Dentons > London, England > Firm Profile

‘Great experience overall with Sarah Lima. I appreciated the collaborative relationship she fostered with the internal team and myself (as the in house counsel). Sarah understood our project, gave prompt responses and was knowledgeable in the subject matter. We were happy with our outcome and would not hesitate to work with Sarah again.’

‘High quality performing lawyers with excellent commercial and regulatory expertise. Able to come up with innovate solutions to address needs. Firm offered support on a strategic project and was able to deliver in a cost effective manner.’

‘Key individuals supporting our business included Tristan Jonckheer. He offered exceptional legal advice, was responsive and delivered on a strategic repapering project. In addition to exceptional legal services, Tristan was able to bring market colour and a commercial layer to the advice.’

‘Able to blend offices and people to deliver at a sensible cost point (uses right people for right jobs rather than one size fits all). Clear and prompt billing helps us stay ahead of issues.’

‘Responsive, practical solutions, and maintain good relationship with the other party.’

‘Neil Nicholson’s team gives solid, experience-backed commercial advice in heavily regulated transactions. I trust them implicitly to guide me through uncharted territory with confidence.’

‘Neil Nicholson is a brilliant tactician with the ability to call out a bad idea or making the best of a tricky situation. It’s clear that he brings his depth of experience to the deal, giving clients the confidence to make clear decisions.’

‘Neil Nicholson is an excellent partner to work with and really understands issues from a client perspective. He is very well reasoned and commercial. He is really clear about fees and communicates well.’

‘Very sensible and commercial advice. Partners lead from the front and remain the key point person throughout the deal. Strong communication and interpersonal skills which are important for managing difficult clients. On top of everything from start to finish.’

‘Matthew Tinger was very engaged and available at any time with deep client care, knowledge, and deal experience. One key differentiator is that he “owns” a process and will guide the deal team, proactively manages the process, and push documents along. At the same time, he is very efficient in work scope and fair with regards to billing.’

‘The performance of the team and the successful result, due in large part to the quality of our legal advisers, will mean more work for Dentons in the future. The level of work and commitment from the team was exceptional – we were consistently looked after and the quality of advice was always top notch.’

‘Sound and knowledgeable.’

‘Ian Clements is very attentive and understands the issues.’

‘Very close and no-nonsense cooperation with clients. Availability of senior partners, together with the competence and expertise of associates. Timely deliverables and good visibility of the process. Always came up with required solutions and were very professional in dealing with other parties, even when disagreements arose. It is a joy to work with them.’

‘Nick Hayday is a wonderful lawyer who  instils confidence in a client. When you discuss an issue with him, a clear path  towards a solution is almost immediately charted. it is also very pleasant to work with Nick on a personal level. Cameron Half (partner) is highly competent and his involvement in an issue is always welcome, contributing from his vast expertise, driving towards pragmatic solutions.’

‘The team has the ability to put extra resource onto a deal when strict deadlines are in place; it is really helpful and has enabled transactions to be complete on time.’

‘I would give special mention to Simon Masri; he has given expert advice on several issues relating to complex customer transactions in the hospitality sector.’

‘The service and quality are always top notch. The hotels team have a clear understanding of the requirements in this sector, and the experience means that they know how to deal with every situation. When it comes to negotiations, they know how to conduct this in order to achieve the best outcome.’

‘Matthew Tinger will work day and night when it comes to a transaction. There is nobody else I would trust. He is there to make sure you have the best quality legal, negotiation, and service at every step of the way.’

‘Dentons are a large firm, but clearly have great relationships. Their ability to collaborate is what makes their firm stand out against the rest.’

‘Matthew Tinger and Simon Masri are perhaps two of the most responsive, knowledgeable and commercial partners I have met in the M&A and real estate team.

‘They are also very approachable and good people with a humbleness that I have seen only in a very few.’

‘Professional, very knowledgeable on matters at hand.’

‘Very knowledgeable about their specialisms and provide timely advice.’

‘The Dentons privacy team contains many expert practitioners that are able to provide pragmatic and commercial advice in a timely manner.’ 

‘Antonis Patrikios is our client lead, and he is always willing to do what is necessary in the name of client delivery. He ensures that we get the right level of experience on the team and is able to coordinate service delivery from multiple jurisdictions.’ 

‘Simon Elliot and Esther Rusling are excellent. They understand the complexities of our business and consistently provide timely practical advice.’ 

‘The team were extremely focussed on delivering an excellent standard of work for our company. I found all members very collaborative and focussed on finding solutions which were appropriate for our business.’ 

‘Simon Elliott is extremely dedicated to achieving the best outcomes for his clients, taking a pragmatic and considered approach. His technical knowledge, personable manner and attention to the commercial details of our business provided us with the valued support we needed on a critical global data privacy programme rollout.’ 

‘Simon Elliott is a very easy to work with individual, and always provides sensible advice in an accessible way.’ 

‘Antonis Patrikios always makes himself available and even makes time to arrange catch up calls to discuss burning issues in the data protection and privacy sphere, despite being extremely busy. He is my go to expert as I know I can rely on him. He is up to date, pragmatic and solution driven.’ 

‘We selected Dentons as our legal partner based on Antonis Patrikios’s specialism in leading multi-jurisdictional projects in the UK, EU, US and Asian across multiple sectors, including technology, e-commerce, media and AdTech. Antonis’s remarkable approach in supporting clients during crises makes him the most valuable external legal partner I have ever worked with.’ 

‘Dentons offers an excellent depth of expertise in TMT and has seamless communications between departments, for example in relation to corporate, employment and tax, which is invaluable.’

‘The Dentons team provides an always innovative approach to system integration outsourcing work, always pushing for new ways to increase value for clients by adopting new and non-conventional approaches.’

‘Extremely skilled in their field, very open minded and collaborative, all supported by total integrity and respect for colleagues and counterparts.’

‘Dentons provides not only superb technical expertise but it is always embedded in a real understanding of our business, as well as the market. From the partners down to the associates, they are a pleasure to deal with and always deliver pragmatic, prompt and digestible advice.’

