Strong showing for law firm in new legal rankings

Lupton Fawcett’s reputation for providing excellent legal advice is showcased in the new Legal 500 UK in which the law firm is ranked in 21 practice areas.

The Leeds, Sheffield and York-based business is ranked for the expertise of its individuals and teams in specialities including corporate and commercial, dispute resolution, education, charities, employment and family.

The Legal 500 guide analyses the capabilities of law firms through a comprehensive research programme which is revised and updated every year.

Lupton Fawcett’s chairman, York-based Jonathan Oxley, is recognised for being ‘highly active in the innovation and technology sectors, advising SMEs and venture capital funds on M&A, joint venture agreements and investment rounds’.

His colleagues Giles Clegg and Daniel McCormack, partners in corporate in Leeds, are part of a team which the guide says ‘delivered what I needed when it mattered for a once-in-a-lifetime event. They did so in a cheerful, courteous and thoughtful fashion that showed that they had reflected on our individual interests and needs’.

The guide recognises the work of Sheffield’s head of office and corporate partner Michele Phillips and tax expert Sarah Illidge. Michele is also part of the firm-wide education team and routinely advises academies, colleges, trusts and other higher education establishments on corporate governance issues and transactions.

The firm’s dispute resolution team, which includes Howard Rutter in Leeds and Jonathan Cripwell in York, is praised for going ‘to great lengths to explain the legal framework surrounding the issue in question, including the pitfalls, and then work with you to agree a strategy to achieve a satisfactory outcome’.

Their Sheffield based colleagues and partners Rob Cooke and Simon Lockley are described as ‘top dogs in this field. Both technically superb and realistic in advising on prospects’.

The guide says Lupton Fawcett fields a strong charities practice and specialist ecclesiastical team led by partner Peter Foskett and Mark Honeywell. Senior solicitor Katie Dawson is singled out for being ‘knowledgeable with practical advice, thorough and professional’.

Lupton Fawcett’s ‘regional footprint’ makes its employment practice a key name for local clients as well as large-scale national corporates. Employment head Andrew Gilchrist is described as ‘my go to person for employment law’ and praised because ‘his communication skills are superb and his plain speaking is very appreciated for non-legally-trained clients’.

The guide highlights the work of Lupton Fawcett’s family team, led by Chris Burns who is described as ‘experienced, capable, easy to talk to, provides an all-round specialised knowledge of family work’. His colleague Andrew Smith is a ‘fantastic professional who takes pride in his work’.

James Richardson, Lupton Fawcett’s managing partner, said: “The latest Legal 500 report showcases our strength in depth in many specialities as well as the combined strength of our three Yorkshire offices.
“Our teams are to be congratulated on their achievements in providing excellent services to our clients.”