Browne Jacobson LLP

Browne Jacobson LLP

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Jacqui Atkinson

Jacqui Atkinson

Jacqui joined us as our national Head of Employment Healthcare in June 2018. She joined the firm having previously spent 10 years establishing and heading up the Capsticks employment team in Birmingham and wanted to move to a practice which would be ready to meet the changing demands of the NHS as it continues to transform itself into system working and integrated healthcare systems. Jacqui has over 20 years’ experience in advising Trust Boards and senior NHS managers on employment issues in the health and care sector. In the last year Jacqui has provided thought leadership on many key workforce issues arising out of Covid-19 and has helped to support healthcare clients to support them as the system transformed to become flexible and agile to meet the demands of Covid 19. This has included supporting CCGs and NHS Trusts in sharing the workforce across the NHS and from the private sector. From a very early stage Jacqui was instrumental in setting up a Covid-19 information hub for clients and delivering webinars nationally on key issues to support the sector with one of the most challenging periods in the history of the NHS.
Gareth Davies

Gareth Davies

Gareth leads our Private Equity practice in the West Midlands from our Birmingham office as part of our wider Corporate team. Gareth is part of an award winning and industry recognised team (Real Deals 2021). He is recognised by Private Equity Sponsors and Management Teams as commercial, always available and able to get deals done. In addition to his Private Equity practice, Gareth acts for corporate clients ranging from global corporations (Europe and the US in particular) to UK based PE portfolio assets, SME’s and OMB’s. Gareth has advised on multiple transactions across many different sectors, including technology, construction and real estate, education, energy and infrastructure, healthcare and manufacturing. Gareth is a member of our Financial Services and Insurance FMG focussing on Private Equity Sponsors. Clients of Gareth’s include Palatine Private Equity, NorthEdge, LDC, Apiary Capital, BGF, Altia, PBE Group, Sodexo, Equable Partners, Manor Adventure, MSQ Partners, LearnPro/XVR, Access2Music and Radiant Financial Services.
Matthew Harpin

Matthew Harpin

Matthew was promoted to partner from 1st May 2019 and has over 19 years' experience defending employers' and public liability claims and disease claims for a wide range of local authorities/commercial clients throughout the country. He is very highly regarded by his clients and regularly obtains trial wins, discontinuances and favourable results at JSM for them. He has secured a number of findings of fundamental dishonesty at trial for his clients. Matthew’s technical ability is matched by his understanding of his clients and their philosophy towards fighting claims. His notable reported cases include: \t McDaid v Walsall MBC (2018) \t Ryan v Hackney London Borough Council (2016) \t Millard v Walsall MBC (2014) \t Yew v Gloucestershire County Council (2013) \t Robson v Gloucestershire County Council (2013) \t Thorley v Vicarage Residential Care Home (2010) Matthew is described in: \t Legal 500 2017 as ‘knowledgeable on the law and gets to the heart of issues in a case; he has excellent perception as to which cases to fight’; \t Legal 500 2018 as ‘experienced in public and employer’s liability claims’; \t Legal 500 2019 as a ‘key figure’; and \t Legal 500 2020 as ‘well regarded’. Matthew regularly delivers training to his clients and has led on Browne Jacobson's highly regarded Highways Symposium attracting keynote speakers from the DfT and Road Liaison committee  
Paul Hill

