Birketts LLP > Chelmsford, England > Firm Profile

‘Very good knowledge of M&A business. The M&A team not only has an in-depth knowledge of M&A but also from the financial and environmental aspects of a deal.’

‘We worked intensively with Alex Forwood. He was always up to date on the file, easily reachable, short reaction time and had an excellent knowledge of the M&A business. Is really an excellent balance between fee and delivered service. The service delivered by Alex was certainly of equal quality which in my experience we receive from bigger law firms.’

‘I found Heidi Jones professional, extremely prompt, always available and thoughtful. She uses words with care and accuracy, recognises priorities and acts on them. I found her meticulous, diligent, knowledgeable, experienced, with good contacts both internal and external, knowledgeable beyond her years, and very able to discuss fine points of legal documents with an enthusiastic layman.’

‘Caroline Nicholls was very efficient and assisted greatly in the negotiations for our recent MBO.’

‘Good all round commercially minded lawyers.’

‘A highly efficient and professional company that retains all in house legal disciplines, team members always on hand to provide the necessary advise and guidance. The use of a data room for uploading documentation was a fantastic innovation making the sharing information much easier for the members of the group.’

‘There is a detailed breakdown of budgeted costs at the outset with regular tracking of actuals against it.’

‘The dispute resolution team at Birketts are leading experts in mediation and ADR.’

‘Daden Hunt is a key individual in commercial dispute resolution at Birketts for mediation, he has a formidable grasp of the issues and uses his expertise in ADR to achieve the very best results possible for his clients whether they be public companies, private companies, especially family owned companies or partnerships.’

‘Daden Hunt had huge knowledge of the legal parameters to defend myself.’

‘Always very friendly and nothing is too much trouble’

‘William Arran has been my solicitor. His advice has always been constructive. He has listened to my case with great attention to detail. This gives me confidence that I am getting the right advice. ’

‘Having been recommended Birketts Solicitors from working contacts, I can honestly say that I have not been disappointed with the service that we have received.’

‘Daden Hunt and William Arran have been exceptional with advice relating to a very long-running dispute.’

‘Birketts are a trustworthy and well respected firm, we have been working with them now for 10 years, across many different departments and their service and advice is second to none! ’

‘I work with Clare Barlow and have been for around 8 years, Clare is always at the end of the phone whenever i need her, she knows our business inside and out and always provide us with the best advice. We trust her judgement. And look forward to working with her for many more years!’

‘In my experience, Birketts’ response has always been very clear and timely. Communication is good and my expectations have been managed around timings. Written advice has been followed up with helpful telephone discussions. I have always felt comfortable in asking any question, no matter how trivial. Charging has taken into account the fact that we are a charity and discounts given where possible. The team have been offered and attended numerous informative free workshops as well as value for money seminars.’

‘I have worked with Clare Barlow for a number of years and always found her to be very helpful, professional, well informed and responsive. Support staff have been polite and efficient, as have those standing in for Clare when she has been on leave.’

‘The Birketts employment team are pragmatic, responsive and great to deal with. Their advice is always well reasoned and practical. ’

‘Clare Barlow is extremely knowledgeable and practical.’

‘Very professional with a strong working knowledge of immigration law and legislative developments in the field.’ 

‘Birketts was amazing throughout the whole process. Janice Leggett was extremally helpful and always knew what was needed. She ensured we had all relevant information to ensure I had the best possible chance of attaining a visa.’ 

‘I worked with Janice Leggett, she was extremely helpful and knowledgeable throughout the process of attaining my visa. She was always keeping me up to date with the whole process and ensured everything was arranged in the best possible way.’

‘Very professional with vast knowledge with regard to immigration and workings of government institutions.’

‘The office staff were always supportive.’

‘I was particularly impressed by their collaborative approach.’

‘Very professional throughout the practice. They have a large team which enables us to know there they can handle all our legal requirements.’

‘Duncan Williamson is knowledgeable and has a very good eye for detail in deals which others may miss. Whilst nothing gets past Duncan, he is also very commercial in finding ways past problems to make deals happen. Duncan even garners compliments from our clients in respect of his inter-action with their own solicitors.’

‘It is a local firm with the big firm clout. They have specialists covering all the major disciplines and you get consistent, high-quality advice across the board. Birketts’ billing is fair and the service represents excellent value for money. ’

‘David Springett is an incredible legal talent and an expert when it comes to navigating complex land and development cases. There is nothing pretentious in how he operates and I always get reliable and pragmatic advice.’

‘Excellent response time to customer enquiries, clear fee structure and solid advice from all involved.’

‘Grace Kerr and Hannah Harbottle in particular provide excellent legal advice on a wide range of legal matters. Always able to offer advice or referral even on the most challenging of requests.’

‘The team always exceed expectations at all points of contact.’

‘David Springett is a fantastic lawyer, he is diligent in what he does and very professional.’

