Shoosmiths

Aimee Cook

Aimee is a Principal Associate in Shoosmiths' Dispute Resolution team, based in the Thames Valley. Aimee advises clients on complex, high value commercial disputes, acting for clients primarily in the Energy, Technology, Logistics and Automotive sectors. Aimee acts on cases in the English High Court and has experience of commercial and investor-state arbitration, and mediation. Aimee's experience is particularly focused on: outsourcing disputes; corporate and shareholder disputes; procurement challenges; and restrictive covenant disputes. Recent work includes: acting for a major communications company to successfully negotiate a pre-action settlement of a multi-million pound outsourcing dispute; acting for the defendant company in a substantial High Court claim regarding alleged breaches of a shareholder agreement (successfully settled pre-trial); successfully protecting the interests of various pharmaceutical clients in respect of procurement challenges; and successfully avoiding a potential injunction in respect of alleged breaches by the clients of restrictive covenants in an employment contract.

Alex Lloyd

Alex is a Senior Associate in Shoosmiths’ Thames Valley and London Employment team. Alex joined Shoosmiths on qualification in September 2018 and has been practicing in the team ever since, gaining promotion to Senior Associate in September 2022. He acts for clients of various sizes across a range of sectors (including technology, charities and manufacturing) and is well-versed in all aspects of employment law. Alex’s particular expertise is in Employment Tribunal litigation and has had a great deal of success in representing both employer and employee clients at the Tribunal. Alex has acted on many different types of Tribunal complaints, from simple claims for unlawful deductions from wages to complex disputes relating to whistleblowing and discrimination. Where appropriate, Alex conducts his own advocacy – recent results include successfully defending an unfair dismissal claim and demonstrating that a purported contractor was, in fact, both a worker and an employee. Alex is not afraid to be robust when necessary and has obtained costs awards from the Tribunal in favour of his clients on several occasions. However, Alex provides pragmatic and commercial advice to clients on their best option in all the circumstances and will recommend settlement if appropriate. Alex also uses his Tribunal litigation experience to advise organisations as to the consequences of management decisions, allowing him to give advice that is real world in its application. Clients recognise this in the very clear and calm way that Alex provides his advice. He has an unflappable style which has bought great praise from clients, impressed by his ability to distil complex concepts into readily understood advice, while at the same time remaining calm in challenging situations. Outside of the Tribunal sphere, Alex is adept at supporting employees who have been offered a settlement agreement through what are inevitably very difficult circumstances. He has a proven track record of negotiating improved severance packages (in some cases significantly) for individual clients.

Alison Gilson

Alison is a corporate partner and head of the firm’s Edinburgh office. She has extensive experience advising on a wide range of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, MBOs, investments, disposals and joint ventures. She also has significant experience advising on shareholder arrangements, group reorganisations and corporate governance matters. Alison acts for clients across a wide range of sectors and has developed particular expertise working with businesses in the healthcare, technology, transport and media sectors. Her transactional experience includes advising: Extreme E, an international racing series that brings off-road electric racing to remote parts of the world to highlight climate change, on a range of corporate matters including the recent strategic investment into Extreme E by Formula E; Electric Sea Racing Limited on its launch of the "E1 Series" and its partnership with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia whose investment will enable them to create the world's first electric powerboat racing championship; national commercial vehicle hire business MV Commercial Limited on various share and business acquisitions and disposals; Sandbox International on edtech acquisitions in Brazil, Spain and the US; digital tech business Engine B on its funding rounds; Carewatch Care Services Limited on a series of acquisitions in Scotland, England and Wales and then on the sale of various divisions in a complex transaction that required the completion of 6 transactions within 4 weeks.  

Amy Beaumont

Senior Associate

Andrew Foyle

Partner

Antony Craggs

Antony is a partner practising intellectual property, with a focus on patent litigation. He advises clients across a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, chemicals, electronics, mechanical products, fast moving consumer goods and retail. As a solicitor advocate, he has extensive experience of leading on disputes before the UK courts (including before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, High Court, Patents Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court) and the UK intellectual property office. He also has experience managing multi-jurisdiction disputes (including the US, Canada, Germany, France, the European Patent Office and the European Intellectual Property Office). IAM Patent 1000 says of him: "The trailblazer is ... Antony Craggs, an 'extremely careful, knowledgeable and commercial solicitor" with a 'close eye for detail'. Immersing himself in life sciences, electronics and engineering, he is 'a pleasure to work with and will always go the extra mile to ensure the very best service'." Patents Finchimica v. Bayer: Advising on a claim for patent revocation in relation to the use of alkyl carbolic acid amides as pentration promoters before the Patents Court. Future Injection Technologies v. Owen Mumford: Advising on a claim for patent infringement in relation to an autoinjector before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Hycontrol v. Spirotech: Advising on a claim for patent infringement and a counterclaim for revocation in relation to the pressure sensors for silos before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Safeguard v. Wykamol: Advising on a claim for patent infringement in relation to waterproofing before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Seoul Semiconductor v. Everlight: Advising on a claim for patent revocation and a counterclaim for infringement in relation to light emitting diodes before the Patents Court. Sony Mobile Communications International v. SSH Communications Security Corporation: Advising on a claim for patent revocation and a counterclaim for infringement in relation to all of Sony's Xperia mobile telephones and tablets and the Playstation 4 before the Patents Court. Soluble Technology v. Britvic: Advising on a claim for patent infringement and a counterclaim for revocation in relation to the formulation of soft drinks before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Tangle Teezer v. GB Kent & Sons: Advising on a claim for patent infringement and a counterclaim for revocation and a declaration of non-infringement in relation to a patent for the ‘tangle teezer’ hairbrush before the Patents Court. Virgin Atlantic Airways v. Zodiac Aerospace: Advising on a claim for infringement of a patent and unregistered design right (and counterclaim for revocation) in relation to an aircraft seat before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Co-ordinating the parallel litigation in the USA, Canada and India and the oppositions before the European Patent Office. Trademarks Acedes v Clive Sutton: Advising on a claim for trademark infringement and passing off in relation to the trademark COBRA by the use of the sign SHELBY COBRA before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Babble v. Babl: Advising on a claim for trademark infringement and passing off in relation to the trademark BABBLE by the use of the sign BABL before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Combe v. Dr Wolff: Advising on a claim for trademark infringement in relation to the VAGISIL trademark by the use of the sign VAGISAN before the High Court and Court of Appeal. easyGroup v. Easyvoyage: Advising on a claim for trademark infringement in relation to the EASY trademark by the use of the sign EASYVOYAGE before the High Court. Gnaw Chocolate v. Creative Nature: Advising on a claim for trademark infringement in relation to the GNAW trademark by the use of the sign GNAWBLES before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. MAG Kitchens & Bathrooms v The Radiator & Bathroom Gallery: Advising on a claim for passing off in relation to the use of a third party brand JUST LEFROY before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. NRG v Bertermann: Advising on a cancellation action in relation to MOUNTSON before the EU Intellectual Property Office (with parallel proceedings before the German Patent & Trademark Office). Professional Hair Products v. Beauty Logistics: Advising on a claim for trademark infringement in relation to the import and supply of allegedly counterfeit goods. Prysmian v. BICC Components: Advising on a claim for trademark infringement in relation to the manufacture and sale of cable accessories before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. 3M v. International Applications: Advising on a criminal investigation by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (including advising in an interview under caution) and the subsequent civil claim for trademark infringement in relation to the import and supply of allegedly counterfeit goods.   Copyright experience Asiatic v Phoenox: Advising on a claim for infringement of copyright in relation to the design of a rug before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Chandler v Champion Records: Advising on a claim for a declaration regarding the ownership of recording, literary and musical copyright in recordings before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Codemasters v. Automobile Club de l’Ouest: Advising on a claim for breach of a copyright and trademark licence in relation to a computer game before the High Court. Future of Work v. CandidateX: Advising on a claim for infringement of copyright and a breach of confidential information and counterclaim for breach of contract in relation to a software application for recruitment before the High Court. Studio Graphene v. Frolo: Advising on a claim for infringement of copyright and counterclaim for breach of contract in relation to a social media application before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court. Victorian Plumbing v. Buy-it Direct: Advising on a claim for copyright infringement in relation to photographs used on a website before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.   Designs Core Products v. vidaXL: Advising on a claim for design right infringement in relation to furniture in the mid-century modern design. Exertis v. NRG: Advising on a claim for design right infringement in relation to accessories for Sonos® speakers before the High Court. Hi-Tech v. AC Cars: Advising on a cancellation action in relation to registered designs for the Cobra before the EU Intellectual Property Office and UK Intellectual Property Office. Shnuggle v. Munchkin: Advising on a claim for design right and registered Community design infringement in relation to a baby bath before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.

