Adele has extensive quality experience advising, training and representing SME and Corporate business’ on employee relations and all ancillary employment law issues. Her expertise and insight allied to her friendly manner fosters a very good rapport with clients, so she quickly grasps their business requirements, values and culture. She focuses on the key issues. She forensically breaks cases down delivering clear and pragmatic solutions tailored to the needs of your business. She acts for a host of loyal manufacturing and retail brands, blue chip companies and SMEs. Her considerable expertise in the manufacturing and retail sectors, includes assisting them with complex change management programmes, advising, supporting and coaching teams of HR Managers in significant restructures with reputational implications for their business whilst enhancing their brand. Adele is an experienced and persuasive advocate in the Employment Tribunal. She has many successful experiences of judicial and private mediation. Adele regularly leads on bespoke training courses delivered in-company where she is an engaging presenter. Highlights include: Successfully advising, proactively supporting and coaching a team of HR Managers in harmonising and changing terms and conditions of employment of 10,000 employees. The international brand increased weekend working to 3 in 4 weekends. Removal of bonus payments and introduction of living wage foundation pay resulting in increased staff at business critical times and reducing the overall wage bill; Advising and supporting and coaching HR in significant restructure to cut 7500 jobs worldwide and 350 jobs in UK with reputational implications for the international brand resulting in a reduction in wage bill; Successfully managing capability termination of long-standing employee with significant mental health illness and numerous suicide attempts, preventing future grievances and significant liability for disability discrimination; Successfully settling multiple lurid allegations of sex discrimination which had the ability to adversely affect the reputation of a national business and saving approx. £85K in damages; Successfully advising and defending unfair dismissal and sex discrimination claims involving a longstanding employee with significant final salary pension loss saving £100k in damages
Weightmans LLP
Lawyers
Alex defends professionals facing negligence claims, chiefly in the construction sector, including engineers, architects, design-and-build contractors and surveyors. Alex is skilled in analysing the legal and practical issues in a claim, and gathering and deploying the evidence and arguments in his client’s favour. This has helped many clients walk away from trial with the claims against them dismissed, and brought many more to successful negotiated conclusion where that is the best outcome. Alex also specialises in insurance coverage disputes, dealing with issues such as fair presentation, breaches of policy conditions, the effect of exclusions, aggregation and double-insurance. A current highlight is a matter in which the Court of Appeal is set to determine a point of law regarding limitation in Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Act 2010 claims. The outcome will be of some significance to all liability insurers, and those seeking to bring claims against them. Alex is recognised by clients for his technical ability, innovation, clarity and pragmatism.
Andrew is a Partner in the Litigation team at Weightmans and has well over 30 years' experience of handling and resolving commercial disputes and litigation, all of which has been gained at leading national and global law firms in the UK. In recent years, Andrew has led work on a number of significant and complex cases proceeding in the Commercial Court, Mercantile Court and Court of Appeal. Andrew's specialist areas of practice within commercial litigation include: advising in relation to contract disputes (including contract interpretation, enforcement and termination) warranty claims arising from the sale and purchase of companies shareholder disputes (including claims of unfair prejudice) intellectual property matters (including breach of copyright, trademark infringement and passing off) defamation IT disputes including contracts for the supply of software franchising disputes (including those involving international franchisors) joint venture disputes the enforcement of restrictive covenants and the protection of confidential information advising on claims for compensation by commercial agents procurement disputes He is experienced in managing electronic disclosure in litigation proceedings and in advising clients on appropriate and cost-effective strategies for dealing with electronic disclosure. Andrew has helped numerous clients to settle their disputes either before or during litigation by way of Alternative Dispute Resolution and in particular by way of mediation. He is also National Sector Lead for Manufacturing at Weightmans and a member of the firm's Education Sector group acting as lead Partner for Further Education. Andrew acts for a broad range of clients ranging from large corporates, owner-managed businesses and private individuals as well as universities, further education colleges, local authorities and charities. Prior to joining Weightmans in December 2013, Andrew spent over 20 years at DLA Piper in Liverpool where he had been a Partner since 2007. He is a member of the Society for Computers and Law.
Head of Service Delivery, Litigation Department. Types of work include contractual disputes, financial sector litigation, property litigation, and general commercial litigation.
Ann joined the firm in 2019 having qualified as a solicitor in 2004. Since that time she has worked almost exclusively in the field of high-value personal injury and has over 15 years' experience dealing with spinal and head injury claims of the utmost severity. She has a particular interest in fatal injury claims and her practice also covers claims involving amputations, severe orthopaedic injuries, chronic pain and post-concussion syndrome. She also advises on policy coverage issues related to personal injury claims. Ann represents a number of different insurers and has a full range of experience defending employers’ liability, public liability, occupiers’ liability, product liability, construction and agriculture-based claims and road traffic accident claims as well as cases involving a foreign element.
Beth qualified as a real estate solicitor in October 2015. She joined Weightmans in December 2017 and has significant experience in acting for the social housing sector, having almost exclusively serviced this sector throughout her career to date. She advises on property acquisitions and disposals, including the acquisition of sites for housing development, together with all ancillary matters such as easements, infrastructure and statutory agreements, option agreements and overage agreements. She prepares acquired sites ready for disposal by our plot sales team and advises on affordable housing products. She also acts for registered providers in asset purchases, stock rationalisations, landlord and tenant matters and the property aspects of securitisation projects. Recent experience includes acting for a registered provider and their PRS commercial subsidiary in the acquisition of a rural site for development of approximately 150 units, and acting for a registered provider in a number of portfolio stock rationalisation matters to assist in funding their acquisition programme.
Bob joined the firm in 2017 as Group Finance Director, following 13 years as Finance and Retail director at Lakeland based in Windermere. As FD Bob was instrumental in the transformation of Lakeland into a digitally focused and international business. During his ten years as retail director, he had line responsibility for 68 stores and 1200 colleagues, and the team were consistently recognised by customers as one of the leading UK brands for customer service. Bob's career spans retail, technology, hospitality and professional services. Whilst at Vodafone Bob held roles in Group Finance and ultimately as the head of finance in the UK technology division, where the business spent over £1bn p.a. building and operating the UK mobile network. At PWC Bob qualified as a chartered accountant and spent two years as audit manager, gaining exposure to a range of audit, corporate finance and tax assignments. His appointment at Weightmans is his first in the legal sector, and his 25 years experience in a wide variety of other businesses bring a fresh and commercial perspective to the firm. People, values and winning through effective teamwork are of fundamental importance to Bob's approach.
Carole is a partner in the Private Client team at Weightmans. Recognised in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame, she has practised as a family lawyer for over 35 years and was appointed as Deputy District Judge in 2001. Carole has acted for many high profile individuals with significant assets. She has particular expertise in dealing with cases involving onshore and offshore trusts as well as complex corporate and tax issues in cases where the assets are worth many millions. She has considerable experience in drafting prenuptial agreements particularly those involving cross border issues. She is recognised for her extensive knowledge and experience, her exceptional client care skills and her pragmatic approach to family dispute resolution. Carole is consistently recommended and recognised in Legal Directories: Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leader in her field. She has been described as a family lawyer who "makes the so-called 'magic circle' firms look ordinary." Her clients have included household names as well as fellow professionals. Many of her clients are recommended to her by QCs and other lawyers and professionals. She regularly lectures and writes articles on topical family law issues and has appeared on radio and television to discuss and to advise on family law issues and recent developments. Her approach to family law is a sensitive yet proactive approach to dispute resolution with the aim of achieving a successful outcome for each client in a cost-effective manner. Carole is an active member of Resolution, a trained collaborative lawyer and trained Resolution mentor. Carole is recognised as a "Top Recommended" family lawyer for high-net-worth individuals in The Spear’s Family Law Index 2021.
Catherine qualified as a solicitor in 2001 and joined Weightmans LLP as a solicitor in the corporate department in 2015 having previously worked at Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP (previously Heatons LLP). Catherine specialises in a broad range of corporate work including mergers and acquisitions, share and asset acquisitions and disposals, management buyouts and management buyins, debt and equity investment work, group reorganisations and restructures, shareholders agreements, joint ventures and general company and commercial advice. Catherine has acted for a broad range of clients including owner managed businesses, national and international corporate clients, institutional investors and management teams.
Charlie joined Weightmans in 1997 and leads Weightmans’ credit hire teams. He is responsible for the day to day operational running of the teams, and advises clients on best practice and strategic developments, based on over 15 years experience in the motor litigation sector. Charlie specialises in fraudulent credit hire and handling multi track claims in excess of £50,000.
Cheryl qualified as a solicitor in 2005 and joined the regulatory team at Weightmans in May 2018. Cheryl specialises in healthcare law and has provided advice to a range of both NHS and private healthcare clients on a number of issues but specifically in relation to the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and Court of Protection and HFEA Regulations. Cheryl has been involved with a number of significant reported cases involving challenges in the Court of Protection and the interface between the two Acts. Cheryl has also represented individuals, organisations, insurers and NHS Trusts in the Coroners Court. Cheryl’s expertise is in providing representation in complex multi party Article 2 inquests especially those involving mental health patients and prisoner deaths. She has managed and advocated these cases with sensitivity and skill. Significant cases In the matter of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (Cases P, Q, R, S, T and U) (No 2) [2017] EWHC 2532 (Fam) Declaration of Parenthood cases involving failures to correctly complete consent to parenthood documentation. IH (Observance of Muslim Practice) [2017] EWCOP 9 (Mr Justice Cobb): consideration of the approach the COP should take to religious observance, in this case Islam. Re A (A Child) (Medical Treatment: Removal of Artificial Ventilation) [2015] EWHC 443 (Fam)(Mr Justice Hayden): the definition of “death” in English law, contrasted with that in Islamic law - the High Court under parens patriae/inherent jurisdiction, should determine whether a person should have artificial ventilation withdrawn, in the event of a dispute, and not the Coroner, even though there is an overlap of jurisdiction. AMA v Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust [2015] UKUT 0036 (Mr Justice Charles) whether a deputy under the Court of Protection has standing in a MHT Hearing C v Blackburn with Darwen BC & others [2011] EWHC 1923 (Mr Justice Peter Jackson): overlap between guardianship (MHA) and DOLS (MCA)- COP should resolve best interests disputes. R (on the application of C) v A Local Authority et al [2011] All ER (D) 171 (Jun) Neutral Citation: [2011] EWHC 1539 (Admin) Dispute over best interests of severely autistic child; associated human rights claim and COP challenge.
Chris joined Weightmans in 1994 and has spent his career acting for insurers and self-insured clients across various sectors. Chris is now responsible for the development of solutions for the motor insurance market to ensure clients get the best results on their claims and are able to plan for future challenges. Chris is also a member of various trade associations such as FOIL, CPT, FTA and RHA.
Clive Bleasdale has been a Partner since 1993 specialising in commercial property law with an emphasis on local government regeneration developer projects and acting for property investors. He is currently acting for Liverpool City Council on the 1 billion pound Paddington Village project in the City's knowledge quarter. He acts also for £35 million Sefton Holdings group of property investment companies as well as manufacturing clients such as British Steel and caravan/lodge park owners such as Pure Leisure Group amongst others.
