Firm Profile > Browne Jacobson LLP > Birmingham, England

Clinical negligence: defendant Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP has a large medical malpractice team, which acts for both NHS trusts nationally and major private healthcare providers. The first-rate team advises on a myriad of complex cases, and has secured many favourable liability settlements on cerebral palsy cases and other cases involving brain damage and catastrophic injury. It also has a large and respected healthcare inquest team. Practice head Sarah White, who is an NHSR-nominated partner, has a wealth of experience in high value claims. Rachael Morris made partner.

Education Tier 1

With exceptional strength in depth and broad legal expertise, Browne Jacobson LLP focuses on providing 'robust' advice to academies, schools and local authorities on property law, governance, data protection, school and student relationships and employment matters. Highly regarded Birmingham team head Nick MacKenzie is an 'absolute industry expert' on all education-related issues, while the 'highly experienced' Richard Freeth handles a wide range of contentious and non-contentious work, including admissions, exclusions, discrimination claims and judicial reviews. Helen Badger handles all employment-related matters.

EU and competition Tier 1

Intellectual property Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP handles both contentious and non-contentious IP matters across many sectors for prominent clients, both international and domestic. Patent litigation expert Mark Daniels leads the strong team which comprises Cerryg Jones, Giles Parsons and the 'top class' Bonita Trimmer. Highlights include acting on multijurisdictional IP proceedings, and representing high-profile clients in copyright infringement disputes.

Personal injury: defendant Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP provides specialist sector-focused advice to insurers, public bodies and corporate defendants. Its team particularly excels in matters concerning catastrophic injury, disease, highways and liability insurance. It is also continuing to grow its social care and abuse team. Bridget Tatham, who leads the insurance and risk team, regularly advises local authority and commercial clients on motor, public and employers’ liability. She is also knowledgeable about other issues, such as policy coverage, claims and risk. Matthew Harpin is another key figure. Paul Cox joined DAC Beachcroft LLP.

Employment Tier 2

Browne Jacobson LLP generates work from a mix of public and private sector clients, and its team has key expertise in the commercial, educational, public, health and insurance sectors. Equally adept in both contentious and non-contentious matters, the group in Birmingham is led by James Tait, who acts for the firm’s technology, retail and manufacturing industry clients. Jacqui Atkinson, who joined from Capsticks LLP in 2018, is the head of the national employment healthcare team. Atkinson has considerable experience of advising trust boards and senior NHS managers on employment issues in the health and care sectors.

Health Tier 2

Browne Jacobson LLP acts for NHS trusts, hospitals and clinical commissioning groups on Court of Protection cases, inquests, real estate transactions, mergers, unfair dismissal and whistleblowing claims. Sarah White has strong expertise in defending clinical negligence actions; Neil Ward focuses on inquest work and Helen Badger leads on contentious employment health matters.

Health and safety Tier 2

Browne Jacobson LLP advises many private sector organisations and their employees on all aspects of health and safety accidents and incidents, including fatal accidents. As a general regulatory practice, the team also advises on health and safety issues arising from food safety, environmental, the care sector and road traffic work. It also represents a significant number of public sector clients under the leadership of Nottingham-based practice head Andrew Hopkin .

Banking and finance Tier 3

The growing banking and finance team at Browne Jacobson LLP recently welcomed Paul Hill, who joined from Allen & Overy LLP in March 2019. The practice is led by Paul Ray, who is known for his work for funders such as Homes England, and is frequently involved in private equity, healthcare and residential housing transactions.

Charities and not-for-profit Tier 3

Browne Jacobson LLP, which advises on the full spectrum of charity matters, is increasingly sought out to advise governance issues, as well as on the establishment of family and corporate foundations. Team head Catherine Rustomji acts for charities, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises, charity trustees and individuals. Her expertise includes the duties and responsibilities of charity trustees.

Corporate and commercial: Birmingham Tier 3

Browne Jacobson LLP 's corporate team focuses on M&A, private equity and venture capital deals, while the commercial team is primarily concerned with contractual matters. Mike Jackson  heads up the corporate side and has a particular emphasis on the technology sector. The commercial team is led by Ryan Harrison , who frequently advises on cross-border matters.