Barry McKeown

Barry is Head of Glasgow office and a partner specialising in Real Estate. Barry is an experienced real estate lawyer who drives deals acting as project manager for multi-disciplinary teams of lawyers and other professionals delivering layered legal advice on transactions, acting as conduit for the client relationship regardless of the nature of the underlying core deal (ie corporate, funds, financing, tax etc). He has a broad spectrum of expertise in all areas of real estate work across the UK with particular focus on the commercial development and investment markets, residential development and housebuilding (including market leading work in the PRS and BTR sectors) and also renewable energy. He has acted for developers, landowners (both in the private and public sector), funders and investors with a key emphasis on complex development arrangements, including conditional contracts, option arrangements, joint ventures, leasing, property finance arrangements and lending, as well as tax efficient property structures and vehicles. In the PRS/BTR sectors he was the client partner working on the structuring and delivery of three core PRS funds including the launch of a PRS REIT which have delivered several thousand PRS units across the UK and each of which continue to roll out. His exposure to the energy sectors is across many of the core technology areas including onshore wind (both single turbine and large scale 100MW plus projects), solar PV, hydro, Energy from Waste and AD as well as biomass and biogas projects. Whilst out of the law for a period as a board director of a house builder, Barry was also responsible for that business' diversification into renewables and green energy projects including specifically AD and district heating systems relating to their housing projects. He has advised both project developers and landowners on the property aspects of projects as well as financing and exit from completed projects. He also has a particular specialism in Islamic financing and Sharia'h compliant structuring of real estate transactions across the UK acting for major Middle East based real estate developers, investors, UHNW individuals and family offices investing in UK property. Barry is head of Shoosmiths’ Glasgow office and responsible for the firm’s contribution to, and profile within, the city’s business community.

Ben Zielinski

Ben is a Principal Associate commercial litigator, qualified in both England and Wales and Scotland, who advises a number of large businesses in relation to a variety of disputes, in particular complex contractual claims and IT related disputes.  This includes acting for clients involved in litigation and other forms of dispute resolution as well as proactively advising on potentially contentious matters before a formal dispute arises. As well as having strong legal analytical skills, Ben takes a highly commercial approach to disputes, making sure he understands his client's objectives at the outset of each case, in order to determine a strategy to achieve the best possible result.  He always fights tenaciously for his client’s interests. Recent matters that Ben has worked on include: representing an enterprise IT services company in a number of disputes with large customers.  Notable cases include: two multi-million pound claims by public sector customers (an NHS Trust and a Government Department) for alleged serious service failures, which were both settled following mediation on commercial terms that minimised the client’s financial liability while preserving the relationships with the customers; a claim against a main contractor for failure to provide work pursuant to a sub-contract.  The dispute was settled following mediation, with a substantial settlement sum being paid to the client; acting for a managed office space provider in a service charge dispute with a landlord, including taking an appeal to the Inner House of the Court of Session; defending an oil exploration company in a Commercial Court action raised by a joint venture partner, claiming that the client had forfeited its interest in the joint venture (a petroleum exploration and development licence).  After defeating an application for summary judgment, a settlement was reached on commercial terms; representing a petroleum company in a claim against a contractor for damage to a large quantity of its product; acting for an energy sector client in a multi-million pound dispute regarding breach of confidence and infringement of database rights, culminating in a two-week trial in the High Court.  Ben played a pivotal role in preparing the case for trial in only a few months, including coordinating a large electronic disclosure exercise, interviewing more than a dozen witnesses, instructing an expert forensic accountant and assisting Counsel before and during the trial.  

Bradley Roberts

Bradley is a Senior Associate in the Birmingham Real Estate Litigation team who qualified in March 2016, having joined Shoosmiths in January 2022. Bradley deals with a wide range of contentious property issues including lease renewals (both opposed and unopposed), break notices, dilapidations disputes, injunctions, arrears of rent and forfeiture proceedings, service charge disputes and enforcement of lease covenants. Bradley acts for a range of clients, but has a particular focus on the retail sector.

Charlotte Staples

Charlotte is a Principal Associate employment lawyer who advises and provides support to HR teams and In-House Lawyers. She provides commercial and strategic advice on all areas of human resources and employment law from dealing with day to day disciplinary, grievance and performance issues to advising on large scale restructure and redundancy programs. Having worked in private practice and in-house, Charlotte understands the pressures and challenges faced by both local, national and international businesses in today's climate; providing advice to enhance and develop the client's business. Examples of work handled by Charlotte include: advising a large airline on a multiple tribunal claim relating to crew’s rights to holiday pay under the Civil Aviation (Working Time) Regulations; advising a European pharmaceutical company on the effects of TUPE and assisting the client with the legal and practical steps of setting itself up as an employer in the UK; advising a company in the healthcare industry on pursuing a High Court injunction to prevent an employee from breaching their restrictive covenants; conducting an equal pay audit for a large rental car company, advising on the effects of the audit and how to mitigate any liabilities; advising a large retail client in relation to a complex whistleblowing and disability discrimination Tribunal claim; advising a large travel company in relation to the re-sourcing of various support functions and the outsourcing of other support functions overseas; advising clients across different industries in relation to claims brought against them in the Employment Tribunal and the Employment Appeal Tribunal and representing clients in Employment Tribunal hearings. Charlotte also advises senior executives/employees in relation to issues that have arisen during/at the end of their employment and she advises on the terms of settlement agreements. Charlotte regularly writes and delivers training courses and workshops on a variety of topics for managers, HR professionals and in-house lawyers. Charlotte trained and qualified with Shoosmithsin 2006. She undertook a secondment in 2008/09 during which she worked for a global energy company and a further secondment in 2018 during which she worked for the UK division of a global pharmacy led health and beauty company.

Charlotte Doyle

Charlotte is a Principal Associate in the Corporate Restructuring & Advisory department.  She advises a range of clients including insolvency practitioners, directors, creditors and banks on all contentious and non contentious matters arising out of corporate insolvencies. Charlotte's expertise include; advising on the sale and purchase of businesses and assets in an insolvency context, conducting security reviews and advising on the enforceability of security, as well as advising insolvency practitioners in relation to antecedent transactions.

Charlotte Duce

Charlotte is a legal director in the Corporate Restructuring and Advisory team, having recently joined Shoosmiths from a global practice. Charlotte has experience of all aspects of corporate restructuring and turnaround, formal insolvencies, distressed M&A and distressed real estate. Charlotte has extensive experience advising clearing banks, ABLs and other financial institutions in their dealings with distressed and insolvent customers. She was seconded to the in-house legal team of a global lender where she supported the business in its bilateral and syndicated lending to distressed customers and advised on early options and refinancing strategies. Charlotte has also worked advising insolvency practitioners and receivers in all aspects of formal insolvencies and distressed property sales. Charlotte has regularly been recognised in the legal directories and is a member of the West Midlands R3 Women in Business committee.