‘The team are approachable and demonstrate great client service. There is an expectation that a legal team will be highly knowledgeable. It is the way their knowledge is delivered in a commercially-focused manner that sets them apart.’

‘Henrietta Baker uses her extensive experience to provide practical and commercial solutions and legal strategy support. Henrietta and her team became an extension of our team and were easy to work with.’

‘Tristan Jonckheer is a trusted advisor, valued by key stakeholders. He provides commercial legal advice in a clear and articulate manner, often going above and beyond, making him stand out from his competitors.’

‘Tristan Jonckheer managed the support to our team in a seamless manner, quickly ensuring his team and him were up to speed with our ways of working and providing a notably responsive approach.’

‘In the rail market Dentons has a team with long experience in all aspects of the industry’.

‘Advice and support from Matthew Hanslip-Ward and Jonathan Smith have been excellent over many years – it is always provided swiftly and in an understandable manner with due regard to commercial requirements’.

‘They get the work done.’

‘Very responsible and knowledgable.’

‘What stands out about our experience with Dentons is the collaboration. It is very easy to tell theirs is a culture of delivering excellence to the client in a transparent and considered manner.’

‘Chris is incredibly hard working diligent and was able to summarise complex legal matters succinctly, therefore protecting us from information overload which may have distracted the sellers in their day to day work. Chris introduced Ryan Chia who acted as our Senior associate and we were delighted with his professionalism, diligence and hard work. At no point did we feel uncomfortable or uncertain in the process and this is credit to both these individuals and the heavy lifting that they provided during the transaction process. All individuals we dealt with (Chris, Ryan and associate Rebekah Hobbs) were all very personable.’

‘Flexible.’

‘Experienced in automation installation and IT contracts.’

‘Tim Constable is an excellent and energetic partner. Brings a very creative mind to strategic issues.’

‘Sarah Rutnah is an up and coming senior associate. Works like a trojan with a sound commercial instinct.’

‘Dentons is a full service law firm, with some very good lawyers.’

‘Tim Constable is by far and away one of the most talented lawyers in the industry – he’s a real asset to Dentons – extremely knowledgeable, determined to provide clients with the best service possible and a really nice guy.’

‘James Fairbairn is a very experienced litigator with a very good sense of how cases will play out in court.’

‘The team headed by James Fairbairn stands out to me due to the high quality of their lawyers. My experience is that they are very bright, up to date with the law, have a full and proper understanding of the legal issues in the case and are alive to the difficulties in any particular matter. The draft documents, correspondence and submissions prepared by the team are excellent. I have recommended clients to James Fairbairn’s team in the past and will continue to do so.’

‘James Fairbairn is a seasoned litigator, nothing phases him, he’s seen it all before and vigorously fights every corner for the benefit of clients. Coupled with that however he provides wise advice. He is realistic about the strengths and weaknesses in any particular case and provides solid, clear, practical advice to clients. He is also a pleasure to work with.’

‘Rob Francis is fantastic. He knows our business inside out, which shows when he’s litigating on our behalf. Rob can be trusted with any of our instructions.’

‘The team are very responsive and if we need to speak to them urgently they will make it happen even if it is not with our usual contact. They are friendly and approachable.’

‘I have predominantly worked with Verity Buckingham who is always approachable, friendly and knowledgeable. I have confidence in the advice she gives and she does so in a customer centric way.’

‘Denton’s have a diverse team who are able to deal with any legal matter that arises. Their billing structure also recognises the needs of a medium sized company.’

‘The team at Denton’s  practice are always quick to respond and provide solutions to issues. Ryan Chia and Chris Colclough have helped recently navigate a challenging management incentives scheme.’

‘I have been so impressed by Dentons that I am using them again in another matter. James Fairbairn puts a great deal of thought into his communication with me in what has been an incredibly protracted and distressing situation, he is clear and concise, patient and kind, knowledgeable and efficient and this is reflected in all my interactions with his team. They also laugh at my jokes which takes a special kind of patience.’

‘I was singularly impressed with the professionalism of Sarah Rutnah and her focus on leading me through a very stressful negotiation which led to a very satisfactory outcome. I was kept fully advised each step of the way and I could not have been in better hands.’

‘Sarah Rutnah is a confident, highly knowledgeable and professional lawyer who does not take any prisoners and is so focused that you are persuaded you are the only pebble on the beach.’

‘Able to blend offices and people to deliver at a sensible cost point (uses right people for right jobs rather than one size fits all). Clear and prompt billing helps us stay ahead of issues. Coverage across all key services that we needed.’

‘Nick Plant was both available and on top of the detail throughout the transaction – he also managed the wider Dentons team effectively and was authoritative in supporting our non-executive directors through the deal.’

‘Offers expertise, availability and delegation to the appropriate level. Quick response times’

‘Practical advice in terms of moving deals towards completion.’

‘Nicholas Plant is a remarkable lawyer with industry expertise and a fresh business-oriented approach. He is a reliable source to our organization and is able to connect us with other team players for our different transactions. Highly recommendable. Billing is fair.’

‘Matthew Tinger was very engaged and available. One key differentiator is that he “owns” a process and will guide the deal team/ proactively manages the process and pushes documents along. At the same time, very efficient in work scope and fair with regards to billing.’

‘They are very approachable and knowledgeable on securitisation matters and talk in an easy to understand manner.’

‘They pull together to deliver the work required and provide great communication.’

‘The partner we deal with (Peter Voisey) is very experienced in secured funding matters. He and the team are always available to discuss matters and provide regular updates.’

‘They communicate very clearly and provide updates on regulatory development as and when required.’

‘Excellent professional service providing timely high quality advice on complex securitisation matters.’

‘Peter Voisey is an expert in his field.’

‘Sound and knowledgeable.’

‘Ian Clements: He is responsive and understands the issues.’

‘This team is very experienced, practical and approachable.’

‘The team is experienced and always looks at the holistic picture which is much appreciated.’

‘Paul Holland knows our business and is massively experienced.’

