Baljit Ruprah
Legal Director, Birmingham
FS Legal
fsl.legalfsl.legalLawyers
Christine Newton
Legal Director Before joining FS Legal as a Legal Director in December 2018, Christine spent three years in the role of General Counsel at national logistics and warehousing business, Arrow XL. Prior to that, Christine was a Legal Director in the commercial litigation team at Hill Dickinson. Practice Areas Christine has many years’ experience of running complex commercial disputes from inception through to trial representing both claimants and defendants. She has acted for clients in various industry sectors including logistics and warehousing, construction, engineering, manufacturing and healthcare/pharmaceuticals. In addition to conventional court proceedings, she has extensive experience of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) including mediations, international arbitrations and adjudication. Christine has represented clients in construction and engineering disputes covering a wide range of subject matters including defective industrial plant and machinery, multi-million pound engineering projects for a tidal barrier and an offshore oil rig and various disputes relating to commercial and residential sites including warehouses, leisure sites and apartment blocks. Christine also specialises in corporate and insolvency disputes including: shareholder disputes affecting companies in various sectors from football clubs to financial services director disqualification and breach of fiduciary duty proceedings proceedings arising from corporate insolvency e.g. claims against office holders, preference claims, retention of title etc breach of warranty proceedings on the sale / purchase of businesses She is also a certified practitioner in data protection and advises on all aspects of GDPR compliance.
Gareth Fatchett
PARTNERShortlisted for International Lawyer of the Year by the Birmingham Law Society, Gareth has acquired an exceptionally high profile, both nationally and internationally, in the financial services sector in acting for large groups of investors who have received negligent financial advice and who have been financially devastated as a result of collapsed funds and schemes.Gareth leads the FS legal Leasehold Claims team and is instructed on behalf of around 600 individuals who have been affected by the Leasehold groundrent scandal which has been the subject of widespread media and political interest.Gareth has in-depth experience in a wide variety of failed funds and investments such as Harlequin, Arch Cru, Keydata Investment Services Limited, ARM, Stirling Mortimer, Unregulated Collective Investment Schemes (UCIS), Sustainable Growth Group, Alpha Bank – Cyprus, Green Oil to name but a few. Gareth is frequently consulted by and quoted in numerous articles in the FT, The Mail on Sunday, FT Adviser, Money Marketing and IFA Online. He is renowned for his energetic and creative approach which allows him to find alternative solutions for his clients outside of the usual court or regulatory routes. His ability to work together with, not only his investor clients, but also the advisers and fund providers/promoters is a rare skill and one which has made him the unquestioned expert in this particular field.
Julia Norris
PARTNERJulia is recognised as a Leader in the Field in Professional Negligence in the Chambers UK Guide and is a Recommended Lawyer in the Legal 500 UK Guide where she is noted as being ‘extremely hard working, very bright and unfazed’. Julia has also been shortlisted for Partner of the Year in the Law Society's Manchester Legal Awards. Julia specialises in 'big ticket' litigation with a particular expertise in professional negligence claims of all types. Typically instructed on multi million pound matters, Julia's clients include high profile individuals, well known City figures, sports and media personalities and national corporations. She advises on a variety of general litigation matters as well as professional negligence claims and construction litigation. Julia is particularly known for her experience in financial services litigation and was one of the first in her field to be instructed to advise on high profile and controversial film scheme tax partnerships including Eclipse 35. Julia has been interviewed and quoted in a number of general and specialist publications including the Telegraph, FT Adviser, Citywire, Money Marketing and IFA Online. Julia was invited by Sir Eric Pickles to write a submission on her experience in the industry and best practice in the inaugural Law and Justice edition of the 2018 Parliamentary Review with forewords from Prime Minister Theresa May and President of the Law Society, Joe Egan. Notable cases Halsall v Champion Consulting Ltd [2017] EWHC 1079 (QB) Represented the claimants in a £6M claim arising out of tax avoidance schemes. This widely reported case is believed to be one of the first claims of this type to reach the courts. Anthony Barness and Otrs v Formation Group Pls & Otrs Representing one of the 150 defendants in this multi million pound claim brought by over 260 separate claimants. The claims concern tax avoidance schemes, football agent disputes and allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation. Representing the claimants in a £9M action arising out of EBT and EFURBs tax mitigations schemes in a claim against their tax advisers and accountants. Represented a high profile claimant in a £22M claim against his former solicitors, a well known national firm, concerning the acquisition of a substantial shareholding of a UK PLC. Representing the claimants in a £4M+ claim against a firm of solicitors in a loss of opportunity claim. Represented 300+ claimants in a £3M+ claim against a firm of solicitors arising out of the promotion and sale of a land banking scheme involving four substantial land sites across the UK.