Corporate tax Tier 3

Browne Jacobson LLP's local tax offering is led by Andrew Noble, who is dual-qualified as a solicitor and chartered tax adviser. The team handles tax aspects of M&A and real estate transactions - including cross-border deals - for a range of private and public sector clients.

IT and telecoms Tier 3

Browne Jacobson LLP's team advises a mix of public sector and UK technology companies. Practice head Declan Cushley heads the team, which consists of 13 lawyers. Another name to note is Richard Nicholas, who works on large-scale technology and software projects and leads numerous cases for insurance companies. Other key clients include those from the insurance and data sector.

Property litigation Tier 3

During 2018 Browne Jacobson LLP saw the departure of property disputes co-head Tim Rayner, who joined Irwin Mitchell. The team, which is led in Birmingham by the 'really good' Pamela Shepherd, acts for clients in the retail and public sectors on landlord and tenant matters such as lease renewals, break clauses, losses claims and house disrepair. Other clients include insurance companies, trusts and administrators of insolvent companies.

Commercial property: Birmingham Tier 4

Browne Jacobson LLP is instructed by both private and public sector clients such as councils, housebuilders, investment companies, corporates and banks on acquisitions, commercial and residential development, funding and leasing. Brian Hession joined from Shoosmiths LLP in April 2018, while Lisa McGinn left to take up an in-house role at Countrywide Project Management.

Construction Tier 4

Browne Jacobson LLP advises clients across a wide range of sectors, including infrastructure, utilities, healthcare, construction, local authorities and retail. Martin Cannon, who leads the team, handles construction and demolition contracts, assists with professional appointments and advises on procurement. Another area of expertise for the firm is construction disputes.

Banking and finance Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP's Nottingham office is one of the firm's main centres of banking and finance work, along with those in Manchester and Birmingham; Paul Ray oversees the practice across all three offices. The practice undertakes a wide range of financing transactions, and also stands out for its work in private equity, acting for banks, private equity houses and management teams, as well as those connected with the health and real estate sectors. Associate Mark Lewis heads up the property finance practice. Asset-based lending is another core area of strength; Shaun McCabe has substantial experience in this area.

Charities and not-for-profit Tier 1

At Browne Jacobson LLP, practice head Catherine Rustomji and her team are 'very knowledgeable and pleasant to work with’. The group represents charities, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises and charity trustees from a broad range of sectors, including health, education and arts. The group provides the full scope of advice to clients, with a particular focus on constitutional and governance matters, property development and investment. It also undertakes regulatory work, namely Charity Commission inquiries and investigations.

Commercial litigation: Nottingham and Derby Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP combines a strong local market presence with an ability to cater to the needs of national and international clients in high-stakes, multimillion-pound disputes. It demonstrates market-leading capabilities across a wide of sectors, including manufacturing, retail, IT, finance and utilities, and was recently reappointed to the panel of a multinational energy company for its disputes work. 'Exceptional' practice head Jonathan Tardif is the lead adviser to many other household names on their most complex and high-value contentious matters. Associate Chloe Poskitt handles a mix of contentious insolvency and commercial litigation (including breaches of contract, misrepresentation claims, office-holder claims, and supplier and consumer disputes). Dominic Offord moved to Howard Kennedy LLP.

Commercial property: Nottingham and Derby Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP's Nottingham team covers the entire ambit of commercial property matters for public and private sector clients. It performs equally well advising clients both on a standalone basis and as part of a wider national group, where cross-office support is required. Its market-leading reputation is underlined by its breadth of expertise; in the retail sector, practice head Sarah Parkinson has a wealth of experience of acting for household-name retailers on acquisitions and phased relocations, among other matters. The education sector is another strength of the firm, which advises on academy conversions, academy mergers, and acquisitions and disposals of freehold interests, among other mandates. Deputy practice head Barry Sully heads up a specialist development and housing team, which acts for developers, housing associations, local authorities and landowners. Elsewhere, the health industry is another key workstream of the practice. Suki Tonks, Robert Wofinden and Gabor Taller are other key figures.

Commercial property: retail Tier 1

Excelling in the retail sector, clients hail Browne Jacobson LLP as an ‘excellent firm that provides the full breadth of property services’. Caroline Green and Sarah Parkinson jointly head the practice, which counts luxury brands, household name retailers, leisure operators, distributors and franchisees among its client list. The team is active in the logistics front and handles strategic transactions, leasing, office relocations and property financing in addition to work extending beyond real estate such as IP and employment.

