry. Mark Blunden  frequently acts as an outside GC for a number of clients, in addition to leading the practice alongside Kate Eavis, who advises young, high growth technology companies through the funding lifecycle. Senior associate Chris Dobson  has experience leading on complex, high-value transactions.

Debt recovery Tier 2

Assisted by Natalie Roff, Reading-based Donna Goddard leads the debt recovery offering at Boyes Turner. The teams handles matters relating to company insolvencies, book debt referrals and the defence of small claims. In addition, the experienced Rachel Brown specialises in dispute resolution, cross-border recoveries and the enforcement of council tax/business rate orders. In terms of bankruptcy matters, the firm is increasingly catering for individual voluntary arrangements. Clients are attracted from sectors such as big data, pharmaceuticals, skincare, agriculture and publishing.

Media and entertainment Tier 2

Mark Blunden leads the media and entertainment team at Boyes Turner, which has specific expertise in the publishing sector, counting major news outlets and trade journals as key clients. Key areas of work include advice on marketing software, CRM systems, programmatic advertising and the sale of inventory. Bill Gornall-King is notable for his experience with rights issues regarding media articles, photography and reputations. The firm also handles contentious matters in the High Court/IPEC where Stephen Baker acts on issues such as IP infringement and copyright disputes.

Property litigation Tier 2

While Boyes Turner has significant experience in commercial landlord and tenant disputes and dilapidations, it is particularly recognised for its complex work including applying for declarations in relation to the meaning of lease provisions, collective enfranchisements and right to manage claims. The practice also has a dedicated landlord and tenant service charge recovery team, which acts largely for institutional landlords and property management companies.

Public sector Tier 3

Boyes Turner fields a large offering in the Thames Valley region and its education team has vast expertise in advising on SEN matters. Led by specialist solicitor Laxmi Patel, the practice advises individuals on a host of education issues and provides a service which incorporates the wider firm's clinical negligence and the Court of Protection teams. Rachel Baxter is a key member of the team and focuses exclusively on SEN work.

Personal tax, trusts and probate: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40 Tier 4

Boyes Turner's primary focus is dealing with estate administration, as well as the preparation of complex wills and estate planning for higher net worth individuals. Practice head Paul Lowery has experience advising families with disabled children, and is frequently referred work from the firm's clinical negligence and court of protection teams.

Court of protection Tier 3

Ruth Meyer leads the team at Boyes Turner, which specialises in the management of the property and affairs of those who lack capacity. The majority of its clients are high-net-worth individuals, and the team is well known for assisting children with brain injuries and their families, who have substantial compensation claims. As well as acting as professional deputy, the team also advises lay deputies and attorneys on matters relating to their appointments, statutory wills, gifts and other matters. Jemma Garside is another name to note for her community care expertise.