This year Howard Kennedy has been ranked in 32 categories, including 5 new rankings, demonstrating the breadth and depth of expertise the firm offers. This includes new team rankings for "Construction: Contentious" following the firm's merger with Corbett & Co earlier this year. Both Mark Stephens CBE (Media: Theatre, Publishing & Other Media) and Ashley Reeback (M&A: Smaller Deals (£10m-£100m)) have also been promoted to the Hall of Fame.
Ashley's promotion comes alongside an improved ranking to Tier 2 in the M&A: Smaller Deals (£10m-£100m), the team are described as having a "Commercial approach to the process, ensuring the deal completed in a timely manner".
Elsewhere across the firm, the Business Crime team has gained a series of wins in the Crime, fraud and licensing: Private Prosecutions category. With Ian Ryan ranked as a Leading Individual, Kyle Phillips ranked as Next Generation Partner and Jennifer Harper ranked as a Rising Star. Jennifer also gained a ranking as a Rising Star in the Fraud: White Collar Crime category. Ian Ryan maintained his rankings as a Leading Individual in the Fraud: White Collar Crime and Crime: General categories. Sources note "Howard Kennedy’s white-collar crime team are excellent. They have considerable experience in all areas of financial crime, including alleged market fixing and fraud".
Across our Private Wealth sector we gained and maintained a number of rankings. The Family team moved up a Tier with Katherine Res Pritchard ranked as a Next Generation Partner. The Family team were praised for being "uniquely well-placed to advise clients in the media, sports, and entertainment industries, where their experience is second-to-none. A huge array of personality within the department explains why the clients are typically quite creative. Headed by Lois Langton, they are all stellar". In our Trusts and Estates Disputes team, Naomi O'Higgins, Monika Byrska and Emily Mailer were ranked as Leading Individuals in Contentious Trusts & Probate category. Senior Associate, Tom Deely was also ranked as a Rising Star. The team were noted as "One of the best teams in the country. They have recruited some of the finest talent in the market to strengthen the mid-level and balance the team. Monika Byrska might be the most capable negotiator I’ve encountered. She is accomplished at all she does yet remains friendly and humble. Tom Deely’s star is firmly in the ascension". The Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate team also upheld their ranking.
In good news for the Media & Entertainment team they gained two new rankings in Advertising & Marketing and Film & TV categories, alongside their existing ranking in Theatre, Publishing & Other Media, demonstrating the breadth of the practice. The team are described as "Extremely knowledgeable and explain issues very clearly, giving us great confidence in responses to queries and any issues raised".
Our Energy team were ranked for the first time in the Projects, Energy & Natural Resources: Power category. The team led by Jonathan Cohen was said to be "highly professional, very cooperative and attentive to our requirements as well as being flexible in finding solutions for our needs. Despite being a relatively large firm, their approach is still very personal, which we have always found very valuable".
The firm has also been ranked for the first time in Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency where the team were described as "the best mix of terrifying intellectual rigour and commercial practicality that I have come across".
Overall the firm was ranked in 32 Practice areas (including 5 new rankings), 21 Individual ranked lawyers (including 7 new rankings) and 142 lawyers mentioned by name for their standout contribution to respective practices.
The Legal 500 is an independent guide which recommends firms and individuals purely on merit. The rankings are based on recommendations by fellow professionals and clients garnered through a rigorous and comprehensive research process.
To see the full list of the firm's rankings, as well as numerous positive client and contact testimonials, please click here.
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