Christian Cockcroft

  Christian is a data, privacy and regulatory lawyer whose practice spans a broad spectrum of data governance, data regulation (antitrust, privacy and sectoral) and cybersecurity related work. Christian is versed in a multitude of privacy laws, including GDPR, the PECRs (and related cookie-law), CCPA and PIPEDA, while his wider regulatory experience involves advising on antitrust, data governance and market access laws, law enforcement access & lawful intercept, and sector/industry-specific laws and codes of practice (including HIPPA, SOX, DORA, ISO information security standards and PCI-DSS). This mix of experience makes Christian uniquely placed to assist multi-national organisations in navigating a range of cross-border compliance issues, from implementing global privacy programs and advising on cross-border data breaches, complex strategic or transactions matters (such as outsourcing or digital transformation global), as well as advising on novel or higher-risk technologies (e.g., MarTech, AI-regulation, blockchain, crypto-tech, NFTs, metaverse etc.). Christian trained and practised in the Brussels office of a US law firm, before moving in-house, most recently as General Counsel & Data Protection Officer for an international security organization, before joining Shoosmiths in 2021. Representative engagements include: Assisting multiple organisations in navigating data transfer compliance, including Schrems II compliance, model clauses and docking arrangements, transfer risk assessments (having conducted over 20 TRAs in 2022) and negotiating supplementary security measures. Advised a number of organisations in the acquisition of Binding Corporate Rules, including acting on one of the UK’s first post-Brexit standalone BCR applications for a leading Ed-tech provider. Conducted an international data mapping and compliance project for a Japanese automotive manufacturer. Assisted a large timeshare and resort provider with its global privacy & data compliance efforts, including data mapping, vendor management, revision of existing privacy and information security policies, use of MarTech and cookie compliance. Advising on multiple intra-group data transfer arrangements for companies spanning a broad range of sectors (e.g., banking, social media, telecommunications, heavy industry, automotive etc.). Advised a global bank on a $100m+ outsourcing arrangement with an edge-to-cloud provider, including negotiating contractual arrangements with vendors, drafting information security schedules and advising on associated data transfers issues. Advised a major social networking company on both privacy and antitrust aspects of its acquisition of a popular OTT messaging platform. Advice to a global credit rating agency on a range of privacy matters, including the use of AI-enabled decision-making technologies. Advice to various telecos, ISPs and digital advertising agencies on PECR compliance, use of location data and compliant data monetization strategies. Working with a multitude of automotive manufacturers on a range of privacy matters associated with connected car technology and law enforcement access to data. MarTech and privacy advice to a range of industry leaders, publishers and digital advertising agencies on TP cookie sunsetting. Advice to a leading provider of coworking on its global use of AI-enabled CCTV. Advised a global electronics manufacturer in a global data incident involving regulatory filings in over 30 jurisdictions.

Dan O'Keefe

Dan is a Legal Director and clinical negligence solicitor, acting for Claimants in complex cases, all over the country.  Dan has a specialist interest in spinal injury cases, in particular Cauda Equina Syndrome claims. Prior to joining Shoosmiths, Dan was a Director at Moosa-Duke Solicitors and before that he worked at Russell-Cooke in London. Since qualifying, Dan has exclusively represented claimants in high value, complex, novel and high profile personal injury and medical negligence cases. Dan has always been an enthusiastic contributor to his local legal community. Dan has served in many voluntary roles, including as Editor of the Leicestershire Law Society magazine and as President of the Leicestershire Medico-Legal Society. In 2021 Dan was awarded the accolade of Solicitor of the Year by the Leicestershire Law Society. Throughout his career, Dan has always been an active member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), previously being Secretary for the Product Liability Special Interest Group and Co-ordinator for the East Midlands Group. Dan acted for the claimant in the case of X v University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (2019) where there was a negligent delay in diagnosing and treating Cauda Equina Syndrome.   Dan recovered a 7 figure sum for the claimant, following a three week trial.  In light of his expertise in Cauda Equina Syndrome cases, Dan was invited to contribute to a new Cauda Equina Syndrome pathway, being implemented by three hospital trusts.

Daniela Munro

Daniela is a Senior Associate in the corporate team in the Thames Valley office.  Daniela's experience encompasses a variety of areas including mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings and IPOs. She specialises in equity capital markets transactions such as IPOs and secondary fundraisings and has acted for UK listed companies, nominated advisers and brokers. Daniela has been ranked Rising Star and Key Lawyer in Legal 500.

David Smith

David is a Senior Associate Recoveries Manager, heading up our Consumer Regulated Litigation & Recoveries team in Scotland.  He has experience in dealing with all aspects of Secured and Unsecured debt recovery throughout Scotland, as well as supporting in other dispute resolution matters as required. David provides a quality and comprehensive recoveries service with a client and customer centric focus.  He was involved with advising a number of banking clients on the changes to mortgage repossession in Scotland following the introduction of the Home Owner and Debtor Protection (Scotland) Act 2010. He is also experienced in producing bespoke management information to match our client’s needs.

Elizabeth Ward

Elizabeth joined Shoosmiths as a Partner in 2023. She specialises in all aspects of private equity transactions and PE portfolio company matters including advising sponsors and management teams on M&A, due diligence and equity arrangements. She has previously held the role of General Counsel with two private equity portfolio companies which included responsibility for M&A, ranging from extensive buy and build and integration projects, to exits, refinancings and management equity. Most recently, Elizabeth worked alongside Shoosmiths in the legal team of leading PE investor, Rothschild & Co (Five Arrows Principal Investments) where she advised on a number of buyout and growth equity transactions including major cross-border investments into N2Y, Mintec, Agribriefing and Kpler.  

Fiona Cameron

Fiona is a partner in the Banking and Finance team, based in Glasgow. She has a wealth of experience advising on the financial aspects of a range of complex and high-value transactions across a variety of sectors and jurisdictions. Her work spans real estate and leveraged finance, asset finance and general corporate lending and includes bi-lateral, multi-lateral and club deals, mezzanine funding and equity. She acts for both lenders and borrowers and has been praised for being able to get the best deal for borrowers and understanding the constraints at play for the lender. She has extensive experience in investment and development facilities, including for purpose built student accommodation, care homes, hotels, retail and office sites. Recent corporate deals have included several large restructurings and a number of financings in relation to share acquisitions, “war chests” and general working capital. Fiona has also acted for several household names in the food and drink sector in relation to large ABL facilities. Fiona's recent transactions include: acting for several lenders in relation to inventory facilities for Scotch whisky; acting for the borrower in relation to a £70m facility for a mixed-use site in Nottingham; acting for Moorfield Group in relation to a number of facilities obtained by it for student accommodation and co-living developments across the UK; Acting for a highstreet lender in relation to facilities provided by it to a number of clients in the hotels and leisure sector; acting for a large residential care provider in relation to its various banking facilities; acting for an offshore family office in relation to facilities obtained by it in relation to certain of its UK property investments; acting for Gresham House in relation to its investments in Scottish broadband provider Borderlink Broadband. Fiona has advised a number of clients on upcoming changes to Scots law as a result of the implementation of the Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Act 2023 and has written on the subject Fiona Cameron: Moving with the times – the Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Bill | Scottish Legal News

