Browne Jacobson LLP

Trish D’Souza

Trish is the Education lead for Browne Jacobson’s Cardiff office. Recognised as a next Generation Partner in Legal 500, Trish advises a variety of Schools/Academies, and further and higher education providers. on safeguarding, regulatory matters, consultation obligations, complaints, special educational or additional learning needs, and equality law including transgender queries. Education clients really value Trish’s ability to turn the complex into the practical. She regularly settles disputes relating to admissions, exclusions (illicit drugs or serious violence), child protection, funding issues, disciplinary matters, racial or disability discrimination, freedom of speech, sexual misconduct, and governance concerns. As a college governor, Trish has a deep understanding of the need to receive solution-focussed advice that address topical issues in the context of relevant legal obligations. Trish’s passion is DEI and advising on judicial review proceedings which challenge decision making. She regularly trains on public law decision making, discrimination law and safeguarding. She also frequently represents at exclusion/disciplinary hearings. She has contributed to focus groups relating to the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan, and updated regulatory guidance on sexual harassment and on LGBT+ support. She has also chaired an Ethnicity network which highlights societal issues affecting those from a non-majority heritage within the UK.

Tim is a partner specialising in matters involving assessments of public and administrative law risk, particularly those matters with a Welsh devolution focus. He is also an experienced legislative draftsman. Tim establishes close working relationships with his clients and regularly operates as an extension to in-house legal teams. Tim advises his clients on the development of various, nationally significant policies and drafted numerous Orders and Regulations implementing such policies. He has advised, and been a member of, Bill teams that have taken primary legislation through Senedd Cymru and regularly drafts secondary legislation. Tim has vast experience advising elected officials (including Ministers and Cabinet Members) and policy officials of all levels of seniority in respect of legal risk based on public law principles. He regularly acts for government departments and other public bodies defending judicial review proceedings. Tim previously worked as an in-house Welsh Government lawyer, as well as previously in Environment Agency Wales (now Natural Resources Wales). His experience has given him a unique understanding of the considerations entailed in, and a complete appreciation of, the process of policy development from inception through to formal decision and implementation through legislation.

Christian Farrow

Christian leads our corporate practice in Wales from our Cardiff office as part of our wider corporate team. With a career spanning more than 20 years, Christian regularly advises listed and private companies on acquisitions, disposals, mergers, IPOs, EOTs, fundraisings and joint ventures, frequently with cross-border aspects. His track record in leading on multi-million pound landmark transactions across a range of sectors, most notably in financial services and CleanTech and Renewables, means that he his highly regarded by both clients and peers alike. In addition to his technical ability, Christian brings his innovative thinking and personality to deals. Clients particularly rate his enthusiasm and sound commerciality. Christian’s contribution to the deal market has been consistently recognised in the business community: he has been nominated twice as Insider Wales Dealmaker of the Year and was named Young Dealmaker of the Year. His esteemed ranking as a leading individual by the Legal 500 underscores his role as a trusted advisor for businesses in Wales and beyond.

Gavin is a partner and leads our construction team in Wales, which supports private and public sector clients through every stage of a project's lifecycle, from bid and procurement to contract formation and through to dispute avoidance and resolution. Recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ and described as a 'name to note' in The Legal 500, Gavin specialises in construction dispute avoidance and resolution, and supports the response of construction product manufacturers, contractors, and construction professionals to the new regulatory regime introduced by the Building Safety Act. Acting for household name SME and PLC construction product manufacturers, Tier 1 and regional contractors / sub-contractors, and construction professionals, Gavin draws on his appreciation of the commercial drivers of all parties involved in a construction project to provide the pragmatic and solution-focused advice which his clients value, both downstream and upstream. His excellent technical understanding of construction products and projects enables him to engage with personnel with regards the detail of disputes in a practical way, and has been recognised through his appointment to the London board of the Federation of Master Builders. Gavin works with organisations in the construction and manufacturing sectors to assist with internal knowledge management in relation to the new regulatory regime introduced by the Building Safety Act, to assess the risk profile for each organisation, personnel and any associated organisations, and to develop resources and strategies for management of the associated risk. Gavin regularly presents to a range of stakeholders on the Act, including the Consortium of Local Authorities in Wales, the Federation of Master Builders, and the Metal Cladding and Roofing Manufacturer’s Association. For his dispute avoidance and resolution work, Gavin is noted by the Legal 500 as ‘gaining a strong reputation in the field’. Gavin’s clients include: BAM Construction Centregreat Clegg Construction Federation of Master Builders GPF Lewis Plc. Harmony Fire H. E. Simm & Son Hiscox Investin Plc. Keltbray Mace Quinn London Roger Bullivant Siderise Insulation Sir Robert McAlpine Willmott Dixon Wilson Bowden Developments.