Colette is our Head of Construction and is ranked as a ‘leading individual’ in the Legal 500 directory. She has worked in private practice for over 20 years, including 10 years at Pinsent Masons. She has significant experience in dispute resolution and strategic advice in relation to construction and engineering projects. Colette is known for providing clear and direct advice which enables clients to achieve their objectives commercially and cost effectively. She has represented contractors, sub contractors, professional consultants, employers and developers through adjudication, litigation, mediation and arbitration (both domestically and internationally). Colette has a wide perspective in the sector and has advised on the standard form suite of contracts (e.g. FIDIC, JCT, NEC), bespoke contracts and complex PFI/PPP contracts, including associated step down agreements. Colette's relevant experience includes: Acting for an international contractor in a series of multi-million US Dollar disputes in ICC arbitration in relation to extension of time and money claims under EPC contracts for a project in the Middle East. Acting for a leading European contractor in a multi-million Euro dispute in ICC arbitration in relation to defects and delays on luxury hotel project in Azerbaijan. Acting for a global engineering consultant in relation to a multi party/action/million pound UK dispute in the Technology Construction court in relation to ground movement suffered at a national UK distribution centre. Acting for a police authority in a dispute with a leading contractor in connection with performance failures under an NEC Term Service Contract for repairs and maintenance works. Acting for an international facilities management contractor in connection with a multi-million pound dispute with the MOD. concerning variations under a NEC Term Service Contract for the provision of (among other) management, administration and site maintenance on a number of air weapons range training sites. Providing strategic advice and acting in adjudications on PFI disputes across various sectors (health, education and social housing) including disputes on unavailability deductions. Acting for an employer against a contractor on a marine project in relation to defective construction works which caused a significant sinkhole and resulted in extensive remedial works. Acting for M&E Engineers in adjudication against a design and build contractor in relation to contra charges wrongfully levied. Acting for a Design and Build contractor in adjudication against an Architect in relation to defective design works.
Formerly a Partner in the Litigation team with strong corporate client and accountancy connections in the North West, Craig has almost 40 years' experience dealing with commercial contentious matters of all descriptions. He is now a Consultant in the Knowledge Management and Library team where he brings those skills acquired as a commercial litigator to a number of internal governance projects.
Damian's specialism is resolving complex commercial and corporate disputes, and he has over 25 years' experience. He acts primarily for owner managed businesses, corporates, entrepreneurs and high net worth individuals. Damian leads the firm’s Owner Managed Business Sector in Manchester. Damian has experience of a wide range of commercial litigation matters with a particular emphasis on high value corporate disputes. Damian's caseload includes claims for breach of contract, warranty claims, shareholder actions, board disputes, insolvency, fraud claims, partnership disputes, banking litigation, intellectual property disputes, defamation claims, commercial agency disputes, restraint of trade, regulatory matters, contentious probate claims, property disputes and professional negligence actions. Damian also has considerable experience in working with clients to create innovative and flexible funding arrangements for litigation claims, enabling companies to leverage claims as a potential asset. Damian leads the firm’s third party litigation funding and ATE offering for clients – “Enable”. Damian has extensive experience in conducting proceedings in the specialist divisions of the High Court including the Business and Property Courts. Damian's work includes emergency applications for injunctions and expedited trials. Damian is an exponent of alternative dispute resolution and has successfully resolved many claims for his clients at mediation. Damian is recommended in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. Part of the winning team of Manchester Legal Awards 2022 for Litigation Team of the Year
David Lewis became the firm’s national Senior Partner in May 2018, having previously been head of the firm’s national Regulatory Department (2004-2018) and a Regional Office Head, first in Liverpool and later in Leeds (2007-2018). He had previously been the firm’s national Deputy Managing Partner (2000-2003) and its Regional Office managing Partner in Liverpool (2003-2007). After joining Weightmans as an Articled Clerk in 1985, David qualified in 1987 and was made a partner in 1992. After qualification he spent many years handling both civil and criminal litigation for insurers and their policyholders, before becoming a founder member of firm's dedicated regulatory services unit in 2004. David is best known for his work defending organisations and individuals facing investigation and prosecution for offences including corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter and breaches of health and safety legislation. The work often entails on-site investigations, PACE interviews and advocacy in Magistrates' and Coroners' Courts. In addition David has experience of environmental, trading standards, food safety and other regulatory enforcement work. David has extensive experience of inquest work, perhaps most notably in the healthcare sector. He is a veteran of hundreds of inquests, many involving juries and/or of a sensitive nature. David is an Assistant Coroner in two areas, and has held coronial office since 2010. Beyond Weightmans, David is currently a Trustee at Lighthouse Futures Trust, a dynamic, award-winning charity providing opportunities for young people with an autistic spectrum disorder and learning difficulties. In 2016 David completed two terms as a Trustee of NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health), including two years as Vice-Chair and two years as Chair of the Strategy Committee. During his period in office the organisation earned the coveted Queen’s Award for Enterprise – International Trade (2014). Between 2005-2011 David was a core tutor and module leader on Nottingham Law School's acclaimed 'MBA in Legal Practice' course.
David is technical lead for large loss, cross border and technical motor claims, having headed up our large loss and technical team for over 20 years. He specialises in catastrophic injury claims and in MIB claims, cross border claims and non-indemnity insurance work advising insurers on policy wording and on liabilities to third parties under both the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Art 75. He has dealt with the full range of catastrophic injury claims including claims of the utmost severity, spinal injuries (paraplegics/tetraplegics), amputations and serious head injuries. David has lectured widely on technical issues and on large loss issues. He was lead lawyer for MIB in relation to the latest Uninsured and Untraced Drivers Agreements. He represented in the Supreme Court case of Moreno (2016) and on the judicial review action brought by RoadPeace challenging various aspects of the Agreements and the 1988 Act as being contrary to European law. He has been involved in many leading cases including the cases of Wigley Foster, McCall v Poulton, Nemeti v Sabre, Winrow v Hemphill, Jacobs v MIB, Howe v MIB and Marshall/Pickard v MIB and others. David has advised MIB on a full range of strategic issues. David also represented MIB in the Supreme Court case of Moreno v MIB (2016) which determined that damages were payable in accordance with the law of the country of the accident.
David is a leading figure in the volume real estate sector and is account manager for Royal Mail and other major national brands in relation to property transactions and estate management covering the whole of England and Wales. David specialises in retail work where he acts for a number of high street brands, as well as the utilities sector where he has established a dedicated team for a regional energy provider delivering quality and efficiency across multiple workstreams. He has developed case manager systems combining data capture and management information to service his clients. His online reporting tool, One View, has been widely used by clients with larger property portfolios to help manage their estate and legal cases, providing data analytics on performance and trends. David has developed the use of Artificial Intelligence technology for real estate clients, employing Kira for lease analysis and data extraction.
David is a member of the firm’s litigation department and has specialist expertise in disputed wills trusts and estates, including will validity claims and challenges, claims involving the administration of estates, proprietary estoppel, Inheritance Act claims and disputes involving trustees, executors and beneficiaries. David was named Private Client 'Rising Star of the Year' at the Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards 2024, awarded to him following a comprehensive research programme based on feedback from David's clients and external contacts. He was also awarded Young Practitioner of the Year at the industry leading British Wills and Probate Awards 2022 for delivering “exceptional levels of client care”, “demonstrating high levels of skill and technical ability”, showing “a flair for innovation and championing best practice” and finding “solutions in challenging situations”. He was also recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ of the legal sector by the North West Business Insider 2023, and is part of the winning team at the Manchester Legal Awards 2022 for Litigation Team of the Year. He is a member of the contentious trusts association (ConTrA), the Northern Contentious Probate Group and the STEP Contentious Probate Special Interest Group. David has extensive court and ADR experience, particularly mediation, and is regularly instructed by a variety of clients including high net worth individuals, trustees and professionals
A 26 year track record in the area of personal injury and associated areas, working with major insurance companies Zurich and MIB.
Deborah qualified in September 1998 and has worked in Weightmans' professional risk team throughout her career. She has extensive experience of acting for solicitors in professional negligence claims arising from a wide range of underlying subject matters. Deborah frequently deals with lenders' claims and cases involving complex commercial transactions. She is particularly adept at dealing with document-heavy claims and has successfully handled several matters arising from personal injury litigation involving brain damage and other catastrophic injuries. In recent years, Deborah has drawn upon her considerable knowledge of claims against solicitors to advise other professionals about risk management and compliance issues. She has had a number of risk-management articles published in the legal press and has also dealt with outsourced complaints work and disciplinary issues.
A well-respected and experienced health & safety lawyer, Dewi has been ranked for a number of years in Chambers and Legal 500 and his reputation with peers and clients continues to grow. He specialises in work in the criminal and coronial jurisdictions. His main focus is assisting organisations in post-death investigations, managing regulatory enforcement action and representing clients at inquests. He has represented clients at hundreds of inquests around the country, involving the most sensitive of cases, workplace deaths and Article 2 hearings in front of juries. After qualifying, Dewi quickly found himself at home dealing largely with insurer/insured public sector clients. He is dedicated to working within the criminal, regulatory and coronial jurisdictions. Dewi advises a wide range of clients in investigating serious incidents and representing them at inquests, as well as assisting with risk management and behavioural change. His areas of specialty include: Working with organisations to understand their Corporate Risk Profile, to improve culture and behaviours and make the workplace safer. Crisis Management Support (24/7) - advice and representation in the wake of incidents. Assisting organisations with legally privileged incident investigations to protect their position, learn lessons and make any necessary changes. Preparing clients who may be exposed to Regulatory or Coronial investigations/inquests/enforcement action. Defence of Health & Safety and Corporate Manslaughter prosecutions. Inquests as a result of workplace fatalities & road traffic incidents. Dewi provides advice and representation to a range of household-name clients such as: Shell UK Oil, E.On UK, RWE Renewables, Kimberly Clark Ltd, Emcor UK Ltd and various local authorities and NHS/healthcare clients As a former Executive Committee Member of the Health & Safety Lawyers’ Association for many years, he was involved in shaping the Guidelines on Sentencing for Corporate Manslaughter and continues to regularly present to a number of regional health & safety focus groups and public sector forums.
Emerson joined Weightmans in 2003 and has been a partner in the Large Loss Team since 2005. Emerson’s case load principally comprises traumatic brain injury and spinal injury cases. He has a wealth of experience in technical and indemnity issues, together with rehabilitation and funding issues. Emerson leads Weightmans' Motor Technology Group, advising insurers on the legal, regulatory and practical implications of advancements in vehicle technologies, along with responding to government consultations and speaking at a wide variety of events/forums. He has also sat on the ABI Autonomous Driving Liability Group. Emerson finds nothing more satisfying than being reappointed to a panel having considerably delivered for a key client.
Emlyn Williams is a partner and employment lawyer specialising in healthcare. Emlyn is a well-respected advocate in both the Employment Tribunal and the Employment Appeals Tribunal. He specialises in all aspects of employment law, with particular interests in whistleblowing, discrimination, MHPS and TUPE. Emlyn has a significant reputation in the healthcare sector and heads up our healthcare employment team nationally. His clients also include other public sector bodies, charities and private businesses. Emlyn also has a strong track-record in delivering innovative training programmes and regularly undertakes bespoke in-house training for various bodies including multi-national companies, the NHS, ACAS, CIPD and other professional groups. From December 2014 to December 2015 Emlyn was President of Liverpool Law Society. He is also a non-executive Director of Liverpool-based art gallery and charity, FACT.
Family law partner with expertise in all aspects of family law, in particular high value/complex financial matters for both married and unmarried couples including trusts , companies, partnerships , third party interests , offshore assets, jurisdictional issues; regularly receives referrals from a variety of legal and other professionals and business people. Also advises on pre/post nuptial and cohabitation agreements, complex children issues, Schedule I , TOLATA and Inheritance Act matters.