Paul Hill

Paul Hill is a partner in the Banking and Finance team principally based in Birmingham and he also serves as the sector head for Energy and Infrastructure at Browne Jacobson. Since joining Browne Jacobson in 2019 Paul has made a real impact in the West Midlands market, not only through integration into the commercial community but also through building and developing client relationships. He has also been able to leverage strong interconnections between the West Midlands and London. He has advised on a number of high profile deals including: (1) Rcapital Partners in connection with their portfolio of debt/equity investments in new and existing businesses; (2) Blazehill Capital (and certain founder investors) on the set up of a new alternative lender; (3) Quilam Capital in connection with their portfolio debt/equity investments in new and existing businesses; (4) IB Group in connection with their corporate refinancing and subsequently the raising of CLBILS finance; (5) PBE Group on a multi-jurisdictional holdco corporate financing; (6) NatWest in connection with the provision of a revolving credit facility to a UK university; and (7) LDC in connection with their successful exit of Addo Food Group to European private equity firm PAI Partners. Within the energy and infrastructure sector, Paul has utilised his strong connections, reputation and capability to bring together the breadth of experience across the wider firm to provide a strong fully packaged offering in this area. This has culminated in a stream of high profile work, including advising on some of the highest profile recent infrastructure acquisitions in the UK market and has secured a number of collaboration opportunities in the sphere with large UK City and US white-chip firms. Selected highlights in this sector include advising: (1) First Sentier Investors in connection with their successful c £1 billion acquisition of energy-from-waste assets from SSE plc and  their subsequent acquisition of the entirety of the Wheelabrator UK EfW business from Macquarie; (2) a global asset manager in respect of their proposed purchase of Suez’s UK recycling and recovery business; (3) PBE Group on a multi-jurisdictional holdco corporate financing; (4) AFC Wimbledon on the debt/equity financing and construction of their new football stadium; (5) Manchester County Council in connection with a District Heating Project; (6) Oxford University Trust in connection with a hospital PFI; (7) Performances Birmingham on the financing and redevelopment of Symphony Hall; (8) Homes England on a variety of and (9) Derby County Council on the termination of the Derbyshire EfW Waste Project. Paul has also secured a UK panel appointment for Hydromine Inc, a sustainable energy company focussed on the power plant origination and investment, on-boarded Sculptor Capital, a global alternative asset manager, as a client of the firm and has been involved in a number of panel tenders for large FTSE companies.
Kevin Lawson

Kevin Lawson

Kevin advises upon complex and catastrophic injury claims across EL, PL and motor with an emphasis on high value claims. He has numerous claims valued between £5-£10m. He has particular expertise in the areas of sport, equine and leisure having advised governing bodies and individuals in areas of motorsport, archery, golf, tennis, judo, triathlon, horse riding, climbing and karting. Kevin’s support is often requested within days of a major incident occurring, working alongside insurers and their customers to proactively resolve a claim in a collaborative and cost effective way, whilst reducing settlement times and indemnity costs. Brand and reputation are key areas he pays particular attention to. Kevin has particular expertise in rehabilitation support for those seriously injured. He has advised over 40 case managers on rehabilitation excellence this year. Kevin also provides a wider advisory role to clients, encompassing provision of risk management advice to avoid incidents. Beyond direct claims management, Kevin leads the commercial insurance casualty strategy for the firm, and is deputy head of the Insurance Sector. This includes delivery of client facing training, advice on operational change to streamline efficiency, market intelligence and product innovation. Kevin’s key clients include Hiscox, The LTA, The PGA and Marble Arch.
Rachel Lyne

Rachel Lyne

Rachel has a wealth of experience advising across a range of regulatory issues covering investigations and enforcement action brought by the Health & Safety Executive, the Police, Food Standards Agency, Environmental Health Officers, the Environment Agency and Fire Authorities. Rachel’s contentious practice means she has gained significant experience in advising clients on a range of issues including: corporate manslaughter, health and safety, environmental offences (water pollution, waste, packaging, and noise, odour and light pollution, food safety including hygiene and labelling), fire safety, trading standards, consumer protection and licensing. She advises across the sectors with particular expertise in advising the: construction and engineering, retail, manufacturing , logistics, education and health.   Rachel has experience of advising at the most senior level within an organisations dealing with the most urgent types of regulatory investigations including fatal accidents and has extensive advocacy experience in both the criminal and coroner courts. As well as advising corporate clients, partnerships and individuals facing investigations and enforcement she also provides non-contentious advice on range of regulatory issues including: post Brexit compliance requirements,  packaging and waste regulations, crisis response protocols and supporting training, compliance requirements for product launches including tech products, medical devices regulations and bespoke training on a range of regulatory issues.  Rachel also has a significant public inquiries practice and is currently instructed to represent Core Participants in the Manchester Arena and Grenfell.
Sarah Manning

