Muckle LLP > Newcastle upon Tyne, England > Firm Profile

‘The team is incredibly commercial and knowledgeable, easy to work with and I have utter confidence they have my best interests at heart. ’

‘The Muckles LLP practice at Newcastle distinguishes itself with a client-centric approach, tailored to individual needs and objectives. Their team fosters easy communication and enriches perspectives. Overall, Muckles’ corporate and commercial practice epitomises excellence, positioning them as a trusted partner for businesses seeking practical and reliable legal solutions.’

‘Muckle’s commercial team always goes the extra mile to deliver results for their clients. They have a breadth of knowledge and expertise which they are able to apply to the work they undertake. As well as being knowledgeable and capable, their approach is collaborative and values-led, which is one of the main reasons we chose Muckle to act on our behalf.

‘Matthew Walsh understands our business very well, which means he is always able to offer advice and support both on specific engagements and also ad hoc advice. He leads effectively across all aspects of our legal portfolio of work and brings the right colleagues to the table to support where necessary.

‘Stephanie Brown is a talented and very capable individual who frequently leads material pieces of work. She communicates effectively and delivers on time and budget to ensure we get what we need when we need it.’

‘The team is entirely dedicated but more than anything, flexible.  Always there when we need them, they continually pull out all of the stops to help us get the deal done. ’

‘Anthony Evans ensures that the right thing is done for the business holistically and engages with all other legal departments to ensure continuity of service and consistency. His depth of knowledge is unparalleled.’

‘Alex Craig is the stand-out staff member for us. She possesses an innate understanding of our business and so can very quickly respond to a request and add value. Moreover, she ensures that she tracks all of our activity within Muckle and is aware of all events – even those outside her direct scope.’

‘Working with Muckle on construction disputes has been a very good experience. They are knowledgeable in the field of construction law as well as having a very good grasp of the technical issues encountered. Easy to work with, clear instructions, people in the team are positive and effective. ’

‘Alex Speirs and George Festing are two standouts. Both are very pragmatic, experienced in the field of construction law, and generally good to work with.’

‘Muckle’s commercial litigation team is adaptable, resourceful and practical. They combine an excellent knowledge of the legal fundamentals necessary to carry out high-value and complex litigation with a versatility of approach that permits them to work in a wide range of industry sectors. They also retain a good personal touch, and conduct themselves professionally but with a sense of proportionality and pragmatism.’

‘George Festing is enormously experienced, knowledgeable and imperturbable. In any commercial dispute, he would be an asset to have on your side.’

‘Alex Spiers is practical, organised, diligent and cuts to the heart of the issue. ’

‘Muckie has a very strong commercial offering which demonstrates great expertise across a wide number of areas.’

‘Susan Howe is a talented, creative and entrepreneurial leader of this well-balanced team.’

‘Susan Howe is an outstanding litigator with exceptional experience. She’s very straight talking and has the knack of explaining complex situations and getting to the heart of an issue. She is particularly good on strategy and is formidable in a negotiation.’

‘Helpful and informative regarding procedures and steps.’

‘Beverley Oliver is prompt and knowledgeable and keeps updated regarding progress on cases.’

‘We have used Muckles debt recovery for many years. The introduction of their portal has been fantastic, easy to set up and use. Debts are uploaded and picked up super fast. We can also easily track. Muckles can tailor our requirements too – generally, our issues are very straightforward and we can utilise letters before action in an efficient way. We have the wealth of experience of the team for more complex issues.’

‘Beverley Oliver is fantastic. Her excellent advice, knowledge and ability to go the extra for us is one of the reasons we stay with Muckles.’

‘Muckle Collect is easy to navigate and staff are very quick to assist if needed. ’

‘Staff are efficient, knowledgeable and friendly.’

‘Beverley Oliver at Muckle has assisted us on several occasions now with debt recovery and each time, her work has been outstanding. I cannot thank Beverley (and Muckle LLP) enough.’

