‘Excellent service.’

‘Very commercial, practical and accessible.’

‘Friendly and excellent lawyers.’

‘Deep sector insight. Practical advice. Personable.’

‘There is both a great breadth and depth of knowledge within the team, as well as the ability to secure additional expertise and weave this together for complex commercial contracts. This creates trust that we are working together and getting the best available support. There is always a great level of respect shown when raising challenging questions and highlighting risk.’

‘The team are pragmatic and clear about what is/isn’t realistic or possible. They have the ability to understand the sector I work within at pace and to comprehensively highlight the key levers from a legal perspective and take the time to work through the impacts. It’s incredibly valuable to have that clarity, and to explore and be open about the best ways of working to achieve the optimal pace and outcomes on complex commercial contracts.’

‘Reliable and produce excellent work.’

‘Fantastic public sector experience. DLA Piper have a strong understanding of the requirements of public sector contracting, and one of their strengths is drafting in collaboration with the customer. The people in the company are able to explain complex conditions to the customer, and make sure that these are suitable for operating complex commercial arrangements.’

‘The people are both personable and very knowledgeable. They were the best I have dealt with in making sure that the customer understands the drafting, and that it is pragmatic.’

‘Extremely commercially minded advisors, able to suggest pragmatic, practical solutions to negotiation roadblocks.’

‘Sophie Lessar is really knowledgeable in the payment processing sector, and able to provide really practical advice, especially when she is required to operate within tight margins.’

‘Experienced in all aspects of food legal contracting. Knowledgeable, tangible advice. Email drafts in language that non-legal people can clearly understand. Contacts in other countries to help with food law i.e. to check ingredients declarations.’

‘We have a long-term relationship that has been built which shows strength in terms of meeting our business needs in a timely manner. When I call Richard Welfare he can give over-the-phone advice, or follow up with contractual changes or emails which are provided in a way suitable for passing over directly to our manufacturing partners.’

‘This is a team that possesses unparalled depth and breadth. They have excellent experts that are proactive, pragmatic, business oriented and available. The quality of advice and work that is delivered is excellent.’

‘Penny Powell is one of the most brilliant legal professionals I have worked with. She is technically brilliant, has immense sector experience and understanding, and she is able at the same time to be very focused on all details and keep track of them, and never lose focus on the larger picture and what are the real value drivers for me as client. Pragmatic and client-focused advice that will always be tailored to the client. I see how good she is at keeping the needs of the client at the core of the advice.’

‘This team knows my organisation inside out and is able to provide pragmatic, proportionate advice tailored to our needs.’

‘Tom Purton and Eleanor Harley have been excellent. They have gone above and beyond our expectations on the projects we have awarded them. They understand our business which makes things very different to their competitors.’

‘Dynamic team with in-depth knowledge across different sectors.’

‘Commercial and pragmatic.’

‘The advice is always commercially focused and to the point. The team are all very knowledgeable and collaborate with me, as the in-house lawyer, to support the business needs and will give practical advice. We had open and frank discussions about billing as needed and I was always kept up to date with how we were tracking to budget. It truly felt like an extension of my team. The team bring a variety of in-depth knowledge and experience.’

‘They are honest with me, and provide quick and efficient responses. They don’t provide me with long memos and detailed advice, unless that is what I ask for and need. I know the advice they provide will be legally accurate and have a commercial view. I feel like I’m getting real value for money. They also work out quickly what it is that we might need. They make it seem easy.’

‘What makes Slaughter and May special is the consistency in the quality of their partners, associates and even trainees. With them you can be sure of getting an amazing team across the board. We always go back to Slaughter and May, particularly because of the chemistry we can achieve with the team. Their level of collaboration, both internal and external, is unparalleled. The team really understands the client’s needs and they are very proactive.’

‘The people are amazing – very capable, talented, unique and diverse, and that makes them very special. They do allow their more junior associates exposure to difficult tasks which prepares them amazingly for the next step, so with them you always feel that as a client you will be in capable hands today but also tomorrow.’

‘Hardworking, capable, talented, very friendly people. Most importantly for a client of our size, they are really trustworthy and proactive. You are getting more than a service from them; you are getting a day-to-day partnership to deliver on some of the most complicated deals worldwide.’