Gemma Rooke

Gemma is a Principal Associate in the Construction and Engineering Team. Gemma advises developers, contractors, sub-contractors and other construction and engineering professionals across a broad range of contentious issues, including payment disputes, loss and expense claims, claims for defective workmanship and design, and professional negligence claims. She advises primarily in relation to dispute resolution including conducting mediations, adjudications and court proceedings in the Technology and Construction Court (TCC). Gemma also has a background in insurance litigation and has experience in dealing in a range of disputes, including property damage related disputes. Her recent experience includes:  Acting for an international main contractor in defending a multi-party, multi-million pound proceedings in the TCC in respect of alleged management, design and workmanship failings, and alleged defects relating to cladding, fire safety and Building Regulations breaches. The proceedings were successfully resolved through mediation. Acting for a logistics and housebuilding developer in defending procedurally complex, multi-party, multi-million pound proceedings in the TCC in respect of the defective construction and design of a ground floor slab and its associated foundations. The proceedings were successfully resolved through mediation. Acting for a Diocese in respect of allegations of professional negligence made against its structural engineer relating to defects in the design of a podium slab. The matter was successfully resolved through mediation. Assisting in advising a large retailer in respect of various issues arising out of an NEC3 form of contract with its contractor, including payment, compensation events, delay, defects and other third party claims. Acting for a leading developer and manufacturer of 3D/4D simulation attractions and special effects cinemas in a high value adjudication dealing with a number of issues relating to payment, delays and extensions of time, and defects. Acting for a regional contractor in an adjudication commenced by its subcontractor relating to a final account dispute, which required the commencement of enforcement proceedings in the TCC by our client.  Acting for a high net worth individual in respect of major landscape restoration works undertaken at a Grade I, 18th century estate which were part funded by English Heritage and Natural England. The dispute related to defects in the design and construction of a restored water cascade, and was successfully resolved through mediation.

Gillian Ralph

Gillian is a real estate lawyer with a broad range of experience in all aspects of commercial property, having acted for both residential and commercial developers, institutional investors, funders and tenants. Her experience includes:acting for the developer in the acquisition of a landmark city centre site for commercial and residential development; acting in connection with the acquisition of sites at Pacific Quay, Glasgow for commercial development; acting for the developer in the acquisition of a site for residential development, including the provision of affordable housing, forming part of a major regeneration project in Edinburgh; advising on the regeneration of Edinburgh Waterfront including acting on the acquisition and disposal of development sites; acting for a large housing association in connection with the property aspects of their requirements including the acquisition and disposal of sites and of affordable housing across the central belt; acting for a residential developer in the acquisition of sites for residential development across the central belt;acting for a major institutional investor in connection with its Scottish portfolio including acquisitions, disposals and lease management. Acting for various funders in connection with securities over investment and development of properties and in the refinancing of social housing portfolios.

Grace Watson

Grace is a Senior Associate specialising in employment law and is based in our Edinburgh office. Grace is an experienced litigator and regularly appears on behalf of a diverse client base in employment tribunals across the UK.  In addition to dealing with contentious employment matters, Grace works closely with our real estate and corporate teams to advise on the employment implications of business sales and acquisitions, including TUPE. Grace provides sensitive and pragmatic advice to clients, always being mindful of the damaging impact employment disputes can have on an individual or a business. Recent work highlights include: Successfully defending a company in the food and drinks sector against multiple claims of disability discrimination. Successfully having a claim of race and sex discrimination struck out at an early stage in a claim brought against an SME. Advising on the employment implications of the sale of a family run business to a large company in the logistics sector

Harry Warren

Harry Warren is a Senior Associate in the Litigation and Disputes team in the Solent office. He joined the firm in January 2014 before commencing his training contract. Harry has genuine experience in understanding the issues facing businesses and the pressures on in-house lawyers having spent time in-house with clients Bournemouth University and Thomas Cook. He qualified into the Litigation and Disputes team in Solent in September 2019 and specialises in supply chain disputes, corporate litigation and contract disputes

Hayley Band

  Hayley joined Shoosmiths in 2018 and qualified as a Senior Associate in the employment team having completed her Training Contract at the firm. Hayley has a wide range of experience advising clients on both contentious and non-contentious matters, and assists clients with the employment aspects of M&A transactions and investments. Hayley works with the firm's corporate and commercial teams to review and prepare employment related documentation as part of wider due diligence projects and data protection queries. Hayley is also experienced in handling Tribunal litigation, including claims for unfair dismissal, discrimination and collective consultation, and has a successful track record negotiating commercial settlements for both employee and employer clients. She assists clients with day to day advisory work, including the preparation of Service Agreements, contracts of employment, staff handbooks and settlement agreements. Hayley also prepares and delivers client training sessions and writes publications on a range of HR topics, including amongst others, hybrid working and disability in the workplace.

Helen Burnell

Helen is a Partner in our corporate department specialising in venture capital, growth capital and sustainable and next generation infrastructure investments. Helen advises both institutions and companies/founders on start-up through funding rounds and M&A. Helen works with a variety of clients but increasingly specialises helping investors and companies on capital fund raisings: Recent experience includes: • advising EV Chargers (EVC) on its £165m investment from Denham Capital • advising Equitix on its  £75m investments into Grain Connect and £84m into Freedom Fibre • advising Gresham House Sustainable Infrastructure Fund on its continued investment into Go Fibre, Telcom Group and Wildanet Limited • advising Gresham House Ventures on various investments such as into Panthera BioPartners, Metrion BioSciences, Dayrize and Airfinity • advising Foresight Group LLP on its investment into F&W Network Limited • advising Burda Principal investments on its further investment into Bloom & Wilde Limited as part of its £75 million Series D fundraising led by General Catalyst and Index Ventures • advising Carbon Quota on its seed series led by Codex Captial Helen also leads on Shoosmiths spHERe initiative – our network supporting female founders and venture capitalists within the VC space. Open to all women and men, founders or venture capitalists spHERe’s goal is help women to be successful through creating a forum for more meaningful networking opportunities within the VC space and to help address the disparities that exist between female and male entrepreneurs.

Ian McCann

  Ian has over 25 years’ experience in all aspects of non-contentious construction and engineering law providing advice in both the public and private sectors from inception to completion and as such  he has a wide understanding of the range of construction issues that can arise.   As a member of the firm’s Real Estates group he is used to working as part of a multidisciplinary team and has had day to day exposure to the processes required to deliver often complex and high value projects successfully on time and within budget. He has experience with all major industry standard form contracts (SBCC, JCT, NEC and FIDIC) contracts as well as bespoke contracts and has continually demonstrated that he has a deep understanding of the range of issues that can arise throughout the design and construction period. Prior to joining Shoosmiths, Ian was co-head of construction (Scotland) for international law firm CMS.  Schemes he has worked on include Edinburgh Trams, the St James Quarter in Edinburgh, student accommodation and PRS developments across the UK, commercial developments, energy and infrastructure schemes, projects for several universities and other project sector bodies, a number of projects with Opportunity North East in Aberdeen, and utility contracts for electricity and water

Jade Price

Jade is a Senior Associate who joined Shoosmiths' corporate division in 2022 from a national firm and advises on a wide variety of corporate matters including mergers and acquisitions, business reorganisations and investments. She has broad, cross-sector deal experience, with particularly strong credentials in the healthcare (including the dental and care industries) and professional/financial service arenas, and works with clients based in the UK and overseas.