Sarah Manning

Sarah is a leading clinical negligence defence specialist. She leads a team of lawyers dealing with work on behalf of NHS Resolution, Medical Protection and Dental Protection. She is responsible for the management, supervision and development and provides the strategic overview and direction of the full portfolio of cases they handle. She is the operational lead for the claims work we undertake for Medical Protection. She has over 25 years’ experience of acting for health law clients. She has an impressive track record in defending complex and high value claims, particularly involving cerebral palsy, acquired brain, spinal and other catastrophic injuries, delayed diagnosis of cancer, meningitis and septicaemia and Fatal Accident Act Claims. She has extensive trial experience including successfully defending two multi-million-pound cerebral palsy claims involving a significant number of healthcare professional witnesses and expert witnesses. She has handled many high value claims involving the assessment of complex quantum and has negotiated settlement for sums in excess of £10m, including periodic payment order settlements. She is very experienced in dealing with claims involving multiple defendants and the strategy and tactics to deploy in negotiations on apportionment of liability whilst also working collaboratively on a joint basis where appropriate to resolve issues cost effectively.
Emma Rees

Emma Rees

Emma is a Defendant Clinical Negligence Specialist with over 25 years' experience of acting for NHS Resolution and NHS Trusts in the defence of NHS hospitals and staff. She specialises in high value catastrophic injury claims particularly those relating to complex birth injury; complex neurological injury and acquired brain and spinal injury in both children and adults. She is experienced in the resolution of liability and quantum issues both in the course of litigation and by mediation and ADR. This year notable cases she has managed include: a. A complex cauda equina case where breach of duty was admitted but causation was denied. There were factual disputes as to symptoms present at the time of the presentation and as to the likely treatment timelines even with the management contended for. The parties agreed to adjourn a CCMC and to proceed to early mediation where the case was resolved and where the Claimant was provided with an opportunity to raise queries as to the care received. b. An adult neurological injury claim relating to an alleged delay in diagnosis and treatment of a collapse of thoracic vertebrae which was alleged to have caused spinal cord compression. Causation was complex due to pre-existing comorbidities. The case was resolved by ADR. c. A child neurological disability claim relating to the management of their mother during labour and delivery. Full pre-action admissions were made. A collaborative approach was adopted between the parties with judgment entered and a stay agreed in order to await a more definitive prognosis.
Victoria Searle

Victoria Searle

Victoria is an associate in our admin law, environment and planning team. She advises public bodies on their statutory duties and powers, constitutional and administrative law, vires, decision making and judicial review. Victoria is a specialist environmental lawyer who advises statutory nature conservation bodies, local planning authorities, other public bodies, registered providers, and developers on their environmental and planning obligations. Having worked in the Civil Service for more than a decade before joining Browne Jacobson, Victoria is deeply committed to and a passionate advocate for the public sector. Her public sector clients benefit from Victoria’s unique insight into the sector’s priorities, ways of working and culture and her ability to provide pragmatic advice that reflects the particular challenges they face. Victoria has a particular specialism in environmental law, including environmental assessment, the Habitats Regulations, and SSSIs. Her clients include statutory nature conservation bodies, local planning authorities, arm’s length bodies and NDPBs as well as developers, registered providers of social housing and corporates. Victoria is a natural litigator, and her broad contentious practice includes judicial review, procurement challenges, public inquiries, and statutory appeals. She has acted for clients in the High Court, County Court, Technology and Construction Court and the Court of Appeal, and she has an appeal pending in the UK Supreme Court. Victoria is recognised as a key planning lawyer in the West Midlands by The Legal 500.
Dominic Swift