Construction Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP's profile in the construction arena is reflected by its heavy involvement in high-profile national and cross-border projects. Equally strong in contentious and non-contentious work, its market-leading practice generates mandates from domestic (local and national) and international contractors, as well as funders and developers, among others. The main partner in Nottingham is Michael Sadler, who works alongside associate Mark Stubbs; both are part of a larger national team, which is led by Tim Claremont in London. Peter Westlake has retired from the partnership, but has retained a role as a consultant.

Corporate and commercial: Nottingham and Derby Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP is widely recognised as a market-leading powerhouse for corporate and commercial work, a reputation reflected by its outstanding track record of advising on n high-profile matters. Its diverse client roster includes private equity houses and management teams, international corporates, listed companies and local businesses. Gavin Cummings heads up the firm's private sector practice. Another key figure is Nigel Blackwell, who has expertise in private equity transactions, such as MBOs/MBIs and investor-led buyouts. Mark Hughes is also recommended for his private equity deal experience. The healthcare sector is a notable area of strength of the firm; Oliver Pritchard acts for public, private and third sector healthcare organisations. Recently appointed head of business services Richard Medd specialises in advising public authorities on matters such as incorporations, and constitutional and governance issues. The firm also stands out in the commercial sphere, with its wide-ranging workload including agency and distribution agreements, franchise agreements and consumer protection matters; Paula Dumbill and Selina Hinchliffe are names to note. Victoria Gaskell and Helen Morgan are among the highly regarded associates at the firm.

Education Tier 1

At Browne Jacobson LLP, the team’s specialist knowledge of academy conversions, multi-academy trusts and PFI schools is 'invaluable and unique’. The ‘excellent’ Mark Blois heads up the practice, which counts academy transfers, academy trust mergers and expansions and academy rebrokerage among its core strengths. Other work includes property advice, education-specific GDPR implementation, regulatory work, parent complaints and disputes as well as discrimination claims.

Education Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP offers 'outstanding knowledge and information with regard to all education matters and wider matters affecting multi-academy trusts'.  The team is active in the mainstream education sector and has a client-base of multi-academy trusts, faith schools, FE Colleges, universities and local authority maintained schools. The team is increasingly instructed on matters such as the re-brokering of academies between trusts and GDPR issues. It also handles employment work in the sector. Department head Dai Durbridge is 'utterly reliable in terms of providing up to date information, being responsive to questions, and delivering timely presentations on education-related issues'. Legal director Jamie Otter is also a key figure.

Education: schools Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP 'epitomises the saying "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" and is simply exceptional' in its delivery of a diverse range of education expertise to its large client base. Led by Nottingham-based Mark Blois, the team is skilled in handling complex merger and restructuring matters, offering tailored and strategic advice to schools and academies, and representing clients in litigation proceedings. Core members of the team include the 'amazing' Julia Green; Nick MacKenzie, who is recommended for corporate and governance matters; Richard Freeth; and Adrian Shardlow.

Environment & planning Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP is the pre-eminent firm for planning and environment work in the East Midlands. In addition to providing key support on corporate transactions, it undertakes regulatory advisory work, provides governance advice, and assists with planning inquiries, as well as environmental investigations and prosecutions, among other matters. Richard Barlow, who heads up the environment practice, is the relationship manager for Natural England and the Marine Management Organisation, and also acts for local authorities and non-departmental public bodies. Laura Hughes is chair of the UK Environmental Law Association East Midlands group. Technical planning director Stephen Coult is a chartered town planner and chartered surveyor, and is sought-out for his expertise in compulsory purchase inquiries. Associate Ben Standing is also recommended.

Corporate and commercial: elsewhere in the East Midlands Tier 1

Education: individuals Tier 1

Corporate and commercial: elsewhere in the East Midlands Tier 1

Corporate and commercial: elsewhere in the East Midlands Tier 1

Corporate and commercial: elsewhere in the East Midlands Tier 1

Education: institutions Tier 1

Health Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP is active across public and private health sector mandates and it has a vast client base in the sector. The team defends clinicians in the private sector and handles clinical negligence claims; it regularly represents NHS bodies in judicial reviews and advises on service reconfiguration. Independent health and social care real estate work is another key focus, as is handling corporate, commercial, public law, governance, regulation and compliance for the NHS, its commercial partners and the wider health sector. The team also handles healthcare and public sector disputes and it has a dedicated mental health and social care advisory team. Amanda Callaghan   heads the department.

