Blake Morgan LLP > Cardiff, Wales > Firm Profile

‘The firm has excellent strength-in-depth and is led by very capable partners across all sectors of law that we require.’

‘Pragmatic and flexible approach to the remit enabling quick progress. Also agile in response to changing circumstances, including engagement with other industry advisors in order to determine most appropriate direction.’

‘Hands on and pragmatic, effective advice aimed at a client friendly solutions. Time efficient and flexible.’

‘The impressive team provided great service on an extremely complex transaction, with very tight timescales, while also offering sensible value.’

‘Richard Jones has led projects for me for a decade. His commercial and pro-active approach has produced exceptional results.’

‘James Williams is an exceptional corporate lawyer with well tuned commercial opinions backed by excellent legal credentials.’

‘Their prior experience of crowdfunding was a huge asset.’

‘The firm has a very strong procurement disputes practice.’

‘The highly experienced team provides excellent client care and confidence that work is being progressed.’

‘The team is very studious, responsive and agile.’

‘Joanne Thompson is excellent. She is diligent and has very sound commercial and legal judgement.’

‘Sarah Whittle provides great support, care and due diligence.’

‘The team provides a unique level of continuity, with personal contact available at all times, with sound advice and in depth understanding of very complex issues.’

‘The team offers a depth of knowledge and experience relevant to our sector. I use them for advice on complex subject matter and find their advice to be of a high quality.’

‘The team is friendly, knowledgeable and realistic in everything that we bring to them. They not only advise but coach us for future situations and explain their advice in a manageable and realistic manner.’

‘They offer a quality of service you would expect from London-based firms but with a useful distance from the issues involved and at a better value for money.’

‘Blake Morgan’s employment team is exceptional in understanding our business scenario; our preferred outcome; and any other key factors such as time and resource restrictions before applying their insight and experience to give us the art of the possible.’

‘My work with Matthew Smith combined both high confidence in the technical consideration of the legal issues we were discussing but also impartial advice based on experience. The combination of the two was particularly powerful in navigating the situations I presented the firm with.’

‘Matthew Smith sets the standard when it come to commercial understanding; relationship management; and creative approaches that gives the client control and perspective.’

‘Paula Kathrens is pragmatic and responsive and always balances legal risk with reality of business needs.’

‘The team’s in-depth knowledge of the sector in south Wales is a particular strong skill set and regularly seek their input on industry matters.’

‘Excellent firm. Always available to assist and advise on matters, sometimes with very little notice.’

‘Gillian McCue is always informed and insightful.’

‘Gillian McCue is exceptionally professional and very helpful.’

‘Gillian McCue is very easy to work with and explains complex pensions issues in a concise, clear manner.’

‘In difficult working conditions the team was always contactable and approachable for ideas.’

‘Sophia Farmer and Paul Caldicott were always available to discuss matters and how best to take them forward.’

‘The practice is an exemplar of professionalism.’

‘The team is incredibly knowledgeable about our sector and is particularly sensitive at handling difficult, contentious issues that the client is having difficulty dealing with.’

‘Simon McCann is knowledgeable and approachable.’

‘Graham Miles is a cornerstone of the team and brings his vast knowledge and experience to bear. Graham is one of those lawyers who takes time to understand the issue from every perspective, including the human angle, so that he can tailor his advice and deliver it sensitively and with consideration.’

‘Joanne Thompson has very sound commercial and legal judgement.’

‘The team is highly efficient, engaging and knowledgeable.’

‘Sian Jones and Adam Carbis are both excellent at their jobs. Their ease with clients and clear explanation of facts is invaluable.’

‘Blake Morgan provides a first-class service, they always have someone available to give accurate and professional advice.’

‘Sian Jones very attentive and provides a superb service.’

‘The exceptional Louise Howells provides an outcomes-focused service.’

‘ Louise Howell is totally committed, focused and knowledgeable.’

‘Lee Fisher puts the intellectual into intellectual property. He deals with matters very efficiently and is always prompt and keeps us informed.’