‘Birketts engaged with us in a creative structure providing a broad range of commercial services, acting in many regards in an equivalent fashion to an in-house counsel. In addition, the firm put together a comprehensive team to assist in M&A transactions.’

‘Quentin Golder was an exceptional partner, both in terms of providing highly effective and efficient legal services and as a close and valued advisor to the company over many years. He combines tremendous depth of knowledge in a wide array of areas (commercial contracts, corporate governance and M&A) with a pragmatic results-oriented approach.’

‘Nick Burt was an invaluable member of the Birketts team supporting our exit transaction. Nick is highly responsive, deeply knowledgeable and pragmatic in his approach.’

‘Birketts provided top-quality lawyers with a personal touch. We are a small innovation company who have to negotiate contracts with large multi-national companies – Birketts gave us the support and confidence to negotiate our terms and not back down on our key points. Birketts understood our business and what we needed to achieve from the contract. Their clear explanations were invaluable throughout the process and they enabled us to stand as equals in the contract negotiation.’

‘Quentin Golder was our partner on our recent contract negotiations. He provided exceptional support throughout the contract drafting and negotiation process. During negotiations he was strong and clear, tenacious and always aiming for the best possible outcome for our business. During contract legal meetings he always spoke with authority and experience but was always pleasant to maintain a good atmosphere in the meeting. We were glad that we had Quentin on our side and were very satisfied with the final negotiated outcome.’

‘The team delivered exceptional performance in the sale of our business which culminated in working through the night to complete before 8am when the purchaser wished to announce the acquisition to the stock market.’

‘Particular mention to Mark Henry and Emma Bysouth whose tenacity and attention to detail were first-class. The communication was brilliant with non-legally trained clients to ensure we were fully aware the implications of all aspects of the deal.’

‘All round supportive, human and technically excellent.’

‘Rachel Astill has been very supportive during some complex transactions, always patient and happy to explain in clear non-legalise language. Very pragmatic and commercial as well as technically excellent. Also very human with a great sense of humour which is very welcome during drawn out negotiations. James Austin has been very supportive and responsive. Again providing excellent service.’

‘Birketts has the size necessary to follow a 360-degree M&A process. This practice is very useful and effective as it allows with a single work team to address all the problems arising from an acquisition process.’

‘The partner and associate I worked with have been very professional and available to help us in each problems arose over the transaction.’

‘Greg Allan is an excellent communicator; very focused on the deal.’

‘Paul Palik and Ed Savory have been highly competent and efficient in managing our legal requirements. Couldn’t ask for anymore. Exemplary service.’

‘Paul Palik and Ed Savory have been highly efficient and competent in solving legal issues and drafting documentation. They really have provided an excellent all-round service.’

‘In-depth knowledge wrapped in a blanket of commerciality.’

‘The empathy, understanding and overall client care demonstrated by the team at Birketts was outstanding. The depth of understanding demonstrated, coupled with willingness to spend time explaining options in layperson’s terms, really stood out.’

‘We were incredibly impressed with the empathy and understanding shown by Julie Gowland, which gave us immense comfort in what was a very stressful time for my family. Julie went out of her way to spend time explaining our options in great depth and in simple terms, she was always accessible and willing to spend time with us – which really made her stand out from all the other firms we contacted.’

‘Julie Gowland was very approachable and realistic with the advice given.’

‘Birketts have a very strong team which works well together. I had difficult contractual issue with a formidable opponent and the team had great tactics at every stage which resolved the difficult issue. ’

‘Laurence Weeks was always decisive yet very deliberative. His understanding and quick uptake of the law was very effective.’

‘Julie Spencer was excellent with drafting and keeping costs reasonable by effective communications. Really worth a trip from London to Cambridge to get better service and lower costs from an absolute class act.’

‘Every member of the practice team I have dealt with has provided prompt, courteous and professional service.’

‘Sara Sayer has worked tirelessly to assist us with our dispute resolution case. Her advice has been highly practical and professional and invaluable in guiding us through a new and difficult area.’

‘Maria Peyman and Laurence Weeks were standout; Laurence in terms of strategy and oversight and Maria in terms of the brilliant, on-point correspondence she sent to the third party which left them nowhere to go. They were in tune with my arguments and I took their advice at every stage against a formidable opponent not known for losing cases. 100% recommendation to Birketts and especially the two people in question.’

‘Laurence Weeks: excellent lawyer with a deep understanding of his client’s needs. Excellent path from translating client’s needs into appropriate legal strategy.’

‘They displayed a willingness to spend time to understand international laws and client objectives. Despite being in Asia, it was felt that I was in the Birketts office with the team at the Cambridge office during the disruptive period from April 2020 onwards. I did not have to get a senior lawyer from my home country involved for needless cross-continent conferences due to the fast uptake of the Birketts team. Super collaborative approach to the litigation.’

