England - North West • Crime, fraud and licensing
Kuit Steinart Levy LLP’s Manchester-based licensing department acts for a wide range of clients, most notably across the hospitality and leisure sectors, including competitive socialising brands, sports clubs, and festival operators, and it is described by clients as a ‘first-class licensing team – the best outside London.’ Led by licensing specialist Felicity Tulloch, the team is often called upon by law firms without specialist licensing departments to assist in the drafting and vetting of licensing clauses in property agreements. The group, which is home to Rebecca Lowe, has developed a reputation for successfully obtaining new premise licences in areas of cumulative impact. Drawing on her experience as a healthcare regulatory solicitor, Claire Morris acts for hospitality clients in defending review applications. Anthony Lyons left the firm in March 2022.
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Rising stars
Rebecca advises on all aspects of alcohol and entertainment licensing for premises from pubs, bars and restaurants to large event spaces, festivals and developments. Rebecca has experience in SEV licensing, acting both for applicants and objectors; and in defending noise abatement notices. She has also developed a specialism for gaining licences for high-end brands in areas with cumulative impact zones.
Claire provides advice and assistance to a local and national clients on a range of complex alcohol and entertainment licence matters. These include, in particular, premises licence applications (including those in cumulative impact zones), SEV licence applications and other regulatory issues such as Covid-19 restrictions and policy impact on business operations. Claire has returned to the licensing team, having first worked with Felicity Tulloch in 2007. In between, Claire practised for a number of years as a healthcare regulatory solicitor representing clients at inquest and in the Court of Protection. As a result, Claire is very experienced in dealing with statutory bodies and has a detailed but practical approach to regulatory matters.
Leading individuals
Felicity is a partner in the Kuits licensing team and specialises in alcohol and entertainment licences. Felicity acts for a wide range of clients, both locally and nationally. She regularly appears before Licensing Sub Committees and Magistrates Courts up and down the country. Felicity deals with a whole range of complex licensing issues, including premises licence applications, reviews, appeals, provisional statements, SEV licences, Marriage Act and street café licences. To learn more about Kuits please click here.