Firm Profile > Addleshaw Goddard > Manchester, England

Banking and finance Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard's banking and finance practice in the North West is led by Martin O’Shea, who has two decades of experience in the regional market. His strengths lie in leveraged, real estate and corporate finance. He is supported by Richard Oman, who represents corporate borrowers and financial institutions, while the asset finance group is led by Andrew Maskill, a key partner in the practice. Also of note is Simon Prendergast - 'one of the sharpest ABL minds' - while experienced associates Ben Edwards and Caroline Gray are likewise recommended.

Banking litigation Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard's finance disputes practice has strong relationships with major UK and international banks, private equity firms and other independent funders as well as fintech clients and challenger banks. It handles a range of contentious matters, particularly in the asset-based lending and receivables financing spaces. The group is also well-placed to handle cross-border claims and recoveries, with particular experience in acting for West Africa-based businesses. Practice head Harold Brako has 'encyclopaedic experience' and is a key name alongside legal director Helen Collinge, who also has a broad practice.

Commercial litigation: Manchester Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard's 'key strength is the team's ability to handle almost any conceivable issue in big-ticket litigation'. It counts competition litigation, IT disputes and international arbitration, particularly with elements in African jurisdictions, among its areas of specialism. Practice head Mark Molyneux handles contentious commercial and competition matters, while Susan Garrett has particular experience in shareholder, pensions, tax and trusts disputes. Recently promoted partner Nicholas Ashcroft and legal director Samantha Haigh specialise in business protection disputes and competition litigation respectively, while legal director Clare Dwyer and managing associate Paul Rowley are key names to note for public procurement litigation.

Commercial property: Manchester Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard has an experienced and highly capable bench of practitioners in the commercial property sphere. Team head Peter Kershaw is active both regionally and nationally across a wide range of sectors, with significant experience of strategic real estate transactions. Lucy Butterworth, who was promoted to partner in May 2019; she is active in the life sciences and student accommodation sectors. Legal directors Michael Corbett and Emma Tonge both have a strong breadth of experience and manage major client relationships with national retailers and local authorities. Anita Weightman is another key member of the team.

Construction Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard garners praise from clients for its 'great depth of experience and expertise.' Nancy McGuire, who heads up the team, acts on non-contentious construction mandates; this includes advising clients on procurement strategies and development and infrastructure projects. Paul O’Kane is active in contentious and non-contentious construction matters, and works with local authorities such as Manchester City Council on regeneration schemes. The team is particularly noted for its 'unrivalled experience in PFI', which is one of Paul Barge's areas of specialism. Managing associate Philip Withey is recommended for his expertise in construction and engineering disputes. Jonathan Tattersall and managing associate Philip Withey are also names to note.

Corporate and commercial: Manchester Tier 1

Handling big-ticket M&A, private equity, equity capital markets and corporate real estate deals, the team at Addleshaw Goddard is distinguished through the breadth of its offering. Practice head Paul Medlicott represents major private equity houses, both those based in the North West and those investing in the region, as well as M&A matters in the personal care, household care and beauty business sectors. Another key name, Andrew Green, is an expert in corporate and private equity transactions, while Roger Hart is a specialist in IPOs and corporate finance. Managing associate George Danczak is an up-and-coming name, advising buyers, sellers and institutional investors on a broad array of corporate transactions. The team has recently been advising JD Sports on its high-profile £90m bid for Footasylum.

Corporate tax Tier 1

At Addleshaw Goddard, the team handles the full range of corporate tax advisory matters, including the tax aspects of private equity and property transactions, asset finance, M&A, restructuring, employment and disputes. The team also routinely handles tax-related governance and regulatory work. Practice head Justine Delroy represents many of the region’s mid-market private equity houses while Michael Hunter represents a number of developers, institutions and non-UK investors on property investment and development transactions in addition to joint ventures. At junior level, managing associate Catherine Concannon counts tax structuring and employment tax among her key strengths.

Health Tier 1

The health practice at Addleshaw Goddard is split into four sub-sector teams: public sector and health infrastructure; life sciences; social and long-term care; and private healthcare. The department also handles PFI secondary market transactions, insourcing and joint ventures for commercially minded NHS clients, and manages the healthcare portfolios of substantial infrastructure funds. A product liability team focuses on health and pharmaceutical recalls. Team head Michael O’Connor is an expert on public, private and transformational transactions within the healthcare sector. Stephanie Townley has significant experience in trust mergers and outsourcing arrangements.

Health and safety Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard has considerable experience in all aspects of health and safety law, including fire safety, food safety and hygiene, and product safety. Under the 'exceptional leadership' of Erin Shoesmith, the team is currently instructed on two high-stakes public inquiries - Grenfell Tower and Manchester Arena Inquiry, acting for a corporate core participant in the former and various family members in the latter. The department comprises former prosecutors and defence lawyers, providing due diligence support, compliance advice, reviews, and training to clients.

Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard's practice handles complex restructuring mandates, distressed real estate issues and insolvency litigation. The highly experienced Ged Barnes leads the team with over two decades of experience acting on corporate insolvencies and restructurings. Tim Taylor is also a key name in the practice, acting for financial institutions and distressed companies. The firm also maintains its presence on the panel of several UK banks. Legal director Sarah Foster is also noted and advises companies and insolvency practitioners on restructuring matters.

Intellectual property Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard is engaged for IP matters across the retail and consumer, financial services, transport, industrials, energy, health and public sectors, among others. The team’s notably broad offering spans all IP disciplines with work including portfolio management, disputes and the full range of non-contentious matters. Practice head Paul Bentham is an expert in brand protection and exploitation in addition to the IP-related considerations of company acquisitions and joint ventures. James Whittaker is a further key name; he tailors his practice towards the acquisition and exploitation of IP rights with specific expertise in licensing, media and sponsorship matters.