‘The team is collaborative, flexible and always available for discussion on any casework issue.‘

‘One of the strengths of the team is the ability to adapt to increased demand, sometimes at short notice.‘

‘We have particularly valued the positive collaboration with the team at Blake Morgan when dealing with the challenges of progressing casework during the pandemic, and now as we work through our recovery plans.‘

‘Mat Wilson has been fantastic.’

‘Blake Morgan are responsive and attentive. They collaborate internally to address my varied legal needs and take great care to understand my commercial requirements.’

‘A strong team that always delivers.’

‘James Hawkeswood is fabulous.’

‘The M&A team at Blake Morgan is diligent, professional and highly capable, providing top-notch service at a competitive fee rate.’

‘Guy Constant is very experienced and knowledgeable in his field, yet uncomplicated and easy to deal with.’

‘A combination of expertise, patience and well structured good advice have been the hallmark of working with Alison Patten-Hall and I would not hesitate to recommend her counsel. ’

‘Blake Morgan has a great UK mid-market M&A practice full of highly experienced partners. Every deal is given the fullest care and attention. As a regional law firm, I’d say they provide a comparable City quality service at much more attractive chargeout rates.’

‘The team we work with at Blake Morgan act as an extension of our team rather than a separate legal firm. They take time to understand our mission, vision and objectives and therefore give legal advice which is relevant and collaborative, making red lines very clear rather than leaving it for us to interpret the law.’

‘Good people and a collaborative approach, very easy to work with.’

‘Susie Dryden is highly knowledgeable, tactically astute, and it was a pleasure to work with her and her team.’

‘Susie Dryden is a class act; clever and very knowledgeable, excellent judgement, commercially astute and a pleasure to be instructed by. 

‘Practical, grounded approach in their advice. Always take the time to understand the issues’

‘Jill Bainbridge is very knowledgeable and an excellent communicator, always puts clients at ease!’

‘Dan Geddes is an exceptional commercial litigator. He is tactically astute, calm under pressure and tough in negotiations. ’

‘Reputation is second to none within the central south region. Partners regularly engage with business organisations and support research on matters of interest to the property sector.’

‘Commercial, client facing and very knowledgable. Nothing was too much trouble and all requests were dealt with efficiently and promptly.’

‘Sound commercial advice offering sensible solutions for clients.’

‘They are approachable, knowledgeable and we work together in a very efficient partnership.’

‘Blake Morgan have always dealt with our cases in a swift and concise manner – with good turnaround times.’

‘Elizabeth Bowden and Sadak Miah are approachable, with good attention to detail. We have built a good working relationship with them over the years.’ 

‘We all work together and it feels like a team. Their staff are approachable, knowledgeable and friendly. They are always on hand and if they have to go away and investigate we know they will come back.’

‘We have found Blake Morgan very approachable and willing to understand our concerns. They have been very responsive to events as they change and have provided quick and legally solid advice.’

‘Excellent, knowledgeable and prompt advice and support tailored to our needs. As a small charity we do not have an in-house HR or legal department yet still have to navigate tricky employment issues.’

‘Tim Forer has a unique understanding of life in the Royal Navy, both as a serving person and now as a trustee of another Naval Charity. He is therefore extremely well placed to give informed guidance and support to our needs. ’

‘Tim Forer is our go-to employment partner. He has extensive knowledge, a highly approachable style, leads clients by careful methods, gets the results we need and is 100% accessible. I have no hesitation in recommending him wholeheartedly.’

‘I’ve worked closely with Blake Morgan for a number of years and have achieved a relationship with them which works akin to a partnership. This has enabled a collaborative and mutual working practice to ensure that any advice is not only fit for purpose but best for us as a business too. The impact of Covid has tested this through a number of employment issues which we have faced.’

‘Paul Hayward and Madeleine Mould – together they have supported all requirements ensuring excellent communication. When there has been a requirement to seek further specialist advice they have followed through and ensured a thorough understanding of the situation.’

‘Lockdown has not negatively impacted the service that we get from the Team. Although during this time we have changed our point of contact, the quality of advice – pragmatic and commercial and response times has been very good. The team are a delight to work with – flexible, helpful and responsive.’