Janette Speed

Partner

Jen Paton

Jen is a legal director in our corporate division, based in the Edinburgh office.  She has extensive experience advising a range of clients, including investors, large corporates, management teams and owner managers on domestic and cross border venture capital, private equity and M&A transactions. Jen acts for clients across a wide range of sectors and has developed particular expertise working with businesses in the healthcare, energy, hospitality, transport and technology sectors. Jen's transactional experience includes advising: an AIM listed company on the sale of its interest in a fixed wireless broadband provider to a Canadian headquartered private equity firm, in a deal that valued the business at up to £92.1 million international hotelier Leonardo Hotels Europe on the acquisition of Morrison Street Hotel Limited and its Edinburgh city centre hotel BGF on its £9m investment into Localised Group and Retail Services Group (both controlled by Peter Jones CBE) national commercial vehicle hire business MV Commercial Ltd on various share and business purchases across the UK the sellers on the £40m sale of digital marketing business Realise to St Ives plc home care provider Carewatch Care Services on various acquisitions and disposals across the UK

Jennifer Wright

Jen is a Principal Associate employment lawyer with over 8 years experience advising clients on all aspects of employment law. Jen qualified as a solicitor in Scotland in 2011 and started her career in house, working for Scotland's largest local authority for 6 years before moving into private practice and joining Shoosmiths in August 2020. She is based within the Scottish employment team. In her career she has represented clients at Employment Tribunals throughout the UK and also in the Employment Appeal Tribunal, conducting all of her own advocacy. She also provides day to day employment advice and support to HR teams on a range of matters including disciplinaries, grievances and absences. In addition, she provides corporate support to our corporate teams in a commercial and solution driven fashion.

John Dunlop

John is a principal associate in the Edinburgh real estate team with wide experience of acting for property investors, developers, landlords and tenants. He has substantial acquisition and disposal expertise He is easy to deal with and is known for providing pragmatic and commercially aware solutions. John’s can-do attitude gets deals done quickly and efficiently.  His recent experience includes: completing number of investment acquisitions for large UK property investment group advising Roomzzz as they took a lease of the aparthotel at the Edinburgh St James Centre advising a property company in the acquisition of a development site in Glasgow for student accommodation and a large retail unit heading up the first registration project for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service which required the registration of all their property interests in the Land Register of Scotland (300+ properties) advising a number of national occupiers with their occupation requirements including new lettings, purchases and portfolio management.  

John Shirley-Rakhra

  John is a Senior Associate in the Litigation Services team and works closely with a range of clients, advising on a wide variety of contentious commercial matters including international arbitrations, Commercial Court and Chancery Court proceedings. John qualified as a solicitor at Shoosmiths in 2018 having trained with the firm and has recently completed an eight month secondment with The Royal Bank of Scotland’s Litigation & Investigations team. Before pursuing a legal career, John studied Philosophy and Politics at Cambridge, qualified as a teacher and subsequently worked as a lobbyist running communications campaigns for a variety of residential and commercial developments in the south of England. Notable recent experience includes: advising on a $500 million corporate dispute relating to the ownership of a large games developer; managing a €1 million claim issued in Spain regarding the historical assignment and sale of debts; advising on a £5 million insurance dispute about utilisation of funds held at Lloyds of London; acting in Commercial Court proceedings in a dispute involving the provision of services internationally; advising on English law aspects of insurance proceedings taking place in the US; and representing the claimant in a Commercial Court claim regarding defects in industrial machinery.

Jordan Hollingsworth

    Jordan is a Senior Associate in our corporate department advising on all aspects of corporate law, including venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, joint ventures, shareholders' agreements, investments and general corporate advisory mandates. Jordan works with a variety of clients including private companies, venture capital investors, management teams and owner managed businesses. Jordan completed her degree in Law with French at The University of Sheffield and LPC LLM at the University of Law in Birmingham.

Kate McGoverne

  Kate is a Principal Associate and joined Shoosmiths’ real estate team  in April 2018. Prior to that Kate worked at Irwin Mitchell and Nabarro since qualification in 2008. Kate’s experience includes all areas of landlord and tenant work with a particular emphasis in retail and industrial estates, acquisitions and disposals and asset management. Kate also advises on strategic land transactions, site assembly and disposal, together with corporate real estate and secured lending transactions. Kate has considerable experience of working for both public and private sector clients including Hallam Land Management Limited, Thorntons Limited, TRG and The Gym Limited. Kate is recognised as an excellent technical lawyer with the ability to deliver client-led results in a “no-nonsense” manner. Kate is based primarily in Sheffield

Katrina Spolander

Katrina is a principal associate and has a broad range of experience in many aspects of commercial real estate, with a particular focus on advising clients in the retail, telecommunications and care sectors. Her recent experience includes acting for: global retailers in connection with the acquisition of a number of retail outlet  stores; a national telecommunications retailer in relation to its general portfolio management; a property investment company on the re-finance and retail letting of restaurants and retail units at a prime asset in Central London; the largest electrical buying group in Europe in its acquisition of the 86,000 sq ft warehouse and distribution centre in Preston.

Kimberley Goh

Kimberley is a Legal Director in Shoosmiths' Corporate practice in Glasgow. Kimberley has over 14 years’ experience acting for all types of businesses across a variety of sectors. Kimberley's focus is corporate transactions. She has developed a strong repertoire of M&A and private equity deals, from advising domestic family-owned businesses through the entire corporate life-cycle, to leading project teams in delivering global PE backed M&A deals. Kimberley routinely advises investors and VCs on debt and equity investments, portfolio acquisitions and exits. She also works with early-stage companies and founders in growth-stage fundraisings and has a keen interest in supporting social enterprise and impact investment. Kimberley is experienced in acting on distressed M&A deals such as pre-pack administrations, working hand in hand with insolvency and restructuring specialists, IPs and corporate clients in implementing insolvency processes and time-pressured deals. Kimberley also regularly advises corporate clients on large-scale group reorganisations in preparation for sale or in implementation of complex tax restructurings. Her transactional experience includes Being a member of the core corporate team at her previous firm who acted for a leading global private equity firm on its €6.85 billion auction bid and successful acquisition of a globally renowned food production, manufacturing and supply chain business. Kimberley’s role included managing local counsel teams to deliver legal diligence across 75+ jurisdictions. The deal involved managing multiple combined asset and share purchases, and assisting the client with its operational set-up of the new global group and brand, and Kimberley coordinated legal aspects for the project teams to set up entities within the global purchaser group structure against complex national regulatory frameworks. The deal won global Private Equity Deal of the Year in 2018. Leading on the corporate aspects of a restructure and private syndicated debt buy-back valued at more than £305 million, secured over various real estate portfolios involving in excess of 30 non-grouped multi-jurisdictional companies. Advising an AIM listed client with the prepack purchase of a high street retail business out of administration. The sale ensured continuity of business across 71 of the brand’s retail sites and safeguarded 822 of its 915 employees. Acting in the restructuring of a leading premium UK housebuilder, including £300 million debt to equity swaps and £500 million debt write-off. Advising a leading bank on validity and ultimate enforcement of its security over a group of companies in the pubs and leisure sector, attending to various administration appointments and advising the administrators on the trading administration of the group for more than a year, which included coordinating specialist insolvency-related employment, real estate, licensing and dispute resolution advice, before finally dealing in the sales of the various operational sites out of administration. Whilst serving as a core member of the team of panel lawyers for her previous firm, advising Scottish Enterprise on 110+ debt and equity investments and multiple successful exits for SE's various equity funds, renewable energy funds and the Scottish Investment Bank. Effectively navigating SE’s unique regulatory framework, whilst ensuring the success of commercial deals for the benefit of the local Scottish ecosystem. Acting for a US-headquartered group in its US$80 million sale of a UK subsidiary operated out of Livingston, which was widely regarded as owning one of the best cleanrooms in the global semiconductor industry. Acting for the family owners of a leading 165-year-old Scottish quarrying business in their corporate restructuring and sale. In the Real Estate sector, regularly advising on various acquisitions and sales via offshore SPV holding companies of UK real estate assets, including prime capital city office space, shopping centres and development land. Leading on all aspects of a multi-stage tax reorganisation of a leading national tyre distribution company regarding the demerger of its business to separate the trading business from the real estate portfolio, and completing a group restructure in preparation for exit. Having led the owner manager clients on their successful exit from their third generation family business, acting for the selling shareholders in succession planning and implementation of family investment companies to allow the next generation to venture into property investment and development. Advising on a double BIMBO involving the sale by two separate management teams of a truck and trailer refurbishment business in England and a vehicle asset finance and leasing business in Scotland, into a new UK group alongside equity capital investment from a London-based private equity house. Kimberley acted for the client for years on various buy and build acquisitions for the group and finally for management on their eventual exit to a trade buyer.