‘The team are excellent to work with and have a real collaborative spirit with us as clients, but also with our other advisors, which makes it feel like we are genuinely all one bigger team, no matter who works for which entity. The team have great knowledge of the industry and our business and have really understood what we are trying to achieve commercially first before getting into the drafting.’

‘We have worked with a wide range of team members and they all bring the same professionalism and knowledge, as well as being genuinely nice people to deal with. This applies at all levels of the organisation, from the trainees to the partners. They give great advice on our positions and where we are being too reasonable or unreasonable, which has really helped focus on how to get things done.’

‘Duncan Blaikie and Richard McDonnell were able to assess the commercial and legal risks, they were result-oriented and they could clearly document the arrangements in a way which ensured my company’s interests, concerns and the overall deal, including the counterparty’s profile.’

‘Richard Offord is sharp, intelligent and commercial, focused on providing practical advice tailored to the specific commercial context. James Longster is pragmatic, intelligent and client-focused.’

‘Advice is always practical and to the point. Lawyers are able to see the “big picture” and contextualise legal risk within the commercial reality of a deal/negotiation.’

‘Richard Brown stands out for his responsiveness and client focus.’

‘Very professional with a strong commercial sense. Gets the job done.’

‘The whole team is good at keeping the big picture in mind while not missing the important details.’

‘We have worked with Richard Brown. His ability to retain knowledge of previous transactions and contracts ensures they are able to move quickly when new requirements emerge.’

‘Richard Brown is the epitome of high-quality, experienced advice. Thinks quickly and effectively.’

‘This practice is unique whereby the team will push out all the stops in order to meet any deadlines and are only too happy to explain the technical terms or any exposures to you or your organisation in simple terms every party understands and have practical suitable solutions.’

‘The team is very strong in terms of both individual strengths and the breadth of support available, meaning that ‘core’ commercial contracting is covered with all other related issues (e.g. employment/TUPE or property) picked up quickly as well.’

‘Adam Eskdale was very clear and capable with his contract drafting, but also worked really effectively in managing the entire contracting process. Very strong interpersonal skills allowed Adam to work well across our commercial team, but also helped ensure that negotiations with the counterparty remained very constructive at all times.’

‘Strength in depth, both in terms of practice areas and geography. Resilient and pragmatic.’

‘Knowledgeable and customer focused. They provide practical, commercially focused advice.’

‘Chris Bates stands out as a great technician in the IT and technology space.’

‘I have primarily worked with Christopher Bates and Aimi Gold. They are both technically excellent lawyers, with a strong understanding of all aspects of commercial contracts. They are particularly strong on the tech and data protection aspects. The Ashurst team are responsive, diligent and reliable. I know that I can trust their work. I often have to send work to Aimi with a very tight turnaround, and she always delivers on time and to the highest standard. It is an absolute pleasure working with her.’

‘Exceptional teamwork and strong client relationships. I’ve appreciated how Chris Bates and his team understand our needs, providing personalised and effective solutions.’

‘Chris Bates stands out for his extensive expertise and efficient services. His responsiveness and clear communication set him apart from competitors. I value his attention to detail, proactive approach, and commitment to delivering top-notch results.’

‘Enthusiastic team who give pragmatic advice.’

‘I’ve worked with Adrian Sim for a decade and he’s good lawyer to have in your corner. He’s energetic and proactive and gives risk-based advice.’

‘Matthew Warren is extremely thorough and has worked on most of the sophisticated transactions we’ve done in the last few years. He’s a very safe pair of hands.’

‘They have very significant experience. The people are excellent to work with.’

‘They operate as an extension of our in-house team and provide a seamless service. They take the time to understand our business.’

‘They use their thorough understanding of their legal field, the client and the market to provide advice relevant to our aims and aspirations.’

‘Kate Jeffery provides comprehensive advice in a commercial and practical way and has a sound understanding of client needs.’

‘They are approachable and always available. They coordinate/collaborate well with other advisors and are flexible to the dynamic nature of the projects they work on. They are able to find pragmatic solutions to challenges on deals which sets them apart from other advisors.’

