The latest Legal 500 directory rankings have been released and Longmores achieved an excellent set of results with five practice areas ranked again.  Dispute Resolution and Commercial Property achieved promotion into Tier 3 whilst Company Commercial, Employment and Private Client held their positions in Tier 2.  John Wagstaffe, Partner and Head of Property Disputes and Nat Young, Senior Solicitor specialising in Insolvency and Dispute Resolution, have also been ranked as Next Generation Partner and Rising Star respectively.

Richard Gvero says:

We are delighted that five of our teams are ranked in the guide again and that their excellent work continues to be recognised. To have so many of our solicitors mentioned in the guide is testament to their expertise and outstanding client care.

Employment: Tier 2

Once again the Employment team achieved a Tier 2 ranking in the 2021 guide. Richard Gvero, Joint Senior Partner and Head of Employment, and Miranda Mulligan, Associate Solicitor have both been recommended in this year’s guide.

What The Legal 500 says:

Longmores Solicitors LLP advises companies and high-net-worth individuals on employment law matters such as complex disciplinary and grievance situations, restrictive covenant and injunction remedies, reorganisations, and discrimination issues. It has particular expertise in the education and recruitment sectors. Practice leader Richard Gvero is known for his work in reorganisation and redundancy, as well as employment disputes. Solicitor Miranda Mulligan represents clients on complex tribunal proceedings and whistleblowing complaints.

Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate: Tier 2

Longmores’ Private Client team also achieved a Tier 2 ranking for the 2021 guide. Richard Horwood, Partner and Head of Private Client, and Alastair Liddiard, Senior Solicitor, have both been recommended again in the Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate category.

What The Legal 500 says:

The team at Longmores Solicitors LLP focuses primarily on providing advice to members of the farming and rural community in Hertford regarding the preparation of wills and trusts, the administration of trusts and estates, and inheritance tax matters. Court of Protection matters and associated areas regarding capacity are also areas of expertise in the practice. Practice leader Richard Horwood is considered ‘very diligent’ as a professional executor and attorney, while Alastair Liddiard is highly valued for his work in complex trusts and estates.

Testimonials:

‘Richard Horwood is extremely good. Very diligent, knowledgeable, and experienced. Pretty much the consummate private client solicitor and thoroughly recommended.’

‘As a firm, they are well-regarded; they invest in their company in both personnel and technology with a strategy to grow.’

‘The team are all professional, diligent, and they care about their clients. They seem to have the capacity and knowledge to deal with high-net-worth clients and the complex issues which come with such individuals and families. I often come away from a meeting having learnt about the latest changes in their field of expertise.’

‘They have been operating for many years in Hertford and have built up a fantastic reputation. I do a lot of work with Alastair Liddiard; he is extremely knowledgeable and very professional. He goes the extra mile to ensure everyone receives the very best advice and is well looked after.’

‘I have been satisfied with the service I have received. The professionalism Richard Horwood has shown is of a very high standard.’

Commercial Litigation: Tier 3

The Dispute Resolution team improved their tier ranking for the 2021 guide, moving up to Tier 3. As well as John Wagstaffe and Nat Young being ranked, John Wiblin, Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution, and Lauren MacKenzie, Senior Solicitor, have also been recommended.

What The Legal 500 says:

Longmores Solicitors LLP represents clients in industry sectors such as recruitment and property management; practice co-head John Wiblin has specialist experience in representing clients in the recruitment industry, while practice co-head John Wagstaffe has a focus on property litigation. The bulk of Lauren Mackenzie’s instructions are in relation to contentious probate, while junior member Isabel Williams deals with commercial disputes and contentious probate. In 2019, Nat Young joined the practice from SA Law LLP.

Commercial Property: Tier 3

Longmores’ Commercial Property team has also moved up the rankings this year to Tier 3 in the 2021 guide. Rachael Spalton, Partner and Head of Commercial Property, and Victoria Sandberg, Partner and Head of Rural, have both been recommended in this year’s guide.

What The Legal 500 says:

Longmores Solicitors LLP advises commercial clients and local landowners on complex land sales, including options, overage provisions, and promotion agreements. Practice leader Rachael Spalton is known for her work in finance, including development and investment complex option arrangements, and promotion agreements. Victoria Sandberg specialises in rural land transactions and estate management matters. Two solicitors joined the practice in 2019: Helen Bunting from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (Europe) LLP, and Douglas Traill-Stevenson from DAC Beachcroft.

Testimonials:

‘The practice works in a cohesive and non-hierarchical way to the benefit of its clients and their other professional advisers. As a result they seem able to draw opinion from each other and quickly answer queries or deal with problems. They move things forward in a timely way and are ‘solution’ rather than ‘problem’ driven.’

‘They have the talent and expertise of a large, City firm but the approachability, availability and value for money of a provincial practice.’

‘Rachael Spalton is very personable, knowledgeable, experienced and hard-working. She works well with kindred professionals, with a good understanding of when to take the initiative and when to support, consult or advise.’

‘Rachel Spalton is very approachable and extremely knowledgeable. She will always work a bit later or even out of hours to get things done.’

‘Victoria Sandberg is incredibly diligent and client focused.’

‘Victoria Sandberg and Rachael Spalton never fail to impress. It is a pleasure to work with them.’

Corporate and Commercial: Tier 3

The Company Commercial team has achieved a Tier 3 ranking again in the 2021 guide. We are proud to say that Rina Sond, Partner, has been recommended for another year and Thomas Knight has been recommended for the first time at Longmores.

What The Legal 500 says:

Longmores Solicitors LLP advises clients on commercial agreements, relating to IP, data protection and IT, as well as business process outsourcing agreements. Former Weightmans LLP principal associate Michael Budd recently joined the firm as company commercial head; he now works alongside Rina Sond, who generally acts for owner-managers of medium-sized companies and has IP commercial contract expertise. Thomas Knight also joined the team from Tindall Riley & Co in December 2019.

Testimonials:

‘Rina Sond is an excellent solicitor. Very professional and helpful. She gave us excellent advice.’