Chris Jackson > Burges Salmon LLP > Bristol, England > Lawyer Profile

The ‘competent, diligent and dedicated’ team at Burges Salmon LLP provides ‘a standout offering of magic circle quality’ to its roster of high-profile clients, including multinational corporations, entrepreneurial businesses and high-net-worth individuals. David Hall, who has experience in financial services litigation, jointly leads the practice alongside Ann Metherall, while Andrew Burnette handles contractual disputes and professional negligence claims. Other key contacts in the group include transport and procurement specialist Chris Jackson, solicitor advocate Ian Tucker, Michael Ward, who focuses on shareholder disputes, and Brian Wong, who advises on procurement cases and was promoted to partner in May 2022. Matthew Walker has ‘excellent judgment’ and director Caroline Brown is commended as ‘responsive and knowledgeable’. Sian Edmunds left for an in-house role in January 2023.

Burges Salmon LLP has a ‘great practice’ with a large and dedicated rail team, which covers a broad range of specialisms in the rail sector. It has an excellent client base, including some of the UK’s largest train operating groups, and has an excellent track record in franchising and major rolling stock procurements. The group also has a superb reputation for its regulatory and health and safety work. Names to note include Brioney Thomas, who is a known name in public service rail contracting and procurement matters. Ian Tucker garners praise for his work on some of the largest industry sector disputes. Simon Coppen is also well-regarded, along with Chris Jackson. Chris Simms is recommended for his knowledge of all aspects of rail regulation, as well as for his experience in infrastructure finance transactions. Charlotte Whitaker has recently been promoted to the partnership – she frequently advises clients at the incident response phase to multi-fatality health and safety incidents in the railway sector.

The ‘quality of a London firm but at regional prices‘, Burges Salmon LLP‘s Bristol-based practice fields experts in disputes involving commercial contracts, reputation management, professional negligence, product liability, multi-jurisdictional scenarios, ADR, and arbitration. The group also acts in business crime and real estate disputes. David Hall handles mega-value cases;  Ann Metherall focuses on the transport and energy sectors; Andrew Burnette ‘has an excellent market reputation‘; Chris Jackson and Ian Tucker are transport and procurement specialists; Michael Ward ‘provides great client service‘; and Richard Binns is a commercial disputes expert. Former partner Sian Edmunds departed for Cargill in January 2023.