‘I have worked with members of the firm’s commercial team who have vast and varied experience in the sports industry. I consider their advice to be dependable with specialist knowledge in a variety of sports. They are a very approachable team and clearly extremely knowledgeable regarding current sporting affairs. They are a diverse firm that is encouraging when considering who to instruct regarding high-profile issues such as good governance and commercial progression.’

‘They stand out for their attentiveness and familiarity with our business, our processes and our people.’

‘Caroline Young is simply fantastic. You could not want more from a partner relationship. She is an absolute rock.’

‘The team are very engaging and balance great legal advice alongside practical advice and support too.’

‘Jason Saiban is an excellent lawyer and a joy to work with. Great legal knowledge balanced with a can-do attitude and great practical advice.’

‘The CMS team does a fantastic job of delivering high-quality and highly practical advice on all manner of commercial contracts, and are highly skilled at explaining complicated arrangements to non-lawyers.’

‘The individuals are very approachable and genuinely interested in what we are doing. They talk to us as normal people and use plain language to explain what they are doing. They also take time to explain why they have done what they have done.’

‘Sarah Riding has a strong understanding of franchising law and principles. This, added to her exceptional knowledge of the automotive sector, makes her an incredible person to work with.’

‘Ability to quickly jump back into complex issues/understand the business requirements after long periods of inactivity on particular matters. Practical approach to time-consuming tasks.’

‘Charlotte Avery has been able to take over a long-running and particularly involved matter without any drop in the quality of the service provided.’

‘A good knowledge of our industry sector. Approachable and pragmatic.’

‘The team overall have a very collaborative approach to problem solving; they will pull in colleagues as needed to resolve challenges. They are quick to react and give feedback and stick to their timelines. They have a large network of partners across the globe too, which has been very helpful.’

‘David Lowe is always available and no request is too small.’

‘The team is a market leader in media law. Their client roster is outstanding. They have been a pleasure to work with on advertising, publishing and media matters.’

‘Alex Meloy provides concise expert advice in relation to advertising and marketing law.’

‘Great team, very well managed by the responsible partners. A lot of know-how. Very responsive. Efficient and effective and nice to work with. Always up to date with the latest development in the industry.’

‘Georgina Kon and Marly Didizian are the partners you wish to work with when you engage with external counsels. Always great collaboration regardless of the topic and challenge.’

‘Greg Palmer has been of great support. He is able to give practical advice on matters that I refer to him. He does not merely regurgitate what the law states.’

‘Rich Jones is efficient and sharp. He gets things done, doesn’t cut corners, and is clear and transparent in his approach. Working with him is refreshing and reassuring, as no standards will be dropped and deliverables will be framed as discussed.’

‘The ability to pull in talented, hardworking, seasoned subject matter experts familiar with country particularities was amazing.’

‘Amazing drive, good knowledge, real world experience and pleasant to work with.’

‘Working with Marly Didizian is a joy. She is unwaveringly calm, clear and logical in her approach, and brings a welcome level of reassurance to even the most contentious of situations.’

‘It is always such a pleasure to work with the Linklaters commercial contracts team. Their technical knowledge is exceptional and attention to detail is spot on. They really bring the level of experience that is needed in the type of complex commercial agreements and business carve-outs that you would go to them for.’

‘The firm is responsive and flexible.’

‘They provide a lot of common sense and draft around issues rather than creating new ones.’

‘Communication with the team was consistently prompt, clear, and professional. They were always available to answer any questions and address any concerns, ensuring that we feel informed and supported throughout the process.’

‘The team as a whole are knowledgeable, responsive, and a pleasure to work with. They balance commercial awareness with legal expertise and act like an extension of our in-house team. They also have tremendous reach, with branches and associated companies in many regions of the world which gives us real confidence.’

‘Dan Holland is outstanding. He provides strategic and commercial advice that is tailored to our business. He sees the bigger picture and always has solutions for tricky situations.’

‘A special mention for Kate Ackland. She particularly stands out for her attention to detail and ability to deliver pragmatic legal advice in tight time frames.’

‘The service we received was excellent. TLT provided an excellent blend of knowledge on IT contracts and implementation in financial services, enabling us to focus on key issues. Advice was provided to meet our timescales.’

