The Legal 500 Recommends 2009 Edition

The Legal 500 recommends

Wake Smith & Tofields

2009 edition Wake Smith & Tofields

Wake Smith & Tofields

This PDF is an extract of the full recommendations for the firm in the 2009 edition of The UK Legal 500.

The attached pages contain all the recommendations for the firm. This document relates to your firm only, to see how your firm has performed against your peers and our full editorial analysis please go to www.legal500.com or refer to the printed book.

Yorkshire and the Humber

Corporate and commercial

Corporate and commercial - Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Dispute resolution

Commercial litigation - Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Finance

Insolvency and corporate recovery

Human resources

Employment: South Yorkshire

Insurance

Clinical negligence - claimant | Personal injury - claimant

Private client

Agriculture and estates | Family - North, South and East Yorkshire | Personal tax, trusts and probate

Real estate

Commercial property - Sheffield, South Yorkshire | Property litigation

TMT (technology, media and telecoms)

Intellectual property and information technology

©Legalease 2009 CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL Corporate and commercial: Sheffield, South Yorkshire:

Corporate and commercial - Sheffield, South Yorkshire DLA PIPER UK LLP Sheffield

NABARRO LLP Sheffield

HLW Commercial Lawyers LLP Sheffield Irwin Mitchell LLP Sheffield

Halliwells LLP Sheffield Taylor & Emmet LLP Sheffield Keeble Hawson Sheffield Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield Ashton Morton Slack Sheffield

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Headed by Tony Wilkinson, Taylor & Emmet LLP’s ‘helpful, courteous and efficient’ team garners some enviable regional work. Recent highlights include advising on the multimillion-pound sale of the entire issued share capital of Intacare, and on the MBO of the lettings division of Lewis Wadsworth. Wake Smith & Tofields advised on a number of demergers over the past year, including a £7m care home business. Practice head John Baddeley also acted on the £7.5m sale of shares in Lowe Group to Connaught. Ashton Morton Slack’s Max Kennedy specialises in M&A work and has a good track record advising clients on company law matters. The firm is recognised in the region for its commercial expertise in the nursing home and elderly care sectors, and acted on a number of related purchases.

©Legalease 2009 DISPUTE RESOLUTION Commercial litigation: Sheffield, South Yorkshire:

Commercial litigation - Sheffield, South Yorkshire DLA PIPER UK LLP Sheffield NABARRO LLP Sheffield

IRWIN MITCHELL LLP Sheffield

Ashton Morton Slack Sheffield HLW Commercial Lawyers LLP Sheffield Halliwells LLP Sheffield Keeble Hawson Sheffield Taylor & Emmet LLP Sheffield Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Taylor & Emmet LLP offers a ‘highly professional, outstanding practice’. Team head Rob Moore is rated for contentious insolvency matters. Rob Cooke is also recommended. Mark Serby leads the Wake Smith & Tofields team, which also features Elizabeth Shaw and Nick Lambert. Recent highlights include advising the defendants in a £91m deceit claim, and defending K Hartwall in a claim brought by Kellogg.

©Legalease 2009 FINANCE Insolvency and corporate recovery

Insolvency and corporate recovery DLA PIPER UK LLP Leeds, Sheffield

Addleshaw Goddard LLP Leeds Eversheds LLP Leeds Pinsent Masons LLP Leeds Walker Morris Leeds Clarion Solicitors LLP Leeds Cobbetts LLP Leeds Hammonds LLP Leeds Halliwells LLP Sheffield Langleys York Irwin Mitchell LLP Leeds, Sheffield Lupton Fawcett LLP Leeds Brooke North LLP Leeds Lee & Priestley LLP Leeds Carrick Read Insolvency Hull Nabarro LLP Sheffield Denison Till York Taylor & Emmet LLP Sheffield HLW Commercial Lawyers LLP Sheffield, Leeds Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield Keeble Hawson Leeds Ward Hadaway Leeds

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Rob Moore at Taylor & Emmet LLP deals with contentious insolvency matters. Clients include a number of insolvency practitioners in the region. Under the management of commercial litigator Mark Serby, Wake Smith & Tofields has benefited from a recession-induced rise in insolvency work. Steve Thomas at Ward Hadaway has expertise in insolvency matters, including advising on directors’ duties, disqualification and shareholder disputes.

