34 LAW SOUTH EAST – THE LEGAL 500
Henmans: Highly-respected and efficient team
Henmans Freeth LLP has a strong reputation for private client and dispute resolution work.
Corporate & commercial
Henmans Freeth acts for local SMEs, charities and technology companies, and recently advised Rollright Facilities and ttMobiles on notable deals. Malcolm Sadler heads the team and is assisted by associate Tom Walker.
Commercial litigation
The team remains highly respected for its defendant insurance work, and acts for clients including Hiscox and Travelers Insurance. Joint practice heads Sarah Foster and Duncan Crine both specialise in professional indemnity claims, and Andrew Crocombe, who attracts high praise from clients, has recently been active in shareholder and insolvency disputes.
Employment James Simpson advises clients such
as Stagecoach and Oxford Brookes University on issues ranging from unfair dismissal to outsourcing. Consultant Melanie Slocombe has significant tribunal advocacy experience.
Clinical negligence
In 2012, the ‘very good and efficient’ team at Henmans Freeth acted in a cerebral palsy case which settled for £5.6 million. Head of clinical negligence Cecily Cameron is ‘hugely respected in the field’, and new partner Carolyn Lowe is an ‘extremely good litigator’.
Personal injury
The ‘reliable and efficient’ Henmans Freeth is a ‘thoroughly professional outfit’. Associate Irvin Thobourne is recommended.
Professional negligence
Duncan Crine and Sarah Foster co-head the team, which represents clients including RSA, Capita and Inter Hannover.
Agriculture & estates
Iain Davis and Jane Maitland co- head the team, which is ‘excellent in all regards’. Davis is ‘exceptional’, and provides ‘a first-class service’. Samantha Leigh joined the firm in September 2012 from Darbys Solicitors LLP.
Charities and not-for-profit
The ‘excellent’ team at Henmans Freeth provides ‘thorough, reliable and appropriate advice’, and impresses with its ‘work ethic’. Key clients include Cancer Research UK, British Red Cross, and the Stroke Association. Practice head Nigel Roots is recommended, and Angela Bowman is ‘always efficient’.
Contentious trusts & probate
Henmans Freeth stands out for its experience representing charities clients. Managing partner Sarah Foster also advises individuals, executors and trustees on disputed wills, estates and trusts.
Family
The firm is experienced in high- value divorces and financial settlements, with recent work including a cross-border case with pension and collaborative elements. Team head Rachael Oakes is ‘able to tackle cases at all levels whether complicated by emotion or a complex financial matrix’. Helen Taylor is also recommended.
Personal tax, trusts & probate
The recently merged firm acts in complex, high-value trust and land matters, often with offshore and contentious elements. Oxford- based Nigel Roots is the firm’s national head of private client, with Paul Thompson and Jane Maitland also key contacts.
Commercial property
Prominent in high-value commercial leases and development work, Henmans Freeth’s clients include major charities, banks and education institutions. Iain Davis heads the team, which includes the ‘dependable and approachable’ Patrick Whetter and the ‘extremely efficient’ Samantha Leigh. Adrian White is also recommended.
Penningtons: Committed, authoritative and effective
Corporate & commercial
Penningtons Solicitors LLP advised local company Camberley Auto Factors on its sale to Andrew Page Acquisitions; and, on the cross-border side, assisted Swiss company u-blox on its acquisition of 4M Wireless. Practice head Simon Bickerdike is ’committed’ and ’authoritative’; and David Kendall is ’very knowledgeable and quick to respond’.
In Hampshire, Penningtons’ team, headed by Charles Brooks, advised Courier Systems on its cross-border acquisition of E-Courier UK, and acted on several deals with a strong technology element. Commercial IT and IP specialist Joanne Vengadesan is ’calm, authoritative and knowledgeable’.
www.businessmag.co.uk Corporate tax
The team recently advised Revisecatch on the tax aspects of its acquisition of E-Courier UK from Dutch conglomerate TNT. Head of department Sarah Cardew is ’knowledgeable’ and ’supportive’. Other clients include Brita and Aviva Investor Pensions.
Employment
Penningtons’ employment team saw an increase in advice to senior executives on termination agreements, and has a growing roster of technology-sector clients. Michael Cole leads the team.
At Basingstoke, Penningtons’ recent work includes obtaining an interim injunction for PFM Group, while other clients include BBC Worldwide and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance.
Team head David Bickford is ’approachable and effective’.
Clinical negligence: claimant
The firm has ’sound knowledge of medical negligence, and excellent client relations’. Tim Palmer, who is ’brilliant with clients’, and Philippa Luscombe co-lead a ’great team’.
Personal injury
Penningtons has expertise in road traffic accident, employers’ liability and occupier’s liability claims. Philippa Luscombe is ’excellent’, and Mark Lee, who heads the holiday accident claims practice, is ’not afraid to push boundaries’.
Personal tax, trusts & probate Penningtons is ’a first-class private
client firm’, regularly operating for entrepreneurs on both domestic and international tax planning, succession planning and the creation of trusts. Godalming- based Laura Dadswell is recommended for her strong technical advice.
In Hampshire, Julie Burton and Richard Underwood are the key contacts, with Michael Cash singled out for contentious work.
Social housing
Penningtons offers ’good value for money’ on the social housing side; its ’strong team’ has ’strength in depth’, and is led by Linda Storey. It recently advised Sovereign Housing Association on a buyback agreement with Newbury Building Society to provide mortgages to first-time buyers.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – OCTOBER 2013
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