gunnercooke LLP > London, England > Firm Profile
gunnercooke LLP Offices

1 CORNHILL
LONDON
EC3V 3ND
England
- Go to...
- Rankings
- Firm Profile
- Main Contacts
- Lawyer Profiles
gunnercooke LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
Finance > Trade finance Tier 3
gunnercooke LLP‘s commodities and trade finance practice continues to grow its presence in the market, acting for lenders and borrowers including alternative finance providers, international banks with a UK presence, and commodity traders in complex cross-border transactions with a focus on emerging markets. Its work covers pre-payment and offtake financings, structured trade and commodity finance, and supply chain financing, spanning the oil, natural gas, electricity, coal, metals, agricultural products and renewable energy markets. Veronika Koroleva and Marc Weisberger are the key practitioners in an ‘innovative and client-centric‘ team.Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘I find the firm and staff very available for consultation regardless of time or notice if I want to discuss my matter. Billing negotiations are short, straight forward and very flexible.’
‘Personal service, excellent knowledge.’
‘My primary contact is Marc Weisberger and his de-escalating approach and well-considered advice have been invaluable. He is always available to talk, chat and respond to email and make us feel like we are his only client.’
‘Innovative and client-centric.’
Key clients
SOCAR Trading SA
ExWorks Capital
Green Biofuels Limited
Blackstar Asset Management
Cabipa Nigeria Limited, Nigeria and Eterna plc, Nigeria
Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Limited, London Branch
Ark Trade LLP
Worldwide Supply Chain Solutions International Limited
7 Sigma FinTech Limited
Korea Development Bank
Work highlights
- Advised on a portfolio of loans to corporates making cross-border supplies, ranging from aircraft refurbishing projects to temporary Olympic stadiums and PPE equipment.
- Advised on the set up of one of the first decentralised gold commodity exchanges.
- Advising on a dispute with a trade finance bank and a vessel owner concerning ownership and control of a cargo previously owned by a defaulting client of the bank.
Employment > Pensions Tier 3
The partners at gunnercooke LLP handle pension matters ranging from buy-ins to the closure of defined benefit schemes, as well as the pension aspects of corporate transactions and outsourcing. Suresh Bhatt and Ginevra Gatrell are the key figures in the Manchester office, which frequently collaborates with the firm's London team. Both Bhatt and Gatrell are pension specialists; Bhatt is 'extremely personable' while Gatrell is praised for her connections to the pension sector.
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘I was referred to the Ginevra Gatrell by another legal firm who advised me that she was the pensions expert that they use. So the fact that another legal firm sees her as an expert to refer their clients to, or who they would use themselves, speaks volumes about her knowledge and expertise.’
‘I first used Ginevra Gatrell over 12 months ago and it was clear from the outset that she is a subject matter expert. Her connections in the pension industry are wide-reaching which is another positive of using her. She has worked directly with me and also supported my clients. She has a calm and confident manner which puts clients at ease and also explains the obvious complexities of pension law in a way that is understandable. Ginevra’s response times are exceptional and I never have to chase for work – a rarity in the legal world in my experience. Throughout the pandemic, I have never found her to be unavailable and she has used technology to ensure that communication remains clear.’
‘Suresh Bhatt is readily available and manages contact and workload in an effective and professional manner, whilst always extremely personable. ’
Work highlights
- Advised a pension scheme on securing £89.2M of pensioner liabilities through a buy-in.
- Advising the trustees of pension scheme on the equalisation of guaranteed minimum pensions and securing those benefits.
Finance > Banking and finance Tier 3
The practice at gunnercooke LLP is praised for ‘going beyond the call of duty to get deals done’. Rob Fawke is a key lawyer in the team and draws on a wide spectrum of experience ranging from leveraged finance and asset-based lending issues to debt restructurings. Clients include building societies, banks, real estate investors and private investment companies. ‘Standout partner’ Georgina Tripp also has a broad practice, which includes advising on asset-based receivables and traditional banking facilities.
