Clarkslegal Acknowledged once again by UK Legal 500 2019-2020

Clarkslegal is delighted to announce Legal 500 has recognised the law firm for the following practice areas; Corporate and Commercial, Commercial Litigation, Employment, Immigration, Education, Commercial Property, Construction and Commercial Contracts.

The Legal 500 UK is an independent guide that analyses the capabilities of law firms and solicitors across the UK, with a comprehensive research programme revised and updated every year to bring the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market. More than four million users visit The Legal 500 website each year and the guide offer those buying legal services in the UK, reliable and up-to-date information on law firms.

Along with the recognition of our practice areas, six of our outstanding solicitors have been recommended by the directory; Antony Morris, Michael Sippitt, Monica Atwal, Rachel Krol, David Rintoul and Emma Butcher.

The strong rankings are further endorsed by highly complementary client and peer feedback.

Please see below a summary of this year’s recognition:

• Successfully retained band 1 ranking in five areas for the Thames Valley
• Promoted to band 1 ranking in Education for the South East
• Successfully retained London Commercial Contracts ranking
• Successfully retained all London Commercial Property rankings obtained last year
• Achieved a promotion to a higher band for London Business Immigration

Please see below a selection of client quote extracts from the editorial:

Corporate & Commercial

Department head Ashan Arif advises on the full spectrum of corporate, commercial and private equity matters, and is particularly sought after by clients in the automotive, technology and media sectors. Corporate partner Stuart Mullins joined the team in June 2018.

Commercial Litigation

Clarkslegal LLP combines ‘first-rate industry knowledge‘ with experience acting in disputes within the technology, energy, construction, automotive and financial services sectors, representing well-known international corporate clients, shareholders and private clients alike.

‘The team at Clarkslegal combine their deep knowledge of the law with a large degree of approachability and a large amount of commercial pragmatism.’

‘Antony Morris displays the characteristics of an excellent lawyer – a very shrewd litigator who can view an issue from many angles and is aware of the possibilities.’

Employment

Clarkslegal LLP employment law expertise spans restructures and TUPE transfers, GDPR and employee data protection issues and contentious matters including advising on senior employee discrimination and whistleblowing claims.

‘The team are always available to discuss any matter, they are reliable and first rate with their responses. ‘

‘Approachability, professionalism and at a reasonable cost.’

‘Michael Sippitt is very knowledgeable, unflappable and very accessible. I trust their judgement and they’re always a step or two ahead of the game.’

Immigration

Clarkslegal LLP assists with all aspects of business immigration ranging from employer sponsorship licences to responding to immigration enforcement notices from UK Visas and Immigration. The practice also regularly advises entrepreneurs and investors on securing Tier 1 visas, as well offering multi-disciplinary support in connection to setting up operations in the UK. The practice also experienced significant growth in cross-border work in securing overseas visas of representatives of overseas parent companies. Monica Atwal heads the practice.

‘Clarkslegal are very personal and extremely helping, going out of their way to understand their clients and help them seek the best options’.

‘Monica Atwal is highly recommended – she is a true professional in her field’.

Education

Clarkslegal LLP has an established track record assisting clients in the higher education sector whilst also providing services to schools and local authorities. The firm works across a wide range of areas, but is particularly notable for its construction advice on major higher education projects, as well as its procurement expertise, especially in the student accommodation sector. David Rintoul heads the practice and specialises in construction work.

Commercial Property

Clarkslegal LLP advises real estate developers and institutional clients in the education, healthcare, leisure and retail sectors in all aspects of real estate. The department also has expertise in finance matters as well as in niche areas such as public procurement and Islamic finance. Practice head Rachel Krol has wide-ranging real estate experience advising property developers, landlords and tenants, pension funds and hotels on acquisitions and disposals, investment, development and planning matters.

‘Friendly, fast acting, knowledgeable, a commercial attitude to legal matters – a very good team to work with.’

‘Clarkslegal will go an extra mile to help their client in various situations’

‘Partners we work with, all of whom provide an excellent service, are Rachel Krol, David Rintoul, Ashan Arif and Simon Ralphs’

Construction

Clarkslegal LLP has had a notable increase in contentious matters, including construction claims and adjudications. On the non-contentious side, the firm acts for both purchaser and supplier clients on major construction projects; advice covers procurement and project contracts, tender drafting and procedures, joint ventures/consortia structures and risk management. ‘Exceptional lawyer‘ David Rintoul heads up the department.

‘An excellent breadth of knowledge and industry expertise enables the team to handle both contentious and non-contentious matters with a high level of competence’.

‘The team’s approach to analysing and advising on disputes proved to be just the right one; we settled in a timely manner and well within our negotiating range’.

‘Very commercially-minded; real team players’.

Commercial Contracts

Clarkslegal LLP is experienced in commercial contracts and contract procurement, as well as various commercial agreements, including complex cross-border and multi-party agreements. The firm specialises in facilities management, engineering and technology, financial services, hotels and leisure, and life sciences. Ashan Arif leads the practice and advises on commercial agreements and broader company matters, as well as corporate finance and restructurings.

‘They always respond quickly to requests’

‘They have the ability to deal with a broad range of legal issues and take a pragmatic approach when offering their advice’

Commercial property

At Clarkslegal LLP, corporate occupier clients instruct the group for new lease negotiations, rent reviews and a range of other landlord and tenant work. Major development projects, related transactions, investment and portfolio management form the hotels and leisure offering where the team is particularly well-regarded in the food and restaurant arena. Lettings to retail occupiers are a further area of expertise, as are investment portfolio management and development projects. Rachel Krol heads the practice which is also knowledgeable in the education, healthcare and automotive sectors.

Immigration: Business

Clarkslegal LLP acts for a raft of corporate clients and employers including large multinationals and leading technology and financial services organisations. The team handles a range of business immigration issues such as employer sponsorship licences and it advises businesses looking to enter the UK market. It also acts for individuals on investor and entrepreneur visas and assists individual senior staff and their families on global transfers. The team recently advised Jardine Motors Group UK on the transfer of members of staff from Hong Kong to the UK.

‘The team is personable and attentive to requests.’

‘The lawyers are very approachable.’

‘The team makes it very easy to ask questions and understand the advice given.’

Visit Legal 500 UK website: https://www.legal500.com/assets/pages/united-kingdom/uk.html