Gowling WLG stands out for its breadth of contractual work, which spans from procurement and sales contracts to outsourcing agreements. Franchising agreements are another key element of the group’s offering, and practice co-head Sarah Riding, who splits her time between Birmingham and London, and is singled out for her ‘strong understanding of franchising law and principles’. Riding is also commended for her expertise in the automotive industry, a key area of expertise for the group alongside the real estate, retail and public sectors (where the group has experience of advising on contracts for government departments). Versatile practitioner David Lowe co-heads the practice and also leads the international trade group. Jocelyn Paulley and Rachel Pennell are other key team members.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'The individuals are very approachable and genuinely interested in what we are doing. They talk to us as normal people and use plain language to explain what they are doing. They also take time to explain why they have done what they have done.'
- 'Sarah Riding has a strong understanding of franchising law and principles. This, added to her exceptional knowledge of the automotive sector, makes her an incredible person to work with.'
- 'Ability to quickly jump back into complex issues/understand the business requirements after long periods of inactivity on particular matters. Practical approach to time-consuming tasks.'
- 'Charlotte Avery has been able to take over a long-running and particularly involved matter without any drop in the quality of the service provided.'
- 'A good knowledge of our industry sector. Approachable and pragmatic.'
- 'The team overall have a very collaborative approach to problem solving; they will pull in colleagues as needed to resolve challenges. They are quick to react and give feedback and stick to their timelines. They have a large network of partners across the globe too, which has been very helpful.'
- 'David Lowe is always available and no request is too small.'
Key clients
- All Saints Retail Limited
- Asda
- Aston Martin
- Azumi Restaurants Limited
- Baylis & Harding
- Bentley Motors Limited
- Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
- Bloor Homes Limited
- British Red Cross
- Bushveld Minerals
- Cadent Gas
- CBI
- CBRE
- CCEP (Coca Cola)
- Celadon Pharmaceuticals
- Cherry Park Residential
- Chips Away International Limited (Franchise Brands plc)
- Church & Dwight
- Cummins
- Department for Education commercial panel
- Ford
- GSK
- Gordon Murray Automotive
- Hill & Smith Holdings plc
- Hyde Housing Association
- Hydrafacial UK Limited
- International Builder Merchant Group (IBMG)
- Jaguar Land Rover
- London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC)
- Mazda Motors UK Limited
- Medicine Discovery Catapult
- Midcounties Co-operative
- Miller Homes
- Ministry of Justice
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industry
- Molson Coors
- NCP Limited
- NFU Mutual
- Nomad (Birds Eye)
- Norton Motorcycles
- Oxfam
- Pandora
- Premier Foods
- Prologis
- Royal London
- Royal Parks
- Raleigh UK Limited
- SMMT
- Snap Finance
- Spirit AeroSystems
- Starbucks
- St Modwen
- St Peter's Spirits
- Tarmac
- Taylor Wimpey
- The Office Group/FORA
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing
- Transport for London
- Triumph Motorcycles Limited
- United Biscuits
- Upfield
- WaterPlus
- Weetabix
- Weston Park Enterprise Limited
Work highlights
- Advising Transport for London on its £500m re-procurement through competitive dialogue of the supply contract in respect of the London Cycle Hire Scheme – the Santander bikes.
- Advised Upfield on its contract with Footprint to provide the world's first plastic-free, recyclable tub for its plant butters and spreads.
- Advising Weetabix on the re-tendering of its key warehousing contract and logistics contracts.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
David Lowe, Sarah Riding