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Personal service and going beyond the call of duty to get deals done make Gunnercooke an outstanding legal partner. In particular Georgina Tripp and her team are a refreshing change to the legal profession.’
‘Great teamwork for a small firm, punching above their weight and feels like a big city firm. Great structure where the relationship built with clients is key. Plus, working with Gunnercooke allows us to agree the best pricing structure, giving us complete transparency.’
‘Georgina Tripp is the standout partner – Georgina brings the right balance of legal expertise and practical help to the most complex of matters. She is the foremost expert capital markets lawyer with comprehensive knowledge of funding programmes documentation. She knows how to get things done, the detail and the timescales.’
Key clients
BZ Commercial Finance DAC
Leeds Building Society
Skipton Building Society
OakNorth Bank plc
Calveton UK
Breal Capital Limited
Santander UK Plc
AIB Group (UK) plc
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc
Secure Trust Bank plc
Work highlights
- Acting for Calveton othe acquisition of Byron Burgers.
- Acting AIB Group (UK) plc on the provision of increased loan facilities to National Care Group Limited.
- Acting for Greater Manchester Combined Authority on the provision of mezzanine loan facilities to Worthington Mancap LLP.
Employment > Pensions (non-contentious) Tier 4
gunnercooke LLP joins the London rankings with a non-contentious pensions offering that provides clients with direct access to experienced pensions practitioners, eschewing the traditional law firm model. Adam Bushby's practice includes trustee advisory and scheme risk management work. Helen Miles joined from Squire Patton Boggs and advises companies, large funds, and professional trustees in TPR investigations, PPF challenges, and Ombudsman complaints. Parminder Latimer joined from Simmons & Simmons, and works across both contentious and non-contentious matters for trustees, corporates, individuals, and in-house counsels.
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Gunnercooke gives direct access to senior lawyers across the board. Their fees are competitive and their responsiveness is excellent.’
‘Gunner Cooke LLP have an innovative format which is largely partner led. It is more akin to a barrister’s chambers than a law firm in some ways.’
‘You know your adviser has chosen to take personal responsibility across all issues. This gives really good continuity and a deep understanding of our circumstances.’
Key clients
Hitachi Vantara
TWIL Group Pension Fund
Inspired Gaming Group Pension Scheme
Softlab Pension Plan/Keane Limited Pension Scheme
Bord Bia – The Irish Food Board
Chartered Management Institute
SGI
Methodist Church
The London Metal Exchange
Varian Medical Systems (UK) Limited
Portsmouth Water Limited
Work highlights
- Defending an individual against the imposition of a Contribution Notice for £3.6m by the Pensions Regulator.
- Securing £89.2M of pensioner liabilities in the Brockhampton £140M pension scheme with JUST Retirement.
- Advising Hitachi Data Systems Retirement Benefits Plan trustees on the equalisation of guaranteed minimum pensions and the securing of those benefits.
Employment Tier 4
gunnercooke LLP's partner-led model allows it to offer direct service from partners to its clients base, providing advice on employment matters ranging from the furlough scheme to employment tribunal disputes. Jo Tindall advises senior executives and employers on exit agreements as well as handling restructurings and TUPE transfers; elsewhere, Angela Brumpton is experienced in employment litigation, such as discrimination claims. Simon Horsfield departed the practice in March 2021.
Other key lawyers:
Jo Tindall; Angela Brumpton; Paul Ryman
Testimonials
‘Gunnercooke are an industry known legal heavyweight and Paul Ryman is one of the very best.’
‘Paul Ryman is a standout partner. Paul dealt with a tricky high profile case on my behalf and was nothing short of brilliant from the first conversation to the last. Paul was very understanding of my situation but also very clear in his interpretation of my chances and the best method to move forwards. Paul’s advise and guidance were second to none and without Paul I would have 100% been on the wrong end of some corporate foul play which would have had huge impact on my professional future and my reputation. I found Paul to be an excellent and compassionate communicator. His professional knowledge and guidance were first class. I can’t speak highly enough and thank Paul enough for the advise and work he did on my behalf. I would strongly recommend Gunnercooke llp and Paul Ryman.’