IT and telecoms Tier 1

Clients hail Addleshaw Goddard as ‘continuing to lead TMT in the North West’. The team is geared towards providing purchaser-focused advice for both public and private sector clients with particular expertise in telecoms, ICT enabled outsourcing, ERP and cloud computing. Practice head Paul Bentham is ‘probably the best non-contentious IT and outsourcing lawyer in the North West’ while James Whittaker ‘has extremely broad expertise in commercial, IT, outsourcing contracts and advice’. Another key name is Phil McGough, praised for his ‘consistently thorough professional service’; his expertise encompasses system development and implementation, IT infrastructure agreements and global licensing arrangements. The financial services and fast moving consumer goods industries are both core areas of focus for the team.

Local government Tier 1

The local government group at Addleshaw Goddard handles complex transactions and provides consultancy and legal advice on matters such as development option appraisals, state aid and procurement. Areas of expertise include powers to borrow and invest, outsourcing and partnership transactions, high value procurement claims, renewable projects and development and construction transactions, often in cash-constrained scenarios. Andrew Pettinger is highly experienced in major outsourcing commercial transactions for local government. He jointly heads the team with Michael O’Connor, who focuses on project finance across various infrastructure and social infrastructure sectors.

Media and entertainment Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard’s practice is particularly well-regarded for advertising and marketing matters, while also handling a growing number of media and entertainment-related corporate deals; examples include radio station sales, video game studio acquisitions and transactions involving sports agencies and channels. James Whittaker heads the department, leveraging his expertise in television work, agency agreements, joint ventures, sponsorship, advertising and marketing copy clearance as well as brand ambassador agreements. He recently acted for the majority shareholders of Base Soccer Agency, representative of more than 300 international football players, managers and coaches, in relation to its disposal to Creative Artists Agency Sports.

Personal tax, trusts and probate Tier 1

Sitting within the firm's corporate department, Addleshaw Goddard’s personal tax, trusts and probate team primarily handles high-value estate planning and trust restructuring mandates. The group’s key clients include banks, trust companies, corporate shareholders, entrepreneurs, regional businesses and high-net-worth individuals; it is also increasingly advising international individuals and trustees of offshore trusts on UK residence, domicile and tax issues. The team is headed by Manchester-based Yorke Eaton, who also specialises in capital tax planning work for business owners.

Property litigation Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard is particularly active in the retail sector, representing clients with large property portfolios on a variety of major disputes. Charles Jagger and Chris Perrin are the key partners operating out of Manchester; Jagger acts on a range of property litigation matters, including disputes relating to dilapidations and professional negligence. Perrin is 'an excellent litigator' who handles disputes in relation to development issues. Legal director Andy Freehan is described as 'bright and proactive.' 

Contentious trusts and probate Tier 2

Drawing on the wider firm’s expertise in professional negligence, partnership and civil fraud matters, the team at Addleshaw Goddard handles complex, cross-border trust litigation, often in conjunction with its international offices. Acting for high-net-worth individuals and onshore and offshore trust companies (with a growing practice representing charities in Inheritance Act claims), the department is spearheaded by Manchester-based Yorke Eaton, a 'quick-thinking, intelligent' lawyer who regularly acts for trustees in issues pertaining to business assets.

Employment Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard's employment team primarily advises companies in the transport, retail, financial services and manufacturing sectors, with particular expertise in litigation and boardroom-level work, including restrictive covenant disputes.

Energy Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard's team has broad expertise, acting on a wide range of power projects for both small and large energy companies while also handling nuclear decommissioning, research and development. Renewables work, including solar, offshore, wind, electric vehicle and district heating, are all keystones of the practice, as are oil and gas transactions and matters relating to the water industry. Michael O’Connor is extensively experienced in respect of public-private and project finance transactions; he heads the practice alongside Rob Thompson.

Planning and environment Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard's planning practice is led by Emily Williams, who handles contentious planning matters for clients such as developers and land companies. She also undertakes non-contentious planning work involving infrastructure and energy projects. On the environmental side, Michelle Headrige is noted for her contentious and non-contentious experience. She is noted for her expertise in the waste, energy and utilities sectors. Legal director Joanne Holbrook has 'a very good understanding of water resources and environmental legislation.'

Professional negligence Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard’s team is known for its claimant lender professional negligence work, pursuing claims against solicitors, valuers and other professionals. Following the Grenfell disaster, the department has been acting for clients across the residential, office, student accommodation, hotels and health sectors in relation to defective cladding, compliance and fire safety legislation. Commercial disputes head Mark Molyneux leads the team.

Project finance and PFI Tier 2

At Addleshaw Goddard, Andrew Pettinger heads the practice alongside Michael O’Connor, an expert in public, private and project finance transactions across a range of infrastructure and social infrastructure sub-sectors, namely healthcare and rail. The team also represents public sector bodies and private sector sponsors in addition to debt and equity investors in a range of other project such as those in the water, transport, renewables, housing and education sectors. Legal director Rob Thompson is an up and coming name for project finance, major capital projects and outsourcing work.

Transport Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard is known for its rail and urban transit expertise. The practice covers all aspects of concessions and franchising, rolling stock, procurement, private investment and infrastructure matters for both light and heavy rail. Other key areas of work include rail disputes, regulatory issues and transport-related property matters. Legal director Ursula Gould heads the Manchester team; she advises on contracts for transport projects including expansion of light rail systems, performance payment regimes, infrastructure, tram supply and operating agreements.

Charities and not-for-profit Tier 3

As well as providing traditional charity law advice, Addleshaw Goddard regularly acts for clients who are entering into commercial contracts with charitable bodies. The department also advises banks on charity land and asset issues, and acts for clients in Charity Commission investigations and inquiries. Private capital partner Yorke Eaton is the name to note.

EU and competition Tier 3

The ‘very commercial-thinking team’ at Addleshaw Goddard is entrusted for antitrust investigations, competition enforcement, merger control, state aid implications and advisory matters. In addition, the department is active in respect of competition litigation, led by Mark Molyneux, particularly in respect of matters concerning the retail and financial services sectors. Clients single out managing associate Mark Crane, who recently joined from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP.