‘A good firm with all levels of experience in every legal field. Birketts is very actively involved in many charitable activities within Suffolk and the surrounding region.’

‘The team has the strength in depth to be able to respond quickly to a range of issues, including more complex cross-border issues. There is clearly a strong team ethic given that support remains constantly available.’

‘Sophie Clarke is my regular point of contact and is a great ambassador for the firm. I particularly value her case management and ability to turn work round efficiently. It does feel like we have another team member.’

‘The services seem more effective than others we have used before. Very well organised with great communication.’

‘The team are excellent at communicating and updating us on progress. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience across the team and each member is incredibly efficient in their given roles.’

‘Robert Howard is always on hand to offer his expertise and we really value his experience. He puts forward a number of scenarios and is pragmatic in his approach. He truly understands what is important for our business and sees the issues from our point of view. Sophie Clarke has helped us on a number of occasions to navigate potentially tricky scenarios and has always done so successfully. She has kept us up to date throughout and has always presented us with a number of options and advised us on how best to proceed. We really value her expertise and the hard work she has put in on our behalf.’

‘Birketts has always given a complete package to our business. From initial correspondence through to court hearing every step of the way has been documented fully and we have been kept up to date with every action. I have been using Birketts for the past 25 years and would not hesitate to recommend them to any organisation.’

‘The stand out person within Birketts is Robert Howard. His knowledge is unlimited and I can always rely on him to advise the right action for the circumstances. He is backed up by a great team too.’

‘I think the people are the biggest asset at Birketts, everyone I have worked with has been professional, helpful and knowledgeable. The Birketts team is very responsive and always ensure advice given is clear and practical. They always make themselves available when matters are urgent.’

‘The team are all just so helpful. Nothing is enough, they are efficient, prompt, supportive and are there with you from beginning to end. Over the last 12 months they have really helped with advice, webinars, training for our manager, however most importantly they have supported the business through some difficult times.’

‘Jeanette Wheeler – huge support in some complex situations, available all hours and highly professional whilst warm and personable. Laura Brown – dedicated, supportive and at the end of the phone with all the professional support I need. Sam Greenhalgh – over the last 12 months we have taken our Managers through Employment law training as well as watching Sam on many webinars. Highly experienced and supportive.’

‘A quality firm in this area with an excellent reputation and a professional, supportive and approachable practice.’

‘Matthew Newnham is a pleasure to work with. Knowledgeable, supportive and pragmatic. He is always our go to person and I have used him regularly on a wide range of employment law matters. Always provides great advice and delivers creative solutions.’

‘I have worked with Birketts now for almost 13 years for mainly employment law advice but also for civil matters. The employment team are fantastic and I cannot rate them highly enough. I recommend them to others when the opportunity arises. I have not had as much involvement with the civil team but when I have their standards are as high.’

‘Mat Newnham is the person with whom I have worked more regularly and he is very personable as well as professional. He gives me the legal side of a situation followed by alternatives when I have been willing to take a level of risk.’

‘We used them for redundancies and other staff issues and they were very responsive and offered practical solutions. They were also very good at getting information about other areas we had issues with. They responded very promptly and did a very thorough job. When the redundancy was challenged by another solicitor, there were no gaps and everything had been thoroughly covered.’

‘What makes this practice unique in my experience is the sheer experience and knowledge in-house. The partner leading the case for my company represented us exceptionally well, with a thorough understanding of the case and the law.’

‘The team is very strong. Matthew Gowen is exceptionally knowledgeable and has provided excellent legal advice, support when needed, and helped us through difficult times.’

‘They offer and introduce all the different roles we need as a sizable business and all work so well together as a team. We use their banking, corporate, HR, property and litigation teams. all very capable lawyers.’

‘They go out of their way to ensure deals are completed and all have very commercial solutions to difficult legal situations.’

‘Birketts have acted for the bank on a number of transactions over the past 12 months. They have always delivered quality work in good timescales as well as appropriate advice at times.’

‘Alex Schaafsma is a highly experienced partner, efficiently overseeing the work and caring greatly about the bank/lawyer relationship.’

‘The team is very responsive to clients needs and takes a proactive part in all of our dealings. Alex Schaafsma is our principal contact and she has been a great source of assistance and advice when needed.’

‘The insolvency team we deal with is headed by Laurence Weeks, a very clever and efficient operator who has a good bedside manner. Laurence and his team always have the client’s interests at heart.’

‘Laurence Weeks is a good leader of his team and has a hands on approach to his key clients. He gets good results and takes a no-nonsense approach when dealing with difficult litigants.’

‘Under the watchful eye of one individual I have been extremely impressed with the efficiency all the different departments, how they have appreciated our needs, responded to our requests and offered understandable and good advice relevant to our situation. To have achieved all the above during the Covid crisis when access to the office was limited is also very impressive – their existing set up of remote access served them well.’