©Legalease 2009 HUMAN RESOURCES Employment: South Yorkshire

Employment: South Yorkshire DLA PIPER UK LLP Sheffield IRWIN MITCHELL LLP Sheffield NABARRO LLP Sheffield HLW Commercial Lawyers LLP Sheffield Halliwells LLP Sheffield Keeble Hawson Sheffield Taylor & Emmet LLP Sheffield Thompsons Sheffield Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield Watson Esam Sheffield

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Thompsons’ historic reputation for claimant and trade union work continues to be well deserved. It recently handled a case for a client with ‘baker’s asthma’. Focusing on the Sheffield and South Yorkshire SME market, Wake Smith & Tofields added Kevin Poulter from Walker Morris to its employment team. Clients include Swann Morton, Westfield Health and Durham Duplex. Jay Bhayani at Watson Esam advises a number of regional businesses, including Admiral Construction and the National Probation Service, as well as employee claimants.

©Legalease 2009 INSURANCE Clinical negligence - claimant

Clinical negligence - claimant IRWIN MITCHELL LLP Leeds, Sheffield

Keeble Hawson Sheffield Lester Morrill Leeds

Ashton Morton Slack Sheffield Harrowells LLP York Mintons Leeds Stewarts Law LLP Leeds Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield Atherton Godfrey Doncaster Langleys York Heptonstalls Goole Pattinson & Brewer Solicitors York Howells LLP Sheffield Raleys Barnsley Ison Harrison Leeds, Rotherham, York Taylor & Emmet LLP Sheffield Bridge McFarland Hull Stamp Jackson & Procter Hull Graysons Sheffield Walker Morris Leeds Simpson Millar Leeds Williamsons Hull

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Spearheaded by Frank Pinch, Stewarts Law LLP’s clinical negligence department has a focus on catastrophic injury cases. An impressive caseload includes a string of recent claims valued at over £1m, including a £2.5m spinal cord matter. Wake Smith & Tofields continues to strengthen its practice following the recruitment of John Vallance from Ashton Morton Slack. The firm successfully advised on a £3m case involving an injured baby.

©Legalease 2009 INSURANCE Personal injury - claimant

Personal injury - claimant IRWIN MITCHELL LLP Leeds, Sheffield

Stewarts Law LLP Leeds Thompsons Leeds, Sheffield

Harrowells LLP York Keeble Hawson Sheffield Morrish Solicitors LLP Leeds Russell Jones & Walker Sheffield Walker Morris Leeds Ashton Morton Slack Sheffield Minster Law Limited York Atherton Godfrey Doncaster Pattinson & Brewer Solicitors York Hamers Solicitors Leeds, Hull Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield Lupton Fawcett LLP Leeds Bridge McFarland Grimsby, Hull Lester Morrill Leeds Gordons LLP Leeds Stamp Jackson & Procter Hull Gosschalks Hull Taylor & Emmet LLP Sheffield Graham & Rosen Hull Whitfield Hallam Goodall Dewsbury Howells LLP Sheffield

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

©Legalease 2009 PRIVATE CLIENT Agriculture and estates

Agriculture and estates WRIGLEYS SOLICITORS LLP Leeds, Sheffield

Addleshaw Goddard LLP Leeds Andrew Jackson Hull Clarion Solicitors LLP Leeds Denison Till York Harrowells LLP York McCormicks Harrogate Rollits Hull, York Lupton Fawcett LLP Leeds Stamp Jackson & Procter Hull Wake Smith & Tofields Hull

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Stamp Jackson & Procter’s Andrew Procter advises private clients on their personal estate issues, including sales and purchases. Wake Smith & Tofields advised several estates worth in excess of £1m in the course of administration.

Family - North, South and East Yorkshire HOWELLS LLP Sheffield IRWIN MITCHELL LLP Sheffield

Andrew Jackson Hull Taylor & Emmet LLP Sheffield

Ashton Morton Slack Sheffield Bell & Buxton Sheffield Denison Till York Gosschalks Hull Langleys York Rollits Hull Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield Watson Esam Sheffield Williamsons Hull

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Pat Lennon heads a team at Taylor & Emmet LLP, which is highly regarded for childcare advice. Recent highlights include advising on an ancillary relief case where marital assets include a multimillion-pound interest in a public company. Also recommended are: Ashton Morton Slack, for its dedicated family and children teams; Bell & Buxton, for its advice on financial matters arising from relationship breakdowns; Denison Till’s Mark Hepworth, a well-regarded matrimonial lawyer; Ian Lanch at Gosschalks, who continues to act for private clients in high-net-worth cases; Langleys, which recruited the well-respected Mark Day from Gosschalks; Rollits, for its niche advice on high-net-worth matters under department head Sheridan Ball; Wake Smith & Tofields, for its comprehensive private client offering; Watson Esam, for its ‘thorough analysis and creative consideration of options’ in family matters; and Williamsons, for its expertise on high-value cases. Ashton Morton Slack is recommended for its dedicated family and children’s teams.