‘Very risk-focused – takes the time to understand our business, our attitude to risk; and makes recommendations on that basis.’

‘Rajiv Joshi is happy to act almost as a direct adviser, he is always at the end of a phone and offers immediate support to our business when we need it.’

‘All the people I’ve worked with at Blake Morgan have been pleasant, intelligent and diligent. There is a culture of pragmatism generally which means that potentially thorny issues are usually easily resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. This ‘can do’ attitude has been really helpful in creating commercially sound but non-standard financing arrangements.’

‘Kath Shimmin has been a joy to work with over many years. She is smart and to the point, but also great fun. At times she has turned the legal process from a necessary evil to something actually enjoyable. She listens to what the bank and the borrower want/need and works to find solutions that suit both.’

‘We have exceptional engagement with Blake Morgan. This extends beyond partner level with the wider teams engaging with us in a timely, professional way across regardless of weather they are acting for the bank or a customer.’

‘Competitive rates, willing to act in a collaborative manner and always able to meet the deadline – what is not to like!’

‘Blake Morgan provide a banking and finance service that exceeds the fees that it charges and hits as heavy as the larger firms known for their banking and finance practices.’

‘Kath Shimmin provides magic circle-level advice and knowledge and is approachable and commercial. She takes the time to get to know the business at all levels – senior management, in-house legal counsel and the stakeholders at the coalface.’

‘For me they are the easiest firm to deal with in the Thames Valley! Always responsive, good commercial understanding.’

‘Jennifer Williamson is a stand out professional. Her attention to detail was unparalleled and yet her empathy and confident style helped reassure at the darkest of hours. She made it apparent from day 1 that she was fully committed and by my side.’

‘Simon Burge gives confident, no-nonsense advice. Highly respected in the region and for good reason.’

‘Blake Morgan have a real depth to their family team, with exepertise at all levels. Their reputation is second to none and having worked with this firm for many years, I can see why. ’

‘Simon Burge is calm, measured, and a true expert in the field.’

‘Jennifer Williamson is superb. She is a firm but fair negotiator. She cares deeply about her clients and is always willing to go the extra mile.

‘The Blake Morgan Family Team are exceptional. They would be my first choice if I was engaged in family proceedings myself or had to recommend to a friend or a relative.’

‘Simon Burge and Jennifer Williamson are a formidable team operating at a high level in the high net worth financial remedies arena. They are both very experienced and excellent with the clients. The cases are always meticulously prepared and they never fill the clients with false expectations.’

‘Knowledgeable staff who guided us through a complicated process setting up our Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorneys very well, explaining each part of the process with understanding and support. What could have been a very difficult and sensitive conversation turned into a enjoyable process through the team’s good management. We felt fully supported and confident in the decisions we have made to secure the future of ourselves and family.’

‘The team is led by Paula Shea. She is very well respected in her field. She responded  in a timely fashion to all queries made of her and replied in the clearest of terms.’

‘ Jonathan Sleep: the speed of his response to a query is impressive. His obvious professional knowledge, together with his positive, no-nonsense and proactive approach in tailoring the proposed solution has been outstanding.’

‘Jonathan Sleep is, without doubt, the best lawyer I have ever had the fortune to work with; in my opinion, he is a credit to the firm and the profession. ’

‘Blake Morgan has detailed experience and expertise in trust and Inheritance Tax matters. They provide a full and professional service and have maintained this throughout the pandemic.’

‘Penny Rinta-Suksi has excellent subject knowledge in leisure management contracts. Very practical and down to earth. Understands the commercial impact of contractual drafting decisions. Good fun to work with. ’

‘The team we work with at Blake Morgan act as an extension of our team rather than a separate legal firm. They take time to understand our mission, vision and objectives and therefore give legal advice which is relevant and collaborative, making red lines very clear rather than leaving it for us to interpret the law.’

‘Bruce Potter – always makes himself available for urgent issues and ensures he has an overview of our joint work. His knowledge and practical approach to dealing with difficult issues are invaluable.’