Health Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP is a market-leader in the health and social care sector. It has a national NHS client base and is one of only four firms to act for both NHS Resolution and a medical defence organisation. It also generates work from major private healthcare providers. Practice head Simon Tait handles a wide range of contentious mandates, including inquests and regulatory matters. The firm also has an excellent track record in clinical negligence, corporate and commercial, and Court of Protection work.

Health and safety Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP is active in handling fatal and non-fatal health and safety accidents alike. On the regulatory front, it advises on policies and protocols and the management of bespoke risks such as chemicals, asbestos and legionella. Work from public sector clients is a pillar of the practice, with the firm acting for education establishments, fire services and local authorities, among others. Andrew Hopkin heads up the practice, which also acts for several high-profile commercial organisations, both directly and through their insurers. Stephanie McGarry is a specialist regulatory advocate, who has experience of corporate manslaughter investigations and proceedings before the Magistrates' Court and Coroner's Court.

Healthcare Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP has expanded its national healthcare practice with the recruitment of Christian Dingwall from Hempsons to the Manchester office. Across its multiple offices, the sizeable team counts an impressive list of NHS trusts and leading private healthcare providers among its clients, and has a 'solid reputation' for corporate and commercial matters, procurement, governance and public law issues, and clinical risk management. Simon Tait heads the national group and is supported Dingwall, Oliver Pritchard and Gerard Hanratty. Senior associate Charlotte Harpin  has notable expertise in CCG constitution.

Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 1

At Browne Jacobson LLP, which has a strong profile among domestic and international clients, recently promoted legal director Emma Taylor generates mandates from a broad base of corporate, public and private sector entities. The firm has a strong track record advising on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious personal and corporate insolvency matters. The scope of its work includes pre-appointment advice, appointments, investigations, antecedent recoveries and enforcement. Recent work includes Taylor, senior associate Chloe Poskitt and others working alongside KPMG LLP to assist the directors of The Quality Furniture Company Limited with its administration. Contentious insolvency expert Dominic Offord  left for Howard Kennedy LLP  in late 2018.

Intellectual property Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP's ‘very impressive’ practice generates work from domestic and international brand-name clients, thanks to its full-service  offering on intellectual property matters. It undertakes both transactional and advisory work, and acts for clients in trade mark disputes. In addition, it is active in patent, design and copyright matters, as well as substantial licensing, co-branding and collaboration agreements. Led by London-based Declan Cushley, the team has a strong profile among luxury and volume retailers, fashion brands and pharmaceutical companies. Other areas of sector expertise include telecommunications, banking and defence.

IT and telecoms Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP’s client roster includes entities from both the private and public sectors, encompassing industries such as financial services, insurance, retail, health, energy and construction. London-based Declan Cushley leads the department, which also runs a dedicated legal support programme for start-up companies. His team is well-regarded for high-profile outsourcing transactions, while other areas of specialist knowledge include fintech projects, disruptive technologies, data protection, crypto technologies and cloud computing matters.

Education: individuals Tier 1

Local government Tier 1

Education: institutions Tier 1

Local government Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP delivers expertise in planning and environment, administrative and procurement law, criminal law and health and safety investigations, and local heat networks. It also advises clients on investment property, state aid and commercial contracts. On the contentious front, it demonstrates strong capabilities in procurement challenges and judicial reviews. Richard Barlow and the ‘excellent’ Peter Ware jointly lead the practice.

Personal injury and clinical negligence: defendant Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP provides 'an excellent and timely service’ to a roster of health, social care, commercial insurance and local authority clients. In the clinical negligence space, the group has expertise in cerebral palsy and other matters involving brain damage and catastrophic injuries. The firm's personal injury work includes cases involving sexual and physical abuse, as well as highway and Human Rights Act matters. Elsewhere, the firm's strength in child abuse litigation has recently seen it generate work from faith organisations, as well as clients from the sports and education sectors. Lorna Hardman and Susan Mabbott jointly lead the team. Sarah Erwin-Jones is another notable figure.

