THE importance of the individual is clear in the Legal 500 rankings, with the departure of a key person appearing to be the precursor to a fall in the rankings for a number of firms’ teams.
Eversheds’ commercial litigation team in Birmingham suffered a prominent two-tier drop, falling from tier one to tier three in an area that saw little other movement. Mark Surguy was a partner in Eversheds’ commercial dispute resolution group before leaving in February 2015, starting work at Weightmans last October. Eversheds has also dropped out of the rankings for energy and environment in the West Midlands.
Shoosmiths lost Jeremy Bouch in July 2015, as the solicitor joined Coutts before moving to become group general counsel at Volkswagen Financial Services. The firm has subsequently dropped out of the fraud and general crime categories, where Mr Bouch had previously been recommended.
Oliver Martin, who led Irwin Mitchell’s planning team until January, left to set up his own planning law practice, Bickley Martin (utilising his middle name in the eponymous firm). His former firm was not included among those highlighted in the West Midlands for planning.
Pinsent Masons dropped out of the rankings for corporate tax having been judged a tier-two firm in the region after its head, Ian Hyde, became a part-time judge, although he has stayed with the firm.
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