Head of technology team: intellectual property and technology law including patent, trade mark, designs filing and prosecution; advice and negotiations on licensing and exploitation, including defence of a patent infringement claim seeking to prevent supplies to major games in 2012, multinational patent litigation relating to advertising systems in the media industry and a commercial dispute concerning royalty distributions in respect of monoclonal antibodies. Specialist expertise in computers, electronics and communications technology. Also public sector technology issues, including leading role in public procurement of IT systems and high technology products, eg for leading UK universities, a major industry regulatory body, and acting for the NHS in the acquisition of drugs for use in emergency supply breakdown, for the purchase of pandemic fly vaccines, and in IT projects in place of systems procured through Connecting for Health, including TETRA/O2 radio systems for ambulances, Oracle software and services from CAP-Gemini, Fujitsu, IBM and others.
Mills & Reeve LLP
Lawyers
Alex is a corporate solicitor specialising in advising a range of clients including public and private companies, large international groups, private equity houses and high net worth individuals. His work involves acquisitions and disposals, investments in companies and businesses, corporate governance, reorganisations and management buy outs and he has years of experience of working across a number of industry sectors including media and technology, food and beverages and healthcare. He also has several years of experience working in the area of private and public sector pensions.
Alexandra is a specialist in construction and engineering law, acting for a wide range of public and private sector parties. She advises throughout the life-cycle of projects including the initial drafting and negotiation of contracts, assisting during the works with the contractual management of design issues and time/cost overruns, and advising on the management and resolution of disputes. Alexandra’s recent work includes the settlement for a Local Authority of a £30m engineering claim under an amended NEC Engineering and Construction Contract Option C; drafting and negotiating a complex set of documents on a £110m hospital development; advising a design and build contractor and its insurers defending proceedings in the Technology and Construction Court on a defects claim to a 70,000sqm steel reinforced concrete floor slab; defending a Local Authority in an adjudication on a contractor’s loss and expense claim; Advising a Charities client regarding the construction aspects of its corporate relocation to a £50m new-build high tech office and preparing and negotiating the construction contracts for the fit out on the basis of the JCT Design and Build Contract 2011, including schedule of amendments, deeds of novation, security documents and collateral warranties; advising a University client on potential deductions against a Project Company under its PFI arrangements.
Specialises in the field of complex multi-million pound construction and engineering disputes. Advises a wide variety of clients involved in the construction and engineering industry including employers, contractors, consultants and insurers. Acts in mediations, adjudications, litigation (mainly in the Technology and Construction Court) and arbitrations.
Amanda specialises in all aspects of agricultural property law, with an emphasis on work for institutional and corporate clients that hold agricultural land as an investment, and on rural property development. She has very wide experience of most aspects of agricultural and property law, including the acquisition, management and disposal of freehold and leasehold agricultural estates; agricultural tenancies; single-farm payment; agri-environmental schemes; and diversification of agricultural land (for example, through commercial activities such as business and research parks, residential development schemes and energy projects). Her recent work includes advising: a private investment company on the acquisition of a 1,200 acre estate in Norfolk for £11m and in relation to the acceptance of a surrender by one of its agricultural tenants of a tenancy of a substantial estate in Essex and advising on the ongoing management of both estates; a charity on the grant of a strategic land option over 300 acres of farmland to a national housebuilder (with a minimum land value of £30m), the restructuring of occupational leasehold interests and management arrangements at its research park and the potential redevelopment of parts of the park; a private client in relation to the grant of an option to a supermarket chain to construct an eco-friendly supermarket and associated food academy on allotment and agricultural land in Norfolk; and a leading international university in relation to the restructuring of agricultural tenancies on its agricultural estate in Shropshire.
Andrew practices exclusively on projects work including PPPs and outsourcings. He acts for a range of public sector organisations, bidders and funders across several sector areas, including detention, health, higher education, waste, office accommodation and transport. Among Andrew’s current clients are the Ministry of Defence, a number of National Health Trusts, a leading international detentions company based in the US, universities and local authorities. Recent work includes acting for a leading South London Mental Health Trust with its two site rebuild, funded via a sale of trust land, and through an innovative development arrangement; numerous large scale defence projects, including a pathfinder project to transform the approach to procurement of battleground communications equipment (involving multiple single source and competitive procurements); advising a South Coast Council on its PPP for Leisure facilities; advising a major international Leisure Operator on the provision of a green energy centre to provide heat for its key attractions; and advising the government of the Republic of South Africa on the roll out of its prisons PPP programme and subsequent refinancing initiative. Andrew is a regular provider of training to clients on legal issues so they can adopt “self- help” to solve problems before requiring more specialist legal input.
