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Barney Laurence

Barney Laurence

Sherrards Solicitors LLP

Partner in the commercial litigation and dispute resolution department, handling all types of commercial disputes, specialising in actions involving High Court injunctions and injunction-related litigation, in particular in the recruitment and franchising sectors, with a particular niche in restrictive covenant cases. The majority of Barney’s work involves High Court litigation and mediation. Barney is very active in the recruitment sector and heads-up the firm’s recruitment division. On the franchising side, clients include Headmasters, Winkworth Plc, Chips Away, Property Search Group, Countrywide, Pirtek and Stagecoach, and Barney had particular success in the widely-reported High Court case of PSG Franchising Ltd v Lydia Darby Ltd [2012], a case involving breaches of restrictive covenants. High-profile cases in the Court of Appeal, House of Lords and Supreme Court include TRM Copy Centres (UK) Limited and others v Lanwall Services Limited [2009], where Barney guided the claimant to success, obtaining a landmark ruling that defined the meaning of what can be considered a ‘consumer hire agreement’, and he also represented Alan Beesley at the Supreme Court stage in the widely-publicised “barn case”, involving a building constructed as a dwelling house but disguised as a barn. Clients remark that Barney 'acts with extreme diligence and speed, leaving no stone unturned'; that he '…offers practical advice and offers clarity in what can be emotionally charged circumstances'; and that his 'considered judgement and expertise has been invaluable over the years'. Further clients comment that 'He's professional, ethical and effective. His advice is realistic and based on expert knowledge.'

Gregory Lunnon

Gregory Lunnon

Sherrards Solicitors LLP

Gregory is a commercial property solicitor who specialises in secured lending work as well as a broad range of non-contentious matters including franchising, overseas investment into the UK and advice to high-net-worth individuals. Gregory has over 35 years' experience in these practice areas and is well known for his ability to cut through content and identify key issues. He particularly enjoys unusual or complex cases.

Joanne Perry

Joanne Perry

Sherrards Solicitors LLP

Joanne is a Partner in the employment team and advises on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law, with a particular interest in discrimination and restrictive covenant issues. Joanne’s areas of employment law expertise include tribunal claims, day-to-day HR advisory work, performance management, maternity, redundancy, bullying and harassment, and disability discrimination. Working with multinationals and owner-managed businesses across many sectors, Joanne has particular expertise in recruitment agencies/employment businesses, retail and franchising. She also advises senior executives on their contracts and severance packages (known formerly as compromise agreements and now as ‘settlement agreements’). Joanne is also head of HR within Sherrards, and aims to make Sherrards an employer of choice. As part of this role, Joanne gained her CIPD Level 5 qualification. Her HR role gives her a real insight into – and understanding of – the challenges faced by businesses and the importance of getting it right. This means that the advice Joanne gives to clients reflects the reality of dealing with people, and the business’ culture, as well as the applicable legal issues.

John Brian

John Brian

Sherrards Solicitors LLP

Full range of conveyancing services including development work, portfolio sales and purchases, acts for major lenders and estate agents as well as private clients. Co-founder of Sherrards in its current commercial form in 1995. Co-founded Homefast Property Lawyers in 2001 and managed the company until its sale to the Lending Solutions group of companies in 2005.

Karen Dobson

Karen Dobson

Sherrards Solicitors LLP

Partner in the commercial litigation and dispute resolution department and head of corporate recovery and insolvency. Karen handles a full range of commercial disputes with particular expertise in insolvency and insolvency-related litigation, banking litigation and asset finance litigation. She also has expertise in professional negligence claims. Her commercial and practical hands-on approach ensures that she has high levels of repeat business. Key clients include Aurora Leasing Limited, Habibsons Bank Plc, FRP Advisory LLP, Begbies Traynor, BDO, Quantuma LLP and Kingston Smith and Partners LLP. Chambers & Partners report: "She is not just commercially savvy but really sharp in her legal analysis and has very good instincts for cases. She is actually invested and cares about her cases". She is particularly recognised for her expertise in insolvency disputes.

Leigh Head

Leigh Head

Sherrards Solicitors LLP

Partner in the corporate and commercial department. Predominantly involved in general corporate and M&A work, including private equity transactions, banking, financial and corporate restructuring whilst retaining a number of music and media industry clients including Graphite Media Limited, Bestival and Camp Bestival. Also acts for plc’s and privately owned SME businesses including household names in the world of franchising such as Winkworth Estate Agents, Headmasters and multiple unit franchisees within the Monkey Puzzle systems. Recent transactions include acting for the owners of Zund Plotting Systems Limited in the sale of the entire issued share capital to Zund Systemtechnik AG; continuing to act for Cambria Automobiles plc across various corporate and commercial activities including the restructure of the Group’s financial facilities and the acquisition and disposal of various Jaguar and Land Rover dealerships; acting for Bestival Limited in negotiations with production companies for filming rights for “The Festival”; continuing to act for Winkworth Franchising Limited across all corporate and commercial aspects of their franchise network and acting for ER Productions Limited, a specialist laser production company, in relation to their corporate and commercial requirement

Mark Fellows

Mark Fellows

Sherrards Solicitors LLP

Mark joined Sherrards' Employment team in July 2008, from an in-house role with BT plc and is now head of the Employment Team. Having spent much of his career in-house Mark has a real understanding of actual business requirements and offers commercial and pragmatic advice tailored to the needs of clients' businesses. Mark advises both employers and employees on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious employment law matters. This includes representation in relation to Employment Tribunal proceedings, advising on corporate transactions, providing employee relations guidance, drafting restrictive covenants and compiling appropriate employment documentation. Mark has experience working with businesses across numerous sectors including in particular retail, logistics, recruitment and pharmaceutical. Mark conducts seminars on developments in employment law, as well as providing in-house training to clients and is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association

Nicole Marmor

Nicole Marmor

Sherrards Solicitors LLP

Nicole is a private client lawyer who heads the Wills, trusts and probate department. Nicole acts for many high net worth individuals and her work includes advising on inheritance tax and estate planning via wills and trusts; the administration of estates, often with an international element; Court of Protection matters, including deputyships, lasting powers of attorney and enduring powers of attorney; elderly client matters; and declarations of trust. Nicole worked previously at Nabarros and Pritchard Englefield in London. She is a fluent German and French speaker and heads the firm’s German Group – something that is valued by her international clients.

Terry Fendt

Terry Fendt

Sherrards Solicitors LLP

Partner and head of commercial property; based in Sherrards’ St Albans office, Terry has over 30 years’ experience in commercial property. He provides specialist advice in retail property work, predominantly acting for well-known, multiple-outlet ‘high street’ retailers. He also undertakes office acquisitions and disposals (including at London ‘flagship’ locations) as well as for several London property surveying agencies who continue to recommend Terry to their clients. Major clients include FoodCo UK LLP (“Muffin Break”), Menkind Stores (including Red5), Rituals Cosmetics; Chop'D Limited, Esquires Coffee House and Henley Group.