‘They get on and do the work quickly and efficiently, without racking up fees on things that are unnecessary. They do not take advantage of non-technical clients by offering to do lots of non-legal work. Quick and responsive to urgent requests.’

‘Eleanor McClelland has great market knowledge and a sensible drafting approach. The matters that she oversees have always run as smoothly as can be expected and she capably manages the mix of specialists required, ensuring value for money and not allowing a niche specialism to take focus away from the main drive of the transaction when it is not required.’

‘One of BDB Pitman’s strengths is their depth of experience throughout the practice, enabling them to provide an extensive and knowledgeable service. Their commercial team have built up a highly engaging relationship with myself, my team and our business, which allows for an easier transition and a greater understanding of our requirements and needs. Commercially they are very competitive and always transparent with their costs prior to engagement.’

‘Our designated team of lawyers go out of their way to understand our business and therefore are able to provide an effective service in a more timely manner. Both Hollie Gallagher and Oliver Willis are highly thought of in our organisation for their proactive, collaborative support and fantastic advice. They are seen as a virtual extension of our own teams, and are always available for consultation and advice.’

‘Everyone I’ve worked with at BDB Pitmans has been incredibly helpful, considerate, provided clear advice and support, and delivered what they have said they would, when they said they would. They have all been quick to understand what is required – asking questions appropriately – and then providing support to help decision making and negotiating position. They have then provided robust and pragmatic support to ensure contract negotiation completion.’

‘The team appear to work well together and in my experience there is always oversight provided to ensure continuity of support should the lead be unavailable for any reason. On occasion where specialist knowledge is required, others within the firm are engaged to provide this.’  

‘A stand out point for me is, despite very different characters, when things have become heated in contract negotiations they have all been able to maintain a calm, measured, polite and firm stance.’

‘They have been mindful of costs when negotiations have taken longer than expected and suggested ways to mitigate.’

‘The professionals at the firm are very business oriented and further to a sound technical background, they always think about the business objectives.’

‘We have worked with this team for a number of years and as a result they have an excellent knowledge of our business. Their strengths include their speed of response to enquiries, commercial acumen, ability to translate technical legal language into relevant business information and their personable working style. Additionally the team have provided our business with bespoke training in some key legal matters important to our sales and marketing teams which was extremely valuable. I know they have upgraded their systems and technology recently.’

‘Very high level of legal expertise in an assortment of different areas. Ability to relate this legal knowledge to the commercial practicalities of our business. Personable working style resulting in their feeling like a part of our team.’

‘I have found the team to be very knowledgeable and pragmatic.’

‘Cat Driscoll has been a very knowledgeable, pragmatic and calming influence on matters where she has been involved.’

‘Very useful local lawyer connections in many jurisdictions.’

‘Very effective coordination of different areas e.g. litigation, data protection and other more specialised areas such as banking.’

‘Happy to prioritise urgent work which arrives unexpectedly.’

‘Exceptionally pragmatic advice from people who really take the time to get to know our business and know how we like to operate.’

‘Helen Scott-Lawler is exceptional. She is readily available and brings real expertise to the table. She also brings in the other skills necessary to help deal with our commercial challenges.’

‘Very reliable team and the individuals to form it. We appreciate their high quality of support.’

‘Richard Hugo has supported us in a highly professional manner. He has an excellent level of understanding of commerciality to link to those legal issues.’

‘First-class response times and flexibility in addressing issues.’

‘Quick to assess the core issue and able to offer suitable and appropriate ways forward.’

‘Very strong team, many of whom have been at the firm for a number of years. Excellent personal touch, which clients appreciate very much.’

‘Paul Jones is an excellent drafter and clients have considerable trust in him. Diligent and very well organised. He is also a good team player and nurtures his junior colleagues well.’

‘David Copping is energetic and very well versed in the media and arts space.’

‘Very helpful, practical support, provided in plain English and with a good understanding of our organisation.’

‘The team always responds in a timely manner and provides advice that is entirely as requested, commercial and pragmatic.’

‘Farrers is an exceptional law firm that provides excellent support to clients. The individuals we work with are highly responsive and anticipate our needs.’

‘The team has strong commercial contract awareness.’