Insurance disputes lawyer dealing with professional indemnity claims against a variety of professions (but principally lawyers and financial professionals). Andrew advises Insurers and insured clients in relation to claims and Insurers in relation to coverage issues. Andrew also has experience of dealing with disciplinary proceedings, acting on behalf of professionals.
A partner in the corporate practice, Anthony specialises in M&A, private equity and fundraising work, acting primarily for public companies, private and owner-managed businesses, and management teams of private equity-backed businesses, with a particular focus on the food and drink sector. Transactions in recent years in which Anthony has led the relevant legal teams include the £1.4bn sale of Weetabix to US based Post Holdings (acting for management), the acquisition by US based Factset Research Systems Inc of Cymba Technologies Limited and of Vemilion Holdings Limited, the sale of Sentec Limited to US based Sensus Inc, the sale of Avro Holdings Limited to Faerch Plast Manufacturing Limited, the sale of JDR Cables to Tele-Fonika Kable (acting for management), and the acquisition by Canadian based Richardson International of European Oat Millers.
Beverley’s recent work includes advising Urban&Civic, the owners and developers of Alconbury Weald, in connection with the planning application for its development. In 2011, Alconbury Weald was selected to become one of the government’s coveted Enterprise Zones and the project as a whole plans to create 8,000 jobs and 5,000 new homes over the next 25 years. Initially Beverley advised on planning strategy and provided a legal review of key application materials, including an extensive environmental statement, and on community infrastructure levy issues. Subsequently, Beverley has advised this client throughout the planning application processes and on the section 106 agreement and planning conditions. The section 106 has been negotiated using bespoke and novel drafting in order to maintain flexibility throughout the development and to aid marketing and disposals. Beverley has acted for BT and Aviva Investors in connection with their planning application to develop the Rugby Radio Station site – a planned expansion of Rugby. She has acted for the developers of CB1 in Cambridge. This is a mixed use scheme which is regenerating the railway station area of Cambridge. In relation to the same site, Beverley has advised a developer client on a number of joined appeals relating to the refusal of reserved matters and consent for demolition of existing properties contrary to officer advice (with a successful costs application). Beverley has acted for O&H, the developers of Hampton, the southern expansion of Peterborough. This has involved dealing with numerous variations to the original outline planning consents, to update these following viability reviews and changes in requirements, and handling a full range of planning enquiries, additional and supplemental planning consents and addressing issues arising from a phased disposal programme. Beverley has acted for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in the section 106 agreement to release the planning permission for the redevelopment of Deepcut Barracks in Surrey. Beverley continues to work for Addenbrookes NHS Trust on planning matters relating to its ‘2020 vision’, which involves a major expansion into the Cambridge Green Belt Advising and NHS Trust on the redevelopment of two previous hospital sites to provide over 300 dwellings, land for retail and community uses and public open space.
Brian has wide experience in acting for corporate clients on acquisitions and disposals, fundings, restructurings and advising on shareholder disputes. He also advises on commercial agreements and competition law in the public and private sectors.
Partner in family and children team, mediator, collaborative lawyer, financial arbitrator. Family lawyer for 25+ years, supporting people and their families in the UK and beyond to resolve the full range of issues arising out of divorce and separation. Also the familylawvlogger, the first family law vlog in UK.
Carina is a real estate partner and specialises in structuring and delivering large scale, mixed use, residential led communities/strategic sites, real estate led joint venture agreements and large scale cross-office projects (including managing large scale portfolios for clients of circa 500 properties). Her development expertise involves advising upon all aspects of development work including: site assembly, development agreements, land sales/purchases, promotion agreements, collaboration/consortium and land owner agreements, overage agreements, leases and discussions and negotiations with third parties (utility providers and local authorities) in relation to infrastructure and statutory agreements. The other side of Carina’s practice involves her helping clients structure, fund and then project manage volume acquisitions and disposals. Such projects span multiple disciples, may involve different jurisdictions, requires a close working relationship with the client’s board, tax, planning and environmental consultants, and are often time critical. Carina also leads our Patient Capital arm of our Real Estate Investment Sector which means she works alongside many stakeholders on emerging themes in this sphere, commenting on potential new structures both within the Strategic Land remit and on matters such as the Stewardship Model.