‘I have referred a number of matters to Jo Tindall. She has been extremely responsive and constructive to deal with. I have also received positive feedback as to the quality of her advice and her sensible commercial approach.’
‘Sarah Armstrong is fantastic. She has been my only contact at this firm but undoubtedly she is supported by a good team. ’
‘Sarah is efficient, competent and empathetic. This contrasted massively with my experience of other law firms that offered Employment advice. It was refreshing to find someone who was professional, honest and above all caring.’
‘Jo Tindall acted for me as my representative in my Unfair Dismissal case and Grievance which was in conjunction to an Unfair Prejudice case. Jo was extremely professional, totally approachable and most of all in full knowledge of the history of my case. She was always in control of the various stages which was leading to a trial in the courts. Jo was a huge forward thinker and planned steps ahead of the defendant and her planning and execution was outstanding. Jo was always there if I needed her and acted extremely promptly and I never had to wait around for answers. Having won my case through mediation in the end, without Jo I would not have been successful in my very high 6 figure sum reward.’
‘Angela Brumpton – excellent legal knowledge and gives practical, business-friendly advice’
‘Their response times are second to none. We like regular billing. Their ability to bring in other specialisms at very short notice is exemplary. They comes up with solutions not problems. It is important that the solicitors working with us understand us and the way we work. We have worked with ‘big name’ firms before but I would recommend Gunnercooke every time.’
Key clients
Kostal UK Ltd
Halton Housing
Sheffield Forgemasters Limited
St. Gemma’s Hospice
Investors In People
Customade Group
Hologic Limited
The Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Homes for Students
Good Box
Work highlights
- Acting for Kostal UK Ltd against an appeal made by the union.
- Advising charity Good Box on data privacy issues in their terms and conditions.
Private client > Family Tier 4
gunnercooke LLP advises on a broad range of family law matters, including disputes around finances and children as well as cohabitation and pre-nuptial agreements. Much of the firm's work involves multijurisdictional aspects, such as overseas assets. Roland Humphreys is the key figure in the team and is praised for his 'keen eye for detail which instils a level of trust and confidence in the client from the outset'.
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Personal service, but backed up by wide resource base in terms of other expertise and tech support.’
‘Roland Humphreys has particular expertise in high value cases. His attention to detail in a case and overall planning is exceptional. He gives realistic advice but is always willing to put up a fight for clients and their best possible outcomes. He gives more than just generic advice from the outset and really gets to grip with a case from the first meetings. His focus on each case and how it is dealt with is very client centric. Overall he is very empathic and kind. Always putting clients at their ease from the start yet giving them absolute confidence in his abilities. His technical knowledge is way ahead of most other Lawyers in his field. I would not recommend any other Family Lawyer in the North West. ’
‘Roland Humphrys is a very solid and reliable family solicitor with a particular expertise when dealing with matrimonial farming cases – clients find he has an extremely engaging and reassuring manner. Hard working colleague with a wealth of experience in both financial remedy and child work cases. He developed his career under excellent local firms who knew their fields of law well and it now shows in Roland’s ability.’
‘A reputable firm in Chester with a personable approach.’
‘Roland Humphries has keen eye for detail which instils a level of trust and confidence in the client from the outset. A pleasure to work with.’
‘Roland Humphreys remains streets ahead of most of his peers. Roland has great experience in all areas of family work, but matrimonial finance and private child in particular. Roland is able to bring to bear not only excellent case management and tactical advice but also a cutting edge knowledge of the latest case law. This makes him a delight to be briefed by as counsel but also a formidable solicitor advocate. I have had the benefit of being both instructed by and appearing against Roland as an advocate in court and can tell you that his is an unusual ability to litigate a case as a solicitor but also put it elegantly as an advocate. The value in that for clients is obvious.’
