Vincent King > Weightmans LLP > Manchester, England > Lawyer Profile

In the North West, Weightmans LLP is well-regarded for its expertise in the higher education sector and assists with non-contentious and contentious issues. The team in Manchester advises universities in relation to procurement issues, covered by department head Martin Vincent, who is also the key contact for employment issues; as well as student complaints, which are covered by Josh Conroy, who specialises in high-value litigation, and highly sensitive matters such as issues arising from on-campus deaths and suicides. The department also advises on pensions, which is Philip Woolham’s area of expertise in Liverpool, as well as high-profile projects, an area which is covered by projects and commercial lawyer Vincent King in Manchester. In Liverpool, Rose Moss specialises in commercial real estate mandates.

Praised for ‘constantly have their finger on the pulse around any commercial developments’, the team at Weightmans LLP acquisitions, disposals, group restructures, reorganisations and venture capital transactions, as well as specialising in IP, IT, data protection and competition law issues. Co-head Seray Kitchingman specialises in corporate transactions, while fellow co-head Tom Trowhill is noted for his expertise in commercial, tech, data protection and IP law. Vincent King is praised as an ‘excellent lawyer with vast knowledge across multiple practices.’

Praised for its ‘excellent’ service, the competition group at Weightmans LLP is well-versed in both contentious and non-contentious matters. The practice has earned a formidable reputation for its strong competition offering in the aviation sector, where it is routinely instructed by public sector bodies on various corporate and commercial matters. Practice head Laurence Pritchard regularly handles complex, high-profile matters, and plays a key role in the team’s noteworthy contentious and non-contentious engagements. Rike Ridings is lauded for her ‘considerable knowledge of local government’, while Vincent King is well-versed in procurement law. Angela Gregson joined the team in Feb 2025 from gunnercooke LLP.

Noted for its capabilities in assisting large universities, including members of the Russell Group, Weightmans LLP’s education offering includes procurement, student complaints, pensions and inquests. Martin Vincent, the head of the education department is based in Manchester and is an expert for procurement in the university sector. Litigator Josh Conroy is adept at handling a range of claims brought against universities, including student complaints, while Richard Vaughan covers construction work, assisting universities in significant projects and (procurement of) construction contracts. Nicola Gonnella advises on a range of issues, including IP, media and technology, as well as outsourcing, procurement and data protection. Cat Ellis has experience in a range of pension aspects, such as pension arrangements for universities. Vincent King assists clients with outsourcing, long-term contracts for the supply of services and funding agreements.