Spearheaded by Mark Hands, Irwin Mitchell is ‘as good, if not better, than the magic circle firms in London’. Its ’client service is outstanding, with a strong and talented group of lawyers at all levels’. Other key members of the ‘friendly and supportive team’ include Zahra Pabani and Sarah Balfour. The group works nationally with wealthy clients on areas such as wealth protection, financial remedy proceedings and children matters. Clients include entrepreneurs, professionals and CEOs. Marie Kilgallen, senior associate Sabrina Powell and associate Lucy Todd are among the other highly regarded members of the department, which also excels in children and finance matters with a cross-border dimension.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Sabrina Powell is a first-class solicitor with excellent instincts for matrimonial finance and cohabitation disputes. She is well-connected, on top of the law and always impeccably prepared.'
‘Sarah Balfour was fantastic. She is committed, hard working with an acutely sharp clear-thinking brain. She is also kind and caring. She dealt with a particularly difficult situation with diplomacy but also strength.'
‘Mark Hands is a pragmatic individual, who set the strategy at our first meeting. He took the emotion and rhetoric away, and conducted our responses and arguments on a non-combative basis. Lucy Todd again a pragmatic and considered individual.'
‘The care and robust advice was outstanding. The ability to look forward and predict how things would develop was uncanny, clearly borne from in-depth experience and expertise.’
- 'Zahra Pabani is a powerhouse, with a wealth of knowledge and experience over her vast career. Mark is now a major player in Birmingham, well renowned and respected. Sarah Balfour is a key member of the team both locally and nationally. Marie Kilgallen is a superstar.'
‘Irwin Mitchell are the largest national family team in the country, and they also hold the title of being the largest family team in Birmingham. They take pride in their excellent client service, along with strong leadership both internally and externally.'
- 'IM have many strong juniors; Charlotte Clewes for her legal prowess when it comes to wealth protection. Lucy Todd for her specialist focus on children work. Tara Smith for her key focus on surrogacy work. Sangeeta Kohli for the work she leads on the Religious and Cultural Team of Excellence.'
‘Mark Hands is the best family lawyer that I have come across. I refer all my work to him. He is very clever, down to earth, knowledgeable and strategic. He leads an able team which includes Sarah Balfour, who is a very experienced and able partner. Lucy Todd is wise beyond her years.'
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Mark Hands