‘The employment team are extremely professional in its approach to us as a client. They are easy to engage with, they respond very quickly, they share patience and understanding of our business and how we work. They always listen and offer constructive and practical advice in a way which is easy to understand, follow and implement. They offer training sessions on upcoming and recent legal changes which are really helpful too.’

‘The pragmatic and balanced view received when seeking input from this team is outstanding, they are very straight forward to work with, which makes dealing with them very easy in what can often be complex circumstances. The availability of the team to provide support is also great. The team also play their part in developing the region’s HR professionals, sharing their knowledge and hosting events that are relevant to all.’

‘They approach our needs practically and are always able to think of alternatives. The quality of service and customer care has been excellent. We have been very impressed with our current main contact, Craig Harvey.’

‘One of the many skills that Muckles demonstrates is their ability to ensure that often complicated legal situations are easily understood by the layman. Step-by-step help and support is given and the ability to offer clear guidance and support throughout. Warm and welcoming with a focus on the external, they are regular innovators in environmental, community and local initiatives.’

‘Amy Sergison – easy to connect with, direct and pragmatic – advice is offered with a balanced view on the recommended approach to take in any scenario.’

‘Lisa Kelly and Amy Sergison are both phenomenal.’

‘The most important aspect for us is accessibility. You always feel you are listened to, and the information is explained in a patient and straightforward manner. There is always opportunity to ask questions and to gain reassurance especially when dealing with complex matters. Chris Maddock and Craig Harvey have been incredible in the service they have offered to us, especially during a particularly complex matter. I cannot recommend them enough.’

‘Muckle LLP is an excellent business partner. They take appropriate care to understand the topic for discussion and consider the full business context when providing legal advice and solutions. For more complex scenarios, they are able to collectively discuss and consider all legal options within their extended team, which means any advice provided is thorough and well thought through.’

‘Great team. Great availability. Good concise advice. Very personable.’

‘Louise Duffy, Zoe Ditch and Georgia Sproat are excellent.’

‘The team is very approachable, extremely knowledgeable and very diligent. The Muckle team takes the time to understand legal requirements and provides practicable advice and solutions in a timely manner.’

‘The Muckle team took the lead on the legal documentation setting out the responsibilities of all the parties involved. This provided clarity to us as the clients and smooth passage on the collation of the document bundle.’

‘Key attributes are an understanding of the sector and more specifically in our case an active interest in our brand. This establishes a clear sense of business partnering rather than a corporate transaction. As with most matters, they are ad-hoc and time-sensitive. We had excellent reaction time from sending our original request and a clear understanding of the steps.’

‘Extremely responsive with a practical approach to solving issues.’

‘Louise Duffy – works brilliantly with us and we see her as part of our extended team Georgia Sprout has taken on additional tasks for us this year and always works in a positive, efficient manner. All of the team are calm, friendly and professional in all dealings.’

‘Samantha Pritchard demonstrated emotional intelligence as well as high levels of legal knowledge. Samantha showed a firm grasp of the organisation’s position and security as we moved into signing the merger agreement.’

‘Joanne Davison has been incredibly supportive in advising our Education Charity on some important constitutional changes.’

‘We have worked with Muckle for a couple of years and very much value their expertise and timely support on a range of different issues, everything from governance to contracts to data protection and management. They are very responsive, professional and clearly have a wealth of expertise across charity-relevant legal areas.’

‘The team at Muckle truly understand the charity sector and this makes them stand out from other firms. Their knowledge of both the nuances in charity law and how it interacts with other governance related matters, enabled our leadership team to make informed decisions about our charity merger. The approach from Muckle was considerably more appropriate in the circumstances, which emphasised their expertise in the charity sector.’

‘Chris Hook and Alison Jones both worked tirelessly on our case. We valued their patience, deep understanding of the sector, flexibility, cultural-nous and expertise.’

‘I have worked with Samantha Pritchard and Alison Jones – I find their approach straightforward, comprehensive and friendly.’

‘Samantha Pritchard is expert, calm, approachable and able to explain complex documents clearly and concisely. When the time came that I needed professional advice in this sector I could think of no-one better.’

