Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP

Clare Arthurs

Clare is a partner and heads the firm’s commercial dispute resolution department. She is also a senior member of Penningtons Manches Cooper’s knowledge management team. A former commercial and public law litigator, Clare developed and led the knowledge function for the commercial dispute resolution team prior to her promotion to partner and appointment as head of commercial dispute resolution. She supported the team across a broad range of specialisms including international litigation and arbitration, group actions, professional negligence, reputation management, and regulatory compliance. Her responsibilities included organising training for fee earners, drafting and maintaining the department’s precedent documentation and know how, and capturing and sharing the team’s knowledge in the most effective way. Clare is an established author in the legal press, having written regularly for journals such as New Law Journal, Solicitors Journal, Commercial Litigation Journal, the International Bar Association Newsletter and Insolvency Intelligence. In recent years she has played a pivotal role in the introduction of new technology and business improvement initiatives to support fee earners working on litigious matters across the firm, and to improve and enhance client service and experience. Clare’s leadership experience also includes establishing and supporting the growth of the costs team for the firm.

Helen Drayton

Helen is the chief executive of Penningtons Manches Cooper and is responsible for the development and implementation of the firm’s strategy and direction, as well as its day-to-day management, working alongside the  strategy, executive and operational boards. Much of the leadership team’s attention is currently focused on integrating the firm behind a shared vision and strategy, which continues to centre around key sectors and niche teams - as well as increasing the offering of the international offices. An additional priority is further understanding of the work the firm does with its clients. By improving on what it does and how it is done, the firm can continue to build on its reputation as a strategic partner delivering high quality, cutting-edge advice to help clients achieve the best real-world outcomes. Helen is a strong supporter of Penningtons Manches Cooper's ambition to be regarded as the most human law firm. She believes that taking a collaborative and caring approach to the work it does – both within teams internally and with clients – is key to achieving its strategic objectives. Accordingly, she personally oversees the continuous development and implementation of the firm's inclusion agenda, which is centred on fostering an environment in which everyone feels valued, motivated and empowered to make the most of their working and personal lives. Prior to taking on the role of chief executive in 2022, Helen, a corporate lawyer, was head of the firm’s business services division and a partner in the corporate team. She has advised a full range of clients on all aspects of company law, specialising in mergers and acquisitions with a particular focus on MBO transactions and property-related disposals and purchases – as well as developing expertise in group reorganisations and demergers.

Hilary Aldred

Partner specialising in all areas of contentious and non-contentious employment, including dealing with all aspects of tribunal work and appeals. Advising on a wide range of HR problems, policies and strategy, including the management of reorganisations and redundancy programmes, as well as having expertise in industrial relations across businesses including trade union matters and collective disputes. Deals with employment-related litigation, including post-termination issues, particularly for clients in the education and technology sectors.

Rachel Bradley

Partner in the commercial, IP and IT team, with a particular specialism in the life sciences and publishing sectors.Advises clients on a broad range of non-contentious IP matters, including drafting and negotiating trade mark licences, patent and know-how licences, copyright licences, and software licences. Her practice focuses in particular on advising biotech/pharmaceutical clients on commercial agreements such as confidentiality agreements, consultancy agreements, master services agreements, material transfer agreements, manufacturing agreements and clinical trial agreements, and on advising publishing clients on author publishing agreements, site licence agreements, and other book/journal publishing agreements.