Real estate > Property litigation Tier 4
gunnercooke LLP's client roster includes landlords, developers, investors, occupiers and management companies. Tom Seabrook is dual-qualified to practise as a chartered surveyor and solicitor, giving him a unique vantage point in dilapidations claims and other matters involving construction and building defects. In addition, his other contentious experience includes service charge disputes, rent reviews, and disputes over boundaries and easements. Jen Morris provides strategic advice to help unlock development sites. The team has been strengthened by the arrival of Paul Pinder from Ronald Fletcher Baker LLP in October 2020.
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Tom Seabrook has a very pragmatic approach, which matches his instinct in property cases borne of his experience as a chartered surveyor. He is robust and direct which makes working with him straightforward, for which I am grateful.’
‘An excellent firm with several offices in the Lancashire area and a very strong offering in property litigation.’
‘Excellent communication and prompt advice and service. Faultless availability even out of normal business hours. Very experienced and extremely knowledgeable. I would highly recommend GunnerCooke to anybody requiring property litigation advice – very impressed!’
‘Tom Seabrook – Simply provides fantastic service and his knowledge is exceptional. Prompt, professional and very responsive – all great qualities that I value very highly in the professionals that I engage. I would, and indeed do, recommend Tom to all of my family, friends and colleagues.’
Key clients
Work Post Limited
Cheshire Homes Group
Sentielle, Inc
Polyseam Limited
Edge Asset Management
RAM Properties Limited
Henry Boot PLC and associated companies
Work highlights
- Acting for Work Post Limited where landlord wished to re-gear lease in exchange for rental increase.
- Acting for tenant Polyseam Limited in defence of landlord’s dilapidations claim.
- Advised offshore property investor on re-gearing a lease with the freeholder, the Wellcome Trust.
Employment > Employment: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40 Tier 4
Since joining in 2018, former Blake Morgan LLP partner Rebecca Ireland has continued to build up gunnercooke LLP's employment offering in the Reading area, acting for businesses and senior executives across a broad range of industry sectors, with clients based around the UK. She is praised for being 'very good at explaining the risks and the likelihood of the identified risks.'
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘I work with Rebecca Ireland on a regular basis. Her strength and knowledge of our company makes everything we do easier to explain, but also in the relevant information that she sends to us. She is a pleasure to work with and nothing is ever too much.’
‘The Gunnercooke team is very slimline and their model is built around you as the client receiving advice from a partner, rather than a less qualified lawyer. I think the rates are very reasonable compared to other legal firms and the excellent advice provided.’
‘I work predominately with Rebecca Ireland and I would recommend her to any company or HR professional to use. Her advice is focused on resolving the legal matter in the most practical and pragmatic way. I have dealt with many UK employment legal advisers in my career and Rebecca is one of the most proactive, helpful and balanced I have had the pleasure to work with. She is very good at explaining the risks and the likelihood of the identified risks and how to mitigate these.’
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design Tier 5
During 2020 gunnercooke LLP boosted its bench of IP experts, welcoming Tom Carver from PATMA firm J A Kemp - his prior experience practising in China is of particular attraction to clients from that jurisdiction. Elsewhere, Rachel Pearse, who joined from Foot Anstey, represents SMEs across the breadth of infringement and passing-off disputes. Rosie Burbridge is an expert in fashion law disputes, while also sustaining a roster of furniture, technology and online gaming clients.
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘I am always impressed by Rosie Burbridge’s enthusiasm in all matters regarding IP, and in particular fashion law, her responsiveness and her professionalism.‘
‘Tom Carver is both approachable and knowledgeable across all aspects of IP.‘
‘They are extremely practical in approach – in IP, it is easy for costs and work to spiral out of control very quickly. That never happens with this team – we always receive concise advice which is easily executed, providing us with the IP protection we need with the lowest fuss possible.‘
‘Really professional, knowledgeable and most importantly, a real pleasure to deal with. Partners and associates are very personable. Have a broad range of in-house expertise.‘
Key clients
Pinup Graphic Design Limited
Safe-T-System Limited
Space Ape Limited
Tecnolumen
Green Field Toys
Andcrafted Ltd
GFS Flex Limited
Crafts Group LLC
Swoon Editions Limited
Pl&m Limited (t/a Plum Guide)
Respoke Limited (t/a Spoke)
Barking Bags
Work highlights
- Advising Tecnolumen (a German company) In relation to 3D copyright infringement of its luxury furniture by a UK seller of replica copies.
