The Legal 500

East Anglia: Human resources

Employment

Employment - ranked: tier 1

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP is ‘excellent all round; the team can turn work around at very short notice and provide specific resolutions to complex problems'. The practice is 'very detail-oriented, very careful, always available and able to give appropriate advice'. The Cambridge office is a key part of the firm-wide human resources practice group and handles a high volume of international employment matters. Its expertise includes specialist knowledge of sectors such as education, financial services, pharmaceuticals and transport and among its clients are Queen Mary University of London and Roche Products Limited. It handles advisory work and litigation including complex Employment Tribunal cases and numerous whistleblowing claims involving financial institutions. The firm is currently assisting technology business ARM with global employment issues, which include the operation of an international employment helpline and UK gender pay gap reporting. Simon Tytherleigh is senior partner of the Cambridge office and an experienced tribunal advocate, and he leads the employment practice. Elizabeth Graves is a leading light in cross-border employment matters and clients describe her as ‘an exceptional lawyer – dependable and commercial with high emotional intelligence and good regulatory insight‘. Constanze Moorhouse leads the firm's international employment counsel team. Clients also recommend partners Matthew Kelly and Geoffrey Mead for their work in the education sector, as well as principal associate Rachel Bennett and associate Ivan Moriarty in a practice that 'provides tailored, insightful advice that moves issues forward in a constructive way'. Senior associate Sasha Willmott also garners praise for her work in life sciences, not-for-profit and education sectors. Owen Warnock retired from the firm.

Leading individuals

Next generation lawyers

[back to top]

East Anglia: Insurance

Personal injury: defendant

Personal injury: defendant - ranked: tier 1

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

'For high-value, high-complexity claims the overall level of service is good, the team is responsive and its knowledge is excellent', say clients of Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP. Among the firm's clients are large corporates and public entities including National Grid PLC, HSBC, McCain Foods, Turkish Airlines and Moulson Coors Brewing. Paul Coppin leads the corporate claims team in which Nicola Lashmar , who has more than 20 years' experience in this field of law, is highly recommended. Coppin is leading the representation of Anglian Water in a number of claims arising from the a serious flooding incident in 2015, when Kirkley Stream burst its banks following a period of extremely heavy rainfall, affecting 33 properties in the vicinity. He also advised Legal and General Insurance on a complex and high-value claim arising from an accident at a family BBQ, in which the claimant sustained 38% total body surface area burns. Claimant solicitors put in an a schedule of loss at short notice claiming just under £5m after liability had been conceded in the belief that a £2m insurance indemnity would be sufficient. Senior associate Kirsten Almond is 'very thorough and considers all angles'. Senior legal assistant Carl Hurle is 'very user-friendly and responsive and often acts as an extension of the in-house team'. Senior associate Mark Milkovics has more than 25 years' experience in personal injury work and he recently defended  Union Hosteleria, trading as Hotels Holiday Parks, against a claim brought by a teenager who suffered a serious spinal injury  as a result of falling through the glass floor of her hotel balcony.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

East Anglia: Private client

Charities and not-for-profit

Charities and not-for-profit - ranked: tier 1

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

Firm-wide, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP acted for more than 250 charities in 2017, most notably in the education, health, regeneration, mental health and grant-giving sectors. The firm has significant expertise in advising research institutions and grant makers on matters including governance, international giving, social investments and tax. The Cambridge office is home to lawyers who play significant roles in the national practice, including Glynne Stanfield, who is the lead partner in the firm's UK governance and external relations practice, as well as head of the international education group. He is known for his advice to charity and not-for-profit clients on complex governance issues, joint ventures and mergers. Principal associate and charity law specialist Stephen O’Reilly has a broad client base in the health, social care, education and scientific research sectors and frequently helps with the registration of new charities, the release of permanent endowment restrictions, mergers, interaction with the Charity Commission and trustee matters. He recently assisted with the registration of the Alan Turing Institute as a charity. Turning Point and the Dementia Research Institute are also among his clients. Associate Elen Griffiths, who was recently seconded to the Royal College of General Practitioners, has a central role in the practice. The practice's highlights included assisting the Royal Society of Chemistry with its benevolent fund and defining the powers of its trustee, which included advice on Charity Commission guidance.

[back to top]

East Anglia: Public sector

Education

Education - ranked: tier 1

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

At Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP 'response times are always very good, and the advice is pragmatic and current, reflecting experience in the FE and HE sector'. Head of the firm's international education and corporate governance practice Glynne Stanfield, who splits his time between London and Cambridge, draws on his experience of corporate and commercial law to support clients in the sector and is a recognised leader in the field of education mergers. He acted for Capella Education Company in the sale of Arden University. He also assisted US-listed De Vry Inc. with the move of 1000 staff and students from their campus in St Maarten, which was affected by hurricane Irma, to a temporary campus at the University of Central Lancashire. This matter involved complex HR, student issues and immigration issues. Matthew Kelly and Geoffrey Mead are key partners in the firm's education employment practice. Kelly recently acted for Tresham College of Further and Higher Education in its merger with Bedford College, while Mead supported Cambridge Regional College in its merger with Huntingdon Regional College to create a new FE institution.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