‘Dedicated, resourceful and committed to getting the desired result for the client. Special mention to Paul Jones.’

‘Legal feedback and analyses have always been very pragmatic, straight to the point and fast. Especially in fast-paced transactions, time is king and therefore, we were particularly happy with their legal support.’

‘The consultation approach was always client-centric, fast and pragmatic.’

‘The Fladgate team is a pleasure to instruct and work with – proactive, pragmatic and solutions oriented. Able to distill complex issues into comprehensible language and explain the risks clearly.’

‘Good range of experience across the team.’

‘They have an in-depth knowledge of the sector both nationally and internationally. They have a unique structured approach which enables growth and change as the business evolves.’

‘Iain Bowler is approachable, helpful and fully understands the needs of the business and client. The prices are competitive.’

‘Industry specialists with vital market insight.’

‘Matthew Gore is approachable, knowledgeable and trustworthy.’

‘Deep sector knowledge. The clear leader in shipping commercial contracts.’

‘Catherine Emsellem-Rope and Matthew Gore stand out as the go-to lawyers for contract advice and drafting.’

‘Alistair Mackie is an unrivalled expert in port terminal concessions.’

‘They have always proved to be reliable and responsive. This has helped ease any stress related to certain items where we need their legal support – which helps a great deal! The advice given is always clear and simple.’

‘The individuals we deal with are professional yet personable, and clearly know their stuff.’

‘Robert Lands is a pleasure to deal with by email, on the phone, and in person, and he brings a commercial awareness and human touch to our legal queries. I can’t think of an occasion when we’ve had to explain to Robert how our business or industry works, which counts for a lot.’

‘Amy Cunliffe-Rowe has consistently brought clarity and perspective to the contracts that define our business.’

‘Friendly team who are able to provide a variety of services across the commercial contracts space in both contentious and non-contentious situations. Technically on point and thorough in both their analysis and work product delivered.’

‘Will Hedges is a calm and reliable operator.’

‘Can be relied upon for technical expertise on sometimes complex commercial queries. ’

‘I have found William Hedges to be very approachable, and he has been excellent at explaining technical complexities in an accessible manner. His breadth of experience and knowledge is also very useful.’

‘Strong day-to-day relationship with legal counsel: Malcolm Walton, Rosie Duckworth, Markos Day’

‘It is very pragmatic whilst knowing the underlying law exceptionally well – as such, it is solutions focussed rather than the problem-focussed approach of other firms’

‘Rosie Duckworth is fantastic.’

‘The Macfarlanes commercial team consistently provides high quality commercial advice tailored to our company’s needs. They take great care to understand and provide expert advice on the sectors in which we operate, including aviation, financial services and hotels. Complex commercial arrangements are in safe hands with the team.’

‘The team work together well and communicate to us as one.’

‘Very good, and super flexible to our needs and ways of working.’

‘The team provide quick, commercially astute responses to all situations.’

‘Lewis Cohen is extremely approachable and genuinely interested in the business, which means he has a deep understanding of opportunities and threats and remains in touch at all times.’

‘Joel Murphie stands out for his technical ability.’

‘Strong knowledge across the team of the sector and the factors that would affect our business.’

‘We have worked closely with Simon McArdle, who is extremely knowledgeable of the industries we work in. We trust his judgment and enjoy the seamless approach to work when we instruct him.’

‘Pragmatic with great breadth and depth of expertise.’

‘Fiona Teague is exceptional.’

‘This practice has a number of individuals with experience of actually working in the industry, which means they can attribute real-world examples when advising us on the suitable drafting relating to our project.’

‘Stephen Hands has been a standout member in our project.’

‘The team were pragmatic and sensible in their approach to contract drafting. The draft they produced, rather than overly protective of our position, was protective but fair and so the negotiations with the other side were much simpler than they could have been if the team had produced a one-sided first draft of the contract. The speed of delivery was excellent.’

‘Paula Bartlett listened to our requirements, clarifying almost everything in the initial meeting and produced exactly what we wanted with minimal secondary input required from us.’

‘Good, friendly service and quick to respond. Able to provide advice on a number of issues e.g. distribution, service agreements, employment law, obtaining international legal advice, litigation, etc.’

‘Always quick to respond and friendly.’