- Advising Green Field Toys (a Hong Kong company) in a dispute with Brainstorm Toys (a UK company) on alleged breach of contract and unregistered design right infringement in relation to children’s educational toys.
- Advising GFS Flex on the passing off by the get-up of a domestic gas piping product.
Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Manchester Tier 5
gunnercooke LLP offers a partner-led platform to corporate clients, advising on M&A and private equity transactions, as well as corporate restructuring. The firm’s experienced team includes Nick Ducker, who specialises in M&A and corporate finance transactions, Jo Glass, who has notable expertise in cross-border and commercial matters, and Patrick Billyeald, who divides his time between London and Manchester, and handles strategic acquisitions, joint ventures, and shareholder-related work.Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Jo Glass is a unique lawyer who understands that there are occasions when a client needs urgent legal advice or assistance outside of the typical working day. When it comes to billing, Jo is always fair and very reasonable. Jo will often give a fixed price but go above and beyond to ensure that the legal work is carried out perfectly.’
‘Having worked with many law firms for over 20 years, gunnercooke is the first firm that has delivered on all fronts consistently. When we started our working relationship, we were a small client and we tended to use different law firms for different requirements. Due to the service standard that we received, we now use gunnercooke exclusively. However, the level of service we receive has not altered from when we were a small client to now when use the firm a number of times every week.’
Key clients
HH Legal
Paragon Group Ltd
Calveton UK
Breal Capital Limited
SSS Super Alloys Ltd
Work highlights
- Advising Paragon Group Ltd on its UK acquisitions, including that of RRD Europe.
- Advising Calveton UK on the acquisition of Byron Burgers.
- Advising shareholders of Trivoni Software on the sale of the Trivoni Software business to its management team.
Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market Tier 6
gunnercooke LLP has a well-established reputation in contentious matters related to financial services, SMEs and owner-managed businesses, technology, media, real estate and IP. Shilpen Savani has longstanding experience in complex commercial disputes and contentious corporate matters. Fergus Buckley focuses on civil fraud cases and shareholder disputes.
Other key lawyers:
Shilpen Savani; Fergus Buckley; Sarah Armstrong; Henna Elahi
Testimonials
‘Gunnercooke is an unsung hero in this market – they are proactive and really do devise tailor-made commercial solutions for clients.‘
‘The team I dealt with immediately understood my situation, taking the complexity of it in their stride.‘
‘They were able to offer excellent advice from first engagement through to resolution.‘
‘Small and niche practice, but with a highly skilled and experienced bench.‘
‘A very good firm with a standout performer in Shilpen Savani. He understands his client’s objectives and is an excellent negotiator who achieves great results. One to watch as his results when under pressure are exceptional.‘
‘Shilpen Savani is a highly competent lawyer, who is both open and creative in his approach to clients’ cases. He is not afraid to pursue difficult or novel arguments if it is in his client’s commercial interest, and he is clear sighted and constructive in his dealings with clients and opponents.‘
‘Fergus Buckley was highly professional, insightful, hard-working and very proactive. I am grateful for his assistance in my legal matter and the results that were achieved.‘
‘Fergus Buckley is a great tactician, has excellent commercial instincts, and is extremely good at managing client relations and providing input on tactics and strategy.‘
Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 7
In September 2020, gunnercooke LLP recruited David Breslin from Fladgate LLP, where he was international arbitration head. Breslin specialises in commercial disputes and international arbitration in the insurance, financial services, energy and international trade sectors; his arbitration experience includes both ad hoc matters and those involving common institutional rules.