Banking and finance Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard fields a broad and varied banking team, sitting on all major clearing bank panels and handling corporate, real estate and leveraged financing matters. The lender-focused practice is led by David Handy, who advises on high-value national and international lending agreements. He is supported by Andrew Fordham, who has particular expertise in working with private equity and debt funds; and managing associate Thomas Ward. The team also features social housing finance specialist Lee Shankland, Nick Barlow, who primarily works with funders on housebuilding projects; and consultant Jenny Cromack, who combines expertise in corporate and real estate financing matters. Managing associate Geoffrey McGinley continues to be highly regarded for his housing finance work.

Banking litigation Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard's finance litigation team leverages its 'in-depth knowledge of the market' to advise its broad client roster, which includes asset funders and asset-based lenders, building societies, leading UK and foreign banks, and challenger banks. Practice head Sally Emerton has a breadth of experience across the banking sector, while Ben Lowans is particularly strong for asset finance work (including marine and aviation finance issues) and fraud-related litigation. In addition to its strong Leeds-based managing associates (including Steve Walpole, Jennifer Hedley, Matthew Dibb and Samantha Hollingworth), the group frequently works cross-office with banking litigation experts across its national network.

Commercial litigation: Leeds, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard's commercial litigation team handles the full breadth of disputes and counts procurement, fraud, professional negligence, pensions, tax and IT claims among its specialist areas. The group benefits from a strong national and international network, and works particularly closely with individuals in the firm's Manchester office. Experienced litigator and international arbitration specialist Simon Kamstra (who has particular experience in the energy, aviation and manufacturing sectors) heads up the team alongside the 'impressive' Bill Gilliam, who focuses on procurement, IT and M&A disputes. Other names to note include legal directors Louise Dobson, who has expertise in the health and pharmaceutical industries; and Gareth Jones, who is particularly active in the industrials, transport, energy, and utilities sectors; Dobson and managing associate Ryan Geldart 'both outperform their level of PQE'.

Commercial property: Leeds, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard has a considerable presence in the regional retail sector and handles residential developments and infrastructure financing work with a consistent flow of national mandates, acting for developers, financial institutions and corporates. Bruce Lightbody heads up the Leeds-based team, and advises national retailers and commercial occupiers on financing and leasing issues. Lucy Sturrock is recognised for her work in the hospitality and leisure sector, while Ian Smith is active in energy and infrastructure-related matters. Managing associate Amanda Davis has played a key role in several of the firm's high-profile commercial and retail mandates.

Construction Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard's construction team handles the full range of projects, advising on high-profile residential, commercial and infrastructure developments for major corporates, developers and public sector bodies. Recent work includes nationally significant road, rail, airport, and energy projects, as well as notable mandates within Leeds. James Reynolds heads up the non-contentious construction department, advising on a number of national redevelopment schemes, with Joe Wilkinson handling construction and engineering disputes. David Shaw takes the lead on energy, transport and utility projects, with John Emerton acting in the related disputes. Director Ally MacKenzie also specialises in construction and engineering disputes with a particular focus on the energy and utilities sectors.

Corporate and commercial: Leeds, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard fields an extensive team of M&A professionals, with sector-specific experts including Mark Hallam in financial services; James Tatro in retail and consumer goods; and Richard Hunt and practice head Garry Elliott in chemicals and manufacturing. The team recently handled headline corporate mergers in its areas of sector expertise. Peter Wood and Yunus Seedat have a focus on private equity transactions, acting for international funds and private companies, while the recent addition of Adam Hastings from Squire Patton Boggs expanded the team’s capacity to handle capital markets takeovers.

Employment: Leeds and West Yorkshire; North Yorkshire Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard’s employment practice recently recruited Rebecca Kitson from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP to take over from outgoing practice head Sally Hulston , who is now at Knights plc. Kitson brings extensive expertise in Employment Tribunal litigation, acting for large domestic and international corporate clients; recent cases include handling unfair dismissal and disability discrimination claims. The team also handles senior exits and restructurings, while key associates Gerri Elliott and Laura Pilkington routinely assist with corporate due diligence and TUPE transfers. As a further addition to the team, Shakeel Dad (who was previously at Walker Morris LLP) enhances the team’s expertise in business immigration matters.

Equity capital markets - low-mid cap Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard has a first-rate reputation among FTSE AIM 50 and FTSE AIM 100 companies, nominated advisers, financial advisers, brokers and investors; the firm also counts The Takeover Panel as a client. In 2019, it acted on one third of all new AIM IPOs, which included Giles Distin leading the advice to N+1 Singer Advisory LLP (as nominated adviser and broker) on the £73m AIM IPO of essensys plc; the firm also handled one sixth of public takeovers of AIM companies. In addition to being a market leader in the AIM arena, the team is also prominent in large and high-profile Main Market transactions. Nick Pearey heads up the practice, which spans the UK network.

EU and competition Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard’s competition team handles antitrust investigations brought by the CMA and other market regulators for a premier client list comprised of UK and international corporates. Director Elizabeth Turner, who is the key Leeds contact, leads on merger control applications and also provides assistance to the wider national practice in high-profile litigation before the Competition Appeal Tribunal and higher courts. Recent cases included defending cartel claims and acting for claimants in damages cases.

Infrastructure and energy Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard’s energy and utilities team is a leader across the breadth of traditional and cutting-edge sectors. Richard Goodfellow advises on downstream energy projects, district heating deals and, alongside managing associate Alex Clayton, provides niche expertise in procurement projects for smart metering. David Shaw handles supply contracts for gas-fired power projects while James Reynolds is a go-to name for decommissioning programmes in the nuclear sector. On the renewables side, the group handles offshore wind farm transactions and development projects in the bioenergy, solar and hydrogen industries; the latter is led by director Sara Gilmore . Paul Dight has a key practice in deals concerning electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and John Emerton handles energy-related litigation, particularly in the oil and gas sector.

Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard balances lender and creditor-side work, advising major high street banks, insolvency practitioners and corporates, with board advisory work an increasing element of the firm's practice. The team assists administrators with debt recovery, business sale and restructuring mandates. The practice also has a dedicated distressed real estate capability, with director John Duffy and associate Emma Atkinson exclusively focusing on the area. Practice head Andy Bates works for the firm's biggest corporate and banking clients, alongside maintaining relationships with the key accountancy firms in the region. Graham Briggs continues to be highly recommended by clients. 'Excellent' Managing associate Emma Sadler has taken a leading role in several complex matters.

IT and telecoms Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard’s commercial IT practice handles high-value technology and outsourcing deals for pedigree UK and overseas clients. Practice head Michael Lowry and Simon Lofthouse handle the negotiations for the procurement of fintech platforms to facilitate the business-expansion projects of global players in the financial services sector. On the supplier side, the group advises on licensing arrangements for innovative CRM platforms and geospatial technologies. The expansive team features stand-out associates James Mort, Charlotte Marshall and Priscilla Hetherton; all assist with global IT transformation projects for retail clients.

Securitisation

M&A: lower mid-market deals, £50m-£500m Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard is particularly strong in public M&A, having worked on several public takeovers in the last 18 months. The department advises a large number of FTSE 100 and 250 clients and also has a consistent record of mid-market work for blue chip clients, including several large banks.  On the high-end M&A side, the team recently advised Battersea Power Station on the sale of several commercial assets. Core industry sectors include retail, financial services, energy, and real estate, with private equity transactional work also fully integrated within the M&A group. Practice head Andrew Rosling also leads the firm's retail and consumer group, while senior partner Charles Penney specialises in public takeovers and equity capital markets transactions. Yunus Seedat manages the wider corporate team while Mike Duggan is in charge of the London corporate group specifically.

Partnership Tier 1

The group at Addleshaw Goddard focuses entirely on partnerships and limited liability partnerships. It handles advisory work for international businesses in relation to structuring, M&A and joint venture and network arrangements. Dispute resolution is another mainstay of the practice. The professional services department is led by 'first-rate' partner William Wastie, whose wide-ranging experience includes mergers and demergers, partnership downsizing and management issues. Aster Crawshaw is also known for undertaking a mix of advisory, transactional and contentious work, with particular expertise in M&A and international structuring. Senior managing associate Chris Hallinan is knowledgeable about governance issues in legal and accountancy firms.

Pensions Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard’s pensions offering comprises high-profile experts including Rachel Rawnsley, Jade Murray and Rachel Uttley, who co-lead the team. Corporate clients and trusts engage the team on liability transfers, scheme closures, and governance structures.

Personal tax, trusts and probate Tier 1

Sitting as part of the firm's corporate department, the private capital team at Addleshaw Goddard provides a full and integrated service to its entrepreneurial and family business clients. Focusing on owner-managed and family businesses, the team, led by tax expert Pervinder Kaur, regularly advises ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families and trusts on significant national and regional business, succession and planning issues. The group also provides specialised advice on the use of trusts in a commercial context. The practice fields a qualified accountant with significant experience in private client tax.

Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m) Tier 1

Professional negligence: claimant Tier 1

Property litigation Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard acts for many of the firm's real estate clients, handling contentious issues ranging from insolvency claims to possession and tenancy disputes. The practice has a notable a focus on holistic dispute resolution. Clients hail from the retail, banking, education, transportation and telecoms sectors, with a particular specialism in shopping centre management issues. Practice head Julie Middlemass is national head of the firm's property litigation team, and is highly experienced in retail and investment-related disputes. Newly-promoted director Elizabeth Cape focuses on tenant insolvencies and vacant possession strategies.

Retail and consumer Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard handles the full spectrum of retail work, leveraging its full-service offering and national office network to advise clients on high-end strategic mandates as well as business-as-usual issues. The practice’s high-profile client roster spans retailers, fast moving consumer goods companies and top brands. Notable examples include Sainsbury’s, GlaxoSmithKline, Ted Baker and Diageo. Andrew Rosling and Mark Molyneux in Manchester jointly lead the retail and consumer group; Rosling is a key contact for M&A work while Molyneux focuses on contentious mandates. Other practitioners contributing to the sector group include litigator Louisa Caswell, who specialises in contractual disputes, warranty and indemnity claims, and supplier and distributor issues; and M&A expert James Tatro.

Social housing: finance Tier 1

The highly experienced team at Addleshaw Goddard advises banks, large housing associations, pension funds and other investors. It handles both bank and institutional investor transactions and frequently advises on public debt capital markets issuances. Finance head Steve Mackie, who specialises in structured debt transactions, frequently aids new investors on their entrance into the market. Practice head Lee Shankland, who is a ‘sector leader’, spearheads the firm's ESG/social impact group. Jennie Chilton leads the property security team, which handled the property security work on complex multiple pools of properties for all of the funders required by the £1.8bn merger and refinance of Peabody Trust and Town & Country Housing Group. Beth Collett leads the debt capital markets team. Managing associates Geoffrey McGinley, Helen Hunter and Tom McHugh are also recommended.

Transport Tier 1

Addleshaw Goddard's national transport practice is run out of its Leeds office, encompassing national and international rail, road, airport and shipping work, at a contentious and non-contentious level; clients include rail franchises, government departments and local authorities. The practice is jointly led by Paul Hirst, a specialist in rail and transport infrastructure matters, and transport real estate leader Anna Heaton. As well as construction, procurement, and governmental advice, the team also has litigation capabilities through Bill Gilliam and managing associate Ryan Geldart. Director Sara Gilmore is noted for her rail and bus infrastructure work, while associate Jack Harris has led on several rail projects across the country.