‘They seem very professional and very helpful. They are always happy to help whatever the query whatever time of the day that might be or a weekend. You don’t tend to get that with many firms.’

‘We have dealt with Birketts on a number of land transactions and have found them to be very good communicators, adaptive to the situation and helpful. They adopt positions in varying stages of robustness reflecting the situation in hand not just using the same playbook in every situation. Tom Verrill in particular is very good and to be recommended. He is forthright where needed and more emollient where required, good knowledge and sensible with his billing.’

‘Honesty and integrity, not too cautious but ready to engage or withdraw as required. Proper real wold advice not a load of flannel. Tom Verrill is very good and adapts to our way of doing business, honesty and integrity.’

‘Rachel Mckillop-Wilkin is very personable and able to be incisive to see through a problem.’

‘They handle the very complex matter of farm conveyancing (amongst of course many other things) and have proved to be highly competent and efficient in their delivery of this service.’

‘Very knowledgeable and quick to resolve the many matters that arise. Very thorough and place great emphasis on good customer service.’

‘The level of responsiveness of this team is outstanding and unsurpassed in my 18+ years of working in not-for-profit organisations. Very often we are small, and not very commercially attractive, our challenges are unique in nature and we seek advice often times due to our limited in house expertise. This team treats us exactly the same, with the same levels of respect and attention as any of the much bigger clients who probably spend much more money for much less input. Our business is always valued, and the strong, reliable and trusted working relationships are incredibly valued by our organisation.’

‘ Erika Clarke never fails to support us with tenacity and honesty around some of our most challenging issues. I cannot recommend the team highly enough to other not for profit organisations who may be intimidated by the thought of high fees and difficult legal issues, their supportive approach makes these issues manageable for the small organisation.’

‘A progressive team and approach across different sections. They listen well and seeks to focus on what info they need and for why.’

‘Erika Clarke – a candid and professional focus – takes you to the next step needed.’

‘I find Erika Clarke calm efficient, effective and most importantly unflappable!’

‘Personal attention and care. Attention to detail. Good follow up.’

‘Erika Clarke was exceptionally attentive to detail. She returned calls and emails promptly and was available whenever needed. She was exceptionally attentive to our needs and to any potential dangers and pitfalls.’

‘Excellent, helpful and friendly service.’

‘The team is led by Bernadette Baker, and it is clear that the junior members of the team both trust and respect her. The confidence they have in her knowledge and skills makes for a smooth-running team which benefits the clients. Everyone is very clear on their roles and the communication is excellent despite the challenges presented by the pandemic.’

‘I changed to Birketts following a recommendation, and they are light years ahead of the previous firm I worked with. Bernadette Baker not only has the experience required in this area, but she listens to her clients, takes careful account of the evidence and the law, and works very closely with Counsel to protect her clients’ interests. She is clearly respected by her colleagues and by Counsel which instils much-needed confidence when working through the distressing process of contentious probate law.’

‘The whole process for myself and my siblings with dealing with Birketts, in particular Bernadette Baker, was made so much easier for us to cope with due to brilliant communication from start to finish – from everything to dealing with the case through to price breakdowns. Brilliant.’

‘Bernadette Baker dealt with our case and we couldn’t have wished or asked for a better legal representative for us – outstanding. Especially at a very difficult and upsetting time for myself and my siblings, having just lost our father and his Will being contested; everything was explained, the process, the progression; we felt nothing was left unanswered – A fantastic solicitor and someone I definitely would not like to come up against.’

‘Katie Beaven is patient, understanding, able to explain issues clearly and simply, always pragmatic and looking for solutions and moved with good pace when needed at key process points.’

‘The department works well as a team. They are supportive of each other and their clients. They are a pleasure to work with, willing to take suggestions on board and to discuss all options to get the best outcome for a client.’

‘Oliver Gravell nurtures young talent and gently and kindly teaches young lawyers both legal skills but also people skills and how to view a case from both the long term and the short term perspectives. Katie Beaven cares about her clients and her team. She works with dedication to get the best for her clients. Is not afraid to give difficult advice but deals with it with humanity. Juliet Harvey – a whirlwind of organisation and dedication.’

‘Great value with premier London quality at Cambridge rates. Friendly, approachable practitioners with a problem solving attitude to family law issues.’

‘Rachel Frost-Smith is a rising star who deserves the highest praise for her sensitivity in handling complex children cases. A most able advocate. She also excels in financial matters – particularly those involving businesses and offshore assets where her background in corporate tax makes her a formidable opponent.’

‘Oliver Gravell – has been a Cambridge heavyweight for as long as I can remember! He is adept in all areas and has now added arbitration as another feather in his bow.’

‘The team were exceptionally helpful and supportive throughout my experience. I never felt passed from one person to the next and handover between the team always seemed smooth. There were only really 3 people from the Birketts team that looked after me which was very nice. The solicitors from Birketts carried out all the behind the scenes work with me and I always felt communication was very smooth and complete.’