Caroline has extensive experience of acting for corporate occupiers, developers and landowners and advises on a full range of complex commercial property matters. Caroline has a particular expertise in acting for charities and has been advising the consortia of institutions at the Norwich Research Park on the development of their world leading science park. She also regularly acts for large corporate clients including Norwich City Football Club, Anglian Windows, Wood Group and Archant , dealing with their real estate portfolios and has extensive experience in the retail sector. She also acts for numerous landowner clients bringing forward land for development, both for residential and commercial new builds, including dealing with promotion agreements, joint ventures and collaborations as well as the more traditional options and conditional sale agreements. Caroline also continues to act for landowners in the minerals and waste sector.
Real Estate Partner specialising in real estate investment and development work Charles leads the firm's real estate investment sector, drawing together expertise in mainstream investment work and alternative asset classes. Charles’s clients include institutional pension funds, management houses, property companies, onshore and offshore investors (in the USA, Asia and Europe). He is a member of the IPF, the Cambridge Land Economy Advisory Board, the IBA Real Estate Committee, the Mills & Reeve Board, is a Charity Trustee of Cambridge RUFC and a Kids cricket coach at St Giles CC.
Partner, specialising in real estate development projects. Particular expertise in large scale residential projects and estate management/long-term stewardship schemes.
Claire has extensive experience in advising listed and private companies, funders and private individuals in a wide range of company corporate finance and commercial matters from start-up and spin-out through funding rounds and acquisitions to flotation or trade sale. Claire has also advised on and established various types of fund structures using limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships as well as company vehicles. In addition to her mainstream corporate practice Claire has extensive experience of advising higher education institutions and other public sector bodies on various corporate matters including spin-outs, mergers and collaborations.
Craig is a partner in the corporate team and has considerable experience in relation to major cross-border transaction work and in the field of company sales and acquisitions, private equity, MBOs/MBIs and corporate venturing/purchasing. Craig has also acted on a number of share issues on AIM and the Official List and takeovers. Craig heads the firm’s food and beverage sector and acts for a number of clients in the sector. In April 2013 he acted for shareholders of EAP, one of the countries’ leading pig producers on its sale to Cranswich Plc. Other recent work includes acting for EV Offshore limited on a number of funding rounds and in October 2013 for the shareholders of Ecome in the sale to Interquest Group Plc.
David is a Partner and a specialist in contentious trust and probate disputes. He deals exclusively with such matters and has developed a real expertise in this niche area. His work includes helping both individuals and larger organisations like charities or higher educational establishments deal with a whole range of contentious issues relating to trusts and disputed wills. This diverse work covers all sorts of matters, ranging from testamentary capacity and undue influence claims and applications under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, to advising on proprietary estoppel and breach of trust actions.
David is the national lead of the employment team and also leads the work for private sector clients and international clients. David has a broad experience in both contentious and non-contentious work and has particular experience in working for hi-tech/bio-tech companies and a particular interest in advising on all aspects of discrimination.
Dona is a corporate solicitor specialising in investment fund creation and early stage investment work in the private equity, venture capital and alternative finance sectors. She acts for a wide range of clients, from investment managers and venture capital funds, universities, technology transfer offices, crowdfunding platforms and business angels to entrepreneurs, companies and their officers. She also advises on a range of matters from the structure, setting up and running of an investment fund, angel syndicate, alternative finance platform or business through to financing, restructure, and exit.
Duncan is part of the commercial, regulatory and public sector disputes team in Cambridge. Duncan specialises in regulatory enforcement action. He represents clients immediately following serious incidents, through Police and HSE investigations and at Coroner’s Inquests. In addition Duncan advises on a full range of regulatory matters including environmental issues. Duncan is a public law expert experienced in judicial review proceedings. He advises on governance and risk management and provides bespoke training to many clients on health and safety related topics, including training boards in respect of their collective and individual responsibilities. Throughout his career Duncan has acted for a variety of clients across all sectors of the economy. He has a particular strength in health, education and in respect of building and construction related issues.
Head of education and governance. Gary leads the firm’s national practice in the higher education sector, which advises on all areas where universities need legal advice, ranging from spin outs to student accommodation developments to international joint ventures. His own specialist area relates to governance and student issues. Gary’s recent work involves advising universities on allegations of research misconduct, the student-university legal relationship, the regulatory framework for higher education, defamation and freedom of speech. Many of his matters have an international element to them.
