Downs Solicitors LLP > Godalming, England > Firm Profile
Downs Solicitors LLP Offices

THE TANNERS
75 MEADROW
GODALMING, SURREY
GU7 3HS
England
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Downs Solicitors LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Kent, Surrey, Sussex Tier 3
Downs Solicitors LLP is regarded as providing an ‘excellent service’ to clients across a spectrum of sectors, including technology, media, healthcare, leisure and professional services. Richard Clapham, who ‘provides excellent client service’, and the ‘outstanding’ Julian Harvey lead the practice, based in Godalming and Dorking respectively. Emily MacNiven is also regarded as a ‘a very capable lawyer’.Practice head(s):
Richard Clapham; Julian Harvey
Other key lawyers:
Emily MacNiven; Charmaine Dudman
Testimonials
‘The Corporate and Commercial team at Downs Solicitors are very helpful and technically skilled. They are therefore able to understand clients problems and provide practical advise followed up with efficient implementation.’
‘The team have provided excellent service to my clients and are willing to meet clients without obligation to explore potential new relationships.’
‘The team is sensibly structure and headed up by experienced and very capable partners. Service tends to be more partner led than their peers so clients get great access to experienced lawyers and with that fantastic value for money.’
‘We do a lot of work with Richard Clapham. He provides client with well rounded and considered advice and is very responsive, providing excellent client service.’
‘Emily McNiven is a very capable lawyer who interacts very well with clients and really helps to dive transactions forward. ’
‘Everyone is very professional. personable and helpful. They also have a very wide field of expertise gathered under one roof which is very good.’
‘Richard Clapham helped enormously and was very responsive and got documents back to me in a very timely manner which was great. ’
‘Julian Harvey and Emily MacNiven were outstanding in all aspects of their work and in dealings with our team.’
Key clients
Aronova Interactive Ltd
Cerealto UK Ltd
Format Games Limited
Mitchell Evans LLP
Office Oracle Group Ltd
Care More Franchising Limited
HJP Wealth Management Limited
Oakwood Club Limited
IIJ Europe Limited
Latchmere Properties Limited
Prosys International Limited
Work highlights
- Advised the shareholders of AKG Group Limited on the sale of the entire issued share capital.
- Advised the shareholders of CoolTera Ltd. on the sale of the entire issued share capital.
- Advised Care More Franchising Limited on the acquisition and implementation of an overseas franchise model in the United Kingdom.
Real estate > Commercial property: Kent, Surrey, Sussex Tier 3
Employment > Employment: Kent, Surrey, Sussex Tier 4
Downs Solicitors LLP is regarded as 'knowledgeable, approachable and prompt', and advises both private individuals as well as corporate clients. The firm is an active member of the Cicero League of International Lawyers, strengthening the practice's cross-border profile. The practice is led by David Seals. Elizabeth Barrett and Heather Love are highly regarded by clients as 'both very approachable and a pleasure to deal with'. Barret and Seals are based in Dorking while Love operates in Godalming.Practice head(s):
David Seals
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team at Down’s are masters of making the seemingly complex become simple. A working ‘with’ rather than ‘for’ attitude has always led to successful outcomes. The billing process is clear, communications are excellent, always with great clarity, leading to a feeling of calmness and control of all situations faced. I would highly recommend them as a business to deal with.’
‘Elizabeth Barrett and Heather Love are brilliant to work with, both speak with an air of confidence and authority as well as a good degree of empathy to the situation we as a business are occasionally faced with. I always feel they are working in the best interests of our business and guide me through the complex with ease and patience.’
‘I am delighted to highly recommend Downs Solicitors for their excellent and professional services. The team are extremely knowledgeable, approachable and prompt, which when dealing with very sensitive or urgent employment matters it is imperative you have a reliable and professional law firm to assist. There is always a warm, friendly and calming logical voice when you need one at Downs. It is an absolute pleasure working with their team” but more importantly you have the peace of mind and trust in their guidance and work ethic, in all employment law matters. ’
‘The whole team are professional, knowledgeable and they do stand head and shoulders above other firms we have used many years ago. We have no reason to look elsewhere and we are a satisfied client of Downs and have been for years. I would like to give a specific mention to Elizabeth Barrett, Heather Love and David Seal all stand out for their expertise, professional guidance and promptness. ’
‘Team’s strengths and key capabilities to solve the problems. Very competitive annual package price.’