‘I have worked with Deborah Lloyd and more latterly Lisa Cornish. Both members of the family team work with an enthusiasm and professionalism. I work in mental health, I find the fact that both lawyers are invested with their clients mental health and wellbeing as well as seeking a best outcome for their client.’

‘We appreciate the people, their knowledge of the subject, their teamwork and responsiveness.’

‘Rachel Winter – very collaborative, extremely responsive. Works as part of a team to get the best result for the client. Very good technically.’

‘Birketts has a very strong presence and brand and is well respected in the area.’

‘Excellent technical ability and service levels.’

‘James Dinwiddy – thoughtful and clear advice.’

‘Highly knowledgeable, flexible and detail-focused.’

‘Richard Guy – very precise, detailed, client-focused.’

‘Birketts are very responsive and on top of their game in advising clients both proactive and reactively.’

‘Richard Guy, who I predominantly work with has a wide breadth of knowledge. When I introduce a client I have my own ideas of what they may need but he always does his job comprehensively, building on my straw man plan and putting the detail behind what is required, more importantly, recommending a more appropriate course of action if it is the right thing to do.’

‘Highly professional yet personable approach to client matters.’

‘Helen Cordingley has been excellent working with trust and individual clients across a wide range of scenarios.’

‘They are approachable and make each and every client feel valued. I feel their fees are excellent value for the high level service provided. Their use of technology has made it easy to continue to conduct business with no barriers through these challenging times, especially whilst dealing with often very emotive subjects.’

‘Hayley Pettitt is refreshing to deal with. Hayley can explain complex will structures in a way that a client can easily understand and takes time to ensure they really do understand. Hayley is professional, knowledgeable and delivers exactly what she says she will, if not more.’

‘They are not only competent but practical and friendly and have a consistent high quality across the whole team. They also work well as a team and are very collaborative with fellow professionals.’

‘The Birketts team is a little old-fashioned in that they understand that they are there to provide a service at a fair cost and to stand by advice. So many firms nowadays avoid definitive advice, in my experience.’

‘Practical – always seeking an answer rather than pose more questions and problems.’

‘Approachable, knowledgeable and fun to work with.’

‘We particularly valued Dwight Patten’s extensive knowledge of the higher education sector gained from working with our university previously; together with his willingness to clearly understand the clients objectives whilst adopting a conscientious, commercial and practical solution focused approach to the legal work he co-ordinated on our behalf.’

‘In depth-knowledge and experience of development management practice, which I have seen in particular relating to Section 106 agreements. The ability to advise on the best position for the local planning authority, and foresee any elements missing or that would adversely affect the matter are invaluable. The cross-team cover provided has also been excellent, ensuring legal agreements could progress in the timeliest manner.’

‘What makes this practice stand out to others I have worked with is the speed and effectiveness of the advice given, I do not have to chase for updates and I am always clear each week what is happening on the cases we are working on. Nicky Doole in particular is excellent at providing clear, effective and timely advice on legal agreements and always making sure I know the current position on our work together.’

‘Nicky Doole provides clear and effective advice, with excellent client-side manner. Very approachable.’

‘The employment team at this firm is excellent. The advice, and quality of opinion is outstanding, and highly pragmatic. The knowledge is first rate, and the linking to other specialist areas of the firm to support the client is very good.’

‘The organisation has been supported by Matt Newnham for some time now. He is able to understand the context of a political environment, and anticipate potential outcomes/consequences, and how they may be portrayed in the press. He provides clear, pragmatic and commercial legal opinion. Highly recommended.’

‘Expertise and understanding of state and boarding education and safeguarding issues.’

‘95% available at short notice and always refer to someone who has particular knowledge and skills if not able to respond, as often quick response required for casework.’

‘Birketts have a great commercial property team with a variety of levels of experience so the right lawyer is selected for the job to achieve commercial value. Birketts is run efficiently – they are flexible with their clients and have embraced technology, which has been particularly important with the pandemic.’

‘Dwight Patten is an exceptional lawyer both in terms of the wealth of knowledge he has regarding commercial property, but also that he is able to think out of the box and deliver timely practical solutions for his in-house clients. Dwight is very reliable and has successfully assisted us with a number of large and complex leasehold transactions.’

‘London-quality experience, speed and technical knowhow. On a par with any large firm I have dealt with. Work hand in glove with clients real estate advisors to provide complete joined up service.’

‘Gavin Acheson – vast experience, strong commercial approach, provides practical advice, and knows which issues to focus on.

‘Andrew Shepherdson – a great team member and one for the future.’

‘The team is highly professional, always efficient and with excellent client contact skills. The documents are laid out clearly, are thorough, and always well edited.’

‘Helen Stewart and her team provided excellent advice and support, and were available at all times to my family. The team led by Helen provided clear documentation and at all times met with our deadlines. Helen explained all details accurately and we felt extremely well supported and guided throughout the exchange of contract period.’