Emma joined Weightmans in 2008. She qualified as a Solicitor in 2014 and she is an Associate in the Large Loss team. Emma has over 11 years' litigation experience. Emma specialises in catastrophic personal injury including claims of the utmost severity. This includes traumatic brain injury in adults and children, tetraplegic and paraplegic claims, amputation cases and fatal accident claims. She assists Will Quinn with motor, employers' liability and public liability claims involving complex liability, technical and indemnity issues.
Emma is a commercial property solicitor advising on a full spectrum of portfolio management matters for large estates and individual clients, including landlord and tenant matters, regears and income generation, and acquisitions and disposals. She has particular experience in energy, logistics, retail, leisure and casual dining, acting on behalf of household names and advising on all aspects of estate management for large property portfolios.
Fiona heads the Liverpool family law team and manages the renowned national family team at Weightmans across our offices. She is recognised by Legal 500 2019 as a Leading Individual in family law in the North West. Fiona specialises in financial and children issues arising out of relationship breakdown with particular expertise in complex divorces involving company, partnership and trust issues. She has a significant practice in pre, post marital and cohabitation agreements, as well as a wealth of experience in dealing with children cases, particularly involving international relocation. Fiona is known for her strategic and focused advice in delivering results for clients. Her understanding of the needs of clients enables her to offer a first-rate and bespoke service to her clients resulting in regular referrals from fellow professionals including barristers and other members of the legal profession. Fiona is keen to offer alternatives to litigation with a child centred and amicable approach to separation. She is a trained collaborative lawyer, she chaired the Merseyside collaborative law group for over six years. She is an active member of Resolution and sits on the Merseyside Regional Committee for Resolution. She also sits on the Liverpool Law Society Family Committee helping to shape local family law issues. Fiona is recognised as a leader in her field in both independent legal directories, Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, being described as ‘technically excellent; really approachable and able to build a real rapport with clients, who trust her implicitly’. Fiona is a Resolution accredited specialist specialising in complex financial and property matters specifically with high income households with substantial assets as well as medium to low income households. The only solicitor in Liverpool having the qualification in high income households and substantial assets.
Gabrielle is a principal associate in the large loss and technical team and specialises in defending civil claims for compensation against insurance companies and the Motor Insurers' Bureau. The claimants in these claims are almost always catastrophically injured with injuries ranging from severe traumatic brain injuries, amputations and severe spinal injuries resulting in paralysis. The quantum aspect of these claims invariably reaches the millions and, in light of the alteration to the discount rate, the highest reserved cases are currently circa. £30 million. She deals with motor claims as well and employers' and public liability matters and have experience in cases involving complex liability and technical and indemnity issues.
Gary qualified in 1989 with Alsop Wilkinson in London (now DLA Piper). In 1991 he returned to the north and for four years worked at Aaron & Partners in Chester. He moved to Mace & Jones in 1995 and became a partner in the corporate department in Liverpool in 1997. Mace & Jones merged into Weightmans in May 2011. Gary offers a wide range of expertise to a varied client base including owner managed businesses, large corporates, universities and the regional venture finance holding fund North West Business Finance Limited. He advises clients on all aspects of corporate work, nationally and internationally, from starting up, shareholders agreements, mergers and acquisitions, MBOs, joint ventures, private equity, fundraising and AIM floatations. Gary advises local authorities, universities, venture capital funds and public and private companies on State aid compliance. Feedback from DCMS state aid team is that the state aid review letter has been the best and most comprehensive they have to date seen across all the Waves of the Local Full Fibre Projects and has now set a new benchmark on quality expected going forward. Gary is the partner principally responsible for the firm's relationship with Legalink, the international network of 70 independent law firms. Gary has helped lead the Legalink network through its management committee since 2013 and was appointed Legalink Chair for two years from October 2017. Gary is actively involved with the International Bar Association and is a member of the IBA Mergers and Acquisitions Committee and Space Law Committee.
Graham has been with Weightmans since 2006 and brings over 20 years' experience in handling disease claims to our national disease unit. He specialises in asbestos related disease claims and acts for many well known run off/legacy insurers providing them with strategic advice. He also regularly deals with NIHL, dermatitis and VWF claims and heads up the Liverpool disease team. He has handled several high profile and widely reported asbestos cases over the years, as well as test case litigation for defendants and their insurers. In addition to this he has presented seminars on the subject and has had articles published in the legal press. He is also the author of a section in Occupational Illness Litigation.
Ian is a partner with over 19 years' experience in dealing with healthcare matters, specialising in clinical negligence litigation. He has advised NHS Trusts and NHS Resolution throughout that time and is the client partner for several NHS Trust clients in the North West. Ian manages a wide caseload of high-value, complicated and sensitive claims on behalf of NHS Resolution including maximum severity birth injury claims and has settled numerous cases by way of periodical payment orders (PPOs). He also has particular expertise in surgical claims and cases involving spinal injuries, brain damage, amputation, the delayed diagnosis of cancer and orthopaedic injuries. Many of Ian’s cases involve complex medical and quantum issues. Ian has also dealt with highly sensitive cases on behalf of NHS Resolution involving significant publicity, including the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust group action claims. He adopts a sensible and pragmatic approach to managing claims in order to achieve a fair and reasonable resolution for all parties. He has substantial experience of various alternatives to litigation, including mediation. Ian has also lectured to NHS Trusts on a variety of issues including risk management, consent, duty of candour and the clinical negligence litigation process. He has assisted with patient safety projects and is responsible for managing all day-to-day aspects of the large healthcare teams in Liverpool and Manchester, including various NHS Trust secondments.
Ian acts for a wide range of private and public sector clients and advises on all areas of employment and discrimination law. He has considerable experience in acting for NHS Trusts and healthcare clients generally and also advises employers in the education, retail and insurance sectors. He has a particular interest in whistleblowing and all areas of discrimination, including disability and age. Ian regularly speaks at conferences and seminars and provides bespoke in-house training on a range of employment and equality issues.
Ian is a hugely experienced solicitor, who has recently switched disciplines to all aspects of Housing Disrepair Litigation having previously spent over 30 years specialising in personal injury and occupational disease cases with particular interest in noise induced hearing loss and hand arm vibration claims. Ian has successfully defended to trial Housing disrepair matters and industrial deafness cases. He also has successful Court of Appeal experience in deafness claims. Ian handles litigation on behalf of Social Housing providers, Housings Associations and Local Authorities. Notable case Boyle v Ford Motor Company (deafness case – Court of Appeal)
James has been at Weightmans since 1989. After 25 years as a professional negligence litigator representing solicitors and their insurers including in relation to regulatory matters, James became full time COLP and leads a team of risk professionals with expertise in Data Protection, AML, Information security and business continuity, supplier management/ procurement, internal audit and our Legal counsel. He is also responsible for the firm’s insurance arrangements including its relationship with the London insurance market and for its Lexcel programme.
Janice is a Partner in the Real Estate department and leads the Liverpool Real Estate team. Janice has 38 years’ experience specialising in all aspects of commercial property work for a wide range of clients in both private and public sectors. Janice’s work includes property development schemes, site acquisition and disposals, property finance and secured lending, leases, landlord and tenant and estate management. Janice also leads the firm’s Real Estate Education team which has seen many years of strong growth in the sector. Other areas of focus are OMB’s and the industrial sector.
Jessica deals with a wide range of high value, complex commercial disputes, including contractual claims, construction-related disputes, corporate disputes (including shareholder claims), professional negligence claims and intellectual property. Her specialism is in brand protection, including product liability, brand infringement claims and defamation/reputation management. She also has extensive experience in dealing with claims on behalf of insurers including professional indemnity, subrogated recoveries, construction/engineering and policy coverage disputes. Jessica is regularly involved in all types of alternative dispute resolution and has resolved a number of claims for clients through mediation and without prejudice meetings. She is regularly instructed by a variety of clients including individuals, corporate bodies, insurers and owner-managed businesses. Part of the winning team of Manchester Legal Awards 2022 for Litigation Team of the Year.
Admitted in 1996, Jim has been a partner since May 2003 and joined Weightmans in January 2014. Jim’s expertise is defending disease and toxic exposure claims for the live and legacy insurance markets, upon instruction of carriers, brokers, intermediaries and global corporates. He has extensive experience in all aspects of this litigation, including all asbestos-related diseases, asthma, dermatitis, HAVS, NIHL and stress cases. He has particular expertise in HAVS, following extensive involvement in the British Coal Litigation and Government Compensation Scheme, on behalf of Commercial Union, CGU and NU. Jim has also been instructed by the insurance market on a number of successful group actions, not just in relation to HAVS, but also carbon monoxide, dermatitis, food poisoning, lead poisoning and rhinitis. Jim has successfully defended to trial every type of disease case. He also has successful Court of Appeal experience in HAVS and stress claims. Jim also has a great deal of experience in the discontinued insurance business. He has advised run-off managers and acquirers of run-off books of business on claims-related and corporate liability and coverage matters. He has also taken part in panel discussions on disease-related topics at the annual IRLA Congress and chairs regular claims forums for the key players in the legacy market. Jim is currently an accredited mentor to younger members of IRLA.
John became Weightmans' Managing Partner in 2013 and was re-elected for the second time in 2018 until 2021. Prior to that, he was Weightmans' Commercial Director for 6 years, overseeing the 300% growth in that part of the business during that time. John joined Weightmans having been a CEO of a listed public company in the entertainment industry. During his time on Weightmans' board, John has overseen the firm's acquisitions, opening of new offices, overhauled the partnership remuneration structure and seen the firm's overall revenues rise from £43.8m in 2007 to £100m. Consistently accredited both in the Legal 500 and Chambers UK as a leading individual in corporate work, clients have recognised John as having a "pragmatic and commercially realistic approach", and noted his "extensive experience of corporate transactional, corporate structures and commercial contract work". John's clients range from technology companies and IT suppliers to a variety of private and public sector concerns who outsource the supply of technology and provision of IT services. John has extensive experience in preparing and negotiating innovative contracting arrangements which best fit the specific needs of our clients. He spent 3 years in industry as managing director of a plc technology company so has an authentic perspective of clients’ commercial needs.
John has twenty five years' experience in property litigation, with several high profile wins in the Court of Appeal. John concentrates on commercial property disputes with particular specialism in business lease renewals and lease termination issues. His longstanding clients include PLCs, nationwide retailers and Universities. John is also the Team Manager of the 62-strong Property Litigation team at Weightmans.