‘Blake Morgan provide an excellent level of customer service. Their webinars have been useful during the past year to provide key insight into emerging areas of risk. ’

‘Blake Morgan has always understood the needs of the local authority and responded accordingly. They provide clear advice and are willing to engage with all levels of the council. ’

‘The team works very well together and provides a quality service.’

‘Highly skilled and motivated staff and a comprehensive approach to every deal. Solution finders!’

‘The level of service across departments is always high. Turnaround time on work is always very quick but with a high standard still maintained.’

‘Anna Larbi  and Debbie Brown are commercial, accurate, prompt, efficient, knowledgeable and personable.’

‘The team is impressively responsive with replies to emails and calls being provided expeditiously. As a consequence, we are able to be agile and responsive in commercial matters, which invariably means obtaining the best results quickly.’

‘Outstanding communication, which means someone will always come back to you with the answer you are looking for, whether a legal or simple administrative query.’

‘Great link-up between estates and property litigation teams. You can rest assured that your matter is in safe hands from beginning to end, across the two contentious and non-contentious fields.’

‘Vast experience of dealing with charity retail clients. Is able to draw upon this experience to advise on any special consideration we should be considering on unusual matters.’

‘Small, bright and focused.’

‘ I don’t see Blake Morgan as an external team. They are our team.’

‘Dominic Jones is a bright partner, committed to his clients’

‘The team has been helpful and knowledgable on a variety of issues across several sites and projects. Advice is always clear and prompt and billing has been transparent and easy to manage. ’

‘Blake Morgan’s construction team is flexible and creative when it comes to adapting its services and costs to suit its clients – they go to great lengths to agree something that works for you and provide a good level of customer service monitoring it to make sure it is working as intended.’

‘Richard Wade is knowledgeable, attentive and pragmatic. No surprises and risks are never ignored.’

‘The construction team have always been willing and able to work as one with our in-house lawyers and project team to deliver sometimes tricky transactions.’

‘Personal contact and communication together with excellent support services ensure that the client is never left waiting for answers. Clear, no nonsense understandable advice is offered and acted upon. Overall very efficient.’

‘Specialist knowledge of subject and pragmatic approaches to solutions.’

‘Highly collaborative team, working with stakeholders across any particular project to get the best outcome for clients. Extremely diligent – looks at risk from all angles.’

‘Anita Kasseean is a hugely enthusiastic environmental lawyer, with terrific focus on minimising risk. She is someone that always protects the client’s interests.’

‘Good team run by Jill Bainbridge – wide experience, commercial approach’

‘Jill Bainbridge is extremely experienced, practical, knowledgeable, commercially minded and a delight to work with. Ben Evans is more junior but has the same attributes’

‘I think the stand out features of the Blake Morgan team – and which I think in-house peers would wish to know – include not just what you would expect which is top notch expertise and timely responses, but practical and pragmatic advice and – the following is hard to describe – but the sense that your files are important to Blake Morgan which is something that is often lost instructing larger law firms. It is an all round pleasant experience instructing and working with them, from your largest to smallest file.’

‘The stand out individuals for us are Jill Bainbridge, Ben Evans and Claire Bowers. They are, without exception, pleasant to deal with and if they do not have an immediate answer, they will come back promptly.’

‘The banking team is always available and approachable and works hard to get the job done. ’

‘Paul Duggan is a rare thing among banking lawyers – a thorough professional combined with a user-friendly lawyer, who is experienced enough to find solutions which are both watertight and commercial. We always look forward to working with Paul as he really knows his stuff. ’

‘Conscientious and prepared to go the extra mile. Good communication – they kept us informed.’

‘The team is always very professional and knowledgeable.’

‘Lisa Davies is a fearsome advocate for our clients, and provides insightful and clear advice.’

‘Nicky Sherrard ably guided me and my eldest brother through the probate process following the death of our mother. She helped us to manage the expectations of our three siblings, and it was a great comfort to us to know that matters were being dealt with by Nicky.’

‘Nicky is professional and conscientious, and has a personal touch so important in this area of work.’

‘The exceptional team provides commercially minded and expedient advice.’  

‘James Egan is personable and responsive.’

‘Philip Jardine provides strong support when required.’