‘Stephen Temple is a very approachable, pragmatic person that you want to have on your side when it comes to solving problems. He understands the issues and gets to the point with no fuss.’

‘Lee McLernon is an excellent lawyer who has built up a very strong reputation over many years in the industry.’

‘James Francis always looks at the bigger picture.’

‘Great at getting the deal done, communication with all stakeholders and staying on top of hundreds of emails at once.’

‘The single greatest quality is the calm measured way that every activity is undertaken.’

‘Specialist team that understands investment trusts and the issues that impact them.’

‘Long-standing, broad experience of the area within a well-resourced firm.’

‘Guy Norfolk stands out as the lead partner. He is an excellent lawyer with good communication and client handling skills. He thinks things through and I would be comfortable going to Guy for any aspect of legal advice including something complex. He’s a pleasure to deal with.’

‘Dentons’ willingness to understand our business and the ability to call on other teams from within the firm to assist on some of the more niche areas means we have a fully integrated one stop shop for our legal advice.’

‘The team is headed by Guy Norfolk. The stand out factor with Guy is his depth of knowledge and expertise and this is married with a confident, calm approach which is often invaluable when dealing with several parties. His advice is always excellent and definitive and delivered in a manner that is easy to comprehend and tailored for our business. An extremely capable lawyer and one we enjoy working with.’

‘All engagements are well managed by the respective partners and associates with each bringing, when needed, sound challenge and commercial judgement’.

‘The Dentons team are always understanding of our particular business deliverables and market, working in collaboration with company directors and our key management teams’.

‘The knowledge and awareness of our industry demonstrated by Dentons’ key individuals gives us the surety that their advice and opinion is robust’.

‘Very experienced and diligent’.

‘Dentons’ Oil & Gas team has a demonstrable wealth of experience in the sector, which is impressive in nature and reassuring to those with whom they are dealing’.

‘The team is very knowledgeable, experienced and competent’.

‘They easily understand the key issues and present highly valued advice and solutions’.

‘The team responds quickly and with very good quality on requests and inquiries’. 

‘The individuals are very experienced and knowledgeable’.

‘They know the business and they are very professional’.

‘The individuals are positive and service-minded and always seek to find the best way to solve an issue or dispute’.

‘They work hard and have strong problem-solving skills’.

‘Solid practice, well resourced.’

‘David Cruickshank is an excellent practitioner with strong market knowledge.’

‘Dentons have created a large team of lawyers with diverse strengths, skills and knowledge. Their skill sets are all unique and yet complement each other so they can always field someone with exactly the specialist skills you need. The depth of their experience is particularly notable with many of their lawyers having decades of industry, government and regulatory experience. There simply isn’t an energy team in London to rival them!’

‘Christopher McGhee- Osborne is a standout experienced practioner in this field. He is very good at targeting client’s needs and always approachable and practical.’

‘Very strong team of dedicated environmental solicitors. Practical knowledge of environmental matters. Able to assist on challenging matters.’

‘Commercial advice; strong networks’

‘The Dentons team boasts a truly global reach but manage to maintain consistency in the quality of their service delivery. The Environmental team is highly experienced, knowledgeable and commercial. They always deliver, probably because they take the time to really understand our needs up front.’

‘Stephen Shergold is simply the most commercial environmental lawyer that I have come across in the industry. His knowledge of environmental law and its interplay with the environmental insurance products that our company provides is unrivalled. Stephen is also at the forefront of ESG risks and provides practical, up to date legal advice in an easily understood, commercially sound manner. He is the leading practitioner in the niche space of environmental and ESG litigation risk and insurance.’

‘The depth and breadth of experience available and the speed and quality of advice is excellent.’

‘Their knowledge of my portfolio is excellent, and their willingness to deliver results under tough time constraints is extremely valued.’

‘Very skilled and knowledgeable team.’

‘Bryan Johnston who leads the team is an excellent property litigator with a particular expertise in rights of light.’

‘The Dentons team are a very strong and practical team who focuses intensely on what the client needs to achieve.’

‘Bryan Johnston is at the top of his game – a true expert on lots of areas, particularly rights of light. He puts the client’s needs above all else to a degree I have rarely seen.’

‘Bryan Johnston is a great person to work with. He is delightful company, knows his stuff and is someone you want to listen to.’

‘Very efficient and supportive’.

‘Always helpful and supportive in providing quick advice on corporate governance matters’.

‘Depth and breath of experience in respect of all aspects of legal advice, transparency in respect of fee quotes and billing’.

‘Global reach and reputation’.

‘Katharine Harle, who has been my main contact in recent years regarding corporate governance issues, has provided excellent timely advice’.

‘Katharine Harle is always proactive, responsive and provides clear and accurate advice and guidance’.

‘Very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful team, highly efficient.’

‘Stuart Fitzsimmons and his team are excellent.’

‘The Dentons team work efficiently, with good understanding of our business to reflect this in negotiations, offering practical solutions and middle-ground to resolve issues.’

‘The team are pragmatic, focus on the real issues and take a proportionate approach to resolve issues. Lorna Henderson stands out as being in control, with a thorough understanding of our complex arrangements.’

‘The team is well established and has has experts in corporate insolvency in both the corporate finance and litigation divisions. This allows those advising on non-contentious matters to have the benefit of input from litigation colleagues and vice versa.’

‘Douglas Blyth is very good at thinking around a problem. He has a detailed knowledge of the insolvency legislation and the case law dealing with it and is always looking for innovative ways to find solutions for clients.’

‘The Dentons Scottish Insolvency and Corporate Recovery team are unique in terms of the extent to which they are integrated with the wider firm (which ensures they regularly pull together best in class multidisciplinary teams to meet the needs of their clients). Particular strengths include: access to a national and international network; deep sector expertise (with retail being a particular standout); and a highly commercial approach which brings a genuine desire to identify work opportunities for their clients.’

‘For me, they operate at the top end of the Scottish insolvency and corporate recovery legal market.’

‘Derek McCombe is a market leader and has built a first class reputation in both the Scottish and UK market. He is highly commercial and provides practical advice (rather than get tied up in legalistic jargon).’