Partner in the commercial services group, advising on commercial contracts, outsourcing, competition law, media and entertainment and sport. Clients include Aviva plc, the Financial Services Authority, Group Lotus and Warner Bros.
Gregory has a wide experience acting for individuals in relation to wills, tax and trust matters, including Court of Protection work. Much of his work has involved creating solutions to tax planning problems and giving detailed inheritance tax, income tax and capital gains tax advice in both the onshore and offshore arenas, and more recently in relation to the pre-owned assets charge. Gregory’s recent work includes advising shareholders in a large property investment company on tax and succession planning, wealthy land owners on structuring their wills and property interests to maximise available inheritance tax reliefs, the trustees of farm land how to minimise their tax exposure on the sale for residential development and giving detailed offshore trust advice.
Litigation and procurement disputes lawyer with experience in all aspects of contentious work before courts and tribunals as well as international arbitration. Specialising in particular in contentious procurement work Helen has advised on a number of high profile cases and took the first case to the High Court on the nature of the automatic suspension under the Public Contracts (Amendments) Regulations 2009. Helen advises both contracting authorities within the firm’s key sectors of health and education and those bidding for public contracts. Helen also advises a variety of commercial clients on matters ranging from warranty claims to breach of confidence; on-line gaming and breach of contract and has been involved in a number of cases with an international element. Helen also blogs and speaks on a variety of contentious procurement subjects.
James is an employment lawyer, specialising in TUPE. His work includes supporting our corporate and commercial teams in dealing with mergers and acquisitions work and projects (the largest single corporate deal being a £200m asset acquisition), as well as dealing with large-scale redundancy and reorganisation matters. He also, of course, deals with the usual mix of helpline queries on day-to-day operational matters, together with handling settlement agreements, employment tribunal claims, service agreements, consultancy agreements, complex grievances and disciplinary processes. James has worked extensively with clients in multi-jurisdictional matters, including global outsourcing and exits of senior individuals. He has worked with clients to protect business information when employees leave and secured the necessary protections. He has also supported a number of clients to successfully divest themselves from final salary pension schemes. His work focuses on the commercial sector, particularly in relation to private healthcare and food and beverage.
Partner in corporate team based in Norwich. Also Head of Office, Norwich.
James is head of Mills & Reeve's fast growing multi-disciplinary life sciences team.
Insolvency and commercial litigation especially affecting technology, manufacturing and food based businesses.
Partner. Jens advises private and public sector clients on major projects and commercial agreements in a wide range of sectors including student accommodation, defence, energy, detention and health. He also regularly advise clients in relation to operational projects (including PFI contracts) on issues such as performance deductions, variations and expiry. He is part of the firms Australasia panel and completed a secondment to Australian law firm (and fellow SCG member) Hall & Wilcox in 2016. Jens has previously been seconded to Aviva Public Private Finance. Client feedback includes: “Jens provides excellent insight into complex legal matters and creative solutions to barriers to progress. His understanding of the politics of public sector deals, coupled with his expert advice make him an asset on any project”.
Justin is the firm's Senior Partner. He acts for a large number of landed estates in East Anglia and across the country, providing overall strategic advice, complex tax planning in areas such as heritage property and development land consortia and structuring sophisticated trust reorganisations. He is a member of the CLA national tax committee.
IT outsourcing and intellectual property lawyer, working on a number of large scale ICT projects for the public sector, for central government, local government, universities and the NHS, including a number of major outsourcing contracts. Clients include the Department of Health and Social Care. Kevin advises on various private sector IT projects, including installation of data centres in the financial services sector and international hardware framework agreements. He advises technology companies on protecting and exploiting their intellectual property, software licensing and international reseller arrangements, and advises public sector clients on compliance with public procurement rules.
Laura specialises in real estate finance transactions and leads the real estate finance team. Laura has specialised in real estate finance matters since qualification having previously been in house at Sears plc. Laura’s recent work includes advising a London based fund manager on a series of large portfolio refinancings in excess of £350m, advising an AIM listed residential developer on the complex structuring and funding arrangements for a £100m residential development in Stratford; advising a local enterprise partnership on infrastructure findings for high profile development projects and advising a major UK clearing bank on a series of property development and investment facilities in in excess of £100m.