‘All the solicitors are of a high calibre and work together as a team. So if your project needs say a legal notice to be served, Birketts will bring in an expert to work alongside your key contact. A responsive and bespoke service.’

‘Julie Hoy – good assertive skills protecting the clients position. Good customer care and quick to understand the clients objectives. Amanda Timcke – friendly approachable service. Again good at taking clients issues on board and providing a bespoke and tailored service. Confident advice on technical points.’

‘We have enjoyed a very good working relationship with Birketts for years now. The team always go that extra mile for us and get paperwork turned around quickly.’

‘Birketts carry out primarily commercial property related tasks on our behalf which include leasing transactions, investment purchases and sales and funding agreements. We find they have an impressive understanding of what we are seeking to achieve and work efficiently to that end.’

‘A consistently good level of service is delivered by all the team who work towards completing transactions in a professional, efficient and timely manner.’

‘Very attentive, good clear knowledge and advice. I can leave them to get on with other professional parties involved in the job.’

‘Great team. Their strength is being pragmatic with issues along with a quick turnaround of high quality work.’

‘Mark Elgar provides high-quality support to my business on all property matters. His pragmatic approach is invaluable to the business.’

‘Commercial, quick, value for money, proactive not reactive.’

‘The Birketts team, led by Melissa Loucas, has supported me and my businesses through many property transactions over the years and each time customer (client) service has been exceptional – a rarity in the legal profession.’

‘Melissa Loucas is, without doubt, the most commercially focused and supportive property lawyer that I have had the pleasure of working with in my career. Whilst keeping me, and my companies, on the straight and narrow legally, all the deals that I have worked with Melissa on have been concluded satisfactorily at great value.’

‘The team has always come across as professionals and are definitely an expert in the field that I have had dealings with them.’

‘Melissa Loucas is the partner I deal with – she consistently went the extra mile to deal with various challenges we have had on our lease completion and I would have absolutely no issues in recommending her for her conscientiousness and diligence.’

‘Highly approachable, with experts across all sectors that I am involved. They are trusted professional advisers.’

‘Bhargav Trivedi leads an impressive team. He is proactive and a real team player.’

‘Birketts have supported us with several commercial property transactions over the last few years, from exiting leases to executing new leases. The support provided has always been first class and certainly, at times, has been above and beyond the agreed scope. Fees are usually quoted in advance and have always been pretty accurate with fair negotiation with any changes.’

‘Very strong firm that is regularly doing work that would usually be reserved for City practices. A good range of experience and expertise. ’

‘Richard Eaton is very knowledgeable, great fun to work with. Nicola Doole – hard working, efficient. Tom Newcombe provides strong leadership. Deborah Sharples – very client focused and well organised. Chloe Glason is very efficient and fun to work with.’

‘Nicola Doole offers clear and effective advice, with excellent client-side manner. Very approachable.’

‘Deborah Sharples provided all the advice we needed both very promptly and accurately. This was particularly impressive given that we had had no relationship with her prior to this issue. We continue to work with her on related issues, so far with 100% successful results.’

‘Apparent limitless planning law knowledge, flexibility of approach and contactable. Keen to deliver exactly what is needed rather than simply producing a highly legalistic document. Sound advice.’

‘Tom Newcombe is always available to explore issues and explore strategies, welcoming client views and inputs. Clearly continues to reflect on issues and report back even after discussions have concluded. Works hard to produce targeted responses that are fit for purpose, trying to distil complex legal issues down into manageable written material to satisfy all requirements.’

‘The team is highly qualified and experienced and has exceptional specialist knowledge in their respective fields.’

‘The individuals we work with at Birketts are driven, talented, readily contactable and responsive. In particular I would give special credit to Deborah Sharples who has been quite exceptional in both her application, effectiveness and dedication throughout.’

‘The firm has genuine specialisms and attracts work from across the country. The team is well geared with the right mix of juniors and partners to ensure work is done well at the right level, promptly and cost-effectively. ’

‘I have worked with Richard Eaton extensively over the years and over a range of practice areas ranging from land law to planning and general public law. Our successes in were largely down to the wealth of property litigation expertise Richard was able to bring to the case.. ’

‘Comprehensive knowledge and experience across the whole team.’

‘Simon Woodhead was outstanding in the process of pursuing my claim and introduced other specialist professionals to support a successful conclusion.’

‘It supplies expertise of the sort found in the best City of London firms, but with the superb advantage that its people seem to have the time to devote to your problems (unlike many in London). Your problem will be worried over, pulled every which way, and taken apart and reassembled so thoroughly that you will be sure that no angle has been left unexplored. If there is a solution to it, they will find it.’

‘Simon Woodhead is very bright and very thorough, leaving no stone unturned in his quest to do the best for his clients. John Scannell likewise is hugely informed and clever: a man who cares deeply about getting the right result for his clients.’