‘Dawn Smith is friendly, thorough and knowledgeable.’

‘Geoff Reed is very knowledgeable and will go that extra mile.’

‘Gareth Howlett provided good commercial advice on some important acquisitions.’

‘The team is a pleasure to deal with and truly collaborates with other lawyers involved in the transaction.’

‘Competent, prompt and clear advice. Very easy to work with.’

‘The unique difference with Blake Morgan is the degree of technical understanding of construction delivery, how that blends with legal processes and mostly importantly, how it can be translated into something that is commercially sound for all parties.’

‘Jo Rees is an exceptional legal advisor and approaches problems with a highly dynamic and pragmatic approach leading to well negotiated outcomes.’

‘Kate Howell is a rising star in my opinion, someone with the maturity and experience that comes with a previous career.’

‘Kate Howell is very easy to work with.’

‘Excellent knowledge of cross-border issues and great client care.’

‘‘Daniel Scognamiglio has first-rate client handling skills, and is charming and experienced.’

‘The firm has a good history of working in this field and some very effective practitioners. Daniel Scognamiglio is a well-known practitioner in this area and a very effective one.’

‘Their travel knowledge is second to none. Ian Skuse is an outstanding font of knowledge on the practical application of travel law.’

‘A great team. Unusual in that they genuinely do work on both sides (claimant and defendant), and both at a high level.’

‘Daniel Scognamiglio is the real deal – he is calm and unflappable, and knows the area like the back of his hand. ’

‘Blake Morgan are a highly experienced firm of solicitors specialising in international injury work. Their client care is second to none, and they are communicative and know the sector inside out.’

‘Daniel Scognamiglio is very experienced – a safe pair of hands for high-value complex litigation. He’s versatile, with knowledge of a number of different sub-specialisms. ’

‘Michael Colledge handled my case and was professional and tenacious throughout the long-drawn out process.’

‘Blake Morgan were an early adopter of technology in reaction to Covid and this has led to brilliant communication, that has helped deal flow. The quality and availability of partners really cannot be faulted.’

‘James Realff is top quality. He has a practical approach which really helps get deals done.’

‘Excellent knowledge of charity law and in particular the incorporation of a charity into a CIO.’

‘The team is strong. I have particular experience of Christine Plews, James Davies and Catherine Morgan. The firm is well organised, strong in inter-departmental support and technologically innovative. ’

‘The family division was excellent from the start. They assured me of my position and explained all the legal rights I had. Furthermore their team was clear about their services and costs and understood my financial position. They allocated the right level solicitor to handle my case from the early start and only when required did they escalate to more senior solicitors when required.’

‘I have worked with the firm for all my personal requirements for around 10 years and found them to be professional, efficient and have the capability to deal with any situation that has arisen.’

‘An excellent setup. I felt I was listened to and advised correctly. Blake Morgan can call on various other staff within their organisation for outside advice.’

‘Christine Plews has very long experience and always comes to a case looking for a sensible and practical solution that is fair to both parties. James Davies has an eye for detail and an ability to dig out the truth forensically. Both of them are excellent communicators and provide wonderful client service.’

‘Catherine Morgan – extremely personable and lovely with clients. Knowledgeable about the law but also has a sensitive appreciation of the difficulties faced by clients.’

‘James Davies is absolutely excellent. He is exceptionally hard-working and an excellent tactician.’

‘Easy interaction. A minimum of fuss and bother to the client.’

‘I have been struck by the friendliness, expertise, efficiency and effectiveness of the individuals at Blake Morgan Oxford with whom my wife and I have interacted during the past year: James Greig, Thomas Djan-Krofa and Kathryn Woodward. ’

‘James Greig is very good at attention to detail.’

‘Good cooperation with the update of our wills and putting together LPAs.’

‘As executors, we decided to ask Blake Morgan to help us through a complicated process after my parents’ deaths and prior to probate. Stephen Evans has been a delight to work with: professional, thorough, accessible, calm and kind when the circumstances have been extremely challenging and upsetting for us, and extremely patient when explaining with clarity the detailed legal situation we have been dealing with. He has taken a lot of care to be transparent about costs throughout and the firm’s attitudes towards billing have also been exemplary.’