‘Recommended for the extent of the team’s experience and knowledge of both technical, practical and commercial matters.’

‘Douglas Blyth and Derek McCombe were both excellent in assisting with a particularly difficult assignment, demonstrating detailed technical knowledge, a sensible approach in dealing with a unusual situation, practicality, willingness to get the job done in a short period of time and flexibility.’

‘The  team is technically strong, commercially focused and responsive.’

‘Claire Armstrong and the team are hugely experienced and bring tremendous problem solving skills to the table time and time again.’

‘They are pragmatic, commercial and easy to deal with.’

‘Owen McLennan (newly promoted partner) is first rate.’

‘Very proactive, commercially minded and practical.’

‘The funds team across the firm seems to be very collaborative’

‘Claire Armstrong stands out for technical skill and commercial acumen. Particular experience in the listed fund sector.’

‘Commercially-focused advice.’

‘Dentons consistently demonstrate that they have genuine empathy with the client and behave in a commercial, practical way. This is going above and beyond technical legal advice and is a real added value distinction compared to other advisors.’

‘We feel confident that they understand our business and what we are trying to achieve when issues arise, knowing they have the resources to deal with issues when we call.’

‘Euan Wilson – we value his ability to cut quickly to the what the real issue is and to structure a solution.’

‘The team really knows our business. They have built up a very good relationship with the individuals within the business over the years and can anticipate our requirements.’

‘Barry Edgar – he is personable and provides clear practical advice. He is solutions orientated and is keen to find solutions to issues that crop up.’

‘Excellent knowledge in partner Ross Nicol. A safe pair of hands.’

‘The Dentons team has fantastic strength in depth. The Dentons legacy firm Maclay Murray & Spens was the first in Scotland to set up a dedicated IP practice. Dentons’ key IP Scottish partners Alison Bryce and Ross Nicol have been with the firm for many years and have built up an unrivalled expertise. They work on complex and high profile IP matters and provide a fantastic service. They are extremely commercial and practical.’

‘Alison Bryce has excellent IP knowledge and experience across all IP rights and a broad spectrum of clients across many sectors. Her commerciality and practical advice is second to none. Ross Nicol has built up great expertise in R&D/ life sciences matters. He knows the sector really well and provides excellent advice.’

‘We have worked with the IP practice at Dentons for many years on a number of different projects. Each time the advice received is top quality, cost effective and commercial.’

‘Alison Bryce and Ross Nicol are recognised leaders in their field providing excellent, partner-led solutions to any problems we encounter.’

‘Excellent knowledge in partner Ross Nicol. A safe pair of hands.’

‘Dentons work closely with us as though they’re an extension of our own team. They have the ability to step in when required to support and be a credible part of our team in the eyes of our clients. The quality of advice is excellent. They’ve offered a bespoke support model, following our request, which was tailored to our needs and fully flexible.’

‘Ross Nicol is excellent. He takes time to understand our needs and the situation, before offering advice and solutions which not only solve problems, but offer ways forward.’

‘Dentons have worked with us a long time and have invested the effort in really getting to know our business.’

‘They have a strong team across the board.’

‘They are prepared to be challenged and work through the issues together.’

‘Verity Buckingham is very responsive and explains complex topics in a clear way.’

‘The team provide pragmatic and commercial advice.’

‘The team are approachable, personable and driven. I am treated in every way as if I were their only client and the service and contact I receive from the team is exceptional. It is a true collaborative work environment and I have never encountered an individual within the team that I am not able to get along with.’

‘Very responsive and pragmatic.’

‘High quality lawyers and breadth of expertise. They give commercial and practical advice to clients with a focus on strategies and roadmaps through problems.’

‘The team generally provide pragmatic and commercial advice.’

‘David Payton and his team – very able and committed team able to handle national matters.’

‘David Payton and Tom Nolan . Practical and give direct advice. Give confidence.’

‘Bryan Johnson – incredibly experienced. He has seen it all before. He never gets distracted from client’s commercial objective and is cost conscious. Thomas Nolan – handles matters with confidence and assurance way beyond his years. His legal analysis is second to none.’

‘Neil Nicholson consistently provides excellent strategic advice and has depth of experience across both equity capital markets and public M&A.’

‘Dentons benefits from a significant global business that we find particularly useful for managing cross-border ECM deals. We benefit from being able to receive coordinated advice across multiple jurisdictions.’

‘Team is very knowledgeable and pragmatic. They are keen to focus on getting deals done in the simplest way possible.’

‘Neil Nicholson is a very experienced and approachable lawyer.’

‘Diversified with excellent practitioners around the world.’

‘Roger Matthews and Dan Lund are both standout practitioners. Exceptionally knowledgeable and sensible with fees.’

‘They are an impressive team. Client-focused, pragmatic, and keen to deliver the best for their client.’

‘Roger Matthews is unbelievably good. He is rock solid on the law, commercial and thinks around a problem.’

‘They have unique experience, based on time spent working at the European Commission and the Bank of England, particularly on sanctions issues.’

‘Roger Matthews is exceptional for his unparalleled expertise in sanctions regulations and clear, practical advice on ensuring compliance in a proportionate, risk-based way.’

‘An excellent firm who are great at putting together diverse teams where collaboration is encouraged.’

‘Katharine Harle is very knowledgeable financial services lawyer who ably deploys her many years of experience within the regulator. Christopher Brennan is a very experienced litigator, at home working both for and against the regulators, with a portfolio of very impressive outcomes for his clients. Zeena Saleh is a star asset for any team and works brilliantly with Chris Brennan.’

‘Katharine Harle is a remarkably knowledgeable financial services practitioner; she’s enormously hard-working; she gets on brilliantly with clients, including the most sophisticated and demanding ones; she produces superb letters and advice; she’s an astute tactician; and a nightmare for the other side when she needs to be. Quite superb.’

‘Richard Caird is excellent is every respect – he is able to draw on a wealth of experience in financial services and regulatory law to instinctively navigate through the maze of technical issues to get to the crux of the issue.’