Principal Associate. Laura is a real estate development lawyer with a focus on ESG issues, advising education institutions, public bodies, institutional investors and developers on real estate and development projects. She specialises in work for the education sector, advising universities and colleges in the management and development of their estates. Laura also has experience of a diverse range of commercial property and construction matters, acting for investment funds, developers and local authorities.
Lauren is a partner and head of landed estates. Advises high net worth clients with a focus on landed estates and land consortiums. Work includes complex trust restructuring, succession planning, business structuring to secure inheritance and capital gains tax reliefs, conditional exemption claims and land pooling arrangements.
Principal Associate. Lino is an experienced commercial litigator and insolvency specialist. His workload covers a wide range of commercial and contractual disputes many of which involve parties in overseas jurisdictions. His insolvency expertise is called upon by office holders, directors and creditors in connection with the realisation and recovery of assets and the associated duties of these parties in distress scenarios.
Lawyer in the Real Estate group dealing with a variety of issues ranging from: acquisitions and disposals; landlord and tenant; management; refinancing; corporate transactions; development. Lisa advises a wide range of clients including large national household names with extensive property portfolios and primarily in volume acquisition and disposal projects. Lisa is a project management specialist managing large cross office and cross discipline high volume and high value transactions.
Michael leads the firm’s national agriculture sector. His areas of specialism cover the acquisition and disposal of estates and farms, farm tenancies, joint ventures, development and promotion agreements, partnership agreements, contracting agreements. Recent examples of Michael’s work include advising a consortium of landowners in relation to the promotion of 400 acres of land for development, advising an estate on the restructuring of its agricultural tenancies so as to enhance the ability to achieve 100% IHT relief, restructuring the agricultural tenancies on an estate prior to sale of the estate and advising on the termination of a farming partnership.
Partner specialising in complex investment and development projects with extensive experience in the higher education and health sectors. She leads the team advising Trinity College, Cambridge, providing advice on the strategic management of their investment portfolio including Cambridge Science Park, Felixstowe Docks and the O2. Other recent work includes advising: Addenbrooke’s Hospital in relation to its £850m expansion of its existing campus; Cheung Kong Infrastructure holdings Ltd, the Hong Kong listed infrastructure company, on the sale of its subsidiary, Cambridge Water, to HSBC bank; and Trinity College on its acquisition of a 50% interest in a limited partnership joint venture with Tesco into a portfolio financed by a £450m loan backed by 30 year bonds on the Irish Stock Exchange.
Corporate Finance and Commercial Health Partner. Natalie advises health and care sector clients and other corporates to make deals happen. She has an exciting and varied workload from volume acquisition programmes for multinationals (over 200 dental practice acquisitions) to drafting innovative national contracts for the Department of Health. Natalie also acts on M&A transactions and company law advice across all sectors.
Neil specialises in acting for insurers and insured professional clients in the defence of professional negligence claims. He has experience in acting for a broad range of professionals, and has a particular interest in claims relating to construction professionals, and insurance brokers. His reported cases include (1) Pearson Education v The Charter Partnership [2005] EWHC 655 (QB) (first instance); [2007] BLR 324 (Court of Appeal); and (2) Daniels v Thompson [2004] EWCA Civ 307. Neil has joint responsibility for managing the insurance practice based in the East of England. He is also the partner responsible for insurance work relating to construction professionals and insurance brokers in the East of England.
Neil is head of charities at Mills & Reeve, with responsibility for its 250+ charity clients, which include many of the largest and best-known names in the UK and internationally. Neil is a commercial specialist and is involved in much of the firm’s cutting edge work for the sector, for example around alternative fundraising and innovative deal structures for charity, NGO, university and further education clients. He works closely with specialists in IP, tax, contested legacies and procurement to deliver complete and commercial solutions to his clients’ challenges, whatever and wherever their activities are. A large part of Neil’s work is international. He is part of a team that has advised universities on collaborations and new campuses in over 50 countries. He has been seconded to leading law firms in China, India, Abu Dhabi and Qatar and is the head of firm’s Middle East desk. Neil is also a Notary Public.