‘Susannah Trehearne stands out – she is very thorough and empathetic.’

‘The important strength of this practice is the seamless link between the departments which is very reassuring from the clients point of view. Communications by telephone and email ensures rapid transfer of information and significantly speeds up the process.’

‘The property litigation was carried out by Simon Pestell, the legal director. His answers to queries were concise and promptly received and his response to left messages was always timely.’

‘Blake Morgan has worked with us for more than 20 years and understands our business. It offers expert advice and assistance proactively and in a timely manner.’

‘Prompt, professional pragmatic service. Claire understands our business and provides excellent guidance.’

‘Sound knowledge combined with obvious experience of property litigation matters.’

‘Simon Pestell was very responsive and proactive when the matter we were dealing with was stalling.’

‘Really good team with cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills. Great practical experience.’

‘Jill Bainbridge – A fantastic solicitor with great skills and practical experience to go with her impressive knowledge of the area. Always good to work with.’

‘The team is well led by the excellent Jill Bainbridge, well backed up especially by Ben Evans ’

‘Jill Bainbridge- very experienced, knowledgeable, commercial, efficient, delightful to work with. Ben Evans, less experienced, but otherwise with those same characteristics’

‘We use Blake Morgan for technology and media. The team is very responsive and knowledgeable. They are, without fail, a pleasure to deal with and our go-to firm in the UK.’

‘The individuals we always go to in this area are Jill Bainbridge and Ben Evans. If they do not handle the matter directly, they will pass us to a colleague. Jill is an outstanding lawyer and gives excellent advice. Ben is a very able partner and we like working with him. He is clearly a rising star within the firm.’

‘The team cover a wide range of sector experiences, giving pragmatic, considered and commercial feedback to challenges and issues raised.’

‘I have worked with Stojan Essex on several commercial deals, and the level of understanding regarding what level of detail is important, how the communication flow works and the risk/reward metrics that I am likely to find acceptable makes the process much more progressive.’

‘Dealing with Blake Morgan was an entirely positive experience. They offered clear, concise advice on a timely basis and were excellent to deal with.’

‘Martin Kay was a pleasure to work with. His work was excellent and delivered on schedule.’

‘We have always found Blake Morgan’s services to be excellent. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Michelle Davenport’s legal expertise for management buyouts, shareholder agreements, EMI share options, sale and purchase agreements, or any other aspect of mergers, acquisitions and exit strategies.’

‘Michelle is in a different league. Michelle is always very efficient and thorough, whilst explaining every step of the legal process in positive and precise, user-friendly terms.’

‘Dov Katz is a good lawyer, very attentive to the client and also personable.’

‘A good sized provincial firm offering quality advice for the Charity sector. Ben Brice was really good to deal with.   Very approachable.  Responded quickly’.

‘Very easy to talk to, billing was regular and kept us regularly up to date with fees and did not exceed the agreed fee without contacting us‘.

‘The team is impressively responsive with replies to emails and calls being provided expeditiously. As a consequence we are able to be agile and responsive in commercial matters, which invariably means obtaining the best results quickly. Very approachable team. We have no issues with picking up the telephone to discuss a matter. Always friendly and helpful and able to update you immediately with current state of play on a particular matter, notwithstanding the number of other matters they are dealing with. Great link up between estates and property litigation teams. You can rest assured that your matter is in safe hands from beginning to end, across the two contentious and non-contentious fields. In depth knowledge of landlord and tenant law and always up to speed with new developments relevant to our business‘.

‘In regard to the application of relevant Charity Law it demonstrated in depth understanding. The company had been recommended to us by a friend/contact of ours who also is a qualified solicitor. Kirsteen Hook was our main solicitor, until maternity leave, and she always responded promptly and helpfully‘.

‘The team is technically knowledgeable and understands the HE sector‘.

‘Practical approach, cutting to the key issues.’

‘Very approachable and very responsive.’

‘We work with a wide range of individuals within Blake Morgan, all of which are very knowledgeable within their field and are always available when needed. Nothing is too much trouble and no level of urgency is not met.’