Asset based lending Tier 2

Led from London by the 'knowledgeable and well-connected' Mike Davison, and also able to draw upon the expertise of ABL lawyers throughout the firm's UK offices (including Edinburgh and Manchester), the 'personable and friendly' team at Addleshaw Goddard is deeply embedded into the domestic ABL ecosystem on behalf of a predominantly lender side client base that includes the ABL arms of clearing banks and independents. Praised for its 'market leading knowledge', the team is at the vanguard of work in the sector, including on hybrid arrangements involving ABL facilities sitting alongside facilities provided by debt funds. Manchester-based partner Simon Prendergast has an excellent reputation for lenders across a range of ABL and receivables financing structures, both from a bilateral and syndicated perspective. Praised for her 'depth of knowledge and accessibility', Manchester-based managing associate Lauren Priest-Stephens  has a strong reputation for bank and non-bank lenders and is a key member of the team that also has expertise on the restructuring and litigation front.

Banking litigation: investment and retail Tier 2

The financial litigation team at Addleshaw Goddard handles 'the full spectrum of banking work', including derivatives and structured products litigation as well as financial crime and payments fraud. It has also 'developed a strong FinTech side to its offering' for which James Herring and the 'dynamic and entrepreneurial' legal director Sivan Daniels are the names to note. Michael Barnett 'skilfully and effectively' leads a team which works closely with colleagues across its national and international network. Other names to note include Richard Clayton (who has 'great knowledge of industry practice') and managing associate Alex Unger who 'is another of the up and coming stars'.

Charities and not-for-profit Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard excels at handling complex multi-disciplinary work for charities with commercial arrangements; the group also regularly advises on real estate and banking transactions concerning charity land. Other areas of expertise include advising on Charity Commission investigations and inquiry work. Practice head Pervinder Kaur has 'extensive' knowledge of charity law, and the team is praised for its 'collaborative' approach. Legal director Charlotte Smart and Yorke Eaton also contribute to the group; Eaton handles the establishment and registration of new entities and governance work.

Commercial property: development Tier 2

Clients praise Addleshaw Goddard's team as ‘truly incredible in working together to find a full solution’. Adrian Collins gears his practice towards infrastructure, education, health and housing projects; he recently succeeded the ‘hands on’ and ‘fully committed’ Leona Ahmed as department head; she remains an active member of the team, directing particular attention to inbound investment from Asia and the Middle East. In the corporate occupier space, the team frequently advises on high-profile locations in London, including key landmarks, and prides itself on representing newcomers to the local market. As for development work, regeneration and matters with a cross-border work are particularly key, with the core real estate investment offering supplemented by corporate and funds specialists. Among others, clients include leading UK asset managers, REITs and a large number of overseas investors. The practice gained two partners in recent months through the arrivals of Frances Richardson and Rachel Orton from Linklaters LLP and Squire Patton Boggs respectively.

Commercial property: investment Tier 2

Clients praise Addleshaw Goddard's team as ‘truly incredible in working together to find a full solution’. Adrian Collins gears his practice towards infrastructure, education, health and housing projects; he recently succeeded the ‘hands on’ and ‘fully committed’ Leona Ahmed as department head; she remains an active member of the team, directing particular attention to inbound investment from Asia and the Middle East. In the corporate occupier space, the team frequently advises on high-profile locations in London, including key landmarks, and prides itself on representing newcomers to the local market. As for development work, regeneration and matters with a cross-border work are particularly key, with the core real estate investment offering supplemented by corporate and funds specialists. Among others, clients include leading UK asset managers, REITs and a large number of overseas investors. The practice gained two partners in recent months through the arrivals of Frances Richardson and Rachel Orton from Linklaters LLP and Squire Patton Boggs respectively.

Construction: non-contentious Tier 2

Corporate governance Tier 2

Employers Tier 2

Operating at a national level through its network of regional offices, the employment and immigration group at Addleshaw Goddard comfortably handles a wide range of complex and high-profile work. The London team's focus includes high-stakes Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation and investigations - especially those with a regulatory aspect. The team's client base includes global financial institutions and household name PLCs. For these clients, the practice regularly advises on major projects and restructurings, often with a cross-border aspect. Michael Leftley heads up the practice and focuses on the most complex matters of reputational importance. Other key team members include Richard Yeomans, an expert on senior executive appointments and terminations as well as transactional support, and the 'standout' Sarah Harrop, whose expertise includes large-scale restructuring and business immigration.

Health Tier 2

The dedicated healthcare sector team at Addleshaw Goddard, led by Mike O’Connor, Bill Gilliam and Louise Dobson, is divided into four sub-sector teams; public sector and health infrastructure, social and long-term care, life sciences and private healthcare. The teams act on transactions, disputes and contracts for a range public and private clients. Public sector clients include NHS Improvement, NHS Business Services Authority and leading NHS Foundation Trusts. The practice is active across all sectors for private clients – care homes, primary care, dental care, pharmacies and children’s nurseries.

Healthcare Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard is praised for its 'extremely good understanding of the healthcare sector and the challenges it faces'. The team frequently advises clients on PFI secondary market transactions, managing healthcare portfolios, restructuring and insolvencies in the care home sector, as well as private equity deals in the sector. Manchester office head Michael O’Connor leads the national practice and handles major transactions, complex projects and procurement matters; Matthew Newing and David Hartley specialise in PPP/PFI projects, while Andrew Pettinger also has a track record of work on corporate transactions.

Hospitality and leisure Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard houses the 'best commercial real estate lawyers' who are described as 'experienced, knowledgeable, and commercial.' The team is led by a trio of experienced partners who are particularly noted for their financing work but also handle an assortment of complex transactions, real estate, and construction matters. Luke Baines is strong in the hotel development area and with co-head, Lucy Sturrock, who splits her time between London and Leeds, is a key contact in the group. Zoe Maurer specialises in real estate and advises lenders and borrowers on financing matters. The practice holds a number of established hotel groups as long-standing clients and is active in hotel finance, development, and construction.