Partner. A real estate lawyer with over 25 years of experience helping a diverse range of UK and overseas clients in connection with property investment, development and management across the private, institutional, charitable (including heritage) and public sectors acting for pension funds, onshore and offshore investors and sovereign wealth funds, developers, managers and leading heritage institutions and local/central government agencies. This includes dealing with a wide range of clients with a variety of complex requirements and structures. Projects include acting for property investors and developers in connection with the acquisition, management and development of prime London real estate and national property portfolios - including the West End and the City and advising landowners and developers in connection with the promotion and regeneration of brownfield sites across the UK. Nick also acts for leading heritage bodies in connection with the management and development of their estates including The National Gallery, The British Library, The Science Museum Group and The Natural History Museum. Current projects include the procurement of development partners for 3 brownfield regeneration projects in central London in and around King’s Cross, Docklands and Victoria Embankment. As head of the firm’s China Desk, working with Chinese state-owned enterprises, private companies and multipliers in connection with direct investment from China into the UK and Europe and also working with lawyers in China to provide a trusted network of advisers to clients seeking to invest in the PRC. Current projects include advising Chinese entities on the acquisition of student accommodation, schools, investment in real estate development projects in Docklands and more generally facilitating M&A projects, listings and infrastructure projects. In his role as Head of Office for Mills & Reeve in Cambridge, Nick is active in many local and national networks to promote the Cambridge economy and the entrepreneurial flare and brilliance that has attracted global investors, tech and life science companies to the region and its clusters. Nick is a champion for diversity and inclusion within Mills & Reeve. This is something that he is keen to see embraced in the wider community.
Partner, employment law. Specialises in advising higher education institutions, public sector bodies and charities. Recent work includes: advising several pre-1992 universities on amendments to the model statutes dealing with disciplinary, redundancy, dismissal and grievance procedures for academic staff; advising several post-1992s on amendments to instruments and articles; advising higher education institutions on contracts for academic and non-academic staff; advising on TUPE aspects of transfer of university; advising and acting in discrimination claims brought by members of staff; successful use of mediation in dismissal of senior member of administrative staff at higher education institution; advising on removal of senior staff; regular speaker at UHR National conference; tailored in-house training for clients.
Peter is a technology lawyer and specialises in IT law and data protection. He drafts and negotiates IT contracts, from major IT outsourcing projects for public sector bodies and PLCs to standard ‘software as a service’ terms for early-stage technology businesses.
Head of commercial disputes team, Norwich. Specialises in complex and high value contract disputes, civil fraud, injunctive work, breach of warranty claims, partnership and shareholder disputes and claimant professional negligence, with a niche specialism in restrictive covenant/breach of confidence cases. Rachel is a qualified mediator and has extensive experience of mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Current cases include a £30m claim for professional negligence and a £7m claim for breach of contract.
Raith heads the projects and construction team. He advises bidders, lenders and public sector clients on a broad range of large defence, education, health and outsourcing projects. He is a national leader in student accomodation projects. He also heads Mills & Reeve’s aerospace and defence sector.
Richard is a partner in the specialist real estate disputes team. He has been involved in a number of complex property disputes for investors/landlords, developers, occupiers/retailers, educational and public sector clients both in giving advice and taking matters to court/arbitration.
Partner – Richard is a knowledgeable and pragmatic real estate lawyer with extensive experience of acting for institutions, investors, landowners and developers on all of their real estate needs involving leases, management work, acquisitions and disposals. Richard has a particular expertise in property development work leading large and complex redevelopment projects involving development agreements, options, joint ventures, joint promotion, overage, highways and infrastructure agreements. Richard has led large scale projects which have involved relocating substantial institutions from their multi-sited existing premises to new premises. Richard works extensively in the education sector and the charity sector and has led many campus redevelopment projects. Examples of Richard’s work include acting for the University of West London on the acquisition of its Paragon Campus, a strategically important development for the University and acting for Bournemouth University on a strategically important acquisition to expand its town centre, Lansdowne campus. Another of Richard’s large projects is the £330m campus relocation for the University of Northampton involving the move of the University from two campuses to a new town centre campus.
Partner and joint head of the national family law team, which is one the largest in the country. Roger is recognised as one of the leading family lawyers in the country. He is a leading practitioner in dispute resolution, having been a mediator since 1990, and having helped to set up the Collaborative Law movement. He also qualified as a family arbitrator in 2012. He specialises in complex financial cases, and has recently been involved in the mediation of an international family dispute, and one of the largest international trust cases brought before the High Court. He has lectured extensively in Europe and the UK, and has written numerous books and articles. He has promoted innovation within family law, through his own YouTube channel, his website www.divorce.co.uk and the Divorce UK app.