Mike Jackson

Richard Macphail

Richard is an experienced property lawyer who predominantly acts for housing associations and developers in Wales and England in relation to their property development work. Richard is recognised in the Chambers and Legal 500 directories as a notable practitioner where he is described as ‘excelling in development work in the sector’. Richard has been the lead advisor on some of the largest and most innovative development projects to have taken place in Wales in recent years. He specialises in site acquisitions including package deals, golden brick agreements, section 106 schemes, development agreements, options and promotion agreements. Richard also acts for local authorities in relation to their portfolio management work. Richard is well known for quality of service and his ability to apply technical legal expertise with a practical and commercial focus. Richard regularly delivers training to clients and at conferences on matters relating to property development and disposals. He is also member of the business support group for the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Phil is a partner in our corporate team. With over 15 years of experience, Phil has acted on a wide range of corporate / M&A work – he frequently handles complex transactions, including acquisitions, disposals, investments, joint ventures and restructuring work. Based in our Cardiff office, Phil works with clients across South Wales, nationally and internationally and has been recognised as a “Leading Individual” by The Legal 500. Phil has particular specialisms in technology, healthcare and education - having spent time on secondment to a Russell Group University, Phil has worked with a number of universities and spin-out companies on commercialising their research and IP and has advised on the sale of a number of private schools. Phil has a diverse portfolio of clients, including those working in digital media and PR, AI, Web3 engineering, food and drink, NFTs and medical devices. Phil has been a lead advisor to a leading logistics developer for many years, dealing with their high-value, cross-border, transactions. Phil advised on the sale of a (then) Premier League football club to an American consortium and has been a longstanding adviser to a premium UK vodka brand. Phil is commercially astute and pairs his strong technical skills with an ability to explain complex transactions in a straightforward manner. Clients rate Phil’s calm and assured approach; he enjoys building long-term relationships with clients and is a trusted advisor to many businesses and entrepreneurs. Demonstrating his reputation as a market leader, Phil has advised on a number of transactions that have won, or been nominated for, awards at the Insider Wales Dealmaker Awards. Phil is a trustee of Cardiff based charity and science centre, Techniquest, and has a passion for inspiring science and technology in others.

Tom is a partner in our corporate team, based in Cardiff. His expertise covers a broad spectrum of M&A and investment work, with a particular passion for working with early-stage and high-growth companies. He was named “Emerging Dealmaker of the Year” at the Wales Insider Dealmaker Awards in 2020 and is recognised by The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners legal directories. Tom spearheads the firm’s initiatives in Wales in the manufacturing & industrials sector, whilst also leading on the firm’s aerospace, space & defence activity nationally. Tom has advised a number of large corporates on their acquisition strategies over a number of years, whilst also supporting exciting high growth businesses on a wide range of issues, including scaling, fundraising and incentivising key personnel. Clients praise his pragmatism and knack for making the complex understandable. Several deals on which Tom has advised have gone on to win awards at the Insider Wales Dealmaker Awards; a testament to his ability and the high-calibre transactions he handles.

Zoe is a partner in the construction team specialising in non-contentious (contracts) advice. She has over 20 years of experience in advising UK and overseas construction and infrastructure, property, and commercial related projects. Zoe has a particular specialism in energy projects and has advised various stakeholders on a variety of public and private projects. She is highly experienced in creating legal frameworks for complex deals and developments, including construction interfaces with funding, property / leasing issues, corporate restructures, and agreements with interested third parties /stakeholders. She is also well versed in the nuclear sector, having advised on several Tier 1 and Tier 2 supply contracts for Hinkley Point C and now Sizewell C. Zoe’s advice covers a range of Head Contracts, EPC Contracts (including FIDIC, NEC), O&M and Supply Contracts. She also advises on interfaces between project contracts and the pass-through of risks, responsibilities and obligations to best protect the client. Zoe joined Browne Jacobson in 2022 after working for leading international law firms Reed Smith, Baker & McKenzie and Nabarro in London and Singapore, followed by national firm Clarke Willmott on her return to the UK. Zoe has an MSc in Construction Law from King’s College, London and spent over five years in practice in Asia. Zoe is ranked as a ‘leading individual’ and praised in the Legal 500 for “prompt thorough responses and advice”.