‘An outstanding international litigation department with a specialism in maximum complexity banking cases and handling HNW and demanding clients.’

‘Chris Brennan is a great recent signing who brings excellent judgment and legal understanding to all of his cases.’

‘A well-established team of outstanding reputation particularly in the banking space.’

‘Zeena Saleh is hard-working, savvy and unflappable: a star of the future.’

‘The client friendly and experienced team provides pragmatic advice.’

‘They are a safe pair of hands on any VC deal.’

‘They have a good understanding of what’s important to us as their client and a keen eye for detail.’

‘Joe Altendorff is excellent to work with and always happy to talk through/propose creative solutions to specific issues.’

‘Joe Altendorff is knowledgeable about venture, and willing to go the extra mile for his clients.’

‘Joe Altendorff is outstanding. He is technically excellent, cool under pressure and could go toe-to-toe with any VC lawyer in the City.’ 

‘Joe Collingwood is trustworthy, responsive and pragmatic.’

‘Top rate banking litigation team. Particularly good in relation to retail banking disputes, particularly those with wider client impact and group litigation disputes.’

‘Richard Caird – highly experienced, excellent judgment and calm and unflappable.’

‘Felicity Ewing – developing her reputation as a go-to lawyer for retail banking disputes, very hardworking with excellent litigation instincts.’

‘Tom Hanson – an up and coming associate who is exceptionally bright and industrious.’

‘Felicity Ewing – a delight to work with; very good at managing client expectations and workload; always adds value in substantive discussions. Tom Hanson – senior associate: very clever and, like Felicity, really engages with the issues and tests counsels’ opinion.’

‘The team is very commercially minded and very familiar with the law in this area.’

‘Felicity Ewing is a pleasure to work with and extremely knowledgeable in what can be a very technical area.’

‘Rightly recognised as one of the strongest banking litigation teams in the City.’

‘Hugely knowledgeable, practical and effective. Dentons has strength in depth when it comes to international arbitration cases, and is very user friendly, with approachable and engaged partners leading from the front in disputes.’

‘Liz Tout – decades of industry knowledge coupled with a nose for the points that will turn the case.’

‘Liz Tout is a great practice leader and very good with clients – committed to their cause.‘

‘Dan Bodle is a partner with a first-rate legal brain – very good with clients and user friendly.‘

‘James Langley – a sharp legal mind and superbly well organised.’

‘James Langley is an outstanding partner – very user friendly, very good with clients, commercial, adopts a holistic approach involving all stakeholders, and happy to roll up his sleeves.‘

‘Counsel Matthew Vinall is hugely experienced, very clever and with an unfussy way of expressing himself.’

‘Catherine Gilfedder is among the London market’s strongest senior associates.’

‘This is an extremely polished and dedicated team, led by the brilliant Malcolm Gunnyeon’

‘Malcolm Gunnyeon is a tremendous lawyer: calm, highly intelligent and has a great manner with clients; always putting them at their ease and striving to get the best result possible.’

‘The Dentons pensions team is relatively small but punches above its weight. The pensions non-contentious team is led by Eleanor Hart who has a wealth of experience in restructuring and similar issues. On the disputes side, the firm has been involved in a mix of high-profile matters and (unusually) also ones of national importance.’

‘Consultant Elmer Doonan seems as busy as ever. He is refreshingly upbeat, candid and fun to work with and brings an unusual tax and other technical expertise with the instincts of a litigator. It is rare that he needs to call on the non-litigious experience of Eleanor Hart and her team, but it is a useful resource when required.’

‘Elmer Doonan is a wise and experienced elder statesman.’

‘Very responsive and approachable. Advice always provided to time and provides both legal and practical advice of great benefit to clients. Clear commitment to diversity and inclusion, sharing workshops and talks with clients which is much appreciated.’

‘Consistent provision of clear legal advice, including advice on operational/practical issue. As an in-house lawyer, relatively new to the area, this has been of huge benefit to the business team.’

‘The Dentons pensions team is relatively small but punches above its weight. The pensions non-contentious team is led by Eleanor Hart who has a wealth of experience in restructuring and similar issues. The members of the disputes team all have considerable technical expertise and are involved in a mix of high profile matters and (unusually) also ones of national importance which are anonymised in the interests of national security and other concern.’

‘Eleanor Hart has a wealth of experience and is accomplished in a range of complex restructuring, financing and related issues of crucial importance to pension schemes. Elmer Doonan is refreshingly upbeat, candid and fun to work with and brings an unusual tax and other technical expertise with the instincts of a litigator and deals with matters which are ordinarily matters for the non-litigious team such as applications for clearance to HMRC.’

‘Eleanor Hart, as successor to Elmer Doonan, is technically very sound and a very pleasant person.’

‘As a client you get a dedicated team and we have never had complaints about reaction time or inability to provide advice. Eager to help, ready to offer assistance and take control where needed.’

‘Nick Hayday (partner) is very client-oriented, excellent relationship skills. Victoria Wyer (senior associate) is great at coordinating different work flows.’

‘Very close and no-nonsense cooperation with clients. Availability of senior partners, together with the competence and expertise of associates. Timely deliverables and good visibility of the process. Always came up with required solutions and were very professional in dealing with other parties, even when disagreements arose. It is a joy to work with them.’

‘Nick Hayday is a wonderful lawyer that instils confidence in a client. When you discuss an issue with him, a clear way towards a solution is almost immediately charted. it is also very pleasant to work with Nick on a personal level.’

‘Cameron Half  is highly competent and his involvement in an issue is always welcome, contributing from his vast expertise and driving towards pragmatic solutions. Niharika Khimji’s work ethic, attention to detail and general competence are exemplary. Victoria Wyer is super knowledgeable yet pragmatic She’s also very good at dealing with other law firms and driving towards sensible agreements.’

‘The Dentons team have been assisting with our global netting project. Their global coverage and number of industry opinions already produced within the Dentons network has been particularly helpful.’

‘We’re using Dentons to assist with diligence on private equity fund structures and then documenting the related trading agreement. This is working particularly well.’