‘The approach to customer care and understanding client needs is fantastic. They take care and attention to ensure a positive outcome.’

‘Joanne Davison and Richard Nixon, who we deal with regularly, have built fantastic relationships with us.’

‘A personable service which is highly professional.’

‘Muckle provides all those working within the education sector with exceptional service. The team demonstrate a deep understanding of the sector and its needs. They respond in a timely manner to all requests for support and offer clear and comprehensive advice and guidance at the time of need. I cannot recommend them highly enough.’

‘The team is committed to providing the best advice possible to the education sector. They are willing to work closely with clients to steer them in the right direction.’

‘Tony McPhillips provided invaluable support during an exceptionally challenging time. His clear guidance and razor-sharp insight was second to none and I know that, as a direct result of his involvement, we were able to navigate a path through very difficult waters.’

‘The team are extremely knowledgeable and are very approachable. I feel that the team are very approachable, they work hard to find solutions for you regardless of how complex the situation.’

‘I have valued their skills, knowledge, but most importantly they are just ‘human’, very approachable and helpful. They use language that is easily understood, they are not condescending which can happen with other firms I have used.’

‘Will McKay is recommended for his overall knowledge and advice. Tom Small is a very promising young entrant to the field.’

‘We deal mainly with Deborah Lazenby. What we particularly like about Deborah is her caring attitude in that she always makes us feel that she is committed to learning about our needs and ensuring that they are met. It feels like we are working as one team. She has made sure that she has an in-depth knowledge of our estate and our priorities as a business. She is great at keeping us involved and informed and has always been willing to go the extra mile for us.’

‘Muckle provide all our legal services. I have always found them incredibly responsive, with talented and knowledgeable individuals assigned appropriately. Issues and risks are explained with context in simple terms to allow us to make informed decisions in the matters being considered. I would be happy to recommend the Muckle LLP team.’

‘Libbie Henderson is the property lead for our organisation. She is always incredibly responsive and a pleasure to work with. She has an excellent eye for detail, ensuring our best interests are represented at all stages. We have had a number of extremely complicated transactions which Libbie has led on, bringing in specialisms at appropriate points to support and achieve the best result for our organisation.’

‘Our relationship with Muckle LLP spans residential, mixed-use and strategic land promotion, as well as work related to minerals issues. Their team are proactive, approachable, and professional. It is these simple ‘traditional’ values based on a determination to do a good job and a will to win which sets them apart.’

‘James Armstrong is our principal contact and we regard him as an exceptional practitioner. He is level-headed and pragmatic, with a tremendous work ethic and ability to respond quickly whilst maintaining high-quality output. He is highly recommended.’

‘Will McKay is recommended for commercial property.’

‘Will McKay has been the relationship partner for 20 years. Will provides sound partner-led commercial advice on all aspects of development including: development and funding agreements; leasing; and sale and purchase.’

‘Sarah Barratt has a wealth of experience in this field, and her advice and style are always pragmatic and client-focused.’

‘Charlotte McMurchie knows her stuff – she gets the client needs and the fact we are looking for solutions to problems.’

‘Jennifer Pearson is extremely personable and a joy to work with. She has excellent client handling skills and is not afraid to give difficult advice where necessary to do so in the client’s interests.’

‘Good practical advice with client-focused solutions at a similar cost to what our clients would expect.’

‘From my first conversation with Muckle, I felt comfortable talking to them and got the impression they cared.’

‘I have found the team very user-friendly and pleasant to deal with.’

‘I have felt in very safe hands with Sarah Barratt, in her advice and drafting in relation to a property litigation matter. Sarah is very helpful, professional at all times and always responds to my calls and emails quickly. She is great at explaining situations and offering options.’

‘Sarah Barratt has a very calm and reassuring manner. She gives great service. Her advice is always pragmatic with a commercial focus. Charlotte McMurchie leads the team in a way that balances legal and commercial needs. Charlotte is very professional and I feel confident with advice given when dealing with complex issues when she is involved.’

‘They are very efficient and communicate very well, we have had some very complex agreements, and the complete process was handled very professionally.’

