Ranking tables
Partnership: Contentious | UK
UK-wide
Eminent Practitioners
Band 1
Band 2
Band 3
Band 4
Eminent Practitioners
E Clare Murray
CM Murray LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Eminent Practitioners |Clare Murray is founder and managing partner of CM Murray. She is a renowned partnership expert who advises on cross-border disputes and investigations, including cases concerning allegations of discrimination and restrictive covenant issues.
Band 1
1 Bettina Bender
Winckworth Sherwood | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 1 |Bettina Bender is well versed in contentious partnership matters, including team moves, misconduct investigations and partner resignations. She has experience acting for both firms and individual partners.
1 Caroline Field
Fox & Partners | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 1 |Caroline Field is well known for her contentious partnership expertise, particularly in cases where there is crossover with employment law and issues of professional negligence.
1 Catriona WattFox & Partners | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 1 |Catriona Watt handles a broad range of highly sensitive and contentious partnership matters, including compulsory retirements, partner exits and sexual harassment allegations.
1 Clive Greenwood
Lewis Silkin | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 1 |Clive Greenwood specialises in contentious mandates, including those that relate to performance issues, misconduct claims and restrictive covenants. He is also joint head of both the partnership group and the professional services group at Lewis Silkin.
1 Gavin Foggo
Fox Williams LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 1 |Gavin Foggo is the senior partner of Fox Williams. He advises on highly sensitive contentious matters, including team moves and harassment allegations, relating to legal partnerships and other professional service firms.1 Jo Keddie
Forsters | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 1 |Jo Keddie advises on a wide range of contentious partnership issues, including discrimination claims, team moves and restructuring.
1 Sarah ChiltonCM Murray LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 1 |Sarah Chilton's expertise includes cases concerning alleged sexual harassment and discrimination as well as partner exit negotiations and related disputes. She is triple-qualified in England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.1 William Wastie
Addleshaw Goddard LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 1 |William Wastie heads the professional practices group at Addleshaw Goddard. He advises on the redrafting of LLP agreements, succession planning and cross-border restructuring, as well as assisting clients with disputes over partner misconduct. His clients include leading professional services partnerships from the legal and accountancy sectors.
Band 2
2 Andrew Cromby
Weightmans | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 2 |Andrew Cromby represents both partnerships and individual partners in contentious matters, including negotiations and disputes relating to partner exits and potential misconduct.
2 Anna Birtwistle
Farrer & Co LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 2 |Anna Birtwistle focuses on contentious partnership matters, including those that concern partner exits, misconduct allegations and restrictive covenants.
2 Jason Butwick
Dechert LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 2 |Jason Butwick is equally strong on both contentious and non-contentious mandates, advising on the negotiation of partnership agreements, partner retirements and partner moves, along with associated disputes. He has a particular focus on clients in the financial services sector.
2 Michael BurdLewis Silkin | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 2 |Michael Burd is an employment law specialist who also has notable expertise in partnership law. He is particularly adept in advising international law firms on partner disputes, exits and claims concerning sexual harassment.
Band 3
3 Aron PopeFox Williams LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 3 |Aron Pope is adept at handling contentious work for professional partnerships and individual partners. He frequently advises on allegations of discrimination, partner departures and restrictive covenants.
3 Beth HaleCM Murray LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 3 |Beth Hale has extensive experience advising professional partnerships and individual partners on contentious matters such as partner exits, whistle-blowing claims and sexual harassment allegations. She currently also acts as general counsel for CM Murray.
3 Dean FullerFox & Partners | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 3 |Dean Fuller provides partnership advice to clients including traditional partnerships and LLPs. He is noted for his work for firms in the financial services sector.
3 Hilton MervisArnold & Porter | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 3 |Hilton Mervis of Arnold & Porter has a broad-ranging litigation practice that takes in complex partnership disputes, particularly in the financial services sector.
3 Peter Garry
Keystone Law | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 3 |Peter Garry of Keystone Law has great depth of experience advising clients in the legal and financial services sectors on complex partnership negotiations and disputes.
Band 4
4 Alan Watts
Herbert Smith Freehills | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 4 |Alan Watts often assists legal and financial services partnerships with sensitive disputes concerning partner exits, breaches of LLP agreements and claims of professional negligence.
4 David FisherCM Murray LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 4 |David Fisher advises individual partners on highly sensitive and contentious matters, such as harassment allegations and breaches of LLP agreements. He also handles matters surrounding team moves.
4 Ivor AdairFox & Partners | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 4 |Ivor Adair has a strong reputation for handling contentious partnership matters such as partner exits and restrictive covenants. He has notable experience working with partners at international law firms.4 Jennifer Millins
Mishcon de Reya LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 4 |Jennifer Millins has key experience advising partnerships and individual partners in disputes. She is particularly adept at handling partner exits, team moves, and discrimination and whistle-blowing claims.
4 Karen BaxterLewis Silkin | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 4 |Karen Baxter is the head of Lewis Silkin's investigations and regulatory group. She has vast experience conducting internal investigations into claims of serious misconduct and discrimination concerning leading law and accountancy practices.
4 Michelle Chance
HFW | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 4 |Michelle Chance is the head of the London employment team at HFW and primarily acts for individual partners on contentious matters, with a notable focus on the financial services sector.
4 Nick WrightHerbert Smith Freehills | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 4 |Nick Wright is able to utilise his employment law expertise to support professional service firms on a range of partnership matters, particularly disputes.
4 Tim LeaverHerbert Smith Freehills | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Band 4 |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.
Associates to watch
Ed LivingstoneFox Williams LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Associates to watch |Ed Livingstone is a senior associate whose experience includes assisting with contentious as well as non-contentious partnership matters. He has advised on restructuring and constitutional arrangements as well as discrimination claims.
Eleanor DiamondLewis Silkin | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Associates to watch |Eleanor Diamond is a senior associate who regularly assists on partnership disputes concerning partner expulsions, discrimination claims and compulsory retirement, among other issues.
Frances SimmLewis Silkin | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Associates to watch |Frances Simm is a managing associate who advises on contentious partnership matters including partner exits and disputes.
Shoshana BacallFox & Partners | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Associates to watch |Legal director Shoshana Bacall supports LLPs, professional partnerships and their individual members on a wide range of contentious matters. Her experience includes investigations into alleged harassment and disciplinary matters.
Wonu SandaCM Murray LLP | Partnership: Contentious2025 | Associates to watch |Wonu Sanda is a senior associate and solicitor advocate in the team. She has experience advising on contentious partnership matters including discrimination cases and misconduct investigations.