Sara specialises in all aspects of employment law with particular emphasis on advising bodies regarding restructuring, which requires collective consultation and issues associated with TUPE. Sara also routinely advises on senior executive termination arrangements. Within the private sector Sara has advises across a number of business sectors including recruitment, retail, logistics, food and beverage,healthcare, manufacturing and education. Many of Sara’s private sector clients have global reach. Within the public sector she has carved out a real niche advising not-for-profit organisations including colleges and schools. Sara has advised a number of community interest companies granted contracts from local authorities for outsourced services. Sara leads the Manchester offices’ annual seminar series and regularly lectures to other professional organisations.
Partner in the banking team, advising lenders and borrowers on debt finance (with a particular specialism in the not-for-profit and public sectors).
Simon is a dispute resolution partner specialising in company and commercial disputes, as well as charity disputes and regulation, and contested trusts and estates for high-net-worth individuals, trustees, beneficiaries and charities. His recent work includes: representing the successful claimant in the Kennedy v Kennedy case (an equitable mistake claim to overturn a transaction giving rise to a substantial tax liability); acting in Bhullar v Bhullar (a significant decision in a complicated derivate action); representing the successful applicants in Parris v (1) Ajayi (2) SHC Clemsfold Group (3) SHC Rapkyns Group (a claim in malicious falsehood); acting for the administrators of a substantial estate in a variety of related disputes including directions applications, account proceedings, an insolvency validation order application, various other insolvency proceedings, and an application to remove the administrators.
Admitted as a solicitor in 1986. Joined Mills & Reeve in 1989, becoming a partner in 1993. Lead role in the development of the firm’s defence liability work in the health sector. Managing a respected and acknowledged national team specialising in medical malpractice, product liability and health sector liability work. The work sits within the firm’s general insurance subsector which is part of the diverse work of the wider insurance group. A previous member of the Editorial Board of the Sweet and Maxwell publication ‘Journal of Personal Injury Law’. He has written and spoken widely on his subject area. His clients are insurers of risks arising in the health sector, from clinical trials and product manufacturing to hospital groups, care providers and the medical professions and their insurers. He oversees the work of the firm’s claims handling unit, or CHU ( a TPA offering), and its work on the claims solutions the firm offers to its insurer and corporate healthcare clients. He also participates in the firm’s 24/7 emergency out of hours helpline ‘Mills & Reeve First Response’. Often advising on coverage issues, his work and that of his team includes class actions, public enquiries and judicial review as well as catastrophic injury cases, and high profile cases that are novel or repercussive in terms of reputational protection.
Stephen helps businesses to achieve their commercial objectives. His work focuses on corporate finance for companies and other commercial clients. He has significant experience in advising in relation to capital markets (both main market and AIM) including fundraisings, initial public offerings, mergers and aquisitions and corporate restructurings. Recent work includes a £350m bond issue, the £75m sale of a UK utility company, a £40m AIM IPO for a technology company, a placing and open offer for an expanding LSE listed tech company, a pre-IPO fundraising for an award-winning high growth tech business and the takeover of an AIM listed company. Stephen is a member of the Quoted Companies Alliance Legal Technical Committee.
Stuart advises on all non-contentious, contentious and procurement aspects of engineering, construction, energy, infrastructure, facilities management and PFI/PPP projects. This involves all forms of contract and he regularly works with the NEC, JCT, FIDIC, M/F1, ICC and ICE forms as well as bespoke construction and EPC contracts. He also advises on the various appointments published by professional bodies, such as NEC, RIBA and the ACE. Stuart acts for employers, contractors, sub-contractors, facilities management contractors and consultants. Recently, Stuart advised a local authority on its £40m engineering dispute with a main contractor. He also advised a university on the suite of construction documents for its £350m new campus project and a main contractor in its multi-million dispute with a local authority employer regarding a high-profile refurbishment and new build project. He also advised a FM contractor on the suite of FM contracts for various PFI projects worth in excess of £500m and has been instructed to advise an employer on the terms of its £1.2bn term service contract.
Partner specialising in employment law, who advises a wide range of employers, including Plcs, private businesses, universities and NHS organisations. He deals with all aspects of employment law. His contentious work involves dealing with heavyweight employment tribunal cases, particularly complex discrimination and whistleblowing claims and he has acted for employers in a number of leading reported cases in different sectors. His non-contentious work includes drafting the full range of employment documentation, advising on reorganisations and restructuring and involves TUPE and large public sector outsourcing issues. He leads on employment law issues for the firm’s health clients and is acknowledged as a leader in this field, frequently advising on matters where specialist knowledge of the NHS is required, including complex executive level terminations and doctors disciplinary and performance procedures.