East Anglia: Real estate

Commercial property: Cambridge

Commercial property: Cambridge - ranked: tier 1

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

At Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP 'the overall level of service is excellent'; the practice 'meets deadlines and can easily secure input from a wide pool of specialist expertise'. As well as high-value commercial real estate transactions, the firm also has a national and international reputation for alternative real estate asset classes, including transport infrastructure, senior living, hotels and hospitality. It also serves a large client base in the education sector, including FE and HE colleges and private sector institutions. Its work also encompasses advice to private and public sector developers and land promoters, corporate occupiers, and institutional, private and offshore investors. 'Solutions-focused' development and regeneration project partner Dominic Morris leads the practice. He assisted Legal & General Senior Living Limited on the property aspects of its £40m investment in two senior living villages in Warwick and Cheshire. Clare Whitaker specialises in investment and corporate occupier work with particular expertise in the hotels and leisure sector. For Legal & General UK Property Fund, she led the acquisition of the Hampton by Hilton Hotel at London Stansted Airport. Among the other key lawyers in the team are senior associate Megan D'Souza-Mathew, who handles development and regeneration work; senior associate Claire Morgan, who advises on deals in the transport sector; and associate Jamie Cawthorn who is ‘a very experienced residential development legal specialist whose advice is always practical and well balanced'.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

Construction

Construction - ranked: tier 1

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

The East Anglian offices of Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP are home to key members of the firm's national construction team including Dominic Lacey in Ipswich. Lacey leads the firm's national transport practice and plays a key role in complex infrastructure projects on behalf of developers. He recently acted for the Government of Rwanda in an $800m project to develop a greenfield airport, which required a novel, two-stage FIDIC engineering, procurement and construction contract. He also assisted Legal & General Senior Living Limited with construction aspects of its £40m development of two senior living villages in Warwick and Cheshire. Principal associate Tom Douglas is an expert in complex drafting and infrastructure procurement for projects in the transport sector. He worked closely with Lacey on a project for Brunel University London, which involved framework agreements to cover all aspects of the client's construction and engineering work. For the same client, they handled the procurement of an architect for the construction of a new, state-of-the-art learning and teaching centre at the centre of its Uxbridge campus. Litigator and principal associate Catherine Andrews is recommended for contentious matters. Principal associate Patrick Cooney plays a key role in the firm's relationship with High Speed Two (HS2) Limited, which the practice supports in the development of UK rail infrastructure. Clients also recommend associate Lauren Topper.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

Property litigation

Property litigation - ranked: tier 1

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

At Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP 'the service is excellent – the firm has good knowledge of the law and its approach is particularly user-friendly'. Richard New is the key partner in Cambridge and he is highly regarded for matters involving business rates, on which he advises blue-chip clients in the retail and online sectors in multimillion-pound disputes. For Lloyds Bank, he handled a rating appeal regarding its headquarters in Bristol, in which he succeeded in reducing the rateable value by more than £500,000 per annum. He is also a standout lawyer in general real estate litigation arising from infrastructure and regeneration projects. Among his clients are Taylor Wimpey and Blackstone Property Management. Senior associate Samuel Maw 'has excellent knowledge of the law, a pragmatic approach and a collaborative style – he inspires confidence'. One client comments that he is 'knowledgeable and provides good concise and targeted advice; he is prepared to deal with whatever a client throws at him'. He is the key relationship lawyer for National Grid Electricity Transmission Plc, which he supports in the management of an extensive property portfolio. Natalie Minott left to lead the real estate litigation practice at Hewitsons.

Leading individuals

Next generation lawyers

[back to top]

East Anglia: TMT (technology, media and telecoms)

IT and telecoms

IT and telecoms - ranked: tier 1

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP draws on an experienced team of corporate, IT and IP lawyers to handle complex projects for both national businesses, including financial institutions, and high-growth companies based in the technology hub of Cambridge. Transactional technology lawyer and practice head Simon Crossley is the key contact. He is global head of life sciences and a recognised expert in regulatory matters and IT commercialisation projects. His recent highlights included acting for National Grid in the development of its nationwide smart meter business. Partner Liz Fitzsimons is recommended for matters involving privacy and information laws, on which she frequently advises private and public sector clients. Her recent work includes handling data protection, GDPR, e-privacy and freedom matters. IP specialist Adrian Toutoungi also plays a key role in the practice.

Leading individuals

[back to top]

Intellectual property

Intellectual property - ranked: tier 1

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP  in Cambridge has ‘a team that is modest in size but works well with client and counsel, and is as good as any and better than most; it provides good, prompt and thorough advice‘. The firm’s ‘knowledge seems to be top-drawer, especially at the partner level', remarks one client. The firm has six IP partners in its national team, of which two are based in Cambridge. Partner and solicitor advocate Adrian Toutoungi is the key contact and his clients report ‘excellent service and knowledge of the law; he is very responsive'. He recently assisted the UK Intellectual Property Office with the enforcement of a judgment against a defendant in Sweden, following a high-profile victory at trial in proceedings for trade mark infringement and passing off. Co-head of the firm’s global intellectual property practice Simon Crossley, who is also head of healthcare and life sciences, is also recommended for IP work. He recently advised a financial institution on market data licensing arrangements. The firm counts Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Holland & Barrett International Limited, China National Nuclear Corporation and Cell Therapy Catapult among its clients.

Leading individuals

[back to top]