Personal tax, trusts and probate Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP is praised by clients for the ‘range and depth of its expertise’. Led by the ’extremely accessible’ Lucy Worwood, the department is engaged by business owners for succession advice and ownership structuring, and it also assists large estates with business, agricultural and tax issues, including the maximisation of the benefits of business and agricultural relief for inheritance tax purposes. Additional pillars of the practice are offshore trusts and trust structuring.

Private finance initiative (PFI) Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP's government and infrastructure department is renowned for its work on large and high-profile projects, and it has a particularly sizeable following of public sector clients (including local and central government, and local authorities), although work from private sector clients is another pillar of the practice. The team in Nottingham is led by Craig Elder, whose experience includes PFI/PPP projects, and also those in areas such as waste management, defence, energy and health. Anja Beriro and associate Alex Kynoch are also recommended.

Professional negligence Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP, whose team has expertise in every stage of the lifecycle of an insurance claim, assists clients 'in a fast and efficient manner’. Jonathan Newbold, who is an expert in policy coverage matters, serves as the practice head. He is experienced in assisting underwriters with policy wording and insurers on strategy and risk management. Elsewhere in the team, Marlene Henderson has specialist knowledge of indemnity issues affecting professional indemnity policies and management liability portfolio policies. The group defends surveyors and valuers, estate agents, lawyers, accountants, designers and renewable energy consultants, among others.

Property litigation Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP's Nottingham team, which is led by Mark Aldrich, is a first port of call for many public and private sector clients for a wide range of matters, such as contentious lease renewals, dilapidations cases, title disputes and possession proceedings. Aldrich has specialised in property litigation for 27 years. At associate level, Louise Read is noted for her particular experience of acting for retail sector clients in all types of contentious issues relating to freehold and leasehold property. Helen Taller is another name to note.

Social housing Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP is widely recognised nationally for its full-service offering in the social housing sector, where its ability to draw upon strengths across multiple disciplines comes to the fore. It has a  longstanding track record in development and property work, but its wider practice also covers social housing funding (including private placement funding transactions), housing management, antisocial behaviour, insurance litigation and regulatory work. Illustrative of the firm's outstanding reputation, it counts two of Homes England’s strategic housing association partners as among its clients (out of a total of 15 partners nationally). Barry Sully heads up the practice, which has had an uptick in work from grant-funded development clients in relation to major development programmes, and has also had a strong flow of securitisation mandates. The firm also has a standout reputation in plot sales. In addition to Sully, Gabor Taller and Ben Standing are among the other recommended individuals at the firm.

Sport Tier 1

Browne Jacobson LLP's diverse sports-related work spans governance, regulatory, property, employment, health and safety, contentious and commercial matters. It also handles high-value sporting transactions and insurance-related work connected with significant injuries. The practice, which is jointly led by Peter Jones in Nottingham and Birmingham-based Kevin Lawson, represents a number of national sporting organisations and governing bodies.

Agriculture and estates Tier 2

The ‘highly recommended’ team at Browne Jacobson LLP is ‘capable and available whenever needed’. A broad cross-section of services is provided by the group, with it offering specialist advice on insurance, renewable energy and regulatory matters, and also providing assistance with transactions and strategic land developments. Robert Wofinden and William Colacicchi jointly lead the group, which counts a number of public sector entities as key clients in its roster. Tim Edds is a new arrival, having previously served as in-house counsel at the Welsh Government.

Clinical negligence: defendant Tier 2

Amanda Callaghan leads Browne Jacobson LLP's clinical negligence defence practice, which acts for major public players in the healthcare sector, such as NHS Resolution and the Medical Protection Society, as well as a line-up of private sector clients. The team's expertise includes a track record of roles on healthcare inquests.

Education Tier 2

The education team at Browne Jacobson LLP generates work from clients such as schools, academies, maintained and independent schools, as well as further and higher education institutions. The group handles a large volume of academy conversion work, which is a field of specialisation of the ‘excellent’ practice head Julia Green. The department also advises on HR issues, school governance, and various contentious matters. Senior associate Rachel Billen is recommended for education-focused employment advice.