‘Blake Morgan have worked with the University for a number of years and are incredibly knowledgeable of the sector and the University and its processes. They are easy to talk to and are always available to assist the University with any legal requirement with speed and expertise.’

‘Excellent knowledge of legal aspects of education in supporting the college to become a single academy and then multi-academy trust.’

‘I worked with this team on a difficult 1975 Act claim, with a difficult client and opponents. They handled the client well and were strong and forceful with the opponents.’

‘Stephanie Walls has a firm approach with the opponents and a good manner with the client.’

‘Blake Morgan have a useful position being the one of the main contentious probate teams in the Thames Valley/Oxford area, assisted through having merged with smaller local practices and therefore having access to to will banks etc.’

‘Stephanie Walls has very impressive technical knowledge.’

‘Specialists in the field of education. Hugely accessible, top quality advice and guidance.’

‘Very good client engagement. Responsive. Open to discussion.’

‘Responsive personal service from partners and their teams who understand our needs. Desire to provide pragmatic solutions.’

‘We feel they always have us covered.’

‘I have found them to be very helpful and knowledgeable in relation to construction contracts, Section 104 agreements etc.’

‘The environment and planning team punches way above its weight, regularly undertaking (so-called) ‘Magic Circle’ category work – but better executed: “exceptional” is BM’s ‘norm’.’

‘Its unique quality is that it is simultaneously low-key and exceptional. It has a wide client base, does complex work, and advises practically and commercially at every turn. It is ostensibly and naturally diverse where others have to strive to be so.’

‘Anita Kasseean is the star partner of the BM Team: most charming, measured, and steely in equal measure, she is devastatingly effective in delivering her clients’ objectives. Intellectually nimble, together with her tireless resourcefulness, commercial pragmatism, and extensive legal knowledge base, she is immensely valued by all clients.’

‘Great for their knowledge, dedication, judgement and hard work at all hours.‘

‘The team is small, but nimble and able to accommodate all aspects of clients’ needs – not just litigation, but also getting input from colleagues dealing with corporate transactions.‘

‘Direct partner involvement, great tactical skills and efficient matter management – punches above its weight and price band for City firms.‘

‘Sarah Rees is a clever lawyer- not only the manager of a project team but personally involved in the legal discussions and drafting of documents.‘

‘Justin Weare is a star partner, who goes above and beyond for his clients.‘

‘Justin Weare is a perfect team player, attending to the client’s needs, and ensuring that everything in the litigation goes smoothly (or as smoothly as possible).‘

‘Justin Weare is pragmatic and hands-on, with a keen eye for tactical advantage in litigation.‘

‘Alex Shirtcliff is superb with clients and tactics.‘

‘Personal service at partner level with back-up at appropriate associate level and the consequent reasonable charges is a particular strength of this team. Helen Bunker is an intelligent, knowledgeable and empathetic private client lawyer. She makes clients feel listened to and wins their trust giving them the confidence to share with her their personal and sensitive family and personal matters’.

‘Helen Bunker is a stand out partner from its London office’.

‘Simon Stokes brought a commercial attitude alongside his excellent data IP knowledge. The outcome was as good as we could have hoped for.’

‘Ex-regulator Felicity Rowan, is insightful, proactive and trusted by the regulator.’

‘Mark Jones is an impressive individual. He is always thoughtful and measured in his responses to clients facing a crisis. He is very emotionally intelligent, essential for dealing with individuals at the very worst times in their life. He has a wealth of experience dealing with regulators and law enforcement and is a very safe pair of hands.’

‘The team have a growing reputation in representation of individuals who are suspects or defendants.’

‘Mark Jones leads a niche practice within Blake Morgan which brings strength and depth to the firm’s strong reputation in disciplinary and financial services matters. Mark has a strong white-collar fraud background and has taken Blake Morgan’s team forward into this field. He has some impressive instructions including a high-profile anti-competition investigation.’

‘This team is relatively new to the market with Mark Jones really setting it up.  It has been able to draw on its internal commercial clients but as a result of Mark attracted individual clients outside of this sphere. They have really stepped up in this area; Mark Jones is a real feather in their cap.’

