The eagerly anticipated Legal 500, the leading guide to law firms in the UK, has published its rankings in The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2020 edition. Clapham & Collinge Solicitors are thrilled to be recognised in a record-breaking 12 practice areas, with 2 elite 'leading individuals', 2 'rising stars', 14 recommended lawyers and testimonials including:
'Clapham & Collinge Solicitors is a well-established regional firm where client care is at the top of the agenda and it provides an extremely empathetic and dedicated service to its clients.'
'Clapham & Collinge Solicitors makes sure all clients are well looked after and informed, and goes that extra mile, to ensure the client is satisfied'
Mark Kermez, Managing Partner said ''This is a fantastic result! We are an incredibly ambitious firm, so we are delighted to be ranked among the top law firms in the UK. Our mission as a business is very simple; every day we strive to be the very best law firm for people in Norfolk. We are proud to be recognised as a leading regional law firm and remain committed to excellent client care and service delivery.''
Our Legal 500 2020 Highlights:
Corporate and Commercial
At Clapham & Collinge Solicitors, 'Rising Star' Jade Tinney leads the corporate and commercial practice, which handles company acquisitions and disposals, management buy outs, shareholders' and partnership agreements corporate restructuring and lending, distribution agreements, contract review and terms and conditions. One client describes Tinney as 'the ultimate professional' and last year, she continued to grow the firm's client base across East Anglia and further afield to include a growing number of large business owners.
Litigation and Disputes
Clapham & Collinge Solicitors climbs the ranking this year and handles a wide range of disputes between businesses and individuals, including consumer rights and restrictive covenants matters. Managing partner and practice head Mark Kermez has a broad practice that includes handling commercial contentious disputes through to trial. Key partner Philip Lumb has many years' experience in high-value and complex claims in connection with debt recovery, property transactions, mortgage fraud, failed investment and trust advice and auditing.
Debt Recovery
Head of litigation Mark Kermez oversees the practice at Clapham & Collinge Solicitors which acts for large local companies in the recovery of their debts. In 2018, the firm continued to expand its presence among clients in North Norfolk through the expansion of its North Walsham office. During that year, the firm saw 107 new debt recovery matters filed. Litigation partner Philip Lumb and consultant Michael Olmer are closely involved with the practice.
Employment Law
The employment practice at Clapham & Collinge Solicitors is part of the firm's commercial group, which has an increasingly prominent standing in Norfolk. Legal executive Nicola Strefford leads a team of four, which has the support of a barrister from a local chambers. The firm handles both claims on behalf of employees and defence work for employers against allegations of unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and disability discrimination.
Clinical Negligence
Clapham & Collinge Solicitors joins the ranking this year due to the growing caseload of clinical negligence matters handled by key partner Philip Lumb, who has been working this field for 17 years. The firm, which has a growing client base across Norfolk, frequently handles claims arising from Accident & Emergency treatment, dentistry, cosmetic surgery, GP diagnosis and treatment, oncology, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology.
Professional Negligence
Litigator and partner Philip Lumb at Clapham & Collinge Solicitors has a broad practice encompassing commercial litigation, personal injury, property litigation and contentious trusts and probate, but professional negligence claims make up a significant part of his workload. He leads the practice from Norwich and also covers the firm's offices in North Walsham and Sheringham. Consultant Mel White, who focuses on family and education matters, also acts for clients bringing claims of negligence against solicitors in those fields of law.
Charities and Not-for-Profit
The charities practice at Clapham & Collinge Solicitors is led by family law partner Neale Grearson and acts for charities based in Norwich and throughout East Anglia. It advises on charity formation, trustee compliance and responsibilities, mergers and winding up of charities, corporate law, commercial property, landlord and tenant matters, employment law and litigation. Its multi-disciplinary group includes corporate and commercial practice head Jade Tinney and employment specialist Nicola Strefford.
Contentious Trusts and Probate
The practice at Clapham & Collinge Solicitors is now led by Philip Lumb who works alongside consultant Michael Olmer, following the departure of Tammy Parnell to run a property company. The firm took on 21 contentious probate cases in 2018, up from 11 the previous year, and the practice calls upon Olmer's private client expertise to handle tax and family issues, often with an international element.
Family Law
Clapham & Collinge Solicitors is 'a well-established regional firm where client care is at the top of the agenda and it provides an extremely empathetic and dedicated service to its clients'. Family practice head and 'Leading Individual' Neale Grearson 'clearly is highly regarded by top barristers and colleagues in the profession'. The firm advises on divorce and separation, financial relief, children issues, property rights for unmarried couples, cohabitation agreements, separation agreements and pre- and post-nuptial agreements.
Personal Tax, Trust & Probate
'Clapham & Collinge Solicitors makes sure all clients are well looked after and informed, and goes that extra mile, to ensure the client is satisfied'. 'Leading Individual' Lin Whitehead and family, personal injury and charitable trusts expert Ben Lowe lead the practice, which attracts a growing amount of work for high-net-worth individuals in Norfolk. All of the lawyers in the practice are members of Dementia Friends and STEP. Rising star Lauren Abbs is recommended for wills and trusts.
The main group of private client lawyers at Clapham & Collinge Solicitors is based in Norwich, but the firm's offices in North Walsham and Sheringham also offer a free will review service and access to STEP and Dementia Friends members. Legal executive Susan Dawe in Sheringham has 18 years' experience in wills, estate administration, equity release, tax planning, care fees and powers of attorney.
Commercial Property
Clapham & Collinge Solicitors has a 'very knowledgeable, pragmatic and highly efficient' commercial property practice. The firm climbs the table having expanded its practice with the recruitment of junior lawyers to deal with a growing workload for new practice head Sarah Garlish, who joined from Hatch Brenner LLP. Consultant Hugh Berridge and Head of Corporate and Commercial Jade Tinney also play key roles in the practice, which acts for businesses, individuals and charities in the full spectrum of property matters.
Property Litigation
Clapham & Collinge Solicitors is a prominent firm for property litigation in North Norfolk. It is a key player in Norwich and around its offices in North Walsham and Sheringham. Head of Litigation Mark Kermez in Norwich is the key partner and handles contentious property matters as part of his broader practice, as do Philip Lumb and consultant Michael Olmer. The firm advises on a wide range disputes between businesses and individuals, as well as consumer rights cases and restrictive covenants.
*Extracts taken from The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2020 edition.
If you have a legal query and would like to speak to a member of the Clapham & Collinge team, please contact our dedicated Client Relations Team on 01603 693500 or email us using the 'Make an Enquiry' online form on our website.
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