Strong results for Willans in the latest edition of The Legal 500

Our employment law team has retained a top-tier ranking, three practitioners are named as ‘leading lawyers’ and we’re recommended across 10 further practice areas in the 2020 edition of The Legal 500 UK.

The Legal 500 is an independent guide to the world’s best law firms. Its results are based on a combination of client feedback, assessment by experienced legal researchers and interviews.

The publication of this year’s guide makes it the third year in a row for our employment law practice to be included in the top bracket for the ‘Gloucestershire and M4 corridor’ area. The employment law team is noted for its work in the not-for-profit, professional & financial services, and tech and engineering sectors, with the guide highlighting the team’s “notably strong area of work in advising on non-compete restrictions and restrictive covenants”.

Department head Matthew Clayton is included in the elite ‘leading lawyers’ list, which the directory describes as “a guide to outstanding lawyers nationwide”. Listed alongside Matthew are dispute resolution partner Paul Gordon, and commercial property partner Nigel Whittaker.

The firm’s corporate & commercial, commercial litigation and commercial property practice areas are recommended across the M4 corridor and Gloucestershire, with the agriculture, charities, contentious probate, family, personal tax trusts & probate, property litigation and intellectual property teams recommended across the whole of the South West. 15 of the firm’s individual lawyers are recommended (some of whom are rated in multiple disciplines).

Managing partner Bridget Redmond said: “We are really pleased to have secured another set of strong results across the board in the latest edition of this independent guide.

“Client feedback plays an instrumental role in shaping these results and I’m delighted that our lawyers have hit the mark once again, with many clients noting our commitment to client care and technical expertise. I am extremely proud of all those who have been recommended in this year’s edition, and their respective departments.”

The following individuals are recommended in the guide:

• Paul Gordon (Leading individual – commercial litigation – M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire) (Contentious trusts & probate) (Intellectual property)
• Matthew Clayton (Leading individual – employment – M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire)
• Nigel Whittaker (Leading individual – commercial property – M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire
• Nick Southwell (Rising star – commercial litigation – M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire) (Property litigation) (Intellectual property)
• Robin Beckley (Agriculture & estates)
• Alasdair Garbutt (Commercial property – M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire)
• Nick Cox (Property litigation) (Intellectual property)
• Kym Fletcher (Intellectual property)
• Katie Duthie (Intellectual property)
• Simon Cook (Personal tax, trusts and probate)
• Jen Cockett (Personal tax, trusts and probate)
• Susie Jones (Personal tax, trusts and probate)
• Jenny Hawrot (Employment law)
• Chris Wills (Corporate & commercial)
• Paul Symes-Thompson (Corporate & commercial)

The following practice areas are recommended in the guide:

• Employment law (M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire) TOP-TIER
• Corporate and commercial (M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire)
• Commercial litigation (M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire)
• Agriculture and estates
• Charities and not-for-profit
• Contentious trusts and probate
• Family law
• Personal tax, trusts and probate
• Commercial property (M4 Corridor and Gloucestershire)
• Property litigation
• Intellectual property

Read more about the results on The Legal 500’s website.