Other key lawyers:
David Breslin; Philip Rubens; Andre Yeghiazarian
Testimonials
‘Great breadth of experience and expertise in a number of specialised fields, such as insurance and reinsurance disputes.‘
‘The associates are kind and diligent.‘
‘They fully understand facts of the cases and develop the best strategy based on such understanding.‘
‘They really try to understand the different working cultures of foreign clients.‘
‘David Breslin is excellent- he is diligent and responsive. Moreover, he is well-versed in complex commercial disputes, including insurance/reinsurance law; and is highly regarded, not only in Europe, but also throughout Asia-Pacific.‘
‘David Breslin reviews all important documents and is heavily involved in drafting submissions.‘
Finance > Securitisation
Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Manchester
Real estate > Planning and environment
Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
The insurance offering at gunnercooke LLP is led by David Breslin, who joined the firm from Fladgate LLP in September 2020. He acts for insurers in disputes involving professional indemnity, marine and energy, trade credit and business interruption claims.
Real estate > Property finance
gunnercooke LLP acts for lenders and borrowers on property investment and development finance mandates in the residential, office and hotel sectors, and has considerably expanded its team, most recently with the arrivals of Matthew East from Gowling WLG, Conor Downey from Paul Hastings LLP and Russell Dellar from Bird & Bird LLP.
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech
Real estate > Commercial property: Nottingham and Derby Tier 2
gunnercooke LLP saw notable growth in 2020, recruiting multiple highly experienced practitioners. Brendan Walsh, having arrived in March 2020 from Shakespeare Martineau LLP, has longstanding experience in all types of development projects, with student accommodation matters being a notable specialism. Matthew Grocock, who joined from Freeths LLP, combines landed estate and agricultural landowner expertise with a strong social housing practice. Bev Simms adds to the group's development expertise, having led Flint Bishop LLP's department prior to her move in May 2020.
Other key lawyers:
Matthew Grocock; Brendan Walsh; Mike Taplin; Bev Simms; Sarah Gunton
Testimonials
‘Matthew Grocock is a first-class and trustworthy property lawyer.’
‘Mike Taplin, Bev Simms. They offer a first class service.’
‘Always available and very hardworking.’
‘The property team at Gunnercooke are a refreshing and focused team that has a can do attitude.’
‘Mike Taplin: Very good understanding of what is required to get a deal done. Vast experience in property matters.’
‘Brendan Walsh and Sarah Gunton work as a seamless department and are both in tune to achieve timely and within budget transactions.’
‘Despite the difficulties brought about by the pandemic, Matthew Grocock was able to provide a seamless and comprehensive service, ably concluding most complex development arrangements.’
‘Our team at Gunnercooke is Sarah Gunton and Brendan Walsh. We of course, have access to other members as and when we require them however they are the core. The team ,supported by other specialists when needed, support us on all of our student and residential developments, including acquisitions, financing and sales. They are very proactive, thinking ahead on our needs, provide both legal and commercial advice in a timely and cost effective manner. We have recommended to numerous contacts and have had positive feedback.’
Key clients
Wilson Bowden Developments Limited
William Davis Limited
English Will Trust of the Rt Hon Olive Countess Fitzwilliam
Garner Holdings Limited
Milhouse Group
Everards Brewery
Harpur Crewe LLC (US)
Omni /Graystacks Developments
Stanmore Properties Ltd
Zone Developments
Hoyland Developments Ltd
Work highlights
- Advising Urban Logistics REIT Plc on the simultaneous acquisition of a portfolio of 4 sites.
- Representing landowners in the completion of the sale of plots jointly by the English Will Trust and the Wentworth Charity to the developer Newlands.
- Advising Quora Developments on an acquisition from Wilford Lane Developments Limited.
East Midlands > Real estate > Commercial property: Nottingham and Derby Tier 2
gunnercooke LLP saw notable growth in 2020, recruiting multiple highly experienced practitioners. Brendan Walsh, having arrived in March 2020 from Shakespeare Martineau LLP, has longstanding experience in all types of development projects, with student accommodation matters being a notable specialism. Matthew Grocock, who joined from Freeths LLP, combines landed estate and agricultural landowner expertise with a strong social housing practice. Bev Simms adds to the group's development expertise, having led Flint Bishop LLP's department prior to her move in May 2020.