Dominic Swift

Dominic Swift is a partner in the Real Estate team and is also the chair of The Evolve Multi Academy Trust. Dominic has 30 years’ experience working within the commercial property field and specialises in complex projects, appreciated by his clients for bringing not only legal expertise but also strong project management skills.  His clients welcome his “hands on and can do attitude”. Dominic has project managed many academy conversions and advised a number of free schools focusing particularly on strategic site assembly. He has also played a major role in developing and delivering new services to help academy trusts in their strategic planning for the rapidly changing world they face.
James Tait

James Tait

James is head of our Birmingham employment practice and a partner in the team dealing predominantly with private sector work. He has 19 years’ experience of all aspects of employment law dealing with both contentious and non-contentious issues. He deals with the firm’s tech, retail and manufacturing clients. He has been involved in a number of high profile reported cases in the EAT, High Court and Court of Appeal. He has particular experience of advising on: \tcross border transactions, advising on TUPE compliance including warranties and indemnities \tprotecting confidentiality/trade secrets and enforcing restrictive covenants for the purposes of business protection \tdiscrimination and whistleblowing claims. James regularly trains the department’s clients with other members of our team and speaks at local and national conferences on employment law. He has provided multi-day training to a number of the firm’s international clients. He has published many articles for the local and industry press. James also undertakes international employment work and is a member of the firm’s Pangea Employment group, which is a group of international lawyers, and sits on the firm’s international desk. James is also a board member of the British American Business Council in the Midlands which is an organisation aimed at promoting transatlantic trade and business. He is also a trustee of Performances Birmingham Limited which manages the world renowned Town and Symphony Halls in Birmingham.
Bridget Tatham

Bridget Tatham

Bridget is an EL/PL defence specialist with expertise in the management of bullying and stress at work claims. She is Head of the Birmingham casualty team, responsible for the management and development of our casualty offer, advising our local authority and commercial insurance clients on motor, public and employers’ liability, from policy coverage through to claims and risk. Bridget is responsible for the strategic direction of the firm’s public sector insurance division, working to set strategy for growth drawing on our strength in the public sector. In that capacity, Bridget heads Foil’s Public Sector Focus Team (“SFT”), and in the last 12 months has successfully reframed the scope of the SFT to reflect core services in the sector. Her “Claims Club” is the envy of rival firms and is now run out of our key offices, bringing law to life for local authority claims managers and risk and insurance officers. Bridget has been able to build a growing adult social care practice, dealing with claims from residential and nursing care home providers. She has a particular interest in dementia care.   These claims have significant reputational impact on the provider particularly where it is alleged the negligent treatment has resulted in the death of a resident. Bridget is also a key member of our commercial insurance strategic team and leads our cross-practice team dealing with the Inquiry, prosecution and compensation issues. Bridget is a Nominated Partner for the NHS Resolution Risk Pooling tranche of business.
Jonathan Vickers

Jonathan Vickers

Jonathan is a construction lawyer with over 12 years of experience specialising in the real estate and infrastructure sectors with particular experience in commercial, residential (including BTR and later living) and public/private regeneration projects. He has a passion for sustainability in the built environment. He has extensive experience advising all parties involved in construction projects including institutional investors, government bodies, developers, tenants, purchasers and contractors. He brings this knowledge of each party‘s commercial drivers to achieve a collaborative negotiation of construction contracts ensuring that risks are appropriately allocated and shared to allow for a successful project from the outset. Jonathan acts for both public and private sector clients from the very inception of a project advising on procurement routes and contract selection through to contract completion continuing to advise during the works on contract administration and management. He has extensive experience with all the main standard form of contracts with particular focus on JCT and NEC contracts as well as bespoke building contracts, development agreements and framework agreements. He is passionate about sustainability in the built environment. He is a member of the Decarbonisation CAB at the ICE as well as involved with The Chancery Lane Project on drafting sustainable and net zero construction provisions.