The Legal 500: Yorkshire expertise defies property downturn

DESPITE the downturn in the construction sector, Yorkshire’s property lawyers have used their expertise and market contacts to consolidate their place in the market, according to The Legal 500.

Addleshaw Goddard and DLA Piper’s commercial property teams have proved to be the most successful in a difficult market, according to the annual research on the legal sector.

Here, TheBusinessDesk.com, in association with Grant Thornton, assesses a selection of the region’s key players in the commercial property and construction sectors in the latest of a series of articles on The Legal 500’s findings.

Tim Lincoln, assurance partner at Grant Thornton in Leeds, said Yorkshire law firms excelled in the property and construction sectors, with the mix of national firms and regional players offering “very effective and credible alternatives, with a client base cited in the Legal 500 that dwarfs some firms’ size – but this is testimony to the quality of advice and legal expertise in these firms”. 

Mr Lincoln said: “The region benefits from having the might of the large players, based primarily in Leeds, who service clients into the North East as well as in Yorkshire, but this hasn’t stifled the development of the legal hub in Sheffield and elsewhere around the Yorkshire counties.

“In addition, with the downturn in business, law firms may have the opportunity to use their breadth of knowledge and expertise to help their property clients to turn around and rise out of the recession.

“This is an approach that has proved very successful for Grant Thornton Recovery and Reorganisation and may well prove the same for law firms and a win win for them and their property clients.”

Commercial property

Leeds and West Yorkshire

The Legal 500 described Addleshaw Goddard as running a “first-class property practice”, witnessing an increasing amount of town centre regeneration and development work. New client wins for Michael Reevey’s team include Marriott Hotels and Opus Land.

Tim Field leads DLA Piper’s Leeds property team, offering “consistently exemplary promptness, attention to detail and attitude”, and despite the tough market, the team acted for the administrators of Dawnay Day on its property portfolio, described as “one of the biggest investment disposals around”.

Eversheds’ property team is rated as “first-rate”, while clients enjoy “an excellent working relationship” with Hammonds’ property team.

Making up the second tier with Eversheds and Hammonds, Pinsent Masons’ team is led by Mark Owen and has been boosted by the arrival of Gerry Mulholland, while Walker Morris has seen a rise in property insolvency work, with the team being strong in the retail sector having advised LK Bennett on 15 acquisitions over the past year.

The Legal 500 describes Beachcroft as offering a “good overall level of service”.

Brooke North has continued to benefit from its relationship with the Evans Group, and a number of the region’s leading entrepreneurs. Chairman Rodney Dalton is a “leading light” and is widely respected in the market.

Clarion completed a number of property insolvency projects, Cobbetts advised Leeds City Council on the development of the city’s arena, and DWF is making “real headway” in the region and is seen as a real alternative to the ‘Big Six’.

Davidson Large of Harrogate continues to win work from London and from clients who in the past have used the larger Leeds firms.

Other firms noted for their property work included Gordons, Irwin Mitchell, Lee & Priestley, Lupton Fawcett, Watson Burton, Dixon Law, Finn Gledhill, Ford & Warren and Hempsons.

To download a full copy of the latest The Legal 500 chapter on Yorkshire, click here: Legal 500 2009

Sheffield and South Yorkshire:

DLA Piper’s public sector expertise, headed by Nigel Howard, sees it head the market in Sheffield alongside Nabarro, with DLA Piper noted for its work with new clients including J F Finnegan and Keepmoat.

The Legal 500 describes Nabarro’s service as “top quality, quick and accurate”, with work handled on a national basis.

Irwin Mitchell’s property team follows hot on its rivals’ heels and handled a number of significant strategic land acquisitions and is led by Kevin Docherty.

Ashton Morton Slack, HLW Commercial Lawyers, Halliwells, Keeble Hawson, Taylor & Emmet and Wake Smith & Tofields are also named as contenders in the Sheffield market. 

North and East Yorkshire

Andrew Jackson is “capable of operating on both a regional and national scale” and 2008 highlights included advising J Ross Developments on a new multi-million pound Tesco supermarket project in Wales.

Gosschalks offers an “overall level of service which is first class”, while Langleys is becoming more prominent and was appointed as principal adviser to Shepherd Homes.

Neil Franklin’s team at Rollitts has a wide ranging client base including leading banks and Hull City Council, while Denison Till is also named.

Construction

Addleshaw Goddard and Pinsent Masons head the construction table in Yorkshire, according to The Legal 500.

Addleshaw’s David Shaw, who leads the non-contentious side of the practice, is described as “a highly intelligent individual”.

The team has strong public sector, projects and infrastructure experience and advised on the £700m Greater Manchester Waste PFI, Europe’s largest PFI to date.

Pinsent Masons’ construction offering leverages positively off the firm’s strong PFI practice, with the team, headed by Mark Harris, being especially experienced in waste management work, advising Graphite on the construction of the world’s largest autoclave recycling plans in 2008.

DLA Piper’s construction team, led by Julie Morrissy, continued to operate at a high level, with 2008 highlights including acting for the Olympic Delivery Authority on aspects of the North Olympic Park.

Eversheds’ construction team is recommended for advising on PFI maintenance contracts, particularly those in the healthcare sector, with key client, the States of Jersey, keeping the team busy.

Led by Zakir Mulla, Hammonds’ “very knowledgeable” construction team is highly rated for its advice on regeneration, with the group attracts a large number of RDAs, including Yorkshire Forward, the London Development Agency and Advantage West Midlands.

With a good balance between contentious and non-contentious construction work, Nabarro, whose team is headed by Martin McKervey, continues to offer a quality practice. Over 2008, the group was involved with significant waste management work, having advised Biffa on a number of schemes in the north of England.

Walker Morris offers “a great deal of construction knowledge and gives good, commercial, practical advice”. As well as strength on the non-contentious side, the team has excellent contentious experience, and 2008 saw it advise Fanmail on a major piece of litigation in the High Court. Practice head Martin Scott is described as “a good person to have on board when the going gets tough”.

Beachcroft is “direct, commercial and willing to listen”, and advised on the Gerrards Cross Tesco Tunnel claim, one of the largest UK-based construction disputes of the past year, while at Cobbetts, Penny Tate is “commercial and personable”, while the team, which features Nick Carr, is “direct and always willing to listen”.

To download a full copy of the latest The Legal 500 chapter on Yorkshire, click here: Legal 500 2009