The Legal 500: Regional heavyweights revealed as activity levels increase

WRAGGE Lawrence Graham & Co has retained its position as the only tier one regional heavyweight law firm in the West Midlands according to the latest rankings in the industry’s Bible The Legal 500.

Eversheds and Pinsent Masons are ranked as tier two regional heavyweights with DLA Piper and Gateley in tier three.

Tier four heavyweights are Irwin Mitchell, SGH Martineau, Shoosmiths and Squire Patton Boggs.

See below for The Legal 500’s list of leading individuals in the West Midlands legal sector 

Reflecting on the prevailing climate facing law firms in its regional review, The Legal 500 said 2013 saw a general uptick of activity and increased market confidence across the region, particularly during the final quarter.

“Real estate saw the greatest boost, with flagship projects such as Birmingham New Street and Paradise Circus sitting at the top of a wave of redevelopments,” it said.

“Some lawyers have observed increased interest in Birmingham from foreign investors, who are beginning to see the London market as overheated.

“Private client work has also been strong, in another sign of heightened optimism and increased wealth.

“As work on HS2 gathers momentum, there is growing speculation over the impact it will have on the region.

“Many lawyers in the larger, national practices routinely divide their time between London and Birmingham, and this is a trend which HS2 will only encourage.”

Turning to Wragges it said: “It is early days for Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co LLP; the West Midlands giant and City firm Lawrence Graham LLP merged in May 2014.

“The firm has one of the largest real estate practices nationally, and notable international capabilities.

“The banking and finance team operates across Birmingham and London, and fields some of the highest-level expertise in the local market.”

Eversheds was praised for having “an outstanding year” on the commercial property side, acting on the New Street Station and Pallasades redevelopment projects.

Pinsent Masons was said to be well known for its strength across the public and private sectors, acting for a variety of major blue-chip companies and public bodies.

DLA Piper is said to lead the way in terms of its cross-border capabilities, and has been active on some of the region’s largest corporate transactions.

Gateley was described by The Legal 500 as combining a strong commitment to the region with an integrated national practice. “The firm is a leader in the real estate sector, and stands out for its specialist housebuilder practice,” the review said.

Irwin Mitchell continues in its efforts to branch out beyond its traditional stronghold of insurance law.

“Jon Bew’s recently established banking and finance team added further high-calibre lawyers, and is acting in increasingly sophisticated transactions,” the review said.

SGH Martineau is said to operate around core sector focuses such as energy and education, and is described as being unusual in the local market for its niche expertise in Islamic finance.

Shoosmiths “continued to thrive during 2013”. The corporate practice had a landmark year, The Legal 500 says, demonstrating growing capabilities in cross-border transactions.

Squire Patton Boggs is said to combines increasingly strong cross-border capabilities with a core local client base.

In the key corporate and commercial category The Legal 500 ranks DLA Piper, Eversheds, Pinsent Masons and Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co as tier one firms operating in the Birmingham market.

Elsewhere in the West Midlands, FBC Manby Bowdler, George Green, Harrison Clark Rickerbys, Higgs & Sons, Knights, Lanyon Bowdler and Wright Hassall are ranked in the top tier for corporate and commercial work.

In the commercial property field, Eversheds, Gateley, PInsent Masons, Shoosmiths, Squire Patton Boggs and Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co are ranked as tier one firms in Birmingham whilst outside the city it is Higgs & Sons, Knights, Shakespeares and Wright Hassall which make the top tier.

Read the full West Midlands report on The Legal 500’s website here .

The Legal 500’s list of leading individuals in the West Midlands legal sector

Nick Abell, Wright Hassall – Commercial property

Derek Adamson, DWF – Personal injury

Bernardine Adkins,  Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

EU and competition

Steve Allen, Mills & Reeve – Commercial litigation

Gary Barber, Mills & Reeve – Personal tax, trusts and

probate

Francois Barker,  Eversheds – Pensions

Rankeshwar Batta, Anthony Collins Solicitors – Clinical

negligence; personal injury

Mark Beardmore, Eversheds – Corporate and commercial

David Beswick, Eversheds – Employment

Jon Bew, Irwin Mitchell – Banking and finance

Alex Bishop, Shoosmiths – Commercial litigation

Richard Black, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Pensions

Adrian Bland, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Commercial property

Graeme Bradley, Squire Patton Boggs – Construction

Andrew Breakwell,  Shakespeares – Personal tax, trusts and

probate

Mark Burgess,  DLA Piper UK -Corporate tax

John Burns, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Commercial property

