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Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

Partnership: Contentious

UK Guide 2026 : UK-wide

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Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

Rankings

About

Provided by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

Disputes between LLP members are commonplace. With market uncertainty firms may consider this a time to re-evaluate their business model and consider reorganisation.

Whether downsizing or concentrating on recruiting in growth areas, domestically and internationally, we are the firm to which professionals turn to for partnership advice across the globe.

Our work is often behind the scenes – it is rarely in our clients’ interests for their affairs to be disclosed in public – but we have been involved in a range of high-profile advice for many well-known professional services firms.

Our lawyers are well-versed in all the issues currently affecting partnerships and LLPS and offer commercially focused and discrete advice on a range of matters including conversions, downsizing, restructurings as well as compulsory retirement, discrimination and team moves.

We can help you with the full range of corporate, financial services, tax and regulatory advice involved in the structuring of partnerships and LLPs, and draw on the strength of our global network to provide this across multiple jurisdictions.

Clients (12)

  • Gowling WLG LLP
  • Man Group plc
  • Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP
  • KPMG
  • Anchorage Capital
  • Willis Group Holdings
  • PwC
  • KPMG International
  • KPMG UK
  • Marathon Asset Management LLP
  • UBS Wealth
  • Spencer House Partners

Industries (7)

  • Commercial & Professional Services
  • Energy
  • Financial Services
  • Insurance
  • Media
  • Private Clients / Individuals
  • Real Estate Finance

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Partnership: Contentious - UK-wide

What the Team is Known For

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is well equipped to act on large cross-border matters, particularly for clients in the legal and financial services sectors. The team is noted for its ability to harness interdisciplinary expertise to address complex regulatory and structural issues on behalf of clients including leading accountancy firms and funds. Additionally, the lawyers advise on highly sensitive contentious matters relating to alleged discrimination, professional negligence and exits, with experience in arbitration proceedings and other forms of ADR.

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Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Herbert Smith Freehills advised Barnett Waddingham on its sale to Howden, creating one of the largest pensions and employee benefits consultancies in the UK.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • I am always confident in the guidance and advice provided in relation to our most complex and sensitive matters.

    Partnership: Contentious respondentUK

  • The team grasps concepts quickly, is highly responsive and shows commercial understanding.

    Partnership: Contentious respondentUK

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • Alan Watts
    Alan Watts

    Alan Watts

    Alan Watts often assists legal and financial services partnerships with sensitive disputes concerning partner exits, breaches of LLP agreements and claims of professional negligence.
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  • Nick Wright
    Nick Wright

    Nick Wright

    Nick Wright is able to utilise his employment law expertise to support professional service firms on a range of partnership matters, particularly disputes.

    • He provides excellent advice in a very approachable manner: one of his key strengths is how he listens to our needs and challenges.

      Partnership: Contentious respondentUK

    • Nick is an excellent lawyer with a great depth of knowledge. His understanding of our business ensures we can work with him easily across multiple business units.

      Partnership: Contentious respondentUK

    • He is calm under pressure, incredibly bright, thinks around issues and often comes up with off-piste ways of looking at things that can make all the difference.

      Partnership: Contentious respondentUK
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  • Tim Leaver
    Tim Leaver

    Tim Leaver

    Tim Leaver advises professional partnership firms on misconduct allegations, team moves, whistle-blowing claims and retirements. He has particular expertise in the financial services industry.

    • He is constantly available, always communicative and really commercial: he understands clients' needs.

      Partnership: Contentious respondentUK
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Ranked Individuals at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP (3)

UK-wide

Members

Provided by Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP

  • Mike Flockhart

  • Tim Leaver

    View profile of Tim Leaver

  • Andrew Taggart

  • Christine Young

  • Craig Tevendale

  • Malcolm Lombers

  • Nigel Farr

  • Isaac Zailer

  • Mark Bardell

  • Rebecca Murtha

  • Ian Thomas

  • Mark Geday

  • Gareth Thomas

  • Graeme Gregory

  • Siobhan Cervin

  • John Mathew

  • Ben Ward

  • Clive Cunningham

  • Gary Horlock

  • Emma Rohsler

  • Stuart Patterson

  • Celina McGregor

  • Chris Bushell

  • Peter Frost

  • Aurell Taussig

  • Nick Clayton

  • Nick Wright

    View profile of Nick Wright

  • Alan Watts

    View profile of Alan Watts

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