The Legal 500 UK 2018-2019 guide reinforces Keebles’ extensive expertise as a leading, multi-award winning Yorkshire legal firm.
The corporate and commercial department, which retained its coveted Law Firm of the Year title at the Sheffield City Region 2018 Dealmakers Awards, continues to be applauded as a key player.
Department head, Matt Ainsworth, is praised as ‘technically brilliant with an extremely strong work ethic, responsive approach…and a clear ability to stay calm under pressure’. Award-winnng dealmakers Paul Trudgill and Michael Hall are also recommended.
Also ranked in Tier 2 are the Commercial Property, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Insolvency and Corporate Recovery and Employment departments.
The guide describes the Commercial Property department, one of the biggest of its kind in Yorkshire, as combining ‘excellent service levels’ with a ‘personable approach’ making it ‘a key firm for clients in the region’.
The team is headed by Leading Individual Richard Smith, ‘whose ‘attention to detail and ability to progress work is excellent’, and is recognised for his expertise acting for investor clients. Also recommended are partners Alaric Birch, Paul Goel and Craig Law.
Led by Michael Peacock, the guide also praised Giles Searby, Sarah Burton and Andrew McKenzie Smith in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution department who achieve successful outcomes for clients including Sharpsmart – a global leader in safe healthcare waste management.
Natalie Nattress, who regularly handles bankrupty and liqudiations, drives the Insolvency and Corporate Recovery team where Jo Smith is also a key name for corporate insolvency matters.
Heading the Employment team which handles contentious and non–contentious matters, Barry Warne is also recommended along with the ‘practical and pragmatic‘ senior associate Lauren Pickard who has particular expertise in supporting the firm’s corporate team in transactions.
The guide extols the service of the Debt Recovery team as ‘nothing short of excellent’ with a team that ‘is always quick to respond, has exceptional knowledge of the realistic application of the law and an extremely proficient and practical approach’. Describing department head Rachel Crookes as ‘brilliant’, Next Generation lawyer Charise Marsden ‘will happily go above and beyond to sort any issues’.
Keebles’ expert banking and finance department is also included and lawyers singled out in the Sport Department include associate Andrew Broadbent.
The highly experienced Private Client department which includes George Connell and is headed by Michele Wightman, handles personal tax, trusts and probate work including tax planning, Court of Protection work and personal injury trusts.
Legal 500 lauds the ‘strong and well-established‘ family team on its expertise in divorce and financial remedy matters, praising the ‘down to earth, very bright and sensible‘ department head, Vanessa Fox and associate Antony Ball as ‘organised, professional and committed‘ and collaboratively trained.
Said Keebles’ partner Paul Trudgill: “The latest Legal 500 guide reflects our sustained success and the depth and breadth of our talent.”