‘Luke Whitmore is excellent. He is always ready to get on the phone and discuss issues. He is thoughtful and knowledgeable.’

‘Dentons is a large global firm with offices not only in the major global financial markets, but also the regional and developing markets. This is a real benefit for global financial institutions engaging in cross border work, particularly in the Middle East and beyond.’

‘The firm is able to efficiently bring its various experts to the table for complex matters whether they involve regulation, disputes or more recently sanctions work.’

‘They punch well above their weight in terms of the service provided and their expertise across products.’

‘Very high quality legal work that is practical in that it considers the legal and business risks. I find many lawyers only work to mitigate or manage legal risk without regard for business considerations. Dentons is head and shoulders above any firm I have worked with in respect of accounting for the business considerations.’

‘Responsiveness. Ability to balance legal and business drivers (where different). Dedication, knowledge, and practical as well as legal experience.’

‘The team are approachable and demonstrate great client service. There is an expectation that a legal team will be highly knowledgeable. It is the way their knowledge is delivered in a commercially focused manner that sets them apart.’

‘I found them to be approachable and responsive. Henrietta Baker uses her extensive experience to provide practical and commercial solutions and legal strategy support. Henrietta and her team became an extension of our team and were easy to work with.’

‘Martin Fanning is one of the most personable, commercially focused partners I have had the fortune to work with. He and his team are approachable and have the best attitude towards partnering with clients rather than seeing them as a way of making money. He answers the phone when I call for help and if he can’t help, he quickly finds someone who can or gives me a clear timeframe in which to get back to me. I have worked with Dentons for nearly 10 years and it is because of Martin Fanning.’

‘Martin Fanning is a solid sounding board, knowledgeable and personable. Simon Elliott is a great data protection expert without losing commercial awareness.’

‘High level service across various disciplines and effectively incorporated into one transaction seamlessly. Excellent attention to detail at junior level and partners are able to think ‘commercially’ whilst defending client’s interests and advising on what key issues are red lines from a legal perspective and reasons why.’

‘Rob Thompson – excellent advice and deep knowledge of the sector. Able to summarise and raise key issues with clarity and make commercial recommendations with client’s priorities in mind without getting bogged down in legal minutiae. Good level of service even on transactions of smaller scale.

‘Carla Revelo – excellent attention to detail and able to provide information in a prompt and clear manner.’

‘Extensive experience across the real estate market.’

‘Rupert Dowdell is exceptionally hard working.’

‘Ability to see and interpret the commercial aspects of a deal from the persective of the client’s business needs.’

‘Rob Thompson and Carla Revelo provide an in-depth knowledge of our portfolio that comes from a long-standing business relationship. They act as an extension to our own business. They provide astute analysis of the most complex arrangements.’

‘Partner egagement exceptional from start to finish. Very commercially minded, understand what is important in a transaction and act accordingly.’

‘Very commercially minded. Take responsibility for the project and understand/know the detail even when handing work down to others in the team.’

‘The team is not only technically very strong but they are a pleasure to work with. They are highly committed but have created a supportive, family-like environment.’

‘Roy Pinnock is an extremely strong strategist, a clear and independent thinker who looks beyond the conventional to offer new insights that advance and unlock cases – a highly effective and experienced partner.’

‘Reach – the ability to cover all aspect of planning and other permitting in the UK and internationally.’

‘The team consistently meet deadlines and offer sound advice on a complex planning application. They have been instrumental in ongoing s106 negotiations to secure a deliverable agreement.’

‘Roy Pinnock’s legal negotiations have been very valuable on a s106 agreement.’

‘Strong collaboration with Finance colleagues ensures a joined up and efficient approach to negotiations. Team is joined up, easy to deal with and attentive when required.’

‘They provide solid advice at all levels and have an ability to pull in the experts from across the firm.’

‘The real estate finance team is strong with good partner level advice always available.’

‘Simon Tweedle has long been a go-to source of advice on any real estate finance matter; he is clear, commercial and responsive, as well as fun to work with.’

‘Simon Masri and team always deliver great advice, take a commercial approach, and offer innovative solutions where required. They can work to tight deadlines and deliver excellent value for money.’

‘Simon Masri is always available. He gave great support during all negotiations.’

‘Catherine Astruc is a calm pair of hands and has good sector knowledge.’

‘Simon Masri and James Irvine work closely together and joined up from a client perspective and it always feels like they have your back. They come up with practical, sensible advice.’

‘The team has broad capabilities in fintech and an enviable client list. Dentons has exceptional expertise in financial regulation and specifically payments, but importantly more broadly in banking technology.’

‘Tristan Jonckheer is highly responsive, intelligent and pragmatic. He is the definition of a trusted adviser.’

‘Good cross-border collaboration with the lawyers in other offices in which Dentons’ has an office. Practical advice, efficient and effective.’

‘The corporate team at Dentons Glasgow has advised us for a number of years and delivers excellent, appropriately resourced and value for money advice. The corporate team has access to a full range of specialist advisers across the world allowing us access to the right advice in a way that works best for our business.’

‘Iain Sutherland and Derek McCombe are the principal UK partners we deal with. Both are excellent communicators and deal doers.’

‘Their range of specialist skills is exceptional; from M&A and deal structuring, to employment, contracts and IP, they have a strength and depth which is excellent. Global reach is also a big positive. My company has operations in the UK, the US and continental Europe and what makes the Dentons corporate and commercial practice in Glasgow easy to deal with is that they act as an interface between their colleagues in other countries, knowing when not to get in the way, but also when things need chivvying along.’

‘The whole team is extremely personable and professional and will always go the extra mile to get a job over the line. Our client partner is Iain Sutherland. Iain has taken the time to obtain a detailed understanding of my company and the nuances of our business model and the sector we operate in. In this respect we regard Iain as a true business partner, and not just a reactive provider of legal services, and we value his strategic input and judgement highly. Whilst I have an excellent client partner, in Iain, I have multiple contact points in the firm, meaning that I can always reach a qualified specialist very quickly.’

‘Strong team with a good depth of knowledge throughout.’