Damon Burt, Plexus Law – Personal injury

Lorraine Carolan,  DAC Beachcroft – Personal injury

Martin Chitty, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Employment

Caroline Coates, DWF – Personal injury

Roger Coates, DWF – Personal injury

Tim Coolican, Slater & Gordon – Crime

Gemma Curtis, Eversheds – Insolvency and corporate

recovery

Adrian Dagnall,  Bevan Brittan – Clinical negligence

Ranjit Dhindsa,  Hill Hofstetter – Employment

Huw Dolphin, DLA Piper UK – Insolvency and corporate

recovery

Joanne Ellis,  Pinsent Masons – Corporate and

commercial; health

Mark English,  Shakespeares – Property litigation

Liz Fallon,  Eversheds – Pensions

David Feist, Eversheds – Property litigation

Ian Forrest, Squire Patton Boggs – Pensions

Clive Garner, Irwin Mitchell – Transport

Iain Gilbey, Pinsent Masons – Planning

Stephen Goodrham; Gateley – Commercial litigation

David Gordon, Squire Patton Boggs – Environment

Paola Gorrara’ Shakespeares – Social housing

Guy Green, George Green – Corporate and commercial

Nick Green, Squire Patton Boggs – Commercial property

Geraldine Haden, Shakespeares – Social housing

Tony Hall, Anthony Collins Solicitors – Clinical

negligence; personal injury

Kathy Halliday, DWF – Employment

Matthew Hansell, Mills & Reeve – Personal tax, trusts

and probate

Anne Harris, Eversheds – Corporate and commercial

Nicola Hart, Pinsent Masons – Education

Jonathan Hofstetter, Hill Hofstetter – Commercial litigation

Andrew Hornigold, Pinsent Masons – Corporate and

commercial

Jog Hundle, Mills & Reeve – Employment

Ian Hyde, Pinsent Masons – Corporate tax

Jack Jacovou, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Commercial property

Nicholas Jew, DLA Piper UK – Employment

Alan Jones, Averta Employment Lawyers – Employment

Andrew Jordan,  Eversheds – Insolvency and corporate

recovery

Lisa Jordan, Irwin Mitchell – Clinical negligence

Jagvinder Kang,  Technology Law Alliance – IT and telecoms

James Keates, Shoosmiths – Insolvency and corporate

recovery

Stephen Kenny, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co – PFI

Joel Kordan, Shoosmiths – Commercial property

Sue Lewis, Eversheds – Corporate and commercial

Greg Lowson, Pinsent Masons – Commercial litigation

Andrew Madden, Gateley – Banking and finance

Andrew Manning Cox, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Commercial litigation

Helen Mason, Helen Mason & Co – Employment

Sara May, DAC Beachcroft – Personal injury

Rebecca McGuirk, Trowers & Hamlins – Employment

Marie McMorrow, DWF – Intellectual property

Gary Mellor, Beswicks Solicitors – Sport

Ian Metcalfe, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Corporate and commercial

Jeremy Millington, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Corporate and commercial

Paul Moorcroft, Eversheds – Property litigation

Peter Mulhern, Thompsons Solicitors – Personal injury

Robert Norris, Squire Patton Boggs – Construction

Callum Nuttall, Gateley – Commercial property

Stephen Ollerenshaw, Technology Law Alliance – IT and

telecoms

Anne O’Meara, Squire Patton Boggs – Commercial property

Julian Pallett, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Banking and finance

Geoff Perry, Squire Patton Boggs – Corporate and

commercial

Ashley Pigott;  Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Construction

Rhodri Richards, DAC Beachcroft – Personal injury

Colin Rodrigues, Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers – Corporate and commercial

Glyn Ryland, Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co –

Pensions

Richard Santy, Mills & Reeve – Employment

Marc Saunderson, Mills & Reeve – Family

Parmjit Singh,  Eversheds – Commercial property

Françoise Snape,  BLM – Health and safety

David Sykes, Averta Employment Lawyers –

Employment

Romaine Thompson, Anthony Collins Solicitors –

Charities and not-for-profit

Roy Tozer , DLA Piper UK – Health and safety; crime

Angus Turner, Mills & Reeve – Professional negligence

Sandra Wallace, DLA Piper UK – Employment

Michael Ward, Gateley  – Corporate and commercial

Giles Warrington, Pinsent Masons – EU and

competition

Sarah White, Browne Jacobson – Health; clinical

negligence

Andrew Whitehead, SGH Martineau – Energy

Matthew Woodford, Browne Jacobson – EU and

competition

Brian Woolcock, DLA Piper UK – Banking and finance

Cerys Wyn Davies, Pinsent Masons – Intellectual

property

David Young, Eversheds – Health and safety

Paul Zyda, Zyda Law – Planning; energy