John joined Weightmans in 2008 and is an Associate in the Employment, Pensions and Immigration team in Liverpool. He acts for private and public sector clients and specialises in complex respondent Employment Tribunal litigation. John has a broad experience of providing both non-contentious and contentious employment advice to commercial clients, including senior executives. He provides policy and operational advice to FTSE 100 clients and local authorities on a range of issues, including diversity, sick absence management, performance and capability, misconduct and contractual issues. He is an experienced advocate and regularly undertakes advocacy at final hearings in the Employment Tribunals. John presents Weightmans seminars and in house training sessions for clients. He also writes articles which are published in the HR press. John is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Jon is a Partner in the employment, pensions and immigration team in Liverpool. He specialises in high value, complex respondent employment tribunal litigation and leads the team acting for Royal Mail Group Ltd and British Airways Plc. Jon has broad experience in both non-contentious and contentious employment law advice. He provides policy and operational advice to FTSE 100 clients on a range of issues, including diversity, sickness absence management, performance and capability, misconduct and contractual issues. He is an experienced Employment Tribunal advocate and regularly undertakes advocacy at Employment Tribunals and has also appeared at the Employment Appeal Tribunal. Jon also carries out a Product and Innovation Partner role for our corporate clients; sitting at the intersection of the client, legal operations and innovation sectors and using his experience to help evolve and develop market-leading and technology-driven solutions for both clients and also our legal teams. In 2022 a disability discrimination decision-making tool designed and implemented in collaboration with Royal Mail was shortlisted and came as a runner-up in the Managing Partner Forum Awards for Best People Initiative. Jon is a regular trainer at both Weightmans' legal seminars and also in-house training sessions for clients. He has also had articles published in the legal and HR press. He is also a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Karen has experience and knowledge in all aspects of housing management disputes on behalf of a number of housing associations and other landlords and also deals with commercial landlords. Karen has previously been a leading contact dealing with bulk gas injunctions and other access applications. Karen created a bespoke flow case management system to deal with bulk applications and has provided training and advice to clients on access proceedings and enforcement options as well as other forms of housing management issues. Her experience includes possession, removal of squatters in both commercial and residential premises and disrepair claims as well as injunctive action in matters involving both anti-social behaviour and unlawful eviction. Karen has successfully obtained numerous anti-social behaviour injunctions, undertakings and exclusion orders against individuals, including orders to exclude individuals from their own homes. Karen has dealt with committal applications following breaches of injunctions and undertakings. She has also sought injunction orders on the grounds of anti-social behaviour and regularly advises clients on evidence gathering and preparation of statements and evidence for Court hearings. Karen deals with all aspects of housing disrepair for landlords and Karen regularly advises clients on other housing management issues such as rent possession proceedings, succession, mutual exchange, rent increases, home loss payments, unlawful occupation as well as leaseholder issues. Karen also deals with mortgagee in possession proceedings for private lenders and commercial lenders up to and including eviction if that becomes necessary. Karen has also given a number of in-house seminars/training workshops to clients on housing related topics. Karen appears as an advocate in the county court on ASB and other injunctive action in not only matters of ASB but also in relation to access and possession. Karen has experience in dealing with lease extensions of flats and houses and also notice to purchase freehold titles as well as being able to deal with lease renewals and court proceedings in relation to lease renewals as required. Karen also deals with neighbour disputes including boundary disputes and adverse possession claims of land and has successfully obtained both recovery of land and acquisition of land for both commercial and residential clients. Karen also deals with any issues concerning the Party Wall Act and Access to Neighbouring land and also has experience in relation to queries on service charges. Karen also has experience in representing landlords in all manner of commercial property disputes including lease renewal proceedings (both opposed and unopposed) dealing with relevant notices and proceedings where required. However Karen has specific expertise in removal of trespassers, housing disrepair and other housing management related topics.
Karl is head of our built environment segment. He specialises in all aspects of commercial property law including commercial and residential development, landlord and tenant and acquisitions and disposals. Karl is also an acknowledged expert in the field of urban regeneration, dealing with complex and high-value projects for both the public and private sectors. Karl specialises in city centre regeneration and is an acknowledged expert in the development market with active public and private sector clients. He advised Greater Manchester Arts Centre on the new development of HOME at First Street Manchester. It is the largest arts centre outside of London. Karl is the client relationship partner for Manchester City Council, Co-operative Group, Peel Group, Bruntwood and Pets at Home. Karl has recently been instructed by Manchester City Council in connection with the redevelopment of Oxford Road Railway Station in Manchester. Karl is consistently recommended by Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading individual.
Kate Shute is a Principal Associate and employment lawyer specialising in advising healthcare organisations in relation to all aspects of employment law. With over 18 years of experience advising predominantly health sector clients, Kate was described by the Legal 500 2019 as being “brilliant, pragmatic and technically excellent”. Kate supports clients to navigate complex, sensitive and contentious internal processes including doctors’ and senior executives’ contractual and disciplinary cases, industrial action and workforce relations. Kate is well versed in the governance aspects of senior-level public sector employment issues and regularly provides advice, support and representation in litigious and non-contentious matters, including high court litigation arising from the application of MHPS processes. Kate regularly delivers bespoke training for clients on subjects such as whistleblowing, discrimination, change management and TUPE consultation.
Katie is a legal director in the large loss department. She has specialised in defendant catastrophic litigation for 15 years dealing with all aspects of liability, indemnity and quantum including issues relating to rehabilitation, statutory funding, reverse indemnities and periodical payment orders. Katie has acted for both insurers and the Motor Insurers Bureau and is currently a specialist large loss handler working with Markerstudy Insurance. Her current caseload includes paraplegic, brain injury, amputee claims and severe orthopaedic injuries.
Keith Jones is an partner based in Weightmans' Liverpool office. Keith specialises in occupational disease claims, principally work related upper limb disease such as HAVS and CTS and NIHL claims. He also deals with and has a wide range of experience in relation to respiratory diseases, repetitive strain injuries and asbestos related conditions. Keith joined Weightmans in 2001 and has been part of the disease Unit from its inception in 2005. In particular Keith has acted for local authorities across England and Wales in relation to NIHL and HAVS cases and manages a team of specialist disease lawyers acting for local authorities and other public sector employers and utility companies. Keith has significant experience and expertise in dealing with claims for local authorities, colleges and other public authorities. Expertise on issues of corporate and successor liability arising from transfer of liability under TUPE and on local government reorganisation. Occupational asthma and other respiratory diseases arising from exposure to various agents. Keith's particular expertise is Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome including tranches of cases involving ground maintenance staff and low level intermittent exposure in light industry successfully defended on the grounds that level of knowledge and exposure was insufficient to give rise to foreseeable risk. Keith works with local authorities and utility companies reviewing their HAVS, health and safety and occupational health referral policies.
Kieran is head of our insurance segment. A highly experienced litigator who acts for insurers, public authorities and international commercial organisations, he has significant experience in defendant insurance litigation particularly in high value and high profile sensitive cases. Kieran is also actively involved with and sits on the Board of Insurance Law Global, an international network of "best in class" insurance law firms. He is a regular commentator in the insurance and wider press and a frequent presenter. Memberships include the Law Society, Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL), AIRMIC, Chartered Insurance Institute and Insurance & Reinsurance Legacy Association (IRLA). Kieran is ranked in Chambers & Partners UK and a recommended lawyer in Legal 500.
Laura has been advising Royal Mail Group since 2013 and handles a diverse caseload of complex discrimination claims and sensitive unfair dismissal claims. She has experience in discrimination, whistleblowing and performance-related issues together with employment tribunal practice and procedure. She also has a particular expertise in holiday pay. Laura is an experienced advocate in the tribunal and has recovered large costs awards through her tribunal representation in recent years.
Laurence is a commercial partner and head of competition law. Laurence advises clients on competition law, including merger control and the control of anti-competitive agreements and practices. Laurence has successfully handled many high profile investigations and inquiries by the European Commission and the Competition and Markets Authority in relation to a wide range of sectors as well as appearing before the specialist competition law court, the Competition Appeal Tribunal, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court on competition law matters. Laurence also advises on the new National Security & Investment Act regime and its impact on different types of transaction, obtaining clearances where appropriate from the UK Government Investment Security Unit. Laurence is rated by the Legal 500 as a “leading individual” for competition law.
Linzi is an experienced family law Associate and collaborative lawyer who resolves conflict arising from family relationships and helps clients to future proof their wealth. Linzi advises on all aspects of relationship breakdown including divorce and dissolution of civil partnerships, cohabitation, variation of maintenance cases as well as pre and post nuptial agreements with a particular interest in complex children law proceedings. These include applications relating to whom a child should live with and spend time with, disputes over schooling, relocation applications for permission to move both inside and outside of England and Wales and cases involving domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse. Linzi adopts a constructive and conciliatory approach to cases, with resolution in mind utilising the most appropriate method for the client, whether that be solicitor assisted mediation, solicitor led negotiation, collaborative practice, arbitration or court proceedings. As a collaboratively trained practitioner, Linzi can offer clients a 'better way to divorce' and resolve the financial aspects of relationship breakdown giving clients a greater degree of control over the process and the ability to focus on specific needs whilst working closely with other lawyers committed to avoiding court proceedings. During the process, Linzi works collaboratively as part of a team with other professionals and with clients to find solutions that work for their family as a whole. Linzi is a member of the Manchester Family Dispute Resolution Group. Clients describe Linzi as "professional, honest and extremely conscientious", "fantastic in every way" and "caring and brilliant throughout". Linzi is known for her detailed and focused advice in delivering results for clients and consistently goes the extra mile offering a bespoke service resulting in regular referrals from existing and previous clients and other professionals. Linzi is an active member of Resolution offering advice as part of the pro-bono scheme run by Manchester Family Court and currently sits on the Manchester Young Resolution Committee providing seminars, training and events to other family lawyers. As a qualified Mental Health First Aider, Linzi is able to identify, understand and reassure clients experiencing personal crisis and mental health issues arising from family relationships and is able to empower clients to access the support they need for recovery and successful management of their mental health.
Lisa qualified as a solicitor in January 2004 joining Weightmans as an assistant solicitor in February 2004. She was promoted to associate in 2013. Her workload is predominantly clinical negligence, dealing with often complex claims. She also has experience of dealing with claims involving care homes, deprivation of liberty, claims involving the Human Rights Act and the Mental Health Act including psychiatric claims i.e. patient suicide and patient assaults on other patients/members of the public. Her clinical negligence work is predominantly multi-track litigated and non-litigated claims. These include failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis, negligence during surgery, failure to provide informed consent, failure to treat and wrong treatment. She has experience is a vast number of medical conditions and expert specialisms with claims including colorectal, obstetric and gynaecology, orthopaedic, paediatric, cardiology, vascular, oncology and diabetes etc. and significant experience in fatal claims and claims involving protected parties. Lisa has experience in managing highly complex and high-value claims including birth injury claims, brain injury in adults, complex injuries involving internal organs (i.e. perforation of bowel, ureter and aorta), failure and/or delay in diagnosing cancer and also complex ophthalmic claims; in regards to the latter she has recent experience in dealing with a highly complex ophthalmic claim which involved a rare (and as yet unknown) genetic complication and arguments involving Bailey v Ministry of Defence which is currently with the Court of Appeal. She regularly deals with claims worth in excess of £1,000,000 and has experience in claims involving provisional damages and periodical payments.
Lois has specialised in employment law since qualifying at Weightmans in 2008. She advises on the full range of employment issues and works on a significant number of complex advisory matters for both public and private sector clients. Lois provides day-to-day support for a wide range of clients on the full spectrum of employment matters, including contracts of employment, grievances, disciplinary matters, performance and capability and settlement agreements. She provides training to clients and regularly undertakes Employment Tribunal advocacy for national and regional organisations. Lois works closely with the pensions team at Weightmans providing employment law support on a range of issues including consultation processes, implementing amendments to employees’ contracts of employment and managing employees who object to changes.