‘Fiona MacGregor is a very good new hire from Pinsent Masons – super organised, highly responsive and always provides very clear instructions.’

‘As Dentons has a large, capable team it is always possible to source an individual with deep sector knowledge.’

‘Their staff are available 24/7.’

‘Douglas Blyth is an exceptional litigation partner. He thinks through matters strategically and is always one step ahead of his adversaries. Douglas is a lawyer who I would always want on my side.‘

‘I have only recently started using Dentons but so far I have been very impressed with their transparency with fees; their excellent communication and client care’.

‘The uniqueness of the employment team at Dentons is derived from its people. All law firms can offer the same legal advice but not all law firms have individuals who are personable and relatable and strive to deliver their advice in a down-to-earth way that offers a solution and who genuinely seems to care aboutt resolving their clients’ problems.’

‘The team is always highly professional and couples this with an ability to give practical advice highlighting the risks that the business needs to take into account.’

‘We found Elouisa Crichton to be hugely impressive and would not hesitate to instruct her should the opportunity arise.’

‘Sarah Jackman goes beyond advising us of the black letter law or the most recent case, and always seeks to offer a proposed solution to our problems/queries at the forefront of her advice – this is how all commercial legal advice should be delivered across business today.’

‘Alison Weatherhead has built a team that displays the same pragmatic, client-centered, approachable and responsive attitude that she herself demonstrates.’

‘Claire Maclean is one of the most down-to-earth people I know and I am confident in her guidance. Claire is open and honest throughout her support with the business.’

‘Mark Hamilton is amazingly calm and considered in his support. This can often help cut through a lot of uninformed opinions and discussion at our end and help crystalise plans for next steps. His knowledge and experience are hugely reassuring and great to have him on our side!’

‘Strong sector knowledge in partner David Cruikshank.’

‘Depth of knowledge and connections within the energy industry.’

‘Carolyn Burns – Knowledgeable, clear, approachable – I happily use her as effectively part of the in house team when engaging with policy clients.’

‘The team at Dentons are sticklers for detail – important in their job, but they have a knack of getting the information out of you that they need without too much pain.’

‘I’m impressed at their ability to give you answers to technical questions on the spot – not needing to go away and research.’

‘The team at Dentons are predominantly young and female which is refreshing.’

‘Mark Macaulay has been excellent in supporting us with a number of international projects. We highly recommend him.’

‘Good specialist knowledge of regulatory and environmental compliance.’

‘Practical advice and solutions driven.’

‘The service provided by Dentons is exceptional, as their professional approach towards delivering appropriate and timely advice, sound knowledge of the industry, competent team members, and dedication towards meeting our requirements make them unique. The team members have always made sure that we experience value added in all our corporate tax practices.’

‘The hard work and commitment of the individuals make the services of Dentons unique.’

‘Alex Tostevin is an acknowledged expert in the VAT field, particularly in the area of investment funds.’

‘The team are well resourced and highly skilled. They take the time to understand our industry and requirements.’

‘Tim Constable: a fantastic partner with bounds of energy and good tactical nous. An excellent negotiator in settlement meetings.’

‘Ability to put together large, sometimes multilingual/multi-jurisdictional teams at short notice to deal with international fraud matters.’

‘Craig Neilson is a stand-out partner. Very bright, personable and energetic, and always looking for new angles in a case.’

‘Fantastic international reach with excellence across all fields.’

‘Adrian Giles – really shrewd and astute commercial litigator. Louisa Caswell – impressive lawyer and popular with clients.’

‘Thomas Leyland and Tom Hanson are standout individuals. Great strategic thinkers.’

‘Dentons provides a first class service litigation service, with is provided without any ‘over-resourcing’. They exhibit real experience and practical good sense and understand where clients are coming from. It is also the sort of firm where it is obvious to those who deal with it that the ‘atmosphere’ internally is a positive one, with colleagues genuinely enjoying working there, something which feeds into the client’s experience too. They are good at fostering younger talent, enjoy a strong relationship with the Bar and have a strong track record of forming cohesive teams with counsel to produce the best litigation results for they clients.’

‘Thomas Leyland is a very impressive individual who combines calm strategic thinking with attention to detail and provides hands-on guidance to the team he leads. To lure him back is a coup for Dentons and a credit to the litigation team.’

‘The team at Dentons are very professional and helpful. Any responses are clear and precise. They also respond very quickly.’

‘Vaida Lukaite – is my main point of contact and is very good.’

‘In my experience of working with other providers, the Dentons team stands out for its people. The team supporting our business is knowledgeable and experienced. We have a good working relationship with collaboration at the heart. They understand our people and the way we work, and consistently receive excellent feedback from the client group.’

‘Pragmatic and commercial – they find solutions not just identify problems.’

‘Dentons provides innovative solutions in a collegiate and professional manner.’

‘Tessa Blank is great – she is extremely bright and able to communicate difficult concepts in easy to understand language.’

‘Ian Fox is very commercial and approachable.’

‘Neil Griffiths is one of the most experienced practitioners in the London market, a very calm style during difficult cases.’

‘Richard Pallot-Cook is technically very good and highly commercial with a great sense of humour even when under pressure.’

‘Celia Hayward – gives clarity to the process and helps lead lenders to a solution.’

‘Luci Mitchell-Fry provides very commercial advice, looking to solve problems and drive solutions rather than just present (legal) analysis.’

‘The joined-up cross-border nature of the team is something special. It is seamless. They are an impressive outfit.’

‘Esther McDermott is brilliant. She gets absolutely everything done and well on time. She really is a remarkable project leader.’

‘The contentious team benefits from real genuine specialist knowledge. The lawyers live and breathe construction work and have great market connections.’

‘Akin Akinbode is calm under pressure and always delivers first-class advice. He makes important calls on strategy and his clients really love him.’

‘Michael Wright is a talented senior associate who is clearly future partner material. Diligent and dedicated, with great specialist construction sector knowledge.’

‘The Dentons team has real strength in depth. They have high quality people at all levels of seniority. They have a firm focus on the client’s commercial objectives and always keep this front and centre of their advice and decision making.’