Laura Austin

Laura is a Senior Associate within the Solent corporate team. She has experience working on mergers and acquisitions, management buy-outs, private equity investments and general corporate governance. Previously, Laura has worked in-house for both a technology company and a marine engineering company. She joined Shoosmiths as a paralegal in 2015 before starting her training contract. Laura spent nine months of her training contract working in-house at a corporate finance house before qualifying in 2018.

Laura Wright

Laura is a Senior Associate and supports the work of the employment team in providing meaningful legal assistance to companies and individuals. She has previous experience in both contentious and non-contentious employment matters, which includes the following: preparing for and attending an 18 day hearing concerning a complex whistleblowing and sexual orientation discrimination claim. In particular, Laura co-ordinated the respondent's response to an application for further disclosure made by the claimant three days before the final hearing; completing corporate due diligence, including reviewing employment contracts, policies and litigation and producing a detailed due diligence report which highlighted key risks for the client; producing external briefing notes for clients, covering topics including termination, grievance handling and general HR queries; and drafting and advising in relation to settlement agreements.  

Lauren Miller

Lauren is a dual qualified real estate lawyer with over 15 years' experience in all aspects of residential development and commercial property work. She acts for both housebuilders and landowners in connection with conditional contracts, development agreements, short and long term strategic option agreements, complex overage arrangements, promotion agreements, joint venture agreements and collaboration arrangements, as well as advising on complex title issues. She also has extensive experience of buying and selling investments properties and acting for developers in all types of commercial property development (including waste to energy and other types of renewable energy developments), as well as landlords and tenants. Her recent experience includes acting for: national housebuilders in connection with the negotiation and conclusion of conditional contracts for the purchase of numerous development sites throughout Central Scotland; a national housebuilder in connection with the complex re-gear of an existing option to purchase a 1000 unit site and involving a number of complex title and contractual issues; a landowner in connection with the sale of a development site to two residential developers in a number of phases and including a series of complex contractual arrangements, including advising on the re-negotiation of the terms of the contracts in light of the impact of COVID-19; a national housebuilder in connection with the property aspects proposed joint venture arrangements with an associated development company; a developer client in connection with the sale of various plots within a redevelopment site to retail, café and business unit occupiers; the developer of a waste to energy project in connection with the negotiation of an option to take a lease; a landlord in connection with the grant of several options to lease for a variety of prospective energy projects at a prominent port regeneration site; a large UK plc client in the energy sector in connection with a number of varied and complex matters related to the proposed sale and redevelopment of a redundant power station; UK ports client in connection with the negotiation and completion of a lease for a new cruise berth and associated agreement for lease for a new cruise terminal on the River Clyde. She has been praised by clients for her pragmatic "can do" attitude and her ability to quickly assimilate complex legal and commercial issues, allowing her to provide technical legal advice that meets her clients' commercial objectives.

Lewis Ritchie

Lewis is a senior associate in our Real Estate team and acts for a number of residential and commercial developers. His experience includes: acting for the developer in the acquisition of a former nightclub for development as student accommodation. acting for the developer in the acquisition of a site for residential development, including the provision of affordable housing. dealing with development site set-up (including putting in place deeds of condition and completing utility transfers and servitudes). Lewis' involvement in all aspects of residential development, from acquisition of the site through to the final plot sale, allows Lewis to be aware of, and meet the commercial and practical needs of, our housebuilder clients.

Lyndsey O'Connor

Lyndsey is a dual qualified real estate partner with vast experience in the build to rent sector having acted for several of the main players in the area for a number of years on acquisitions (forward purchase and otherwise), financings and disposals. Lyndsey have also acted on many investment purchases and sales of various types of property including shopping centres, retail parks, logistic and industrial properties, as well as being well versed in landlord and tenant matters. Clients praise Lyndsey's can-do attitude and really appreciate her ability to focus on the main commercial issues quickly in order to ensure delivery of deals to the clients' timescales. Recent experience includes advising: The PRS REIT on all site acquisitions since its inception in May 2017 (currently over 70 sites) On the financing of various build to rent sites and portfolios, with institutional lenders (such as Barclays, Lloyds and NatWest) - both during the development stage and on completed sites Thistle (being a joint venture between Sigma Capital and Gatehouse Bank and one of the first PRS funds established in the UK) on the sale of a portfolio over 900 units to  Goldman Sachs for c. £150m London BTR Investments (a joint venture between Sigma Capital and EQT) on the acquisition of various complex mixed-use development sites in the Greater London area

Megan McDonald

  Megan is a Principal Associate in the Glasgow real estate team with a wide range of commercial property experience acting for landowners, investors, developers, landlords and tenants. She has a broad experience in buying and selling investments properties and acting for both landowners and developers in a range of commercial property development, including energy and strategic land projects. She works closely with other teams to facilitate financing and reorganisation arrangements. Megan also has extensive experience in representing both landlord and tenant clients in ongoing asset management transactions.  

Michael McLaughlin

Michael is a Partner in the Employment team and is a vastly experienced employment lawyer and advocate based in Shoosmiths Glasgow office.  He appears in tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal throughout the UK. He works across a number of different sectors including infrastructure, rail, utilities and the public sector.  He specialises in advising clients on the employment law aspects of structural change particularly insourcing and outsourcing and has been involved in high profile and ground breaking TUPE litigation. Clients comment on Michael's calm, affable, no nonsense style. He is concise and direct when advising clients. They also praise his commanding advocacy style.

Natalie Hager

Natalie is a Principal Associate in our Corporate group based in Leeds. Natalie has significant experience on a wide range of corporate transactions including, private equity and venture capital transactions, private company mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganisations, joint ventures and general corporate advisory. Natalie specialises in private equity transactions (acting for both institutions and management teams) across a variety of sectors. Recent experience includes: advising real estate fund, Moorfield Group, on its £125 million joint venture and investment with Allegra Care; advising LDC on its £221 million sale and subsequent co-investment with Francisco Partners in ByBox; acting for August Equity on its divestment of the Aspirations Group to Elysian Capital, by way of secondary buy-out; advising Moorfield Group on its £100 million joint venture with Stor-Age Property REIT, a real estate investment trust that operates self-storage sites in South Africa and the UK; advising Yorkshire Wildlife Group on its £38 million debt and equity raise from Lloyds Bank plc and BGF; and advising WM Morrison Supermarkets plc on the acquisition of three superstores from Co-operative Group. External quote

Niall Fanning

Niall is a Senior Associate real estate lawyer with wide experience of acting for and advising registered providers in relation to real estate transactions and securitisation of stock. His practice includes the purchase of land and schemes under s106 agreements and the subsequent sale and lease of outright and shared ownership properties. He has experience assisting private developers on the set up and sales of residential schemes. Niall qualified in 2002 and has been a solicitor in Shoosmiths' real estate practice since 2015.

Nina Oliver

Nina is part of Shoosmiths' Construction team, based in the Edinburgh office and working with colleagues nationally. She has experience with both contentious and non-contentious construction matters, acting for developers, contractors and subcontractors across multiple jurisdictions on high value transactions dealing with large volumes of documents. On the non-contentious front, Nina is highly competent at drafting and reviewing building contracts (under English and Scottish law), appointments, warranties and bonds for projects ranging from large developments to small works. Nina also has experience advising on the risks of the assignment/assignation with cross jurisdictional considerations. Nina is also experienced in contentious construction matters such as mediation, litigation, adjudication and arbitration (on an international basis) for claims of a minor value to multi-million dollar disputes.