Infrastructure (PFI and PPP) Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard has a sizeable practice with an established national presence in infrastructure and PPP/PFI. The firm has particular expertise in transport, displaying industry expertise across rail, airports, and ports. The firm is on the panels for Network Rail, Hitachi Rail, and Transport for Greater Manchester. Additionally, the firm has a strong healthcare PFI/PPP practice, with key clients including NHS Trusts and private sector investors. The healthcare practice is led by Manchester-based Michael O’Connor. Richard Goodfellow acts as national head of infrastructure, projects and energy. Also noted is David Hartley who heads the firm’s PFI/PPP team in London.

Local government Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard advises local governments on a wide range of assignments, with a focus on real estate. The firm also advises clients on housing, care, education, regeneration, construction and ICT matters. Key partners include Andrew Pettinger and Richard Goodfellow .

Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard's team, which is spread across the London, Leeds and Scottish offices, has a 'creative, thoughtful, commercial and practical approach' in relation to the transactional, regulatory and contentious aspects of renewables projects, particularly offshore power generation matters. Rory Connor, who joined from King & Spalding LLP in early 2019, is working with Clean Energy Invest and Tata Power on the $400m restructuring of the project finance arrangements for the 185 MW Shuakhevi hydropower project in Georgia. Angus Rollo and Oliver Carruthers are the other London-based partners. Richard Goodfellow chairs the practice from Leeds.

Product liability: defendant Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard fields an established practice, with a particularly strong track record in the pharmaceuticals sector. The team is also increasingly handling matters for clients from the retail and consumer goods, technology and manufacturing industries, and is well versed in the full spectrum of matters, from regulatory compliance issues relating to recalls to contentious claims. Louisa Caswell is well-known in the market for her knowledge of disputes, while legal director Mark Chesher is experienced in a variety of commercial litigation proceedings, and Erin Shoesmith is a key regulatory contact in Manchester. Managing Associate Cécile Burgess also attracts praise.

Property finance Tier 2

Rail Tier 2

The practice at Addleshaw Goddard has expertise in franchising, rolling stock, projects and infrastructure, covering both light and heavy rail, and is supported by a wider team with strengths across all other areas of transport. In 2019 the firm advised London Luton Airport on the £250m development of a mass passenger transit system, while recent panel successes have included appointments for the Department for Transport, Transport for London and Network Rail. Practice co-head Paul Hirst specialises in transport infrastructure projects and rolling stock procurement, while new co-head Anna Heaton focuses on transport regeneration projects and co-investment strategies. 'Stand-out star' Clive Smith advises on rolling stock, leasing, maintenance and modification of fleets for both lessor and operator clients.

Reputation management Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard is 'at the top of the tree' in the field  of reputation and information protection, according to one client. Drawing on its international network, the team provides specialist support to household companies, while also demonstrating 'a stellar reputation' acting on behalf of private clients, namely high-net-worth individuals, as well as public figures, entertainment and sports personalities. Core areas of strength  include advising on data privacy claims, misuse of information. confidentiality breaches, freedom of information requests, as well as right to be forgotten claims. 'Doyen of the reputation management sector' David Engel leads the team, which also counts Abigail Healey, whose experience ranges from 'acting for numerous phone hacking claimants to major corporate litigation'. Data privacy is a notable area of practice for Samantha Haigh and new joiner Daniel Bishop, who was previously a barrister at 1 Brick Court.

Water Tier 2

Addleshaw Goddard has has 'real in-depth understanding' of the sector and related regulatory issues. The group advises on a wide range of areas within the water and wastewater sector, including regulatory matters, construction, litigation, environmental issues and transactions. The firm assists key regulated water companies and suppliers. In one highlight, it advised United Utilities on the c.£750m Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Project. National practice head David Shaw and London-based practice head Rona-Bar Isaac are noted. Andrew Walker  is the firm’s Scotland-based practice head.

Administrative and public law Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard draws on expertise from the firm’s competition, public procurement and litigation departments to handle public law disputes for claimant and defendant-side clients. Co-heads Bill Gilliam and Simon Kamstra ( who split their time between Leeds and London) recently handled judicial reviews for healthcare service operators and government departments in the transport and utilities sectors, typically concerning the awarding of procurement contracts. 'Ferocious litigator' Louise Dobson, managing associates Paul Rowley and Ryan Geldart and Manchester-based legal director Clare Dwyer are handling public law disputes for the Department for Transport and a raft of NHS bodies.

Commercial litigation: premium Tier 3

Commercial property: corporate occupiers Tier 3

Clients praise Addleshaw Goddard's team as ‘truly incredible in working together to find a full solution’. Adrian Collins gears his practice towards infrastructure, education, health and housing projects; he recently succeeded the ‘hands on’ and ‘fully committed’ Leona Ahmed as department head; she remains an active member of the team, directing particular attention to inbound investment from Asia and the Middle East. In the corporate occupier space, the team frequently advises on high-profile locations in London, including key landmarks, and prides itself on representing newcomers to the local market. As for development work, regeneration and matters with a cross-border work are particularly key, with the core real estate investment offering supplemented by corporate and funds specialists. Among others, clients include leading UK asset managers, REITs and a large number of overseas investors. The practice gained two partners in recent months through the arrivals of Frances Richardson and Rachel Orton from Linklaters LLP and Squire Patton Boggs respectively.

Construction: contentious Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard's 'well-balanced' practice is present on PFI construction disputes in the TCC, multi-party extended process adjudications, as well as international arbitration over infrastructure and energy disputes. Jonathan Tattersall heads the team; he has grown the firm's healthcare expertise and represented sponsors and project companies in health sector projects. Gerlando Butera acts in international arbitration concerning overseas projects while Julia Court is active in the transport, student accommodation, logistics and energy sectors.

Corporate tax Tier 3

At Addleshaw Goddard’s Leeds office, corporate tax issues are handled by Martin Griffiths, who has a broad client roster ranging from owner-managed businesses and high-net-worth individuals to private equity funds and larger corporates. The group also provides tax advice on private equity acquisitions and investments, company disposals and real estate transactions.