Personal tax, trusts and probate WRIGLEYS SOLICITORS LLP Leeds, Sheffield

ADDLESHAW GODDARD LLP Leeds GORDONS LLP Leeds IRWIN MITCHELL LLP Sheffield LUPTON FAWCETT LLP Leeds PINSENT MASONS LLP Leeds ROLLITS Hull, York Brooke North LLP Leeds Clarion Solicitors LLP Leeds Denison Till York Eatons Bradford Ford & Warren Leeds Grays York Keeble Hawson Sheffield McCormicks Harrogate Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield Andrew Jackson Hull Lee & Priestley LLP Leeds Ashton Morton Slack Sheffield Levi Solicitors LLP Leeds Bell & Buxton Sheffield Taylor & Emmet LLP Sheffield Berwins llp Harrogate Walker Morris Leeds Last Cawthra Feather LLP Bradford

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Up-and-coming private client lawyer Julia Rangecroft at McCormicks advises on a full range of matters. Wake Smith & Tofields acts for a number of high-net-worth individuals, with a focus on trust fund work.

Commercial property - Sheffield, South Yorkshire DLA PIPER UK LLP Sheffield NABARRO LLP Sheffield

Irwin Mitchell LLP Sheffield

Ashton Morton Slack HLW Commercial Lawyers LLP Sheffield Halliwells LLP Sheffield Keeble Hawson Sheffield Taylor & Emmet LLP Sheffield Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Property litigation ADDLESHAW GODDARD LLP Leeds DLA PIPER UK LLP Leeds HAMMONDS LLP Leeds PINSENT MASONS LLP Leeds WALKER MORRIS Leeds Cobbetts LLP Leeds DWF LLP Leeds Eversheds LLP Leeds Nabarro LLP Sheffield Andrew Jackson Hull Ashton Morton Slack Sheffield Clarion Solicitors LLP Leeds Denison Till York Ford & Warren Leeds Gordons LLP Leeds Gosschalks Hull Irwin Mitchell LLP Leeds, Sheffield McCormicks Harrogate Rollits Hull, York Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Intellectual property and information technology ADDLESHAW GODDARD LLP Leeds DLA PIPER UK LLP Leeds, Sheffield EVERSHEDS LLP Leeds PINSENT MASONS LLP Leeds WALKER MORRIS Leeds Clarion Solicitors LLP Leeds HGF Law Leeds Hammonds LLP Leeds Irwin Mitchell LLP Leeds James Love Legal Harrogate Lee & Priestley LLP Leeds Lupton Fawcett LLP Leeds Rollits Hull Virtuoso Legal Leeds Watson Burton LLP Leeds Andrew Jackson Hull Gosschalks Hull Berwins LLP Harrogate Keeble Hawson Sheffield Brooke North LLP Leeds Wake Smith & Tofields Sheffield Gordons LLP Leeds

Firms are listed A-Z within tiers

Watson Burton LLP’s Ed Meikle heads a Northern IP/IT practice with growing traction in Yorkshire. Also recommended are: Andrew Jackson, for its IP expertise and instructions from regular plc clients; Berwins LLP, which offers ‘sound and appropriate’ advice and has growing strength in contentious matters; Brooke North LLP, for its non-contentious IT-focused portfolio under Dai Davis, including Allianz SE; Gordons LLP’s focused IP, IT and media litigation practice; Gosschalks, for its diverse IP and IT practice; Keeble Hawson’s Rosemary Downs, who advises across a spectrum of IP/IT matters; and Wake Smith & Tofields, which boasts a growing South Yorkshire presence in games development, music business contracts anddigital media. Andrew Jackson is recommended for its IP expertise and receives regular instructions from PLC clients.