Poppleston Allen‘s practice attracts a diverse clientele including such well-known names as Ottolenghi and Domino’s Pizza. The team advises pubs, bars, and nightclubs on the licensing aspects of acquisitions, and license variations and applications. Graeme Cushion helms the practice, balancing his time between securing new premises’ licenses and handling licensing-related criminal cases. James Anderson’s caseload regularly features the licensing aspects of development work and presenting applications for major refurbishments, and Lisa Sharkey‘s experience has positioned her as an active advisor on complex, high-value licensing matters. Jonathan Smith frequently advises on premises licenses and licensing variations, as well as the licensing aspects of complex M&A matters. Suraj Desor has experience representing clients in licensing reviews, whilst Joe Harvey combines criminal litigation experience with an extensive knowledge of licensing application work.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Client satisfaction: NPS ®

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Joe Harvey's advice has been invaluable, and he has consistently guided us with his expertise. What sets Joe apart is his unwavering commitment to a timely and efficient process. He understands the urgency that often accompanies these matters and consistently delivers on time.’

  • ‘They are extremely knowledgeable and consistently give us full confidence with our late-night trading.’

Key clients

  • Pig Hotels
  • The Sloane Club

Work highlights

Obtained a new premises licence, at a hearing, for Iko Projects' innovative 300-capacity bar/restaurant/event space atop an NCP Car Park in Chester.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame

The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.

Leading partners

The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Leading associates

Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.

Practice head

Graeme Cushion

Other key lawyers

James Anderson; Lisa Sharkey; Jonathan Smith; Suraj Desor; Joe Harvey