Kit Sorrell
PARTNERKit is personally ranked as a Leader in the Field in both Commercial Litigation and Professional Negligence in Chambers & Partners. He is also recognised in Legal 500’s ‘Hall of Fame’ as a Leading Individual in both Commercial Litigation and Professional Negligence. He is the only lawyer in the entire North West to be ranked by Legal 500’s ‘Hall of Fame’ in the field of Professional Negligence and in Commercial Litigation (elsewhere in the North West). With over 30 years’ experience, Kit Sorrell is a highly renowned litigation specialist. He acts in complex high value commercial matters such as contract disputes, minority shareholder claims, property disputes and also acts for both high net worth individuals and corporate entities in complex and high value professional negligence claims against, by way of example, tax advisers, solicitors, property professionals and independent financial advisers. Kit is nationally recognised as a Leader in the Field and is recommended in both Chambers UK Guide and Legal 500 where he is described as a ‘great tactician and inspires real confidence in his clients’ and a ‘great tactician who knows how to plot the outcome of a case from the very outset’. Kit has developed a particular specialism in commercial construction disputes of all types in his many years of acting for well-known national property developers and is a founding member of the firm’s specialist Construction Disputes Team. Kit is also widely known for leading the way in Professional Negligence claims against financial and tax advisers in particular claims involving tax avoidance and mitigation schemes. Kit was amongst the very first lawyers to be instructed on the high profile Film Scheme Tax Partnership cases and to issue the first High Court proceedings against advisers who recommended such schemes. Kit has become known as the ‘go-to’ lawyer for well-known sports and media personalities in this field. Kit has been interviewed by the Financial Times on a number of occasions and quoted in numerous articles in the FT, The Mail on Sunday, FT Adviser, Money Marketing and IFA Online. Notable cases Halsall v Champion Consulting Ltd [2017] EWHC 1079 (QB)Represented the claimants in a £6M claim arising out of tax avoidance schemes. This widely reported case is believed to be one of the first claims of this type to reach the courts. Acting for a group of high net worth individuals in a £5M claim against an international law practice arising out of negligent conduct of litigation initially brought against their accountants and tax advisers. Acting for a client in a seven-figure professional negligence claim against Gibraltar based IFA company arising out of the clients’ investment into a £50M failed investment scheme. Acting for minority shareholder in a shareholder dispute in relation to his holding in a highly successful engineering company. Action resolved with an order for the purchase of his shares on very satisfactory terms. Acting for a national property/property development company in Judicial Review proceedings challenging enforcement orders made by the Authority which threatened a regeneration scheme the value of which ran to many hundreds of millions of pounds. Acting for a sports management company in a dispute over the ‘ownership’ of a very high profile premier league professional footballer. Acting for Morris Homes Group, the country’s largest privately owned house builder, in a number of complex seven-figure claims against various property professionals. Career history FS Legal – Partner, 2014 to date Pannone LLP – Partner, 2006 – 2014 Wacks Caller – Partner, 2000 – 2006 DWF- Partner, 1983 – 2000
Martyn Anderson
Solicitor
Mubarik Haider
Legal Director
Nicola Stanley
Senior Associate Nicola has 16 years’ experience in Dispute Resolution and has advised a wide range of clients from individuals and SMEs to local authorities and PLCs. Her strength lies in having studied and worked in business prior to embarking on a legal career so can understand the client’s business objectives from the outset, get to the heart of the dispute and provide practical, commercial advice to resolve the dispute quickly and cost effectively.Nicola has extensive Commercial Litigation experience handling a mixed caseload of general litigation matters including breach of contract claims, breach of warranty claims and partnership disputes with a particular emphasis on professional negligence matters. She has considerable expertise acting for lenders and financial institutions in negligence claims against surveyors and solicitors and more recently, for individuals and limited companies against tax and financial advisers. She also has extensive property litigation experience acting for landowners, landlords and tenants in cases involving break clauses, contested lease renewal claims, dilapidations, forfeiture