Pictured: Michael Lodge
Nelsons Solicitors has retained its ranking as a Regional
Heavyweight in the independently researched Legal 500 directory for
2010/11, which stated 'the firm is notable for its regional client
base and coverage'.
Keeping all of its previous rankings as a recommended firm
across a range of services for businesses, charities and
individuals, Nelsons was also awarded two new recommendations for
Transport and Private Finance Initiative (PFI).
Additionally, Michael Lodge and Bruce Williams maintained their
Leading Individual status for Banking & Finance and Personal
Injury services respectively.
Recommended for Corporate& Commercial services in Nottingham
and Derby, Legal 500 highlighted new partner hires in 2010,
following the additions of David Kaplan to head up the Derby
corporate team and Karen Harrison to boost the Commerce &
Technology team. Corporate head Duncan Taylor's acquisition
work for The Farmright Group and Bombardier was underlined, and
Commerce and Technology group director Jim Carter was said to
continue to advise Filtrona on matters such as analysing customer
and supplier agreements relating to group business transfers.
Furthermore, commercial specialist Michelle Craven was described as
active in relation to worldwide IP and licensing arrangements.
The Leicester office was also recommended for Corporate &
Commercial services, with the firm said to provide a 'level of
service which would appear to be rare nowadays'. Director and
head of the Leicester corporate team, Chris Rees was quoted as
having 'excellent intellect, application and customer focus'.
The firm was also included in the Banking & Finance
rankings, with Michael Lodge and David Kaplan picked out as
'excellent in their respective fields' of corporate and asset-based
lending, and acquisition and property finance for institutions and
borrowers.
Recommended for Commercial Litigation across Nottingham &
Derby, Nelsons was illustrated as 'a local market leader' whose
team 'can play in the top national league'. Deborah Ritchie
in Leicester was featured in the Commercial Litigation rankings for
elsewhere in the region.
Keeping its ranking for Debt Recovery, Nelsons was said to
provide a 'ten-out-of-ten service' to clients requiring business to
business debt recovery expertise. An eight-strong team
pursuing cases overseas was highlighted and the firm was remarked
on for its 'above-average success rate in collection'.
Climbing a tier for Insolvency & Corporate Recovery,
Nelsons' extremely knowledgeable' Stewart Vandermark and 'rising
star' Emma Ward were rated as 'the people to go to in Nottingham'
for liquidations and personal insolvencies involving fraud and
complex property transfers.
Partners in all three offices of Nelsons were recommended for
Employment services. Andy Jamieson was described as 'informative
and very knowledgeable' while Keeley Baigent's 'individual and
pragmatic style is hugely advantageous' and Jenny Kinman is
'thorough and very clear'.
The firm was recommended for Commercial Property for all
offices. The Nottingham & Derby team was said to show a 'high
level of expertise, interpersonal skills and client care'. Head of
the Real Estate group and leading the team in Leicester, James
Coningsby was said to 'know his stuff'' and 'sees the bigger
picture', acting for a variety of banking, retail, charity and
pension fund clients.
Recommended statuses were extended to the firm's Construction
and Property Litigation teams. Deborah Ritchie was featured as head
of the Construction practice, while Simon Trees was said to bring
additional experience in commercial rent recovery, possession and
breach of covenant proceedings, and dilapidation and right of way
or boundary claims to the Property Disputes team following his
appointment in 2010. Head of team, Simon Waterfield's work advising
a number of major developers in relation to tenant break clauses
and disputes over land was also highlighted.
The firm also received rankings in the IT & Telecomms,
Intellectual Property, Professional Negligence and Charities
sections.
In addition, the firm did well in private client service
sections of the Directory, with a top-tier ranking in Personal Tax,
Trusts & Probate as well as recommendations in Family and
Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence.
Nelsons is one of the largest law firms in the East Midlands
with 30 directors and 166 staff across its three offices in
Nottingham, Leicester and Derby.
For more information about Nelsons, please visit their website
here: www.nelsonslaw.co.uk