Employment Tier 2

Industry expertise at Browne Jacobson LLP encompasses the commercial, education, public, health and insurance sectors. Peter Jones heads up the firm’s national employment team, and his strengths include employee termination, grievances, contentious employment issues and trade union matters. Nottingham practice head Sarah Hooton has expertise in complex tribunal claims, namely discrimination cases and transactions involving TUPE.

Health and safety Tier 2

Browne Jacobson LLP advises both public and private sector clients on all health and safety aspects of fatal and non-fatal accidents. Its team's public sector experience includes prosecuting cases for local authorities and fire authorities, as well as appearing in inquests and investigations. The group also provides regulatory advice to clients on food safety, the environment and the care sector. Exeter-based Dale Collins, who had more than ten years of experience serving as a prosecutor advocate for the HSE, is a name to note.

Immigration Tier 2

Browne Jacobson LLP has a proven track record of handling Licence to Sponsor and Tier Two visa applications, and also has expertise in advising high-net-worth individuals on obtaining indefinite leave to remain (ILR) settlement under the EU Settlement Scheme and family visas. The firm is also home to a strong employment practice and assists clients with employment-related immigration matters, including right to work checks and the termination of employment for illegal workers. Industry expertise includes the private healthcare and education sectors, among others. Associate Helen Taylor leads the practice.

Local government Tier 2

Based in Nottingham, Peter Ware and Richard Barlow lead the Browne Jacobson LLP practice, which is valued for its ability to bring together a range of expertise to large projects. Ware's experience includes acting for a group of local authorities that established as one of the first pooled LGPS funds in the country. Stephen Matthew handles major procurements, infrastructure projects and joint ventures, as does Nick Hurley who has focused of late on regeneration projects. Anja Beriro acts for both public and private sector clients on procurements including for IT. The team also advises on matters such as state aid, planning and environmental law, and health and safety issues.

Brand management Tier 3

Browne Jacobson LLP has a strong national reputation for its trade mark dispute work, having recently represented LEVC (formerly the London Taxi Vehicle Corporation) in a widely reported trade mark dispute with Frazer-Nash and Ecotive involving the famous shape of black cabs. Declan Cushley leads the national practice from Birmingham and focuses on non-contentious IP. Other key figures include IP litigators Cerryg Jones and Mark Daniels and transactional lawyers Alex Watt and Selina Hinchliffe, who advise on licensing, sponsorship and advertising issues and portfolio management. Bonita Trimmer and associate Giles Parsons are the other names to note for IP and designs disputes.

Charities and not-for-profit Tier 3

Led by the Nottingham-based Catherine Rustomji, Browne Jacobson LLP offers the full range of services to its clients in the charity sector. The team has recently seen an increase in instructions relating to governance and the establishment of corporate foundations. Kerren Daly advises on employment-related charity work, while Dominic Buckley handles property-related charity matters.

Health Tier 3

Browne Jacobson LLP's fast-growing healthcare offering encompasses health and social care work. Its practice notably stands out in relation to regulatory matters, as well as litigation and investigations, where matters often involve issues such as abuse and negligence, obligations arising from the duty of care, and confidentiality/data protection breaches. The ‘extremely knowledgeable’ Mark Barnett handles clinical negligence claims for the NHS, including cases brought against mental health providers.

IT and telecoms Tier 3

The technology team at Browne Jacobson LLP advises on complex IT transactions, with expertise in designing, building and implementing IT project phases in the financial services, insurance, retail and public sectors. Anthony Nagle heads up the national IT practice group, which spans the firm's London, Nottingham and Birmingham offices, while Declan Cushley leads the firm's commercial and IP departments.

Local government Tier 3

Browne Jacobson LLP acts for more than 200 local authorities, either directly or through their insurers. It also advises central government departments, as well as police, fire and rescue services. The scope of its wide-ranging practice includes corporate and commercial work, regeneration projects, housing, state aid and employment matters. In addition, contentious work is another driver of activity for the group. Peter Ware advises all types of public sector clients on public procurement, state aid and alternative service delivery models.

Personal injury: defendant Tier 3

Browne Jacobson LLP regularly advises insurers, local authorities and NHS trusts. Practice co-head Joanne Pruden is experienced in advising on employer liability claims involving allegations of bullying and harassment, as well as claims against public institutions. The firm also deals with occupier liability claims and advises on industrial diseases such as asbestosis. The team additionally assists with claims arising from deafness and occupational stress.

