Ranking tables
Partnership: Contentious | UK
UK-wide
Rankings overview for Lawyers
Bettina Bender Winckworth Sherwood13 Years Ranked
Caroline Field Fox & Partners11 Years Ranked
Catriona Watt Fox & Partners13 Years Ranked
Clive Greenwood Lewis Silkin19 Years Ranked
Jo Keddie Forsters26 Years Ranked
Sarah Chilton CM Murray LLP8 Years Ranked- William Wastie Addleshaw Goddard LLP22 Years Ranked
Alan Watts Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP23 Years Ranked
Clive Howard Keystone Law24 Years Ranked
David Fisher CM Murray LLP7 Years Ranked
Dean Fuller Fox & Partners5 Years Ranked
Eleanor Rowswell Farrer & Co LLP10 Years Ranked
Ivor Adair Fox & Partners8 Years Ranked- Jennifer Millins Mishcon de Reya LLP9 Years Ranked
Nick Wright Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP7 Years Ranked
Tim Leaver Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP18 Years Ranked
Vivienne Williams Michelmores LLP18 Years Ranked- Paul BennettBennett Briegal LLP
All Lawyers profiles
Eminent Practitioners
E Clare Murray
CM Murray LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Eminent Practitioners | 23 Years RankedClare 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.
E Gavin Foggo
Fox Williams LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Eminent Practitioners | 22 Years RankedGavin 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.
Band 1
1 Bettina Bender
Winckworth Sherwood | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 1 | 13 Years RankedBettina 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: Contentious2026 | Band 1 | 11 Years RankedCaroline 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: Contentious2026 | Band 1 | 13 Years RankedCatriona 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: Contentious2026 | Band 1 | 19 Years RankedClive Greenwood is a consultant partner specialising in contentious mandates, including those that relate to performance issues, misconduct claims and restrictive covenants.
1 Jo Keddie
Forsters | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 1 | 26 Years RankedJo Keddie advises on a wide range of contentious partnership issues, including discrimination claims, team moves and restructuring.
1 Sarah ChiltonCM Murray LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 1 | 8 Years RankedSarah 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: Contentious2026 | Band 1 | 22 Years RankedWilliam 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: Contentious2026 | Band 2 | 19 Years RankedAndrew 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: Contentious2026 | Band 2 | 12 Years RankedAnna Birtwistle focuses on contentious partnership matters, including those that concern partner exits, misconduct allegations and restrictive covenants.
2 Jason Butwick
Dechert LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 2 | 22 Years RankedJason 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: Contentious2026 | Band 2 | 28 Years RankedMichael 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: Contentious2026 | Band 3 | 6 Years RankedAron 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: Contentious2026 | Band 3 | 6 Years RankedBeth 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 Hilton MervisArnold & Porter | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 3 | 21 Years RankedHilton Mervis has a broad-ranging litigation practice that takes in complex partnership disputes, particularly in the financial services sector.
3 Peter Garry
Keystone Law | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 3 | 20 Years RankedPeter Garry 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 Kramer LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 4 | 23 Years RankedAlan Watts often assists legal and financial services partnerships with sensitive disputes concerning partner exits, breaches of LLP agreements and claims of professional negligence.4 Clive HowardKeystone Law | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 4 | 24 Years RankedClive Howard is a seasoned practitioner in employment and partnership law, with specific expertise in advising individuals from the financial services sector regarding high-value partner exits.
4 David FisherCM Murray LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 4 | 7 Years RankedDavid 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 Dean FullerFox & Partners | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 4 | 5 Years RankedDean Fuller provides partnership advice to clients including traditional partnerships and LLPs. He is noted for his work for firms in the financial services sector.4 Eleanor RowswellFarrer & Co LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 4 | 10 Years RankedEleanor Rowswell advises individuals within LLP organisations, including those in the financial and legal sectors, on a wide range of contentious mandates.
4 Ivor AdairFox & Partners | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 4 | 8 Years RankedIvor 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: Contentious2026 | Band 4 | 9 Years RankedJennifer 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 Nick WrightHerbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 4 | 7 Years RankedNick 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 Kramer LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 4 | 18 Years RankedTim Leaver advises professional partnership firms on misconduct allegations, team moves, whistle-blowing claims and retirements. He has particular expertise in the financial services industry.4 Vivienne Williams
Michelmores LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Band 4 | 18 Years RankedVivienne Williams has a notable specialism in matters that pertain to farming partnerships. She can advise clients on both contentious and non-contentious issues.
Star Associates
Wonu SandaCM Murray LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Star Associates | 3 Years RankedWonu Sanda is a solicitor advocate who has experience advising on contentious partnership matters including discrimination cases and misconduct investigations.
Associates to watch
Ed LivingstoneFox Williams LLP | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Associates to watch | 4 Years RankedEd Livingstone's 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: Contentious2026 | Associates to watch | 5 Years RankedEleanor Diamond regularly assists on partnership disputes concerning partner expulsions, discrimination claims and compulsory retirement, among other issues.
Frances SimmLewis Silkin | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Associates to watch | 3 Years RankedFrances Simm advises on contentious partnership matters including partner exits and disputes.
Shiv RajaFox & Partners | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Associates to watch | 5 Years RankedShiv Raja assists clients on contentious partnership matters, with experience advising international law firms and other professional services outfits.
Shoshana BacallFox & Partners | Partnership: Contentious2026 | Associates to watch | 4 Years RankedShoshana 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.