‘Synergy of legal expertise. Creative thinking. Commitment to client.’

‘Sarah Rees is a leader in field. True expert. First-class client care. Makes a difference.’

‘Mark Jones was outstanding. Mark was highly knowledgeable, able to advise on difficult matters where disappointing news had to be delivered, and empathetic to my needs and challenges.’

‘Mark Jones is a very experienced white-collar crime practitioner, with a calm manner, great judgment and tactical nous, and top-level client care skills.’

‘The team is impressive, well coordinated and client focused. Flora Grossman is exceptional. She is meticulous. Her attention to detail is phenomenal. In finance cases she is always several steps ahead in her analysis of accounts and totally in charge. Her client management skills are second to none. She is patient, advises skilfully, carefully bringing the client with her. She works tirelessly to secure the best outcome for her clients‘.

‘One of the key things that sets Blake Morgan apart from other family firms is the additional resources it can utilise as a result of being part of a full service law firm. The firm’s property and succession and tax departments enable clients to swiftly access these additional services that are often linked to relationship breakdowns. The support offered by the corporate and commercial teams also make Blake Morgan the perfect firm for company owners and entrepreneurs who are looking to protect their business interests following a relationship breakdown‘.

‘Flora Grossman is a fantastic lawyer whose empathetic nature and sound legal knowledge swiftly puts clients at ease and reassures them that they are in good hands. Flora is always looking for the fastest route to resolution and offers clients practical and pragmatic advice. Flora represents a wide range of clients from high net worth entrepreneurs and business owners to homemakers, all of whom are grateful for the additional support Flora offers as they try to navigate their way into this new phase of their lives‘.

‘Flora always goes above and beyond for her clients. Since Flora joined as the Head of the Family Team in London in 2017 the team has gone from strength to strength, building a good base of clients, including some high profile individuals, and making an excellent name for the team both internally within the firm and within the wider family law community‘.

‘The family team in London led by Flora Grossman is excellent and is responsive to the needs of the client during  the pandemic. The team deals with financial and children cases very well and is also good value compared to other city firms’.

‘The stand out team member is Flora Grossman who is as capable of dealing with complex children and financial cases. She is also very collaborative and nice to deal with‘.

‘This practice is unique in that it has access to all areas of law and practitioners. While my matter was essentially a family matter, it was multi-jurisdictional involving 4 potential jurisdictions and Blake Morgan was able to obtain expertise in international law as it pertained to the matter and ensure we had experts in all of the very different aspects such as finance, international law, matrimonial, etc. Further, the team quickly identified the complexity of the matter to ensure that it was handled in the most appropriate court fitting its complexity‘.

‘I worked with Flora Grossman, who is a partner at Blake Morgan. From day one, she was amazing and grasped all of the legal and factual concepts and complexities extremely quickly, ensuring our matter was placed at the outset in the correct court, and the preparatory and important applications were made promptly. Flora did her research thoroughly in recommending appropriate Counsel at QC level to address the applications to be made before the Court. Her analytical skills and her forethought were absolutely critical in ensuring that my matter was successful and reached the conclusion that was fair and desired. I found Flora’s advice accurate and reliable, making me confident of the likely result in my matter. I found Flora very quick in her response and advice, including addressing issues on the weekend as may have been necessary. I would most definitely recommend Flora Grossman‘.

‘We have found Blake Morgan very approachable and willing to understand our concerns. They have been very responsive to events as they change and have provided quick and legally solid advice.’

‘Excellent, knowledgeable and prompt advice and support tailored to our needs. As a small charity we do not have an in-house HR or legal department yet still have to navigate tricky employment issues.’

‘Tim Forer has a unique understanding of life in the Royal Navy, both as a serving person and now as a trustee of another Naval Charity. He is therefore extremely well placed to give informed guidance and support to our needs. ’

‘Tim Forer is our go-to employment partner. He has extensive knowledge, a highly approachable style, leads clients by careful methods, gets the results we need and is 100% accessible. I have no hesitation in recommending him wholeheartedly.’