‘Esther McDermott is absolutely top-drawer. She is very tenacious and easy to work with and always keeps a laser-like focus on the bigger commercial picture.’

‘The practice understands the needs of their clients and the industry and can provide strong commercial advice with recommendations in addition to providing black letter law.’

‘Justin Hill and his team consistently provide an excellent service. They are extremely strategic, but also pragmatic in managing our IP portfolio.’

‘Really excellent team: strong technical knowledge, cohesive, engaged and a delight to work with.’

‘Anna Copeman is a standout partner. Exceptional engagement and client service. Jennifer Cass – fully on top of the detail.’

‘The team is highly technically competent, they are able to balance commercial practicalities with legally complex approaches. They do not scrimp on time or expertise, whilst also being very pragmatic with costs. I highly recommend them.’

‘Anna Copeman is excellent, and is very good at managing a team and dealing with clients. Jennifer Cass is a very competent senior associate who gets on with tasks and really grapples with difficult subject matter.’

‘Anna Copeman is a stand-out partner. Exceptional engagement and client service.’ 

‘The team is technically competent and they are able to balance commercial practicalities with legally complex approaches.’ 

‘Anna Brown is a senior trade mark attorney with excellent knowledge of the law and first-rate client handling skills.’ 

‘Anna Copeman is excellent and very good at managing a team, whilst dealing with clients.’ 

‘Their global market knowledge makes their ability to support my company very strong.’ 

‘Anna Copeman and James Marsden have advised us in several actions and concluded our cases successfully, because of their appreciation and understanding of our values and way of working.’ 

‘Really excellent team. Strong technical knowledge, cohesive, engaged and a delight to work with.’ 

‘Adrian Magnus, is exceptional. He is one of the most impressive competition lawyers I have met, striking the right balance of technical knowledge with commercial sense. As an in-house lawyer in a FTSE-company, it is important that advisers take the time to understand our business, risks and concerns, and know how to protect our wider organisation. We have many competition law challenges and Dentons has been there, highly responsive, every step of the way to assist. All of the team are excellent commercial and technical lawyers, respond quickly, and work well together. Highly recommend the team.’

‘Christopher Graf – Excellent attorney, great at maintaining relationships, and always quick to get back to us.’

‘Did the basics much better and quicker than peer law firms. Only law firm I used last year that came in ahead of time and (significantly) lower than budget, everyone else miraculously came back with bills at the fee cap. By that measure Dentons were the exception/exceptional.’

‘Knowledgeable, responsive and good to work with’

‘The team from Dentons understands our company very well and gives us exactly the advice we need. They are able to find compromises in results within legal framework. Communication is very good and effective.’

‘They are very attentive to detail, great at communication, and good at maintaining relationships with clients.’

‘What I particularly like, especially with respect to the senior partner, is that they do not give their advice in a vaccum. They make it their business to understand our business and to give thoughtful and measured advice based on the circumstances.’

‘The Dentons Employment practice provides high quality and on point commercial legal advice.’

‘The engagement is very client-focused, friendly and down-to-earth.’

‘Purvis Ghani is a stand-out member of the Dentons team. Personable, smart and engaging, Purvis provides a holistic approach to legal support, showing deep consideration for client needs and the relevant legal and commercial environment.’

‘The Dentons team differentiates itself with a greater use of technology than other firms, and has the capacity to take on the biggest projects.’

‘The team are very responsive, particularly when deadlines are tight.’

‘Richard Caird is able to draw on a wealth of financial services and regulatory law experience when defending public bodies. He has a natural feel for what is reasonable when such bodies are exercising their discretions.’

‘An outstanding international litigation department with a specialism in maximum complexity banking cases and handling HNW and demanding clients.’

‘Chris Brennan is a great recent signing who brings excellent judgment and legal understanding to all of his cases.’

‘Dentons is a reliable law firm, both in terms of the quality of the advice and the quick turnaround for providing it. Its international capacities are a big bonus as we can receive advice in all the jurisdictions in which we operate.’

‘Craig Neilson is our client partner and is an absolute pleasure to work with. He is excellent and very personable.’

‘They get the work done.’

‘Very responsible and knowledgable.’

‘What stands out about our experience with Dentons is the collaboration. It is very easy to tell theirs is a culture of delivering excellence to the client in a transparent and considered manner.’

‘Chris is incredibly hard working diligent and was able to summarise complex legal matters succinctly, therefore protecting us from information overload which may have distracted the sellers in their day to day work. Chris introduced Ryan Chia who acted as our Senior associate and we were delighted with his professionalism, diligence and hard work. At no point did we feel uncomfortable or uncertain in the process and this is credit to both these individuals and the heavy lifting that they provided during the transaction process. All individuals we dealt with (Chris, Ryan and associate Rebekah Hobbs) were all very personable.’

‘Flexible.’

‘Experienced in automation installation and IT contracts.’

‘The team really knows our business. They have built up a very good relationship with the individuals within the business over the years and can anticipate our requirements.’

‘Barry Edgar – he is personable and provides clear practical advice. He is solutions orientated and is keen to find solutions to issues that crop up.’

‘Verity Buckingham is very responsive and explains complex topics in a clear way.’

‘Strong team with a good depth of knowledge throughout.’

‘Fiona MacGregor is a very good new hire from Pinsent Masons – super organised, highly responsive and always provides very clear instructions.’

‘As Dentons has a large, capable team it is always possible to source an individual with deep sector knowledge.’

‘Their staff are available 24/7.’

‘Douglas Blyth is an exceptional litigation partner. He thinks through matters strategically and is always one step ahead of his adversaries. Douglas is a lawyer who I would always want on my side.‘

‘The level of expertise, the diversity of talent to call on and the willingness of the partners and solicitors to be available for advice on short and longer term basis.’

‘Excellent knowledge of the retail industry, personable communication , excellent collaboration, Always mindful of value for money.’

‘Always provide suggestions, easy to deal with, will advise at a moments notice – always available.’

‘They understand what we need; they understand our business.’