Pictured: Ghulam Sohail

Crime, Fraud, Family and Clinical Negligence teams and lawyers at Midlands law firm Challinors, have scored highly in the latest Chambers & Partners 2012 UK Directory, launched last week.

Challinors 30-strong Business and Serious Crime team, which has offices in the West and East Midlands, has been awarded Band 1, Chambers' highest ranking, for the third consecutive year. According to Chambers, 'market sources agree that serious crime is one of the firm's key strengths', and that 'the teams' peers are happy to refer it high-level work'.

Team head and Partner Ghulam Sohail is ranked as a Band 1 crime lawyer by Chambers in the West Midlands region, as well as Band 4 for fraud defence work in the national rankings, making him the highest ranking West Midlands lawyer in defence work, according to the 2012 Directory. Based in Challinors' West Bromwich office, Chambers states that Ghulam 'wins considerable acclaim for being conscientious and very reassuring with clients'.

Partner and head of Challinors Clinical Negligence team Richard Bannister is also ranked as a Band 1 lawyer by Chambers. The directory describes him as being 'highly regarded in the market, popular with clients' and for coming up 'with good practical solutions to difficult problems'. The clinical negligence team, placed Band 2, effectively handles a wide range of clinical negligence cases, with clients impressed with the service, and that the firm is 'patient, interactive and manages cases exceptionally well'.

Challinors' Family team and its team head and partner Fiona O'Sullivan secure Band 2 ranking this year. Being praised for its high level of service, in particular when it comes to complex ancillary relief matters involving significant assets, the team is regarded as continuing to expand its client base in family matters and for receiving a growing number of instructions from international clients. Fiona, who handles ancillary relief matters for high net worth individuals, is praised by clients for her 'ability to clearly explain legal issues, and for being helpful, efficient and willing to listen to different points of view'.

The firms' Angela Houston receives additional recognition for the Children's Team, which has a strong presence in field of childcare, notably that she 'enjoys a fantastic reputation for her children work' and that 'one can be sure instructions are acted on promptly and all matters dealt with professionally'.

Challinors business and fraud defence team are also ranked in the national rankings in Band 4 this year and is recognised for its 'growing number of national instructions'. Again headed by Ghulam Sohail at the West Bromwich office, the team offers advice and representation to corporations and private individuals; Chambers describes it as 'ambitious, responsive and forward-thinking'. For the specialist Fraud work, Ghulam is described as being 'affable, open and honest in his appraisal of his client's position'.

Challinors is also ranked Band 5 within the Dispute Resolution category. Led by partner Peter Lowe, the team boasts 'excellent regional coverage and handles a variety of commercial and corporate disputes, professional negligence cases, and is ably supported by the strong fraud and asset recovery department'.

Commenting on the latest, 2012 edition of Chambers and Partners and the rankings for the firm, Challinors' Ghulam Sohail, Partner, said: "Once again Chambers has recognised Challinors' exceptional service, expertise and success in a number of specialist legal areas. Such recognition serves to underline the continual high level of service and specialism our teams have consistently delivered across the full spectrum of corporate, and private client legal services. This year, it is especially rewarding that our growing crime team is again awarded the highest rankings and recognised as a key strength for the firm." 

Challinors' chief executive Andy Hodges adds: "I am delighted with the firms' rankings in Chambers this year and particularly pleased that Ghulam, Richard, Fiona and Angela have received individual recognition, which is certainly well-deserved." 

Challinors has five strategically-located offices across the Midlands - Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton and Halesowen in the West Midlands, and Nottingham in the East Midlands. It has a team of over 200, including17 partners, over 100 fee earners, and teams dedicated to providing specialist legal services from corporate and commercial, construction, dispute resolution, fraud and asset recovery, to professional negligence, business crime, commercial property and employment.