‘Charlotte Wormstone brings a very practical and cost-effective approach to her cases. She is great with clients and also fun to work with.’

‘I have worked with Birketts primarily on affordable housing development. The work involves contract negotiations with landowners and developers. Birketts have demonstrated high standards in all dealings. They have strong experience in this field, which results in appropriate advice and solutions. I value Birketts’ flexible approach, tailoring the service to meet individual project needs.’

‘Emily Groom has demonstrated highly efficient and effective working. As a recent example, Emily negotiated complex contract documents, ensuring that we were able to exchange contracts on a high-profile project to our required timescales. This was achieved despite a number of last minute changes from the vendor. Emily delivered optimal outcomes for our business, in a very tight timescale.’

‘A dedicated team which specialises in matters related to social housing. One of the key strength of Birketts is their excellent customer care on legal matters and legal surgeries they provide to update our team on the latest legislative tools.’

‘Birketts is a specialised and efficient law firm, reactive and reasonable in billing’

‘Henry Adams and the shipping team are efficient, provide good and quick advice, and understand client needs. Henry speaks good French, which makes things easier for our French clients.’

‘Local team providing expert insolvency advice at good value.’

‘The team combines an understanding of legal problems arising in foreign jurisdictions involved in cross-border insolvency cases with business awareness.’

‘William Arran is analytical, attentive to detail and a clear communicator. He tackles problems quickly while bearing in mind client objectives. ’

‘A highly experienced and impressively connected firm, does not hesitate to pull in support from other sector specialisms as necessary to get the job done.’

‘The team at Birketts have performed to the utmost of their capabilities with swift resolution of many issues, identifying potential problems and dealing with specific issues well in advance of other firms. They are down to earth and are realistic. Attention to detail and cost effectiveness was key. ’

‘Second to none in terms of of knowledge and efficiency. ’

‘One can rest assured that when a job is given to Birketts they will get it done. Handholding is not required.’

‘The team members were all very approachable and knew how the work was progressing. They gave good accurate assessments of how the work was likely to develop. The final cost was slightly under the initial estimate, which was very pleasing.’

‘The Birketts agricultural team are a pleasure to work with. They are friendly and welcoming and take time to explain things in a clear and precise manner in an understanding way. They are very approachable and very easy to communicate with. ’

‘I have worked with the team members for a number of years. They take time to understand complex issues and situations and work with me to provide superb results and service to our mutual clients.’

‘Annabelle Rout was recommended to us – her communication is good; she provides concise advice.’

‘Jenny Howe is obviously very knowledgeable but also proactive and flexible which I consider is essential with achieving a satisfactory outcome for a client in contentious probate matters.’

‘Jenny Howe took on my case during an extremely difficult time for all, during the pandemic. She has been extremely empathetic whilst remaining professional at all times. Her communication has been second to none, keeping me updated. I would not hesitate to recommend herself or perhaps the firm she works for to anyone. ’

‘The practice balances a very strong corporate and professional approach with one of compassion and sensitivity. That maybe sounds odd for a legal firm but when dealing with a difficult and delicate family trust issue this has been of huge importance to us, this is what differentiates the team. To find individuals who can balance this and deliver to the highest level is a huge achievement. The practice is diverse in terms of gender. During my 30 years of financial services experience, I have had the pleasure of working with a number of magic circle global law firms. My engagement with, support of and advice from Birketts has been at the same level I would expect to received from them.’

‘Jenny Howe has taken time to understand the complex reasons behind why we needed legal help with a fairly simple family trust and the dynamics that caused us to get to where we are. She did this to hone her approach to the situation and to give her a better chance to assist. Jenny has taken on board ideas and approaches from us and has coupled them with her tried and trust experience. Jenny has listened to us – not something many lawyers are good at. Jenny is firm and direct, authoritative but also understands the sensitivity with which family matters need to be dealt with.’

‘I consider Emma Brunning to be an excellent family solicitor, who is clever and committed to her client’s cause, but also able to provide the necessary advice and guidance that they sometimes do not want to hear. However, her clients trust her and she instils confidence. Emma is a pleasure to work with and her instructions and e-bundles are immaculate. ’

‘Ivana Radovic can be a fearsome opponent who fights her client’s corner with impressive skill and knowledge. She also mediates and works collaboratively so is able to suit her approach to the circumstances. I’d be more than happy to have her acting for me if the circumstances arose.’

‘Leaders in the field. Reputation for excellence, giving a bespoke service from start to finish. ’

‘Ivana Radovic has excellent attention to detail. She goes the extra mile in analysing financial disclosure in a divorce to make sure that nothing goes unnoticed. ’

‘Birketts appear to go above and beyond, they build rapport with clients but present a wonderfully balanced and impartial view when it comes to your stance as a client. All correspondence was speedy and thorough. The accounts department were efficient and very pleasant to deal with too.’

