Matthew Newnham > Birketts LLP > Norwich, England > Lawyer Profile

Birketts LLP  has a multi-disciplinary team that acts for a diverse range of clients in the health and education sectors. ‘The employment team is always available to support and give advice and are very knowledgeable‘, remarks one client. Head of public sector and local government Ruth Neave works across all five of the firm’s offices, calling upon the expertise of head of education Abigail Trencher in Cambridge and head of health Matthew Newnham in Norwich. Charities partner Liz Brownsell  in Ipswich takes the lead on matters concerning academies. Trencher and legal director Tom Sharpe in Norwich are ‘very helpful and their advice is always sound‘. Corporate partner Ed Savory, also based in Norwich, advised South Norfolk Council on a joint venture arrangement with five other local authorities in Norfolk and Anglian Water.

Birketts LLP has one of the largest employment practices in the region and it ‘always provides pragmatic and practical advice, explained in straightforward terms‘. The ‘simply outstanding‘ Jeanette Wheeler leads the cross-office employment practice from Norwich, where ‘legal genius‘ Matthew Newnham ‘provides exceptional service and is always commercially aware’. ‘Very thorough‘ senior associate Lucy Churchill is also a key practitioner. Catherine Johnson who is ‘calmness personified and has an incredible memory bank of legal knowledge‘ and the ‘approachable, empathetic‘ Sonya O’Reilly are the lead partners in Ipswich. Abigail Trencher is the standout partner in Cambridge, where legal director Olivia Toulson is recommended. Tom Sharpe in Norwich defended an unfair dismissal claim for The College of West Anglia.

With a strong presence in Essex, Birketts LLP‘s public sector team is equipped to provide an all-round service to its local government, healthcare and education clients, by working closely with a number of the firm’s other specialist departments. Abigail Trencher leads the dedicated education team, while employment expert Matthew Newnham heads up the health team, and Ruth Neave leads the overall department, as well as the local government team. Neave’s practice extends to procurement, strategic partnership, and public sector governance mandates.