and enforcement of general terms.Nicola is a well established property litigator dealing with a wide range of issues both in respect of residential and commercial property. She regularly deals with contentious and non-contentious business lease renewals, dilapidations claims, possession claims, breach of covenant claims (leading to forfeiture), break notices and title rectification claims.Nicola also has experience of rent and service charge recovery, including matters heard in the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). Notable cases Redstone Mortgages Limited v Countrywide Surveyors Limited [2011] 3 EGLR 153 pursuing solicitors and surveyors (amongst others) for losses arising from negligent advice.Advising a partnership in a successful breach of warranty claim involving a 2 week trial following the purchase of a dental practice Acting for a lender client in a professional negligence claim against a surveyor following the negligent overvaluation of a property. Success at trial on all aspects of the claim, including defeating the partial defence of contributory negligence on account of the lending criteria and failure to mitigate (Redstone Mortgages Limited v Countrywide Surveyors Limited [2011] 3 EGLR 153) Acting for a landlord client in a terminal dilapidations claim involving diminution in value arguments Acting for a landlord client in an insurance claim contesting reinstatement costs and loss of rent following a serious fire at commercial premises Career History FS Legal 2017 to date Read Roper and Read Solicitors – Associate Solicitor, 2014 – 2017 Walker Morris LLP – Associate Solicitor, 2013 – 3014 Cobbetts LLP – Solicitor, 2002 – 2013 Laytons Solicitors LLP – Trainee Solicitor, 2000 – 2002 PriceWaterhouseCoopers – 1999-2000 Royal Mail – Graduate Project Manager, 1994 – 1998
Paul Crutchley
PARTNERPaul is the Managing Director of the firm overseeing all of the firm’s branches and activities. Paul is an extremely experienced lawyer with a background in both corporate law and litigation. Paul’s corporate expertise includes mergers and acquisitions and drafting and advising on all aspects of commercial contracts. Paul specialises in advising both individuals and financial institutions and providers within the regulated sector. His expertise provides an invaluable perspective within the firm whilst also greatly enhancing the technical understanding of the financial products and investments. Paul’s work is extremely varied as he deals with financial advisers, brokers, insurers and various other entities in the financial services sector. His expertise in both corporate law and litigation allows him to offer holistic ‘all round’ advice to his clients providing them with invaluable business and commercial advice and support.Paul is renowned as a practical and pragmatic adviser with a sensible and straightforward manner.
Sunny Patel
SOLICITORSunny has a wide range of litigation experience involving high value and high profile disputes with considerable complexity. She has been involved in a number of multi-million-pound claims which have been widely reported in the press and heard in the specialist courts. Her experience includes: Professional negligence claims; Construction disputes; Shareholder disputes; Breach of contract claims; Breach of fiduciary duty claims; and Fraud Notable cases Halsall v Champion Consulting Ltd [2017] EWHC 1079 (QB) A £6M claim arising out of tax avoidance schemes. This widely reported case is believed to be one of the first claims of this type to reach the courts. Anthony Barness and Others v Formation Group Pls & Others Representing one of the 150 defendants in this multi-million pound claim brought by over 260 separate claimants. The claims concern tax avoidance schemes, football agent disputes and allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation. Hillsborough Inquest As a result of the events in the Hillsborough disaster on 15 April 1989 where 96 football fans lost their lives, an application was made by the Attorney-General. The High Court quashed the verdicts in the original inquests and ordered fresh inquests to be held. The fresh inquests took place in 2014. More than 500 witnesses were called and 4,000 pages of documents and hours of videos were shown during the inquest. After 2 years of evidence, the jury found that 96 football fans were unlawfully killed and that the then match Commander Chief Superintendent Duckinfield was responsible for manslaughter by gross negligence. The inquests are considered to be the longest in English legal history. Barclay Pharmaceuticals Limited and others v Waypharm LP and others 2012[2012] EWHC 306 (Comm) 2012 A claim concerning breach of contract, causing loss by unlawful means, director’s liabilities, fraudulent misrepresentation, letters of credit and procuring the breach of contract.