Midlands law firms win plaudits in Legal 500

LAW firms in the West Midlands have been praised for their professionalism during “another challenging year” by industry bible The Legal 500.

The organisation admitted deal flow for larger and more complex transactions remained patchy “against the backdrop of continuing low liquidity and confidence in the market”.

But against a backdrop of consolidations and mergers and the demise of firms such as Cobbetts, Blakemores and Challinors, The Legal 500 points out that good work is being done by regional law firms across practice specialisms and a plethora of sectors.

In terms of regional heavyweights, Wragge & Co makes the top tier with DLA Piper, Eversheds, Gateley and Pinsent Masons in the second tier. In the third tier comes SGH Martineau and Squire Sanders and in the third tier are Irwin Mitchell and Shoosmiths.

In the key corporate and commercial (Birmingham) sector DLA Piper, Eversheds, Gateley, Pinsent Masons and Wragge & Co are all awarded tier one status.

DLA Piper is said to have a “pragmatic and capable team” while Eversheds is “strong and stable” and Gateley “consistently provides excellent commercial advice in a timely fashion”.

Pinsent Masons is said to have particular strengths in the healthcare and energy sectors while Wragge & Co has an “attentive and commercially adept team”.

Elsewhere in the West Midlands the tier one firms in corporate and commercial are judged to be FBC Manby Bowdler, George Green, Harrison Clark Rickerbys, Higgs & Sons, Knights Solicitors and Wright Hassall.

Wragge & Co is the only tier one firm in the corporate tax field according to The Legal 500 and it also features in the top tier for commercial litigation alongside DLA Piper, Eversheds, Hill Hofstetter and Pinsent Masons.

Elsewhere in the West Midlands the top tier commercial litigators are Berwick Solictors, FBC Manby Bowdler, George Green, Harrison Clark Rickerbys, Higgs & Sons, Knights Solicitors, ORJ Solicitors and Wright Hassall.

The top tier law firms in the banking and finance field are judged to be DLA Piper, Eversheds and Pinsent Masons while for insolvency and corporate recovery it is DLA Piper, Eversheds, Gateley and Squire Sanders.

DLA Piper, Eversheds, Pinsent Masons and Squire Sanders are the top tier law firms in the employment area while Pinsent Masons and Wragge & Co come out on top in the local government sector.

The top tier Birmingham law firms as far as commercial property is concerned are judged to be Eversheds, Gateley, Pinsent Masons, Shoosmiths, Squire Sanders and Wragge & Co. Elsewhere in the West Midlands it is Higgs & Sons, Knights Solicitors, Shakespeares (Stratford) and Wright Hassall.

Further information can be found at www.legal500.com.