Oliver Byrne

Oliver is a Senior Associate and joined Shoosmiths in 2021 as a member of the Manchester Real Estate Team. Oliver advises on all aspects of commercial property including acquisitions, disposals, lettings, portfolio management, developments and financings. Oliver's recent experience includes:  acting for a borrower in respect of a £43.5 million portfolio refinance; acting for a corporate occupier on a lease of a new office in central London; assisting on the development of a new state of the art global centre of excellence for sustainable manufacture of glass; acting on the disposal of a 200 unit portfolio for a national housebuilder; acting on the acquisition and finance of a £4.1m multi-let site in the north west; assisting on the acquisition of a 15-acre residential development to create 160 new homes;  

Paul Caddy

Paul Caddy is Head of Insight at Shoosmiths, having previously practised as a commercial and data protection lawyer, with a particular focus on new technologies. Qualifying in 2000, he has worked in private practice in major law firms, in business and with leading legal publishers, such as LexisNexis (LexisPSL) and Thomson Reuters. Paul joined Shoosmiths in 2019. Paul is a prolific writer and, through thought leadership, is determined to help drive change in the legal sector, not only through the use of legaltech, but by focusing on the human side of legal practice too. Together with colleagues David Jackson and Tony Randle, he has recently published a book on the future of legal practice: Legal Practice in the Digital Age. The book shows how lawyers can embrace technological change through taking a people-centric approach, being creative with technology and innovation, and entrenching forward-thinking new mindsets into their firm’s DNA.

Pavan Sumal

  Pavan is a senior associate who specialises in immigration law and is based in our Glasgow office.  Pavan has specialised in immigration law since qualifying as a solicitor in 2013.  Over this time, Pavan has gained a wealth of experience in this field.  This includes advising companies of all sizes in relation to the recruitment of international workers, applying for and maintaining sponsor licences, compliance, carrying out right to work checks and challenging civil penalties.  Pavan also has significant experience in personal and family immigration matters, from visit visas, spouse visas, ILR and citizenship applications and applications under the EU Settlement Scheme.  Pavan also represents clients at the Immigration Tribunal.

Phil Gregory

Phil is a partner in the real estate team specialising in development work. He has a particular focus on retail, industrial, mixed use and roadside sector development transactions.  Key elements of his experience include: - acting for a number of regional developers focused on mixed use retail and roadside developments across the UK; - acting for a Yorkshire based developer in respect of a long term multi phase mixed use regeneration scheme in the heart of a major city centre; - acting for a high net worth family property fund on investment and industrial development opportunities across the region; - historically acting for Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc and subsequently Lidl Great Britain Limited on their new store acquisition and development programmes;

Poppy Ball

Poppy is a Principal Associate corporate lawyer advising on all aspects of corporate law, with a wide-ranging experience of private M&A, and a particular interest in public transactions including IPOs, secondary fundraising and takeovers. Her approach to transactions has been described as commercial and pragmatic. Recent experience includes advising: MIP Holdings Ltd on the takeover by way of scheme of arrangement and delisting of French Connection Group plc; an Australian client on the acquisition of a company specialising in patient administration systems; advising the exiting shareholders of two manufacturing process solutions companies on their sale to a UK subsidiary of a French listed company.

Rachael McCallum

Rachael is a senior associate member of the Real Estate team who specialises in commercial leasing (both landlord and tenant) and has experience in the acquisition and disposal of commercial properties, including portfolio and development acquisitions. Rachael joined Shoosmiths in 2019. Her experience includes: drafting and negotiating development agreements, leases and lease variations and associated documentation, including advice on contract provisions and lease structure (both landlord and tenant); drafting and negotiating agricultural tenancies and grazing lets; and assisting in the acquisition of a large portfolio of both residential and commercial properties by a small investor, including new lettings, purchases and portfolio management.

Rachel Munro

  Rachel is a Senior Associate in the Real Estate team, with extensive experience in residential development work. She acts for housebuilders, landowners and land promoters, assisting them on site acquisitions, affordable housing acquisitions and sales, conditional contracts, option agreements, strategic land acquisitions as well as advising on complex title issues, both in isolation and as part of any transaction. Her recent experience includes: Acting for a housebuilder in the property aspects of a large-scale re-cladding project, providing advice and guidance throughout the project including drafting complex minutes of agreement; Acting for housebuilders in the acquisition of sites across Scotland, including the negotiation of often complex conditional contracts as well as complex title issues; Acted for a national housebuilder in the contractual negotiations and sales of various affordable housing sites, including both golden brick and turnkey style contracts; Acted for a national housebuilder in a residential development site, which involved the strategic acquisition of various land parcels to ensure seamless access across the site, involving very complex title issues and contractual negotiations; Acting for a LLP in the acquisition of various blocks of flats and houses from a local authority at various developments, involving complex title issues which required various title documentation to be deployed to regulate maintenance of the developments going forward; Acted for a RSL in the acquisition of a 300 unit site (which formed part of a larger wide-scale development) which involved a complex conditional sale contract and complex title issues; Acted for various housebuilders in the site set-ups for developments and the drafting of deeds of conditions (involving the drafting of provisions to regulate the installation and operation of EV charging points within developments); Acted for a national housebuilder in the conveyance of SUDS ponds and drainage infrastructure within developments to Scottish Water; and Acted for a RSL in the property aspects of a corporate acquisition of properties in Glasgow, which involved complex title due diligence but also identifying any issues going forward considering the strategic development plans.

Richard Lester

Richard is a senior associate in Shoosmiths’ Commercial Recoveries Services section, managing a small number of staff, and deals with over 1000 non-contentious legal actions for large commercial clients on a weekly basis. He has considerable experience in relation to undefended commercial legal actions as well as all methods of enforcement of Monetary Judgments and Insolvency, and is also experienced in dealing with Return of Goods claims. He also specialises in legal updates and technical issues within the section, having attended various continuing professional/development courses.

Robin Mitchell

Partner

Samantha Mackie

  Samantha is a Senior Associate and provides contentious and non-contentious support on employment matters in sectors ranging from social enterprise, retail, food & drink, utilities and manufacturing (pharmaceutical). Samantha has retained immigration experience and can support with corporate and personal immigration in the post-Brexit world, particularly with issues relating to sponsorship and right to work. Samantha's interests sit within discrimination and equal pay. Samantha has  represented both employers and employees in the full breadth of discrimination claims. Currently, she is supporting the defence of an equal pay and sex discrimination class action. Recent litigation work requires consideration of the issue of trade union blacklisting, whether a pandemic mandatory face mask policy could be discriminatory to employees with disabilities and representing a claimant in an unfair dismissal claim against an employer in liquidation. Recent advisory work consists of dismissals due to statutory restriction, cross-border contract work and redesigning holiday pay processes as a result of updated case law. Samantha values thought leadership and have had work published by the Employment Law Journal, Lexology and Lexis Nexis.