Other key lawyers:
Matthew Grocock; Brendan Walsh; Mike Taplin; Bev Simms; Sarah Gunton
Testimonials
‘Matthew Grocock is a first-class and trustworthy property lawyer.’
‘Mike Taplin, Bev Simms. They offer a first class service.’
‘Always available and very hardworking.’
‘The property team at Gunnercooke are a refreshing and focused team that has a can do attitude.’
‘Mike Taplin: Very good understanding of what is required to get a deal done. Vast experience in property matters.’
‘Brendan Walsh and Sarah Gunton work as a seamless department and are both in tune to achieve timely and within budget transactions.’
‘Despite the difficulties brought about by the pandemic, Matthew Grocock was able to provide a seamless and comprehensive service, ably concluding most complex development arrangements.’
‘Our team at Gunnercooke is Sarah Gunton and Brendan Walsh. We of course, have access to other members as and when we require them however they are the core. The team ,supported by other specialists when needed, support us on all of our student and residential developments, including acquisitions, financing and sales. They are very proactive, thinking ahead on our needs, provide both legal and commercial advice in a timely and cost effective manner. We have recommended to numerous contacts and have had positive feedback.’
Key clients
Wilson Bowden Developments Limited
William Davis Limited
English Will Trust of the Rt Hon Olive Countess Fitzwilliam
Garner Holdings Limited
Milhouse Group
Everards Brewery
Harpur Crewe LLC (US)
Omni /Graystacks Developments
Stanmore Properties Ltd
Zone Developments
Hoyland Developments Ltd
Work highlights
- Advising Urban Logistics REIT Plc on the simultaneous acquisition of a portfolio of 4 sites.
- Representing landowners in the completion of the sale of plots jointly by the English Will Trust and the Wentworth Charity to the developer Newlands.
- Advising Quora Developments on an acquisition from Wilford Lane Developments Limited.
South East > Employment > Employment: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40 Tier 4
Since joining in 2018, former Blake Morgan LLP partner Rebecca Ireland has continued to build up gunnercooke LLP's employment offering in the Reading area, acting for businesses and senior executives across a broad range of industry sectors, with clients based around the UK. She is praised for being 'very good at explaining the risks and the likelihood of the identified risks.'
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘I work with Rebecca Ireland on a regular basis. Her strength and knowledge of our company makes everything we do easier to explain, but also in the relevant information that she sends to us. She is a pleasure to work with and nothing is ever too much.’
‘The Gunnercooke team is very slimline and their model is built around you as the client receiving advice from a partner, rather than a less qualified lawyer. I think the rates are very reasonable compared to other legal firms and the excellent advice provided.’
‘I work predominately with Rebecca Ireland and I would recommend her to any company or HR professional to use. Her advice is focused on resolving the legal matter in the most practical and pragmatic way. I have dealt with many UK employment legal advisers in my career and Rebecca is one of the most proactive, helpful and balanced I have had the pleasure to work with. She is very good at explaining the risks and the likelihood of the identified risks and how to mitigate these.’
North West > Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Manchester
gunnercooke LLP offers a partner-led platform to corporate clients, advising on M&A and private equity transactions, as well as corporate restructuring. The firm’s experienced team includes Nick Ducker, who specialises in M&A and corporate finance transactions, Jo Glass, who has notable expertise in cross-border and commercial matters, and Patrick Billyeald, who divides his time between London and Manchester, and handles strategic acquisitions, joint ventures, and shareholder-related work.Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Jo Glass is a unique lawyer who understands that there are occasions when a client needs urgent legal advice or assistance outside of the typical working day. When it comes to billing, Jo is always fair and very reasonable. Jo will often give a fixed price but go above and beyond to ensure that the legal work is carried out perfectly.’
‘Having worked with many law firms for over 20 years, gunnercooke is the first firm that has delivered on all fronts consistently. When we started our working relationship, we were a small client and we tended to use different law firms for different requirements. Due to the service standard that we received, we now use gunnercooke exclusively. However, the level of service we receive has not altered from when we were a small client to now when use the firm a number of times every week.’