‘They are always available, any day and any time and they also gave us support on very different matters with no delay. They are always on time!!’
‘We use Downs Solicitors as are our employment lawyers. I have always found them to be responsive and practical and a great sounding board.’
‘My contacts are Heather Love and Elizabeth Barrett. They are both very approachable and a pleasure to deal with. They frequently make themselves available at short notice and are happy to discuss ideas and approaches to find the best solution for any issue we are addressing.’
Key clients
Oakwood Club Limited
CoolTera Ltd.
Office Oracle Limited
Work highlights
- Advised the shareholders of CoolTera Ltd. on the sale of the entire issued share capital.
Finance > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 4
Downs Solicitors LLP has been praised for providing 'London service at Dorking rates’ on the full suite of insolvency and corporate recovery matters. Practice head Chris Millar has over 30 years of experience when it comes to contentious insolvency, acting on critical corporate and personal insolvency matters on behalf of key clients.Practice head(s):
Chris Millar
Other key lawyers:
Julian Harvey
Testimonials
‘Pleasure to deal with; take ownership and produce results’
‘Extremely responsive and practical’
‘Approachable. London service at Dorking rates.’
‘Chris Millar is a savvy litigator, who knows the area inside out.’
‘Downs is one of those long established firms with links to clients that carry through the generations. Their clients know that they are in reliable and skilled hands. ’
Key clients
PKF Geoffrey Martin & Co Limited
Begbies Traynor Group
Crowe UK LLP
Bailey Ahmed
WSM Marks Bloom
FRP Advisory Trading Limited
Evelyn Partners LLP
Oury Clark
Menzies Business Recovery
Work highlights
Downs Solicitors LLP > Firm Profile
Downs Solicitors LLP is a leading Surrey-based provider of legal services to businesses and individuals. It has 4 offices in Surrey – Dorking, Cobham Godalming and Reigate.
The firm: Downs has a long heritage of providing legal services dating back to 1836. However, the firm has changed significantly over the years, from simply providing legal advice to private individuals to providing the full spectrum of commercial services to business clients.
Downs is accredited under the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS), the mark of excellence awarded to law firms that meet the highest standards for conveyancing transactions.
Types of work undertaken
Corporate: from emerging areas of business law, to mainstream M&A and corporate finance, Downs’ corporate lawyers have a depth of experience and a breadth of understanding that enables it to produce rigorously-researched solutions to the most complex business issues.
Employment: the firm’s employment law solicitors help businesses with the full range of employment law and HR advice, from the drafting of contracts of employment and handbooks, to advising on disciplinary and grievance issues, settlement agreements and unfair dismissals through to tribunal hearings.
Commercial property: whether a client owns the local corner shop, is selling or letting an office building, or purchasing land for development, Downs’ commercial property specialists will give all the expert advice and assurance needed to protect their interests.
Corporate recovery: highly experienced and commercially savvy, the firm’s corporate recovery team advises private equity firms, financial institutions, insolvency practitioners, companies and individuals on a wide range of disciplines, from a broad range of industries.
Litigation: the team of specialist litigation lawyers will protect clients’ interests and assert their rights across a very broad range of business areas, including breach of contract claims, negligence, passing off and copyright infringement, insolvency, property and construction, shareholder and partnership disputes.
International: Downs’ specialist multi-disciplinary international group has considerable experience of acting for clients and law firms located in various jurisdictions and requiring legal advice and services in England or abroad. Clients range from multinational companies to wealthy private investors and offshore trusts. It has lawyers who are qualified in multiple jurisdictions and a number speak foreign languages. They are also contributing authors to private international law publications in the US and member of International Legal network Cicero.
Individual client: the firm provides the full range of legal services to individual clients, including buying and selling property, writing a will, inheritance tax planning, probate, lasting powers of attorney, divorce/separation, pre-nups, disputes and employment issues.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
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Senior partner | Chris Millar |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Richard Clapham | Richard practised in a central London firm for over 10 years before… | View Profile |
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Richard Taylor | Richard handles a broad range of property transactions and specialises in residential… | View Profile |