Lorraine specialises in acting for private clients in relation to their estate planning, including the preparation of wills, trusts and lasting powers of attorney. Lorraine has extensive experience in applying for probate and dealing with the administration of estates. She has a particular interest in cross-border matters and is used to working with lawyers in different jurisdictions to meet her client’s objectives and ensure their worldwide affairs are in order. As part of our trust administration team, Lorraine regularly advises clients on the administration of trusts to ensure that trustees have fulfilled their legal and tax obligations. As well as dealing with private clients, Lorraine also leads our team of specialists dealing with recovery from estates work on behalf of local authorities. Lorraine regularly presents estate planning seminars for clients and intermediaries. Lorraine prides herself on providing excellent client care, ensuring that her clients are always given an efficient and professional service. Lorraine is a full STEP member, full accredited member of Solicitors for the Elderly and a member of the Law Society Private Client Section. Lorraine completed her STEP qualification in 2021 and was awarded two STEP Excellence Awards for the highest scoring graduate across the STEP Diploma in 2021 and the highest score in the 2020 Administration of Trust examination. Lorraine was ranked as an “Associate to Watch” in the Chambers High Net Worth Guides 2021, 2022 and 2023 and as a “Key Lawyer” in the Legal 500 Rankings.
Louise has extensive experience of advising in relation to UK and international financial services regulation and best practice. She joins Weightmans LLP from DLA Piper LLP where she was a Legal Director with responsibility for the firm’s consumer finance practice. Louise focusses on providing consumer finance legal and regulatory advice to a diverse range of clients including high street and challenger banks, finance houses, high street retailers, motor finance providers/manufacturers, point of sale lenders, store card providers, brokers and debt managers/collectors. She typically advises on the development of innovative credit/hire products; requirements for becoming and being FCA authorised and regulated to undertake various consumer credit related activities, including consideration of exemptions; how to compliantly enter and operate credit/hire agreements; drafting of credit/hire agreements; due diligence and funding arrangements involving portfolios of regulated credit/hire agreements; brokerage agreements; affinity agreements; financial promotions and advertising clearance; regulatory changes; FOS complaints; and FCA investigations. Louise has also held various in-house legal advisory and management roles in the UK financial services sector, including at RBS Insurance, where she headed a legal team servicing the legal needs of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Insurance Division businesses (including Direct Line Insurance plc, Churchill Insurance Limited, NIG, Privilege Insurance) and a senior policy role in a leading market financial services regulator in the Middle East, where she was responsible for developing the regulatory framework for Banks, Insurers and Asset Managers and for promoting international cooperation.
Mandy heads the firm's business immigration practice and has over 18 years’ experience in her field. She is experienced in both immigration and employment law so can provide seamless advice on the cross-over between the two areas. Mandy is experienced in providing global immigration solutions to large multinational corporations from a wide range of sectors including logistics, healthcare and technology. With extensive immigration expertise in the education sector, Mandy advises universities, colleges and independent schools and assists with all aspects of compliance, risk management and strategy. Mandy advises on the full range of UK immigration and nationality law matters and has particular expertise in sponsorship, compliance with sponsor duties and the prevention of illegal working regime. Mandy regularly delivers training for businesses on various immigration topics. She is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) and the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA). Recent work highlights Successful negotiated the re-instatement of a Sponsor Licence for a PLC biotechnology company Advising a large borough council on recruitment and compliance issues Successfully appealed and overturned a civil penalty notice against a FTSE100 company Assisting and advising a major hotel chain on a UKVI compliance visit Advising a pharmacovigilance company on immigration options for its global mobility needs Advising on the immigration aspects of a £10m acquisition by a US company of a UK distributor Conducted a mock UKVI audit of a multinational health service company and advised on risk and key areas of compliance Advising a multinational logistics company on the structure of their sponsor licence Advised numerous UK companies on the impact of Brexit on their workforce and assisted with the implementation of strategies.
Mark joined Weightmans in 2014 as the then Head of Commercial Recoveries. He has previously been an in-house lawyer at Barclays Bank plc, Head of Regional Debt Recovery for Eversheds and, prior to joining Weightmans, worked within the Debt team at Pannone. Mark has experience of handling secured and unsecured public and private sector volume debt recovery, particularly complex defended actions, but now specialises in the use of insolvency procedures (Winding up petitions and Bankruptcy petitions) to assist in the collection of debt. He also has considerable experience of marketing, client care and management issues associated with volume debt collection within law firms. Mark brought with him a very loyal commercial client base which includes the Radius Group of companies, Murray Metals Group companies, the NWF Group and companies within the Johnsons Group, all of whom he still acts for today. Mark also represents a number of debt collection agencies who are well known members of the Credit Services Association. He also acts for a number of local authorities who utilise his knowledge and expertise in insolvency to collect various taxes and other debts. Mark has been recognised as a leader in the field of debt recovery and noted as such in both The Legal 500 and The Chambers UK Guide. He has provided clients with training on all aspects of the cost-effective use of the legal process in the credit/collections arena. He has recently acted as an invited expert on a Liverpool BPC course, involving His Honour Judge Neil Cadwallader and District Judge Samantha Johnson.
Mark joined Elliotts in 1996 as a trainee solicitor, qualifying in 1998 before joining Weightmans in 2003 and being promoted to partner in 2013. Mark has dealt with motor claims on behalf of defendant insurers since qualification and is a partner within the Weightmans' Manchester motor department. He has extensive experience and expertise in the handling of claims arising from fatal road traffic accidents and the issues that may arise, ensuring that claims are handled both empathetically and proactively. He has significant experience in claims involving major orthopaedic injuries and displays a positive and strategic approach to dealing with all claims both pre and post litigation.
Previously head of employment and HR at Mace & Jones, Martin specialises in all aspects of employment law and has appeared as an advocate before Employment Tribunals nationwide, as well as before the Employment Appeal Tribunal. He is regularly consulted by private and public sector organisations seeking fast and practical advice on high-profile business transactions, ranging from corporate mergers to European and premier league football transfers. Martin is a specialist in providing strategic advice in high profile and sensitive cases. Martin’s clients include many solicitors, barristers’ chambers and household name companies based throughout the UK, as well as multinationals. He regularly acts for a wide range of public sector clients including education establishments, NHS Trusts and Local Authorities. He is consistently recommended by Independent Legal directories such as Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading individual.
Martin has been working with organisations in the public sector over the last 20 years. His expertise in police law is exceptional and he is respected for tackling the most challenging of cases that attract national press coverage. Martin has handled a number of issues for organisations who have been challenged in relation to the publication of information, the accuracy of information they hold, the sharing of information with third parties, and the loss of information including retrieving unlawfully removed information. He has represented defendants in a number of reported defamation cases. Martin regularly speaks at seminars and events on all aspects of information law. He led the tender that resulted in the reappointment of Weightmans national police team to the police national legal framework again in 2016 and retained the firm's number one ranking.
Martin qualified as a solicitor in 2009 and joined the regulatory team at Weightmans in September 2014. Martin's specialism is representing organisations, insurers, NHS Trusts and individuals designated Core Participant status in public inquiries or Interested Person status at inquests. He has used his excellent knowledge and understanding of the inquisitorial process for both public inquiries and inquests to represent clients in cases involving major incidents, fatal road traffic collisions and major health & safety incidents, as well as on numerous healthcare inquests involving complex medical care. He conducts a significant proportion of his own advocacy, including Article 2 ECHR, multi-week, multi-party and jury inquests. He has managed and advocated cases of complexity as well as great sensitivity, some of which have attracted regional, national and international media attention. Martin also represents individuals and organisations in the magistrates and crown court in respect of the full spectrum of road traffic, regulatory and criminal offences (from speeding to homicide-related offences). He has had notable success in securing acquittals on complex and technical points of law. He has independent LEXCEL quality accreditation for providing advice and assistance at interviews under caution and providing advocacy assistance in the magistrates court.
Matthew is head of our corporates segment and has responsibility for Weightmans corporate clients in the financial services, transport and logistics, manufacturing, retail and leisure, and energy and utilities sectors. He is client Partner for national retailers as well as third party logistics providers. He primarily advises on complex landlord and tenant matters as well as property acquisitions and disposals with a specialism in negotiating overage and clawback provisions. Matthew sits on the property advisory board of the UK Warehousing Association and has recently worked with them and Savills to develop a model form of warehouse lease, 'Standard Property Lease' in order to provide a starting point for the industry when negotiating a new lease of this type of property. Matthew has expertise in the delivery of client contracts and projects, ensuring both Weightmans and the client’s own Key Performance Indicators are met through bespoke IT solutions. He is product manager for Weightmans' ‘One View’ product which enables team members, whatever the practice area, to deliver an excellent service and to capture, measure and report on those items which are important to the client.
Mike trained with Withers and on qualification in 1993 joined specialist London shipping firm More Fisher Brown. Mike joined Weightmans as a partner in May 2006. Mike’s expertise includes the carriage of goods by sea, charterparty and bill of lading claims, hull and P&I insurance, cargo recoveries, freight liability, multimodal transit, CMR and yacht claims. Mike has a related non-contentious practice including vessel sale and purchase and drafting contracts of carriage. Mike is ranked in The Legal 500 2015 as a 'Leading Individual'.
Mike Grant has been recognised for many years in the leading directories for his expertise in defending claims against construction professionals , mediation and insurance coverage work. He has been described as "technically astute", "commercial", "robust enough to deal with anything thrown at him" and as the "go to" expert for defending claims against engineers by The Lawyer Magazine. Chambers 2017 said “Mike Grant knows the insurance market inside and out” He featured in The Lawyer Magazine’s Hot 100 for 2014. He has dealt with many complex and high profile cases and is experienced in arbitration and mediation. He has resolved claims worth in excess of £800m by means of mediation. He speaks regularly to professionals and professional bodies about insurance and risk issues. He has been involved with, and has a particular interest in, the development and delivery of consultancy services.
