Bill Gilliam > Addleshaw Goddard > Leeds, England > Lawyer Profile

The Leeds office of Addleshaw Goddard operates as the global hub for the broader firm’s transport practice, with a strong presence across private and public sector work in the rail, bus, port, airport, and electric vehicle spaces. Paul Hirst leads the team, encapsulating the practice’s wider sector expertise in his work on major projects with both high-profile public and private sector clients, with expertise in infrastructure, concessions, franchises, and stock procurement. Anna Heaton is noted for her specialism in the overlap between real estate and transport, namely transport hub-led regeneration projects. Bill Gilliam is recommended for his disputes focus within this area.

The ‘highly approachable’ team at Addleshaw Goddard provides ‘excellent clearly articulated advice’ for its clients, routinely acting on big-ticket cases. In addition to mainstream commercial disputes, specialist areas including procurement and judicial review, fraud, professional negligence, and energy are also key focuses of the firm, along with pensions, tax, IT, and intellectual property. Bill Gilliam, commended for his ‘first class judgement’ leads the team, alongside Mark Molyneux. ‘First-rate’ Louise Dobson is key to the team, with vast experience across commercial disputes, procurement challenges work, and health and pharmaceutical sectors. Samantha Wragg joined the firm as a legal director from 3volution in January 2023.

Addleshaw Goddard works across banking, construction and general commercial litigation, with a growing focus on cladding and fire safety targeted at high-value claims for residential, office, leisure and healthcare buildings. Sally Emerton heads the finance litigation department from Leeds, working on some of the most significant banking mandates in the region; she regularly works with Ben Lowans, with claims by lenders against solicitors in real estate finance being an area of particular focus. Bill Gilliam leads the practice’s work for commercial clients outside of the finance sector, specialising in major project disputes and claims arising from the sale and purchase of businesses. Joe Wilkinson is noted for his extensive experience in the handling of construction and engineering disputes, specifically in relation to issues with designs and defects. Legal director Sandip Singh is also recommended.

With considerable expertise in outsourcings, procurements and full-scale IT transformations, Addleshaw Goddard remains a top practice. The team acts for a range of flagship financial services companies and retailers such as Asda on the rollout of new IT platforms, and it is also well versed in handling the commercial and contentious elements of joint IT ventures. The practice is led by Michael Lowry, who is renowned for his advice on digital transformation projects. The ‘highly responsive and knowledgeable‘ Simon Lofthouse advises on procurement and third-party arrangements in the financial services sector, while Bill Gilliam is a key contact for dispute resolution in the contracting space. Outsourcing experts James Mort and Priscilla Hetherton are further names to note; Mort was promoted to the partnership in 2023. In late 2023, the group’s expertise was bolstered by the recruitment of Michael Peeters from DAC Beachcroft LLP, with Richard Watkinson also joining the practice in early 2024.

With a client roster spanning governmental authorities, utility companies, and private sector entities carrying out work of a public nature, Addleshaw Goddard has a strong reputation for defending and forwarding judicial review applications across key sectors, from local government and education, to transport and infrastructure. Heavyweight disputes specialists Bill Gilliam and Simon Kamstra oversee the administrative and public law offering, with divisional managing partner for litigation Mark Molyneux also supporting. Clare Dwyer has acted in various disputes arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, while managing associate Paul Rowley is renowned for his public law and procurement expertise. Legal director Ryan Geldart has also developed strong expertise in the team’s contentious public procurement practice.