Professional discipline Tier 3

Browne Jacobson LLP stands out for its high-volume advice to the Teaching Regulation Agency; the team also regularly assists NHS England with regulatory matters involving the Performers Lists. Nottingham's Fiona Butler has a broad professional disciplinary practice in education, healthcare, construction and surveying, while Ros Foster in London advises statutory and non-statutory bodies on all aspects of disciplinary matters. Also key to the team are Manchester-based Gerard Hanratty and recently promoted partner Ben Bentley. Samantha Paxman and Louisa Atkin in Nottingham were made senior associates.

Art and cultural property Tier 4

Browne Jacobson LLP works for some of the UK’s most important cultural institutions and public bodies. It is also recommended for its work with street and urban artists. Alex Watt has extensive experience of dealing with artists on the protection of their intellectual property as well as galleries on their relationship with artists. Other areas of expertise lie in acting for the owners of landed estates and for local authorities on issues affecting listed buildings and conservation area issues. Declan Cushley is also recommended.

Banking and finance Tier 4

Browne Jacobson LLP is experienced across a range of acquisition finance, corporate banking, leveraged finance, property finance, asset based lending and debt restructuring mandates.  The team, led by Jonathan Edwards , particularly stands out for its peer-to-peer lending expertise, the healthcare sector is also a key focus.

Commercial litigation: Manchester Tier 4

Browne Jacobson LLP's practice is particularly focused on the healthcare and public sectors, and the firm has fee incomes in both areas increase over recent months. Areas of expertise include restrictive covenants, both in relation to employment contracts and sale and purchase agreements. Nichola Evans, who heads up the team, has experience of international arbitration and cases in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, and is also a board member on the Civil Mediation Council.

Commercial property: Manchester Tier 4

Browne Jacobson LLP acts for a range of clients across the health, social care, education and public sectors on real estate instructions. The team is experienced on a range of development, investment, management and property finance mandates. Dominic Buckley and Victoria Thourgood lead the team in Manchester.

Employment Tier 4

Led by the highly regarded Kerren Daly, the Browne Jacobson LLP employment team is 'incredibly responsive, knowledgeable and thorough in its approach.' In addition to routinely advising on restructurings and the employment aspects of M&A, the team has also recently seen an uptick in private and public sector work, including instructions relating to boardroom disputes  The department is also known for its HR support offering.

Infrastructure (including PFI and PPP) Tier 4

Browne Jacobson LLP is known  for a balanced infrastructure practice, which is engaged by the public as well as private sector. The team has considerable experience in advising clients on PPP projects as well as on procurement matters. Nottingham-based Craig Elder, who is well versed in transactional work, and Stephen Matthew jointly lead the group. The latter recently was involved in several regeneration projects. Senior associate Nick Hurley is also recommended.

Insurance and reinsurance litigation Tier 4

With a strong track record handling financial services and professional indemnity claims, Browne Jacobson LLP has recently seen an uptick in work relating to property damage, brokers' liability, D&O and reinsurance matters, among other areas. Practice head Jonathan Newbold, who splits his time between London and Nottingham, focuses on professional negligence. 'Fantastic lawyer' Colin Peck has particular expertise in property damage and business interruption disputes, while Francis Mackie advises on brokers' negligence.

Media and entertainment (including media finance) Tier 4

Browne Jacobson LLP 's brands, advertising and marketing team acts for a range of well-known luxury brands, global products groups and advertising agencies, as well as new media and fintech clients. It is experienced in a range of specialist advertising work which includes experiential, live and behavioural advertising. The team is regularly engaged on national and international campaigns and is experienced in advising production agencies and influencer agencies; the team created a precedent agreement for Whalar for it to use in relation to the governance of all of its promotional agreements. The team also handles ASA complaints.

Personal injury: defendant Tier 4

Browne Jacobson LLP has particular strength acting for clients from the public sector, notably those operating in the health and social care fields, in relation to claims that regularly involve sexual and physical abuse. The department is also well versed in employers' and public liability matters, stress at work cases, as well as fraudulent claims. The London team is led by David Maggs, who specialises in local authority insurance litigation and advises on risk management along with health and safety issues.