Surbhi is an employment lawyer for health sector clients and her clients in the health sector include national NHS bodies (Department of Health and NHS England) Acute NHS Trusts, NHS Mental Health Trusts, Ambulance Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups. Surbhi is frequently asked to advise on matters where specialist knowledge of the NHS is required, including high profile disputes with very senior managers and medical staff, complex senior level terminations and the management of complex internal disputes. Surbhi also frequently advises clients on organisational change and TUPE including outsourcing arrangements. Surbhi undertakes her own advocacy at Employment Tribunals.
Tim specialises in commercial real estate work and his particular expertise is in major development projects, joint ventures and real estate finance. The majority of his clients are from the education and local authority sectors although he also has extensive experience of representing private sector developers and landowners. In recent years Tim has acted on most types of real estate matters for just about every type of client and takes great pride in being part of one of the leading teams of real estate lawyers in the country. Following a recent transaction, one client commented: ‘The star of the show is definitely Tim: his drafting of the complex legal documentation, conduct of the negotiations with the other side and absolute grasp of what matters to us the client, were just outstanding.’ Tim speaks frequently at conferences and seminars on real estate matters, particularly those of interest to education clients. He is also the firm contact on UKSPA, the UK Science Parks Association.
Rural development and strategic land issues; co-operation, promotion, option, overage and pre-emption agreements; farm tenancies.
Partner specialising in M&A work and head of the firm’s European desk. Clients include Bourn Hall, Egis SA, Midwich, SNCF, Spaldings and Trinity Biotech.
Vincenzo is a partner within the real estate law practice with a heavy focus on investment work and landlord and tenant matters. He usually acts for investor clients, such as a number of Cambridge colleges, pension funds and US listed property investment companies. Vincenzo oversees teams managing extensive property and the work ranges from acquisitions and disposals of multi-let investment properties (typically office accommodation and shopping centres). Recent works includes the forward funding and purchase of the new Microsoft headquarters in Cambridge and the acquisition of three private hospitals. Vincenzo also regularly advises corporate occupiers on their business needs. Recent transactions include the relocation of the headquarters of a financial services company and UK premises for a US e-commerce business. He leads the team providing real estate advice to the BPP Group in relation to their national education centres.
Virginia has specialised in private tax law since 2003. Her focus is on estate planning including wills, trusts, inheritance and capital gains tax planning, the administration of estates and trusts and powers of attorney. She acts for a wide variety of clients including owners of landed estates, entrepreneurs and professionals, with assets in the UK and overseas. Recent work includes administering an estate valued at over £60m comprising agricultural land, residential property, business property (both companies and partnerships) and heritage property.
Partner and head of banking and finance, advising lenders and borrowers on debt finance including acquisition finance, securitisation and trade and asset finance.
Partner in the finance team specialising in asset-based lending, acquisition finance and non-contentious restructuring and insolvency work. Zak recently led the team acting for PNC Business Credit on substantial asset-based lending facilities for the MBI of the cakes division of McCambridge Group Holdings plc backed by NBGI private equity. He led the teams advising the administrators of the Cardale group, the Brilliant Media group, Silver Spring Soft Drinks and Axminster Carpets on the sales of the businesses and assets issues relating to the administrators’ appointment, duties and distributions to creditors.
Zickie specialises in Corporate Finance and heads up the firm’s venture capital and equity investments practice. Zickie acts for a range of VC investment funds, including Mercia Technologies PLC and the Mercia Growth Funds, IQ Capital, North West Fund (Biomedical) LP, Low Carbon Innovation Fund, Enterprise Ventures and Cambridge Enterprise Seed Funds as well as business angels and angel groups on their portfolio investments, portfolio management issues and exits. She also advises start ups, spin-outs and fast growth VC backed technology businesses on their equity and debt funding rounds, their growth transactions and exits. Her company clients include Secret Escapes, 4Energy, Grapeshot and Sphere Fluidics. Zickie has also developed a particularly strong reputation and track record in the university spin out market, having advised in relation to over 90 spin outs from universities throughout the UK, including from the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, East Anglia and Essex, Hertfordshire, Oxford, Manchester, Salford, Sheffield, Southampton and Warwick, to name a few. She also authored the University Spin Out precedent documents and know how suite for Practical Law Company, a leading provider of know how and precedents for the legal profession in the UK.