Morris joined Weightmans in 2007, having previously spent 10 years working for in-house local authority teams, latterly as a Principal Solicitor. Morris specialises in all aspects of public law, with a particular emphasis on social care, healthcare and education. Morris regularly acts for local authorities in matters relating to child protection and children with disabilities, adult protection and best interests determinations, applications before the Court of Protection, general community care obligations, ordinary residence disputes, mental health law, commissioning and contractual arrangement and charging. He advises local authorities and individual schools on school organisation, exclusions and admissions, SEN provision, school transport and general strategic advice. His healthcare clients include hospital and mental health trusts and ambulance services to which he provides general healthcare law advice, particularly in relation to mental health/capacity law, consent issues and provision of and withdrawal of treatment. Morris also has an interest in all aspects of public and Human Rights law and information governance. He frequently advises his public sector clients on responding to requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and their obligations under data protection legislation. He also regularly provides training to lawyers, clinicians and other medical staff and local authority officers. Morris has been recognised for a number of years as a ‘Star Associate’ and ‘notable practitioner’ by Chambers & Partners in the category of Court of Protection: Health & Welfare (Public Sector Clients). He also sits as a Fee-paid Judge of the First-tier Tribunal (Health, Education & Social Care Chamber). Morris has acted in a number of reported and important cases, including: HH v Carmarthenshire CC & Ots [2023] EWCOP 18 (whether the same judge can make best interests decisions in respect of more than one person) Fixsler v Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust [2021] 4 WLR 123 (withdrawal of life sustaining treatment) An NHS Trust v ZA [2021] EWCOP 39 (below the knee amputation) Surrey CC v NHS Lincolnshire CCG [2021] 2 WLR 805 (claim for restitution/NHS Continuing Healthcare) A Local Authority v H (No.2) [2019] 2 WLUK 767 (capacity to have sexual relations, but not contact) R (Paul Worthington) v HM Senior Coroner for Cumbria & Others [2018] 12 WLUK 124 (challenge to Coroner’s conclusions) R (City of Wolverhampton Council) v South Worcestershire CCG & Shropshire CCG [2018] EWHC 1136 (Admin) (responsible commissioner) In The Matter of Human Fertilisation Embryology Act 2008 (Case M) [2016] Fam Law 1089 (declaration of parentage) HM Senior Coroner for Cumbria v Ian Smith [2015] Inquest LR 235 (application by Coroner to quash previous Coroner’s decision) Wirral Borough Council v Salisbury Independent Living [2012] HLR 25 (meaning of ‘person affected’ for the purposes of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000) A Local Authority v H [2012] 1 FCR 590 (the test for capacity to enter sexual relations) R (RH) v SSHD & Wigan BC [2010] EWHC 2414 (age assessment) R (Broster & others) v Wirral BC [2010] EWHC 3086 (Refusal to provide Personal Budgets) R (Culkin) v Wirral Independent Appeal Panel [2009] ELR 287 (school exclusion) W PCT v TB & S MBC, CW NHS Trust & W MBC [2010] 2 All ER 331(Mental Health Act 1983 / Mental Capacity Act 2005) R (F & Others) v Wirral BC [2009] BLGR 905 (community care / Supporting People Programme) R (Manchester CC) v St Helens BC & PE [2009] WLR (D) 319 (ordinary residence dispute) R (St Helens BC) v Manchester PCT [2008] Times, October 6 (NHS continuing healthcare) St Helens BC v PE & JW and Manchester PCT [2007] 2 FLR 1115 (best interests under the inherent jurisdiction) E v Channel 4 V Channel 4 & News International Ltd and St Helens BC [2005] 2 FLR 913 (injunction/declaratory relief) R (on the application of Haggerty & Others) v St Helens BC [2003] HLR 69 (care home closure) R v Dr Finnegan & DE ex parte Wirral Health Authority and Wirral BC [2001] MHLR 66 (effect of quashing order on MHRT decision) R v Chief Schools Adjudicator, ex p Wirral BC [2001] ELR 574 (challenge of decision of the adjudicator) R v (1) Wirral BC (2) Governors of Elleray Park School, ex p B [2001] ELR 266 (special educational needs) R v Schools Adjudicator, ex parte Metropolitan Borough of Wirral [2000] ELR 2620 (challenge of decision of the adjudicator)
Neal has been an insurance litigation specialist lawyer from the start of his career in 1992. He was head of insurance litigation at Elliotts where he spent 11 years before joining Weightmans in 2003. Neal has significant experience in defendant insurance litigation particularly high value and sensitive injury litigation including catastrophic injuries. Neal's work is divided between his legal practice and managing client relationships where his approach is pro-active and focused in providing solutions and value to clients' needs. Memberships include the Law Society and Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL).
Pamela is a partner in Weightmans’ national Speciality Team. She specialises in professional indemnity claims and regulatory matters across many professional disciplines including: - accountants -insurance brokers -IFAs -surveyors -health and safety consultants -administrators and liquidators -architects -civil and geotechnical engineers -fire engineers -solicitors -barristers -property managers and care home operators. An experienced negotiator and litigator, Pamela manages and resolves high value, complex and multi-party disputes. She provides advice and guidance at all stages of a dispute – be that during the initial phase when a client is conducting preliminary investigations for an anticipated dispute or up to and including a trial. She adopts a commercial and pragmatic approach to dispute resolution and regularly leads negotiations conducted in person and/or remotely and via mediation. She has conducted cases heard in the High Court, Technology and Construction Court and the Business and Property Court. She is also experienced in dealing with disputes referred to adjudication and arbitration. Pamela sits on the ILG Professional Liability Committee, which comprises members from across the globe. They produce articles and provide guidance on relevant issues across multiple jurisdictions. Pamela has a leading role in the firm’s multi-disciplined team of experts who deal with all aspects of claims against Directors and Officers or business entities. She project manages such claims, acting a key point of contact when input is often required in a number of areas such a regulatory, insolvency, ESG and cyber security. She also acts as monitoring counsel for insurers on claims where individuals and /or entities require separate legal representation. Pamela is also instructed to provide advice on policy coverage across several classes of business including professional indemnity insurance, Directors and Officers/ Management liability insurance, Business Interruption Insurance, Contractors All Risk insurance and EL and PL insurances. She regularly produces articles relevant to professional indemnity and policy coverage and provides training to clients and industry bodies.
Patricia heads the firm's finance team and advises on all aspects of financial services. She provides advice to banks and borrowers on bilateral and syndicated facilities. She has particular expertise in public sector finance. Key clients include Santander, Lloyds Bank Plc, Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund and the Midlands Engine. This year Patricia has continued to provide key strategic advice on the impact of Brexit for European Structural Funds. As one of the few solicitors nationally who acts on the establishment of Public Sector Funding schemes, establishment of legacy funds and utilising public and private sector money to create funding platforms for SMEs, this year Patricia has successfully won pitches to act for various fund managers in connection with their bids to be appointed to the £200million South West Investment Fund and the Investment Fund for Scotland. Patricia has continued to provide advice nationally for bank lenders and borrowers on syndicated and bilateral banking documentation. This year Weightmans successfully maintained their position on Lloyds Bank Plc panel and continue to advise institutional lenders on all aspects of deal funding.
Peter joined Weightmans in September 1997. He became a Partner in 2005. Peter leads the firm’s services to Commercial and Municipal Insurers and is the Lead Partner for Casualty Claims, overseeing the handling of all EL, PL product liability claims for insurers and corporate entities across the firm’s various offices. He sits on the Retail & Leisure and Manufacturing sector groups within the firm. Peter continues to handle claims himself, specialising in the area of EL/PL personal injury litigation, for defendant organisations and their insurers. He is nominated by various corporates including a global retailer, international food manufacturer, a family entertainment scheme and a global oil provider for claims emanating from its forecourt and service station outlets. In addition, Peter specialises in defending theatre owners and production companies in respect of personal injury claims arising in the fields of theatrical production and live performance. Peter also has particular interests in wearable technologies and drones on which he has written various papers and articles. He regularly delivers training seminars and provides risk management advice for clients, particularly focused on the claims process, claims defensibility issues and reducing avoidable litigation in order to save money for his clients. He has written for a number of publications including the firm’s Insurance Insights publication and various trade press such as Insurance Times and Insurance Day, providing thought leadership and best practice advice to the market. He is also a highly regarded speaker at training events on such issues. In 2006 Peter qualified as a mediator with the Academy of Experts. He is also Weightmans’ CSR partner, strategically leading the firm’s fundraising, pro bono and community initiatives for which the firm has been shortlisted for a number of awards over recent years, as well as being the firm’s lead for the LGBTQ+ strand. Peter is a member of FOIL, a mentor with GROW and in his spare time, he acts on a pro bono basis as Hon Gen Solicitor for an arts-based charity in the North West.
Peter trained at Weightmans and qualified in 2003. He became a partner in 2011. He acts for local authorities across the country as well as fire and rescue authorities, education establishments and housing providers. Peter has particular expertise in defending professional negligence and human rights claims against social services and education authorities. He also specialises in abuse claims to include historical matters, multi-claimant cases and group actions. Peter has a special interest in defamation, privacy and data protection law. He also represents local authorities at inquests, particularly Article 2 inquiries and inquests that involve safeguarding issues, social care and Children's Services departments. Peter also lectures and presents on related topics.
Peter is a rising star who qualified in 2003 and joined Weightmans in March 2013 as part of the Semple Fraser merger. Peter's background is in real estate litigation, including 1954 Act business lease renewals and terminations, dilapidations claims, tenant insolvency and enforcement of guarantees, applications to assign or sub-let, boundary, right of way and right to light disputes, restrictive covenants, option agreements and conditional contracts, rent reviews, lease forfeiture and general property management. Peter advises a wide variety of occupiers, developers and investors. He believes in the merits of ADR and has conducted a number of successful mediations. Peter is also a long-standing volunteer supervisor at the University of Manchester Student Law Advice Centre.
Phil qualified in 2009 and joined Weightmans in July 2013 as a solicitor before becoming an associate in 2017 and subsequently a Principal Associate in 2019. He currently manages a team in the Casualty department. He handles a wide variety of public liability and employers' liability claims for a wide variety of clients in both the public and private sectors, and has a particular specialism in highways claims made against local authorities. He successfully acted for the local authority in the widely discussed matter of Heath McCabe v Cheshire West & Chester Council & BAM Nuttall Ltd that looked at questions of misfeasance and non-feasance and powers vs duties.
Philip is currently a principal associate in the Manchester Large Loss team with over 10 years’ experience in dealing with motor claims. Prior to working in his current role, Philip worked in the commercial insurance team handling a variety of employers’ liability, public liability, product liability and stress claims. As a member of the large loss team, Philip has considerable experience dealing with cases with complicated indemnity issues and liability disputes. Philip in particular acts for the firm’s key clients dealing with complex orthopaedic cases, in addition to cases with complicating factors, mild traumatic brain injury, and chronic pain. He is well known for pro-active, commercial and pragmatic approach to claims, to ensure optimal resolution at the earliest possible opportunity. Philip is a member of the vulnerable road users’ group within Weightmans, and is the motorcycle lead. He also has specific interest in cycling, e-bikes and e-scooters, and has written numerous articles for internal and external publication, and has also provided numerous training seminars and presentations internally, and to external clients. He is also a member of the firm’s internal advocacy unit, and regularly conducts case management and procedural hearings, and interlocutory applications. Outside of work Philip is a keen golfer and wine enthusiast, with a WSET level 2 qualification.
Rachael is team manager of one of our Liverpool disease teams, dealing exclusively with disease claims including asbestos-related diseases, noise induced hearing loss, HAVS and upper limb disorders. She has been with Weightmans since qualifying in 2013 and has acted for a diverse range of clients including multi-national self insureds, local authorities and the disease legacy market. Rachael has successfully defended claims on grounds of limitation, breach and causation and has been involved in defending a tranche of disease claims against a large insured which has required a detailed understanding not only of the litigation process but also of resolving complex corporate and insurance histories.
Rachel is a Partner within the family team. She qualified in 2003 and is a Resolution Accredited Specialist in Children Cases and Complex (middle/high value) financial remedy cases. Rachel specialises exclusively in family law and embraces the varied work this area of law has to offer. She has a wealth of experience in advising clients on all aspects of relationship breakdown. In particular, Rachel has expertise in the following areas: -Divorce; -Matrimonial finance – complex high value cases involving companies, trusts, pension sharing, overseas assets and inherited wealth; -Children Act applications including Child Arrangements Orders, Specific Issue, Prohibited Steps and Removal from the Jurisdiction; -Cohabitees disputes; -Schedule 1 applications; -Variation of maintenance; -Prenuptial/separation agreements; and -Enforcement. Rachel has a particular interest in modern family law issues and recognises that over the last few decades family structures have changed dramatically. Consequently, she welcomes new enquiries from individuals in same sex relationships and those considering surrogacy or co-parenting agreements. Rachel enjoys working closely with clients to help them negotiate the legal and other issues which flow from relationship breakdown. Rachel is known for her empathetic nature and approachable manner which readily sets clients at ease. She is always meticulously prepared and adopts a sensible and pragmatic approach to all of her cases. She gains considerable satisfaction in achieving a good outcome for her clients. Rachel has been singled out as a Rising Star by the Legal 500 for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 and has been praised for her "confidence, clarity and professionalism." Rachel is part of the winning team named Family Law Firm of the Year at the LexisNexis Family Law Awards. Rachel has been singled out as a Rising Star by the Legal 500 for 2019 and 2020 and has been praised for her "confidence, clarity and professionalism." Rachel is part of the winning team named Family Law Firm of the Year at the LexisNexis Family Law Awards.