‘Emma Brunning is kind and caring and very sympathetic and tactful when dealing with emotional issues. She was a pillar of strength to me at times and also gave me a realistic perspective on my situation moving forward. She was always fair and balanced in her advice and I feel very lucky to have her represent me.’

‘The firm were organised, efficient, enthusiastic , knowledgeable and looked after us extremely well ensuring that our views were understood and taken into account whilst ensuring that the legal opportunities were clearly explained.’

‘Our lawyer was extremely understanding and took a great deal of trouble to ensure that our concerns and worries were taken into account and the legal options were fully explained in detail and at length, ensuring that we were made aware of legal options available. Extremely empathetic and client orientated thus ensuring that difficult situations were made understandable.’

‘Stefan Harris-Wright’s thinking and advice is clear and understandable. This helps in the efficient delivery of projects. The depth of knowledge is very strong which leads to swift conclusion of the matter at hand.’

‘Birketts treat you as if you are their only client. They are quick to respond and keep you updated regularly. You never feel that any question or query is insignificant and they take your concerns seriously. A standout point for me is they set expectations from the start. They give clear timeframes as to when you can expect them to deliver the service and they meet the deadlines.’

‘Stefan Harris-Wright has always provided us with an excellent service. We have worked with him now for many years and we have a great working relationship. Stefan provides clear information that’s easy to understand.’

‘A great team, very commercial – London skill with out-of-London prices.’

‘Stefan Harris-Wright is excellent, commercial, always super responsive. He understands the needs of our business and is an excellent point of contact for all other disciplines within Birketts. Fees are reasonable and transparent. He is always happy to help, personable and manages his team well.’

‘Patrick Cooney has always been and continues to be exceptional.’

‘Excellent service and knowledge of the construction sector and dealing with academia.’

‘Both Samantha Woodley and Quentin Golder deserve mentions as both are very helpful, patient and excellent to work with. ’

‘The intellectual property team at Birketts is very responsive and willing to assist with our international portfolio. The global network of trade mark lawyers is impressive and supportive to the planning and co-ordination activities of the UK team. ’

‘Nellie Jackson portrays the helpful and productive culture that Birketts as a firm generates.’

‘Efficient, commercial and extremely helpful.’

‘Nellie Jackson – helpful, commercial, clear and concise.’

‘The practice looks to recruit and positions experts in their particular fields, so you always have confidence that you are dealing with a person with the relevant skills and experience to resolve disputes.’

‘Maria Peyman helped guide us though a tricky trade mark dispute. Maria has been courteous and diligent in her work, with the difficult situation around Covid, Maria has always been available via differing media, and we have flipped between email, video and phone communications as have been required. Maria is very professional and clear on the end result we work towards.’

‘Birketts are very engaged as legal advisors and are thorough in their responses. They take the time to understand our priorities and always provide suitable guidance.’

‘The lawyers at Birketts are approachable and well informed. They are easy to contact and easy to talk to, they will avoid jargon and always give clear and honest advice.’

‘Birketts have acted for us on a number of transactions over the past 12 months. They have always delivered quality work in good timescales as well as appropriate advice at times.’

‘Birketts is a specialised and efficient law firm, reactive and reasonable in billing’

‘Henry Adams and the shipping team are efficient, provide good and quick advice, and understand client needs. Henry speaks good French, which makes things easier for our French clients.’

‘We particularly valued Dwight Patten’s extensive knowledge of the higher education sector gained from working with our university previously; together with his willingness to clearly understand the clients objectives whilst adopting a conscientious, commercial and practical solution focused approach to the legal work he co-ordinated on our behalf.’

‘In depth-knowledge and experience of development management practice, which I have seen in particular relating to Section 106 agreements. The ability to advise on the best position for the local planning authority, and foresee any elements missing or that would adversely affect the matter are invaluable. The cross-team cover provided has also been excellent, ensuring legal agreements could progress in the timeliest manner.’

‘What makes this practice stand out to others I have worked with is the speed and effectiveness of the advice given, I do not have to chase for updates and I am always clear each week what is happening on the cases we are working on. Nicky Doole in particular is excellent at providing clear, effective and timely advice on legal agreements and always making sure I know the current position on our work together.’

‘Nicky Doole provides clear and effective advice, with excellent client-side manner. Very approachable.’

‘The employment team at this firm is excellent. The advice, and quality of opinion is outstanding, and highly pragmatic. The knowledge is first rate, and the linking to other specialist areas of the firm to support the client is very good.’

‘The organisation has been supported by Matt Newnham for some time now. He is able to understand the context of a political environment, and anticipate potential outcomes/consequences, and how they may be portrayed in the press. He provides clear, pragmatic and commercial legal opinion. Highly recommended.’

‘Expertise and understanding of state and boarding education and safeguarding issues.’

‘95% available at short notice and always refer to someone who has particular knowledge and skills if not able to respond, as often quick response required for casework.’