Professional negligence Tier 4

Browne Jacobson LLP is 'very strong in professional negligence' and it enjoys 'a national reputation' for handling claims involving lawyers, accountants, surveyors, valuers, financial institutions, IFAs, insurance brokers, actuaries and architects. The team is also engaged on disputes involving new and emerging professions and it is 'innovative in the services that are provided'. The 'brilliant' Ed Anderson defended a firm of solicitors against a claim arising out of what was the largest ever divorce settlement in the UK. The team 'perfectly combines a comprehensive understanding of the factual and legal issues involved, with a commercial and strategic overview'.

Venture capital Tier 4

Although it has significantly enhanced its investor client base in recent years, Browne Jacobson LLP's core strength lies in acting for investees throughout their investment lifecycle. The firm's 'flexible, proactive and commercial approach' is underscored by its innovative 'Grow' programme, which has successfully attracted a base of early-stage disruptive tech clients, providing them with ongoing legal support as well as the provision of fixed-fee rates for more substantive legal queries. London-based partner Jon Snade  has been instrumental to the evolution of the 'Grow' product and has cultivated numerous clients within the insurtech space as a result of it. Birmingham-based partner Mike Jackson is noted for his work for both investors and investees across a range of sectors, including automotive technology.

Administrative and public law Tier 5

Public inquiry work is a strong point for Browne Jacobson LLP’s public law offering, which operates from offices in London and Nottingham. A recent representative matter involved practice co-heads Laura Hughes and Richard Barlow advising the Northern Ireland Audit Office on the Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry. The team’s client roster includes a substantial number of regulatory bodies in the environment, healthcare and education sectors, and Ros Foster advises a range of regulatory and health clients in judicial review challenges and disciplinary investigations, among other matters. The team often advises its clients on mitigation strategies to prevent future judicial reviews.

Construction: contentious Tier 5

Browne Jacobson LLP's contentious team advises on both national and international projects, with cross-sector experience in development, energy and insurance. The 'personable' Tim Claremont leads the firm's construction and engineering team and has been advising Heatherwick on its bid to be appointed as architect for British Land's redevelopment of Canada Water in South London. Senior associate William Barrington is another key member of the team.

Fintech Tier 5

Browne Jacobson LLP's 'proactive and commercial' team acts for high-growth fintech and insurtech businesses and investors in investment rounds and fundraising, and also advises more broadly on regulatory issues, such as FCA applications and GDPR, commercial agreements and contentious matters. In the insurtech space the group provides clients with full-service legal advice, ranging from employee matters to IT projects involving IP provisions, liability provisions and various other contractual elements. Corporate partner Jon Snade handles a high volume of funding round deals and transactions for fintech clients and investors, whereas Jonathan Edwards (who joined the firm's banking practice in 2018) has notable strength and depth in the p2p lending space.

Fraud: civil Tier 5

Browne Jacobson LLP advises on both counter-fraud and asset recovery strategies. Areas of expertise include cross-border insolvency, multi-jurisdictional fraud claims, financial crime, director misfeasance, litigation and counter-fraud measures. Client sectors include financial services, health, education, retail, commercial and insurance. Nicholas Pontt and Birmingham-based Paul Wainwright head the team. John Adams was promoted to partner. Former team head Dominic Offord left the firm for Howard Kennedy LLP.

Intellectual property Tier 6

The team at Browne Jacobson LLP is 'very knowledgeable in all aspects of IP, giving strong sound advice' and has particular retail sector expertise; it also has significant experience in the automotive, construction, telecoms, banking and engineering sectors. Declan Cushley leads the team and has a notable focus on brand work, while Giles Parsons handles a range of trade mark and patent litigation. Former head of patents Kathleen Murphy Fox joined EIP.

Employment: employers Tier 7

Browne Jacobson LLP's impressive client roster includes both companies and senior executives in the retail, financial services, education and healthcare sectors, among them international fashion brands, multi-academy trusts and NHS bodies. The team represents clients in employment tribunal claims, as well as advising on immigration matters, day-to-day issues such as employment contracts, and internal procedures. Raymond Silverstein, who heads the London employment practice, also acts for public bodies and employers in the manufacturing and IT sectors, while senior associate Heather Mitchell specialises in advising educational institutions.