Rebecca is a partner in the Large Loss team based in Liverpool. She is experienced in all areas of law relating to personal injury claims and specialises in large loss and catastrophic injury claims including traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, amputation claims, fatal accident and chronic pain/subtle TBI/functional neurological disorder claims. Rebecca has worked for numerous large insurers and the Motor Insurers Bureau and has longstanding experience or providing non indemnity advice and currently works for a large car rental company. She is particularly experienced in defending fraudulent/exaggerated claims prevalent in the fast-growing area of chronic pain/STBI/FND. Rebecca works with multiple municipal and corporate insureds with large deductibles as well as individuals and is adept at developing and maintaining good relationships with all levels of customer.
Richard is the national head of our health sector practice and has overall responsibility for leading on the delivery of legal services to existing and new health sector clients. This entails enhancing the quality of the legal services we provide, the development of new products and new markets. Richard sits on the NHS Resolution steering group. This group is tasked with improving KPIs, and identifying how we might best support NHS Resolution in meeting its strategic aims. Richard has been an NHS Resolution Nominated Partner for nearly 20 years for both clinical and non-clinical claims. He leads internally on our non-clinical offering, working closely with NHS Resolution management teams to help them meet the challenges presented by this ever-changing sector. Richard is the client partner for a number of NHS Trusts, focussing on patient safety and helping them identify the learning from incidents, inquests, complaints and claims and how to embed improvements. Richard has become a trusted adviser to a number of healthcare organisations, such as NWAS, Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS FT and Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS FT, with the result that Weightmans are now instructed by these Trusts on inquests, and investigations but often on employment, commercial law and property transactions.
Senior figure in the Manchester commercial litigation market with over 20 years’ experience. Richard was formerly managing partner at Mace & Jones, heading its CDR team in Manchester. In 2011 Richard, led Mace & Jones into a success full merger with Weightmans LLP and is now regional office head for Manchester. Richard deals with substantial, complex litigation matters, predominantly in the Chancery Division in the High Court. He has a well-earned reputation in handling shareholder disputes, partnership claims, complex contractual issues, intellectual property matters and professional negligence. Richard has particular experience of seeking interim injunctive applications to protect client’s interests on a preemptive basis. His clients include large companies and PLCs, public bodies and private individuals. Transport for Greater Manchester v Thales Transport & Security Ltd [2012] EWHC 3717 (TCC) and [2013] EWHC 149 (TCC). The Lawyer Awards 2006 short listed Mace & Jones for Employment team of the year, citing the case Celtec v Astley [2006] UK HL 29 that Richard took to the House of Lords, after a referral to the European Court of justice. Bradford & Bingley v Ross [2005] EWCA Civ 394 (banking and finance; mortgage claims; sale to associated company at undervalue). Bruce Cook v Vehicle Inspectorate [1999] HL – an appeal to the House of Lords. Kemble v Hicks [1999] PLR 287 – acting for a representative defendant on the winding up of a final salary pension scheme.
Richard leads the Private Wealth team nationally. He is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and the Law Society private client section. He has broad experience of working with clients from various backgrounds having worked in large commercial practices and smaller high street firms. Richard advises clients on all aspects of estate planning including wills, trusts, family investment companies and probate matters. He has a particular specialism in tax mitigation and assisting business owners and those with more complicated family arrangements and asset structures with succession planning and wealth protection. He is a professional trustee on numerous family trusts, acts as an attorney for elderly clients and has been appointed by the High Court as an independent administrator in complex contentious Probate matters. Richard works closely with the firm's Owner Managed Business and family teams and often with accountants and independent financial advisors to ensure that clients receive broad based holistic advice. Richard is a regular presenter of estate planning and asset protection seminars. He is used to working with lawyers in different jurisdictions to achieve clients’ objectives in terms of their worldwide estate.
Roddy deals with employers' and public liability claims. He has particular experience in workplace stress claims both arising out of overwork cases and harassment. He has lectured on the subject of stress and written a number of published articles. He has dealt with over a thousand stress claims involving overwork bullying and harassment and is often instructed pre litigation and even on occasions before a claim has been made. His stress work also includes claims resulting from violent acts such as the Court of Appeal case of Mitchell and others v United Co-operatives [2012] a case involving shop workers who experienced multiple violent robberies. The successful result was said to have saved the retail industry millions of pounds. Stress is now acknowledged by the Health & Safety Executive to be the most common reason for someone to be off work and is becoming a popular new work stream for claimant lawyers. Stress claims also produce reputational issues for employers especially ones involving allegations of sexual harassment. They tend to be of interest to senior Directors of companies and, as such, require discrete handling for which Roddy is known. Stress claims can be brought in an Employment Tribunal or the County/High Courts. Roddy has experience of the cross overs between the jurisdictions which can be used to bring claims to a satisfactory conclusion. He has dealt with a number of catastrophic injury claims and in particular, spinal and brain injury cases. In addition, he has a wide experience of Occupiers Liability Act claims, having dealt with the leading House of Lords case Tomlinson v Congleton [2003]which has been used in countless claims subsequently to successfully defend claims against occupiers of land. Subsequently he took the case of Poppleton v TPYAC[2008] to the Court of Appeal. That claim involved an accident at an indoor climbing centre. The successful defence was welcomed by the sporting press as was the result in the potential £6 million pounds claim of Grimes v Hawkins [2011]- a swimming pool case, where the successful defence was described as a life line of common sense. In all his cases Roddy appreciates that it is key to find out what success looks like for his clients. Do they wish to defend to trial or is the disposal of the claim quickly and on the best terms the definition of success.
Roland is a partner in Weightmans' corporate team. Based at the Liverpool office, Roland has over 20 years’ experience in dealing with mergers, acquisitions and disposals; corporate finance; private equity investment and joint ventures. Roland has particular expertise in advising clients on non-transactional corporate and company law matters including group structures; corporate governance; share structures and reorganisations. Roland has also accumulated considerable experience advising mid-tier corporates working closely alongside general counsels and assuming a role of trusted adviser in respect of corporate governance and structure in addition to advising on commercial contracts including supply of goods and services, agency and distribution, terms of trade and intellectual property licensing. Roland’s diversity of skills and respected judgment has seen him appointed to the role of in house legal counsel for Weightmans from May 2021. Prior to taking on the legal counsel role, Roland was responsible for operational management of the corporate team nationally across London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds. In addition to his role as in house legal counsel, Roland continues to provide legal advice to a small number of select clients of the firm comprising owner-managed businesses and mid-tier corporates operating in the manufacturing, logistics and retail sectors.
Rowan advises on all aspects of commercial real estate law acting for developers, investors and landowners ranging from individuals to corporate entities. Rowan works in varies sectors including retail, offices and, strategic land. Rowan's particular focus is development projects, working as part of the client’s professional team to deliver new spaces.
Sally is a Legal Director in the Private Wealth team at Weightmans LLP and is based in the Manchester office. Sally is a fully accredited member of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners), the Law Society Private Client Section and The Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly). Sally also sits on the Manchester Law Society’s Private Client section committee. Sally qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and joined Weightmans LLP in 2018, having left her role as Head of the Private Client department at her previous firm. Sally has practised solely in the field of Private Client since qualification and she has extensive experience in advising clients in relation to their estate planning, including the preparation of Wills, Inheritance Tax planning, the creation of and the onward administration of trusts and the preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney. Sally has a particular interest in the administration of estates, and often deals with high value, complex estates on behalf of both professional and lay executors.
Sandra is an associate within the counter fraud group. She deals with low velocity impacts, staged and induced collisions, exaggerated claims, bogus passengers and no knowledge claims. She currently acts on behalf of numerous bus and coach firms. Sandra has had numerous success at court in findings of fundamental dishonesty and applications to set aside QOCS thereby recovering the client’s costs. Sandra also specialises in recovery of monies from claimants whose claims have been struck out, discontinued or lost at trial. This can include charging orders placed on peoples properties, attachment of earnings, involvement of the High Court Enforcement Officers, statutory demands and bankruptcy proceedings.
Sarah is a Partner in the Commercial Litigation team at Weightmans. Sarah trained and qualified at Eversheds Sutherland in its Manchester office and has over 19 years' experience of dealing with a variety of commercial disputes. Sarah currently manages the sizeable Commercial Dispute Resolution team in Liverpool and other national offices with the team recognised in the Legal 500 2023 rankings as a "Top litigation team. Able to handle the most complex and challenging litigation." As well as her team, Sarah is also recognised in the latest Legal 500 as a Leading Individual. Sarah has experience of a broad range of disputes, particularly of high profile and complex company/director/shareholder claims, supporting on corporate governance and constitutional matters alongside this work. Sarah’s expertise also includes judicial review claims, defamation, and reputation management, advising on restrictive covenants, restraint of trade and confidentiality issues arising from employee moves acting for both employer and employee and dealing with complex contractual issues. Sarah deals with litigation in all branches of the civil courts. Sarah has extensive experience of the range of alternative dispute resolution options and has successfully assisted many clients to settle disputes both prior to and during litigation. Sarah can assist clients with consideration of funding options which includes third party funding, conditional fee agreements and after the event insurance. Sarah acts for a range of clients including private individuals, large international corporations, SMEs, registered charities, local authorities, schools, colleges and universities. Sarah has been listed as a stand out lawyer in Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers database
Sean Crotty is a partner in our commercial team with particular experience in data protection, IT, commercial, procurement and intellectual property matters. Sean advises many high profile clients within the private (ranging from SMEs to listed companies) and public sector (including Police Authorities, NHS Trusts, local authorities and universities) on a wide range of strategic and complex data, IT, media and IP issues. Sean has developed a specialism in drafting and negotiating major commercial, IT, entertainment, IP and data contracts within the private and public sector. He understands his way around the relevant industries and their statutory obligations and often provides training in relation to the same. Examples of his work in this area include advising: Peel Ports Group on procurement of works and services for £350 million Liverpool 2 Project; One of the world’s largest packaging companies on a large scale production agreement; A national fraud body on a standard user agreement for the insurance industry (including data sharing arrangements, database use and use of strategic data on an international scale); Upon the £multimillion procurement of a major police force’s content management system; and The Motor Insurers’ Bureau in relation to the UK Government backed MyLicence Project, a revolutionary data sharing project between the DVLA and the UK insurance industry. Sean has vast experience of the video games industry and was awarded the legal services provider of the year award at the TIGA Awards 2016 in recognition of the excellent work provided by his team in the field. Sean also regularly delivers presentations in this field (eg. International Festival of Business 2016) and is regularly published in trade and national press (eg. Financial Times, IP Magazine and Daily Telegraph). Sean is recommended in Legal 500.