Sharon Banga

Sharon is a medical negligence Principal associate who joined Shoosmiths in May 2016 after having practiced in the field for another midlands based medical negligence firm for over a decade previous. She is a member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel which demonstrates a high level of knowledge, skill and experience in the area of medical negligence. Her special interests include kidney, complex neurological, spinal and amputation injuries. These interests have been developed by the numerous medical negligence clients she has successfully represented. She also has experience of dealing with fatality claims as well as claims involving various severe injuries where there were ongoing care and other specialised needs that her clients needed assistance with. Sharon has further represented many claimants in a wide range of cases including injuries arising from misdiagnosis of fractures and other medical conditions, difficulties during birth, unreasonable delay in diagnosis of different types of cancer, complications of surgery, and a variety of other medical issues. Sharon has been closely involved in representing a large group of clients who have brought claims against breast surgeon, Ian Paterson, for potentially undertaking unnecessary surgery and surgery that has contravened national guidelines. Sharon settled two of the first cases for the private healthcare clients in this litigation. Sharon is very dedicated to her work and highly professional in the way she represents clients and this shows in the quality and careful preparation of her cases as well as the amount of compensation she secures for her clients. Prior to initiating her working career in law, Sharon studied at the College of Law and the University of Birmingham. Work Highlights Securing an award of compensation for a 24 year old client for failure to detect kidney damage which later developed into end stage shortly before she sadly passed away.  Her family went onto establish a charity in her memory to assist young patients who suffer from kidney failure. Securing a significant award for a young man who suffered avoidable kidney failure due to negligence involving a failure to diagnose his condition appropriately. Recovering £3.2 million for a lady  who suffered a severe neurological injury. Forming part of the initial group of lead solicitors in the litigation regarding Birmingham rogue breast surgeon, Ian Paterson. x;">Securing an award of compensation of £1.3 million for a client who had an avoidable amputation. Representing and securing an admission of liability for a young child who suffers from avoidable Cerebral Palsy. Representing and securing an admission of liability for someone who suffered an avoidable above the knee amputation due to negligent treatment of his vascular condition by his GP. Representing and securing an admission of liability for the family of a young lady with dependent children who suffered an avoidable aortic aneurysm. Representing and successfully securing a six figure sum for  the widow and children of a gentleman who sadly passed away in his mid-30’s due to a fatal pulmonary embolism caused by the admitted delay in treating his condition.

Sheelagh Cooley

Sheelagh is a Partner in the Real Estate Division who specialises in Real Estate Finance, acting for many major financial institutions and lenders and also provides advice to borrowers on their funding requirements and associated documentation. Sheelagh also undertakes a range of real estate work such as acquisitions, disposals, and all aspects of leasing work. Sheelagh is listed as an “Up and coming” lawyer in the 2021 Chambers Directory. Having spent time on secondment to a City of London firm in 2006, Sheelagh has significant experience of acting on large portfolio and multi-jurisdictional finance work, gained both during her time on secondment and subsequently. Sheelagh is also regularly involved with insolvency and restructuring, acting for a range of insolvency practitioners and banks in, for example, reviewing security packages, advising, on real estate strategy and disposals. Her recent notable transactions include: acting for lender in relation to £12 million refinance of mixed use development site in Central Scotland; acting for borrower in relation to £28 million refinance in relation to a significant student accommodation development in central Edinburgh; acting for High street lender in £40m refinance of major national logistics company; acting for lender in £1.3 million asset finance deal involving materials being supplied for major infrastructure project in Scotland; acting for lender in £8m refinance of renewable energy company including multiple wind farm sites in Scotland acting for borrower in Scottish aspects of UK wide refinance of onshore wind portfolio acting for major lender in £3 million financing of open space land management company and; acting for residential development client in disposal of significant portfolio of their UK properties.

Simon Dawes

Legal Director

Stuart Clubb

Partner

Sue Bowler

Sue is a partner and national head of the Court of Protection team. She has over 25 years of experience supporting clients who have suffered serious injuries and disabilities, particularly clients who have serious brain injuries or who lack mental capacity. Sue is a passionate advocate for people who are vulnerable or have disabilities and through her work she is committed to improving their quality of life. Sue's work as a Court of Protection deputy and a trustee enables her to make a real difference to the lives of disabled clients and their families by arranging care, housing, therapies and equipment. Sue is an Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) panel deputy for property and finances, one of only approximately 70 such OPG-appointed panel deputies nationwide. She is also a panel guardian for missing people. These appointments mean that the OPG and Court of Protection refer cases directly to Sue for her to manage the property and finances of people who lack mental capacity to do so themselves or are missing. Sue's work is very varied, including managing settlements through personal injury trusts for clients who choose to place their awards into a trust, through to acting as a professional Court of Protection deputy. Sue is very experienced in applying the principles of the Mental Capacity Act to determine whether clients have capacity, and also in making decisions on behalf of those who do not. Her clients include children who suffered injuries at birth, adults who have acquired brain injuries, and those with degenerative neurological conditions such as dementia. Primarily through Sue's work as an OPG panel deputy, she has conducted many cases in the Court of Protection where there are ongoing disputes. Examples of Sue's work are: implementing and overseeing many 24/7 care packages, including directly employing many teams of care staff; purchasing properties to be adapted for clients, commissioning the adaptations, negotiating terms and overseeing the performance of the building contracts; advising in safeguarding issues; appointment as health and welfare deputy, as well as financial deputy; and provided training to many charities and support organisations on matters such as mental capacity and the Court of Protection.

Sylwena Sempa

Sylwena is a Principal Associate within our Commercial Litigation team, since qualification in 2005 she has acted for a diverse range of clients.  Her experience covers a wide range of general commercial disputes as well as niche areas of pensions’ litigation, High Court employment cases and phone hacking litigation. Sylwena tailors her approach to complement her client’s requirements and offers pragmatic and commercially astute advice from the outset.  She recognises the importance of balancing commercial realities against legal principles and therefore seeks to understand the commercial context of each dispute in order to frame her advice on tactics and strategy generally. Examples of Sylwena’s work include: acting for an employer in relation to its successful Part 8 claim for declaratory relief that the transfer of members within a sectionalised scheme from the DB to DC section would not trigger a potential multi-million pound section 75 debt; acting in a £1.74m breach of trust claim against a solicitor's firm following a third party's fraudulent misappropriation of loan funds; acting for a leading provider of lease finance products in connection with its multi-million pound claim for damages following systemic breaches of multiple contracts; advising on the defence of a High Court employment restrictive covenant/interim injunction case, which commenced with us successfully defending the application for springboard injunctive relief assisted by extensive supporting forensic evidence.  The matter subsequently settled on confidential terms; acting for various celebrities in relation to their phone-hacking claims; acting for an Independent Trustee of a pension scheme in relation to its High Court application for declaratory relief concerning the validity or otherwise of the scheme's purported winding up, cessation of accruals, equalisation and the validity of the Actuary's GN19 certificate; and successfully using alternative dispute resolution to achieve commercially attractive settlements.

Victoria Simpson

Vicky is a senior associate with experience in a broad range of real estate work including property finance, leasing and investment acquisitions/disposals. Her recent project experience includes: - representing high street retailers on acquisition, disposal and management matters relating to property in Scotland -  Acting for a major international retailer in taking office space above an existing store; - Advising a Lender on the Scottish Aspects of the property finance of an European property portfolio; - Advising on the Scottish aspects of a multi property national leasing project;

Wayne Gibbard

Wayne leads the automotive finance practice for Shoosmiths. Prior to joining Shoosmiths, Wayne spent 25 years working in-house in senior and executive roles at international, blue chip financial services and automotive businesses including: Volkswagen Financial Services; GMAC; NatWest (including Lombard and Invoice Finance), Cisco and Santander Consumer UK. Wayne has extensive experience of scoping, leading and implementing domestic and international projects, particularly focused on strategically important restructuring and regulatory change. He specialises in regulated and unregulated asset finance, consumer credit and retail finance, with a depth of experience in motor finance. Wayne is also recognised for his experience in regulatory compliance and oversight activity. Competences Motor Finance (including wholesale funding), Consumer Credit, Leasing, Financial Services regulation and compliance, joint venture agreements and white label partnerships (motor). Selected Projects Drafting and review of consumer credit agreements. FCA applications and variations to permissions. Implementation of online motor finance distribution models. (various manufacturers and finance providers). Establishment and set-up of joint venture arrangements and companies.