Key clients
HH Legal
Paragon Group Ltd
Calveton UK
Breal Capital Limited
SSS Super Alloys Ltd
Work highlights
- Advising Paragon Group Ltd on its UK acquisitions, including that of RRD Europe.
- Advising Calveton UK on the acquisition of Byron Burgers.
- Advising shareholders of Trivoni Software on the sale of the Trivoni Software business to its management team.
gunnercooke LLP > Firm Profile
gunnercooke is one of the UK’s fastest growing law firms, providing a wide range of corporate and commercial legal services to businesses, banks and financial institutions. Its model allows its lawyers to spend time building strong relationships with clients, so they can find opportunities to add extra value to their work, acting as trusted advisors.
The firm was founded in 2010 on the basis that its lawyers would provide seniority by requiring them to have a client-focussed approach and at least 10,000 hours’ practising experience. Lawyers operate on a fixed-fee basis, meaning work is scoped out from the outset and cost certainty is guaranteed.
gunnercooke is now an established corporate and commercial law firm, winning Law Firm of the Year at the Modern Law Awards, Law Company of the Year at The Lawyer Awards and being listed in The Times Best Law Firms 2022. There are currently over 335 partners across 11 offices. Aiming to grow its range of professional services, gunnercooke also has group companies including gunnercooke Operating Partners, a group of management consultants, and gunnercooke Tech, a legal technology arm. The firm has over 24,000 clients in a broad range of sectors including BAE Systems, Jet2, Santander and Johnson Matthey and has seen revenue increase by 51% in the past year.
Types of work undertaken: gunnercooke‘s practice areas are constantly expanding. The firm is particularly well known for its work in corporate and M&A, employment, commercial, dispute resolution, family law, business crime, restructuring and business growth, pensions, private client, FinTech and financial services, banking and finance and real estate.
Dispute Resolution: The firm has established a disputes presence in relation to financial services, SME and owner-managed businesses, technology, media, real estate and IP.
Trade Finance: The team works across the full range of traded commodities, they handle pre-payment and off-take arrangements, spot and term commodity sales, structured trade and commodity finance, ownership-based structures, trade finance products, receivables financing and supply chain financing.
Intellectual Property: The lawyers handle instructions on contentious issues including trademark and copyright infringement, passing off, entitlement and breach-of-distribution allegations. The rapidly growing team offer expertise in the sectors of media and entertainment, professional services, FMCG, entertainment and leisure.
Employment and Pensions: The firm advises public sector bodies, including education bodies and registered housing providers, as well as manufacturing and retail. Lawyers also advise employers, trustees and law firms without pensions capabilities on corporate transactions, liability management, trust documentation drafting and liaising with the Pensions Regulator.
Banking & Finance: The varied expertise in the team includes leveraged and real estate finance work as well as corporate lending transactions. Lawyers assist financial institutions, corporate borrowers and institutional investors with a range of matters including asset-based lending and acquisition finance issues.
Family Law: The firm offers family law advice to a range of private clients, with notable specialist experience in agricultural cases with a family component.
Property Litigation: The team experience in high-profile, pivotal and complex real estate disputes, providing effective strategic advice for landlords, developers, investors, occupiers and management companies.
International Expertise:
Germany
Asia
Brazil & Portugal
France
Spain
Italy
Scotland
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Founder and Executive Chairman | Darryl Cooke | darryl.cooke@gunnercooke.com | |
Co-Founder | Sarah Goulbourne | sarah.goulbourne@gunnercooke.com | |
Head of Recruitment | Chris Ball | chris.ball@gunnercooke.com |
Lawyer Profiles
Staff Figures
Partners : 335 Associates : 39 gcTrust (Support Team) : 45Languages
Italian French Spanish Chinese (Mandarin) German Portugese- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Employment
- Private client > Family
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Employment > Employment: Thames Valley, Berks, Oxon, M4/M40
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Manchester
- Finance > Securitisation
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Manchester
- Real estate > Planning and environment
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Real estate > Property finance
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech
- Real estate > Commercial property: Nottingham and Derby