Energy and infrastructure Tier 3

Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory Tier 3

The multidisciplinary Addleshaw Goddard practice combines lawyers and senior compliance professionals to provide legal, compliance, conduct, risk and governance support. The regulatory team is known for expertise in retail financial services and payments work and is increasingly active in wholesale banking, wealth and asset management. Practice head Amanda Hulme is well regarded for regulated lending, regulated banking and payment services. Also notable are Rosanna Bryant, who advises on the regulation of current accounts, savings and mortgages; Ben Koehne, who specialises in advising on corporate, strategic and regulatory-driven transactions and projects in the financial services sectors; and Steven Francis, who has a broad practice in financial services  regulation and enforcement.

Fintech Tier 3

Fraud: civil Tier 3

Health and safety Tier 3

The health and safety group at Addleshaw Goddard frequently represents clients facing enforcement actions or prosecutions. Key sectors for the practice include construction, engineering, health and social care and retail. The team also provides due diligence support, compliance advice, reviews, risk management and training. Practice head Erin Shoesmith has extensive experience in contentious matters and reputation management. David Young is known for his expertise in crisis management, work-related deaths, food safety, and environmental incidents.

Insurance litigation: for policyholders Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard acts for policyholders across a range of insurance disputes, and is particularly involved in claims related to Bermuda forms, professional indemnity issues, and credit insurance. The practice is led by Richard Wise, who has experience in cross-border insurance disputes.

Intellectual property Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard’s Leeds-based IP practice is led by Georgina Powling, who receives instructions from high-profile clients on non-contentious matters. The team provides a robust trade mark filing service for global names in the retail, insurance, sports and consumer goods sectors. The group also has notable expertise in licensing and commercialisation matters; Powling provides assistance on global collaboration deals and acquisitions involving high-value IP assets.

Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard is frequently engaged on notable trade mark infringement and passing-off disputes, with practice head Emma Armitage frequently advising in this area. Ongoing mandates include litigation proceedings before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and High Court for leading names in high street fashion, beauty, FMCG and luxury goods. David Engel is the key partner for domain name disputes and digital brand protection. Brand licensing deals and joint ventures are handled by Damon Rosamond-Lanzetta, Fiona Ghosh and Leeds-based Georgina Powling.

IT and telecoms Tier 3

Local government Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard acts for local authorities on a wide range of matters such as outsourcing, financing and refinancing, transport, and regeneration and redevelopment work. Manchester head Mike O’Connor focuses on real estate, financing, and construction for government departments, NHS trusts, and local authorities. Partner Andrew Pettinger advises on PPPs, PFI projects, and on major urban regeneration projects, especially in education, health, street lighting, and social housing. Leader of the infrastructure, projects, and energy group Richard Goodfellow focuses primarily on project financing and renewables, while Rob Thompson advises on waste management and disposal and energy matters.

Pensions: dispute resolution Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard's pensions offering handles matters relating to trustee support, the sector impact of corporate transactions, negligence claims and liberation fraud. Catherine McAllister, Rachel Rawnsley and Susan Garrett are the key partners.

Planning Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard's planning group tackles a range of matters across both housing and infrastructure, advising on many of London's most high profile housing schemes, with a strong reputation for its work on build to rent, student housing and co-living developments. The practice also has particular strength in contentious matters; recent highlights include planning appeals for student housing projects, service station sites and de-listing ahead of redevelopment. Marnix Elsenaar heads the practice and has recently led on DCOs and section 106 agreements for complex mixed-use developments as well as infrastructure projects. Gary Sector is also recommended in both a contentious and advisory capacity, acting for corporate clients, housing developers and energy companies. Senior associate Sarah Hodge provides strong support in complex development projects in the city.

Planning Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard provides planning advice relating to private sector developments, infrastructure projects and local authority initiatives, encompassing planning permission issues, Section 106 orders, and land acquisitions including compulsory purchase orders. The team acts on national and regional projects for airports, corporates and developers. Recently promoted managing associate Daniel Marston is the key name within the Leeds office.

Property litigation Tier 3

In January 2020, Frances Richardson joined Addleshaw Goddard from Linklaters LLP and took over the as the team head from Andrew Blower, who remains an active practitioner across a wide range of real estate disputes. Richardson is experienced in rent reviews, insolvency-related matters and property crisis mandates; this complements the group's strength in development work. Elsewhere, the team advises on vacant possession and rights of light matters; legal director Gregory Simms, in particular, has expertise in the latter area. Its institutional investor, tenant, landlord and developer clients also receive assistance with lease disputes and contentious Electronic Communications Code issues.

Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates) Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard is well-regarded for corporate crime investigations and civil regulatory investigations, with a focus on cases brought by the FCA and Payment Systems Regulator (PSR). Head of team Nichola Peters is 'experienced and very clever' and is adept at handling corporate crime and contentious financial services regulatory work. Michelle de Kluyver is recommended for cross-border financial crime investigations involving bribery and corruption, sanctions, money laundering and fraud. The team has continued to expand at a senior level with the hire of partners Polly Sprenger and David Young from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP. Sarah Thomas joined as legal director from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and was then promoted to partner.

Trade finance Tier 3

Addleshaw Goddard has a strong presence in mid-market finance work, predominantly acting for lenders. Clients describe the team as 'responsive, well priced and conscientious'. Mike Davison in London leads the finance and projects group, which acts for major clearing banks and others such as Bank Leumi and BNP Paribas in transactions such as receivables and supply chain financings, shari'ah-compliant deals and commodity finance arrangements. Its work predominantly consists of traditional trade finance deals and supply chain financing, though it also has a specialist litigation team which handles contentious matters that arise from these structures. Simon Prendergast and managing associate Lauren Priest-Stephens, who are based in Manchester, are also active in trade finance.

Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans Tier 4

Led from London by Steve Mackie and also able to tap into the expertise of lawyers throughout its regional offices, including Manchester and Leeds, Addleshaw Goddard is 'very easy to deal with' and provides a strong service to clearing banks on mid-market bilateral, club and syndicated mandates. Under the guidance of the 'approachable and practical' Mike Davison, the firm is also able to provide corporate lending expertise utilising the increasingly popular ABL product. The arrival in June 2019 of Zoe Connor from Haynes and Boone CDG, LLP also broadens the scope of the firm's finance capabilities, in light of her speciality finance and funds finance expertise.

Competition litigation Tier 4

Praised for its ‘superb client interaction skills’, Addleshaw Goddard’s cross-practice competition litigation team draws on the expertise of the firm’s dispute resolution and competition groups. It places a particular emphasis on standalone follow-on damages claims, as well as regulatory investigations. Practice head Mark Molyneux has 'an ability to see and articulate the pros and cons of proposed courses of action and provide leadership’. Bruce Kilpatrick, who heads up the wider competition group, is a key contact for investigations, as is Rona Bar-Isaac.

Corporate tax Tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard's team is adept at advising clients in the financial services sector on transactional and commercial tax matters. In addition, it is equally capable undertaking tax work connected with the real estate and private equity sectors. The department is led by tax structuring expert Justine Delroy, who is based in the Manchester office. Peter Sayer (who is dual-qualified as a solicitor and chartered tax adviser) focuses on real estate taxation, with particular expertise in development and funds work. Paul Concannon specialises in financial services corporate and commercial tax matters. In 2019, former practice co-head Elaine Gwilt left for KPMG.

Debt capital markets Tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard's team has extensive expertise in both publicly offered listed debt issues and privately placed bonds. The firm has an impressive roster of bank clients, for whom it advises on public bond issuances; names such as Barclays Bank, HSBC Bank, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets and NatWest Markets turn to the firm for advice in this space. The private placement investor client base includes high-profile investment funds and large corporates. Elsewhere, 'technically brilliant' practice head Beth Collett is noted for her 'wealth of experience in social housing bonds'. According to a client, the team 'manages matters in a transparent, efficient and streamlined manner.'

Employee share schemes Tier 4

With a broad range of clients from large listed companies to start-ups, the employee incentives department at Addleshaw Goddard offers a complete remuneration service, providing 'tailored, clear and practical advice' on issues such as corporate governance and disclosure, remuneration policies and best practice, investor guidelines on executive remuneration, internationally mobile employees and employment taxes. The ‘excellent’ Jonathan Fletcher-Rogers heads the growing team and takes an active role in industry groups such as Share Plan Lawyers.

EU and competition Tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard utilises its ‘good technical knowledge and wide-ranging experience’ to handle high-profile antitrust investigations conducted by both the CMA and sector-specific regulators, market investigations, as well as merger control matters. Clients laud the ‘reassuring nature which instils confidence’ of practice head Bruce Kilpatrick, who has an abundance of experience in multi-jurisdictional merger control matters. Manchester-based Mark Molyneux leads the group’s contentious offering. Rona Bar-Isaac is a ‘trusted adviser’ in the water and retail sectors.

Financial services: contentious Tier 4

Primarily acting for corporates, Addleshaw Goddard provides an ‘excellent breadth and depth of experience’. The firm has particular expertise in internal investigations and whistleblowing matters, as well as banking litigation, financial regulation and asset management. Nichola Peters is head of the global investigations team and specialises in financial crime and civil/regulatory/controls breaches. She co-leads the practice with the ‘excellent’ David Pygott, who advises across the spectrum of FCA investigations, including regulatory disciplinary matters, alleged market abuse, insider dealing and twin track cases. Also notable is Sarah Thomas, who was promoted to partner in 2020 and advises on whistleblowing and the senior managers and certification regime.

International arbitration Tier 4

Oil and gas Tier 4

Pensions (non-contentious) Tier 4

Addleshaw Goddard's pensions offering has a strong reputation for trustee support, the sector impact of corporate transactions, negligence claims and liberation fraud. Catherine McAllister , Rachel Rawnsley and Susan Garrett are the key partners.

Acquisition finance Tier 5

Spearheaded by Alex Dumphy, Addleshaw Goddard's leveraged finance team has a solid reputation advising a balanced mix of lender and corporate/private equity sponsor clients. While it still remains a popular choice among clearing banks, the team has effectively followed the dynamics of the market and has begun to gain increased market penetration among alternative lenders, a sub-sector of the market that was enhanced by its hire of debt fund expert Peter Crichton  from McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP in May 2019. Strong regional offices, particularly in Manchester and Leeds, also provide an added degree of cost effectiveness in relation to lower margin-based work.

Aviation Tier 5

Addleshaw Goddard specialises in aviation finance and leasing mandates, acting for airlines, aircraft lessors, financial institutions and aircraft funds. Headed up by Rebecca Garner, the department has extensive experience advising on operating and finance leases for new and used aircraft; it also has a track record of advising on transactional, regulatory and contentious issues.

Transport finance and leasing Tier 5

Principally focused on rail-related mandates - under the guidance of the 'proactive and client-focused' Clive Smith, Addleshaw Goddard advises manufacturers, lessors and financiers across a range of work. This includes new build rolling stock projects. Outside of the rail sector, the firm's Edinburgh office handles a variety of transactional shipping work, including sales and purchases, as well as financing work for lenders and borrowers.

Corporate restructuring & insolvency Tier 7

The arrival of Paul Fleming  from Dechert LLP in November 2019 is undoubtedly a statement of intent from Addleshaw Goddard, in light of his cross-border special situations expertise. However, the team remains focused on its traditional mid-market IP and bank-led restructuring work, with the 'commercially focused group' benefitting from a core offering in London - where the 'extremely effective' Fraser Ritson is a key practitioner - as well as across its regional offices, including Manchester. Alison Goldthorp joined Norton Rose Fulbright in February 2020.