Simon joined Weightmans in February 2013 to head up the Local Government team. Formerly head of legal and democratic services at Cheshire West and Cheshire Council, Simon Goacher has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in local government law spanning almost two decades. He has led on significant projects including an innovative housing stock transfer at Wirral Council and on the promotion of a private Act of Parliament. He was awarded the title of Local Government Young Solicitor of the year in 2006. As Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer at Wirral Council, Simon was the lead legal adviser for key projects including regeneration schemes in New Brighton and Birkenhead. In 2009, he was appointed Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer of the newly created Cheshire West and Chester Council. This involved the creation of a single authority from four councils. Simon has been a member of the projects boards for a number of major projects including the creation of Council-owned companies, as well as significant outsourcing and regeneration projects. Simon is a go-to adviser for authorities on significant governance and vires issues throughout the country including carrying out independent reviews on sensitive and high profile issues. He is a leading practitioner on member conduct and has carried out a number of significant investigations on behalf of local authorities into the behaviour of elected members.
Simon is a Partner who manages the large loss teams in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and Leicester. He has responsibility for all aspects of team management and performance across each site, reporting directly to Weightmans' Director of Claims and Head of Service Delivery to ensure the consistency and quality of Weightmans' product. Simon has experience in dealing with and supervising all aspects of complex catastrophic injury claims, from indemnity and liability enquiries, to the extensive medical investigations required of cases involving brain injury, tetraplegia, paraplegia and polytrauma.
Sophie is an Associate in the employment, pensions and immigration team. She provides advice on contentious and non-contentious employment law and HR matters. Her clients are predominantly employers, who she supports to navigate their relationships with staff and contractors while ensuring their business interests are protected. Sophie provides strategic advice on employee exits, particularly those involving senior employees, as well as HR projects such as redundancies, restructures and outsourcing arrangements. In addition, she has a wealth of experience advising on day-to-day HR matters such as grievance and disciplinary investigations, dismissals, and managing sickness absence and performance. On the contentious side, Sophie advises on the disputes that arise between employers and their workers, including complex employment tribunal claims of whistleblowing, constructive unfair dismissal and discrimination. Sophie is well-versed in providing advice on business protection through the use of post-termination restrictions and she is also an experienced transactional lawyer who works with our Corporate, Commercial and Real Estate teams on the employment-related issues arising on transactions such as outsourcing, corporate restructuring and business acquisitions and disposals. The clients Sophie works with come from a wide range of sectors, but she has a particular focus on owner-managed businesses, education and healthcare.
Steve has spent his entire legal career at Weightmans. He is an experienced employment lawyer and advocate and is also regional office head for Liverpool. Steve has in depth experience of employment law issues arising in both public and private organisations and has a particular expertise in the education sector where he regularly advises a large portfolio of university, school and college clients. Steve also acts for a number of police forces and has comprehensive knowledge of the application of police regulations to serving officers, in addition to advising on complex employment tribunal disputes involving serving officers and civilian employees such as disability, race and sex discrimination claims. Steve handles boardroom disputes, facilitates senior executive terminations and manages employment related project work. He regularly undertakes advocacy at the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeals Tribunal and has a formidable 'win' record. Steve focuses on providing straightforward and practical advice mainly to employers to achieve outcome based solutions. In May 2015, Steve was awarded the Higher Rights of Audience (HRA) qualification. This allows Steve to represent clients as a solicitor-advocate in the higher civil courts throughout England and Wales. The HRA qualification recognises Steve’s enhanced advocacy capabilities and enables him to offer a cost-efficient and complete service for clients.
Stuart is Director of Legal Operations for the Litigation, Transactional and Advisory division of Weightmans. He has over 30 years' experience of employment law, and has an impeccable reputation for commercial and pragmatic advice, particularly specialising in providing advice on commercial situations involving TUPE, reorganisations and collective issues. Stuart proactively contributes to client profitability through analysis of management information and translation of key learning points into corporate training programmes. He is client partner for a range of clients including Swissport and Mitsubishi/Hitachi Power Systems Europe and deputy client partner for Royal Mail Group plc, in addition to advising other legal firms on their employment law issues. Stuart frequently presents at seminars and conferences on HR issues and regularly contributes to national and local publications.
Stuart is a qualified lawyer by trade, having practiced law as a professional indemnity lawyer from 1995. He has been a partner at Weightmans since 2002. During 2003, Stuart become involved in Weightmans’ IT, designing, developing, and rolling out case management systems across the firm. In 2005 Stuart took on responsibility for Weightmans’ IT department and in 2010 was promoted to IS and Operations Director since when he has been a member of Weightmans’ Board and an equity partner. From 2017 as part of Weightmans’ Reorganising for Profit strategic transformation initiative, Stuart took on the role as Business Services and Innovation Director with responsibility for Information Management and Technology, People and Knowledge, Business Process Re-engineering, Risk and Compliance, Facilities and Innovation and most recently has taken on a new role, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, to enable Weightmans to capitalise on the success they have been having in building products for clients that solve some of their issues, only one part of which might involve any actual legal advice. Stuart regularly presents at events with special areas of interest being around BPR, technology and helping lawyers to work smartly in an uncertain market where there is continuous downward pressure on price, upwards pressure on costs and the quality of the service that is delivered to the client needs to be continually improved. He has a MSC in IT, is a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and a qualified coach and was recently named Legal Week’s Legal Innovation Trailblazer.
Tom is a Partner and Co-Head of the construction team. He advises clients in both the public and private sector. He is responsible for managing the team nationally and is recommended in the Legal 500 and ranked in Chambers. Clients have said he is "An exceptional lawyer who provides clear and consistent advice. Tom Collins has the ability to deal with complex issues and highly technical matters and translate these into a clear, concise and logical form when presenting a case" and that "He gives down-to-earth, practical advice and delivers results”. Tom has over 20 years' experience in advising on dispute resolution. He regularly advises clients across a broad range of sectors and industry disciplines. He advises in relation to all construction-related disputes including claims for extensions of time, loss and expense, applications for payment, final account disputes and defective works/allegations of negligence with a particular focus on fire safety. Tom regularly acts in adjudications whether bringing or defending claims ranging from payment disputes and claims for extensions of time to more complex and substantive negligence claims together with being regularly involved with litigation and arbitration. He advises in relation to, and participates in, alternative dispute resolution including mediation. A large part of Tom's practice is dispute avoidance and as part of that, he regularly provides ongoing day to day strategic project advice with senior-level contacts at client organisations. In addition, Tom has previous experience of advising on breach of warranty, misrepresentation and injunctive relief claims. Tom also advises on the drafting of construction agreements. He is familiar with all the major standard forms of contract and advises in relation to amendments to those standard forms. He also advises on the drafting and negotiation of supporting and associated documents such as professional team appointments, collateral warranties and bonds. Tom delivers training to clients on key issues affecting their business relating to the construction industry. This includes delivering seminars to trade bodies on matters such as building safety, recent case-law and innovation. Tom was invited to speak at the BSI’s Global Built Environment Summit. He has written a number of articles which have been published in key sector publications including in the Construction Law Journal. Examples of work which Tom has advised on include: • Advising on a dispute for a US contractor claiming additional payments following the design and construction of an oil platform and on shore and sub-sea pipeline; • Acting for a University on a series of claims and adjudications relating to a final account dispute; • Bringing and defending numerous claims alleging fire safety defects including considerations of the impact of the new Building Safety Act; • Acting for the successful party in the adjudication and reported adjudication enforcement case of The Metropolitan Borough Council of Sefton v Allenbuild Ltd [2022] EWHC 1443 (TCC) addressing the question of the court’s jurisdiction to enforce an adjudication decision where the parties have elected to resolve disputes through arbitration • Acting for a claimant company in arbitration on a multi-million pound claim for losses arising out of works on an international infrastructure development; • Successfully defending in full in adjudication a claim alleging a defective engineering installation together with a substantial claim for consequential losses • Acting for a client in defence of an adjudication claiming losses of over £1m for alleged negligent design on a highways project and significantly reducing the damages claimed; • Acting for various public bodies in relation to multi-million pound defects claims; • Advising in relation to rights and remedies following the discovery of asbestos in a completed public project • Advising a designer in relation to claimed defects on a PFI project; • Advising and bringing a claim in adjudication to challenge contra-charges on a transport development project; • Advising a school on various issues arising out of a multi-million pound build including defects, practical completion and final account settlement; • Advising a client in relation to risk and the resolution of a multi-party supply chain dispute arising out of the supply of materials for use in a construction project; • Defending in full an adjudication for substantial extension of time on a complex development and providing the client with day to day project advice in relation to claims for defective works, applications for payment and practical completion; • Advising on a multi-million pound infrastructure dispute including providing risk advice on contracts and day to day advice to senior management; • Advising a social housing provider on the drafting of construction documentation arising out of the establishment of a corporate vehicle to undertake property developments on its behalf; • Advising public bodies on contract terms for flagship building developments; • Advising a charitable company on the terms of a development agreement for the construction of a new mixed use church and residential units
Tracy joined Weightmans in 2006 as a partner and has over 25 years' experience acting for insurance companies and self insureds. Tracy also has particular expertise in employers' liability and public liability claims and extensive experience dealing with high value personal injury claims, to include fatal accident dependency claims. Tracy also has particular expertise in multi party construction claims and travel related litigation on behalf of tour operators and insurers. She is a member of FOIL and Head of EL (non disease) FOIL sector focus team.
Vicky joined Weightmans in 1986 as an articled clerk. She specialises in clinical negligence. She deals mostly with high value cases or those with unusual or novel issues including pre-issue resolution of a potential claim by mediation in which it was sought to expand the duty of care owed by the NHS and advising on management of a major patient safety incident relating to over 1,000 patients. She acted for one of the interested parties at the Mid Staffordshire Public Inquiry and has been involved in a number of group actions. For the last five years she has been acting for the blood service and predecessor bodies, core participants in relation the Infected Blood Inquiry and on related claims. Her particular interests are patient safety, mediation and the strategic management of claims. She has advised on aspects of law change and policy development but is most interested in working with the NHS on initiatives to reduce avoidable harm.
Victoria started her career in costs in 1996 and joined Weightmans' costs team in 2012 as an associate. Victoria has experience in all areas of costs and currently specialises in disease cases. Victoria also provides training and support to clients on costs management, rule changes and implementation of costs strategy.
Victoria has recently returned to Weightmans having spent four years working in a local authority as a Senior Solicitor for litigation and Safeguarding and then as the Special Educational Needs Team manager. Victoria completed her training contract in local government and has over 25 years of litigation experience specialising in public law matters relating to child and adult protection, community care, mental health and education. Her career has been spent supporting local authorities dividing her time between managing a caseload of complex litigation and providing advice to senior managers and decision making panels. She is familiar with the respective statutory duties of public bodies, their governance arrangements and their decision making processes. Victoria enjoys case analysis and problem solving and promotes mediation as an alternative, cost effective method of dispute resolution. She had delivered training to a variety of different audiences on the operation of the Mental Health Act, the Mental Capacity Act and the Children and Families Act. She has advocacy experience in the Court of Protection, the Magistrates, the Family Court, the First Tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care) and the County Court. Victoria constantly strives to develop her legal knowledge and understanding and has post graduate qualifications in mental health law, local government law and is currently completing her LLM. She works on the local government adult and child out of hours’ emergency advice line. Notable cases: A Local Authority v Z & The Official Solicitor [2004] EWHC 2817 (Fam) [2005]
Will qualified in 1995, becoming a partner in 2000. He specialises in large loss and technical claims. He acts mainly for MIB, Zurich, AXA Corporate Solutions and Travelers and deals with a whole range of catastrophic injury claims. Will is a member of FOIL and a representative on their specialist Catastrophic Personal Injury group. He is also Client Relationship Partner for AXA Corporate Solutions.