‘Very knowledgeable and responsive to client needs.’

‘George Festing is extremely personable, bright and articulate. He is responsive and approachable. A pleasure to deal with.’

‘In our experience of Muckles we have learned that they listen to any issues, problems and opportunities that we may identify and because of their diverse offering they are able to honestly provide professional guidance, support and advice as appropriate with, in many cases, variable solutions. As such we feel that we actually have an active partner in our business rather than a service and this is important.’

‘The team has particular strength in contentious IP matters, unparalleled in the North East.’

‘An attention to detail and a real interest in the subject matter.’

‘Excellent customer care and support.’

‘The team is very easy to deal with, they are friendly and collaborative.’

‘Always very professional and prompt with all communication. Very informative and knowledgeable.’

‘Sarah Farish kept a very high standard of client care. She always kept me updated and was always contactable.’

‘The team at Muckle are very approachable and can easily adapt to have someone on hand who can assist in any scenario that we may come across.’

‘Sarah Farish within the insolvency team is extremely personable whilst providing pragmatic legal guidance which makes her a joy to work with.’

‘I really like Laura Keegan and Sarah Farish. ’

‘Muckle have an excellent team across all it’s disciplines. The team members are approachable from trainees up to the partnership team.’

‘Laura Keegan provides an outstanding level of service. ’

‘Laura Keegan is one of the best younger insolvency lawyers around. Technically very competent and she can express her advice and arguments in correspondence much better than most of her contemporaries. She really knows how to get a point across both in writing and orally.’

‘Professional and progressive firm, delivering excellence in legal matters – very supportive and reliable.’

‘Charlotte Patterson-Ryan is an excellent communicator – knowledgeable and able to work in a timely, efficient manner. Very personable, making legal processes a good experience.’

‘Charlotte Patterson-Ryan is brilliant with her clients and the efficiency and speed at which she turns work round is great.’

‘David Towns leads a strong team very well.’

‘The team are always available and willing to take a hands-on approach to meet potential clients, particularly always wanting to go out to the farm and meet the family to really understand what they are advising on. It’s a real comfort to work alongside Muckle with a huge breath of knowledge to ensure our clients are always looked after. We would always recommend Muckle as the top firm in this sector to our clients.’

‘Charlotte Patterson-Ryan is efficient and always available. Her technical knowledge is outstanding and I would always recommend my clients to her to ensure they are looked after.’

‘Have an excellent Rural Practice specialist team.’

‘David Towns is extremely experienced and has outstanding speed of response.’

‘Excellent team dealing with energy related matters. First-class communication and pushing transactions through in a timely manner.’

‘Adam Aston is a stand-out partner. Very personable and able to distil complex legal issues into understandable format. ’

‘Julie Garbutt has continued to deliver a very efficient and friendly service and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to my clients.’

‘Individual partner I work with who is outstanding in every way is Julie Garbett. Muckles are always a pleasure to work with and I am fully confident when recommending them to others.’

‘A well established dynamic team able to support potential clients through a range of services. I am confident that potential clients will be looked after in a professional manner with trusted advisers.’

‘Individuals I work with seek to provide a holistic service to ensure client’s needs are fully catered for.’

‘Rachael Stephenson’s team is proactive in client care, and always go the extra mile to deliver on exceptional client service. The team is well run and second to none when it comes to dealing with technically complex issues.’

‘Rachael Stephenson stands out as an absolutely pragmatic and strategic lawyer. She possesses unrivalled talent in handling the most complex situations with utmost ease, humanity and skill. She is very approachable and provides excellent, timely service- very client focused and exceptional on detail.’

‘The individuals get to know their clients fully and ensure that they are looking at their circumstances holistically as opposed to just considering any one particular area. They are friendly and approachable and clients are always comfortable dealing with them. Both Rachael Stephenson and Tim Boardman have been introduced to some of my clients and both have provided excellent service which has also been commented on by my clients.’

‘Personal service is of high quality – responsiveness at short notice, understanding our business.’

‘Tony McPhillips – understands the sector, is practical, experienced, realistic.’