LIDW is a leading global forum bringing together lawyers, businesses, policymakers and dispute resolution specialists. Taking place from 1-5 June, the week explores the future of international dispute resolution, looking at developments across litigation, arbitration and mediation.

LIDW provides an important platform for Edwin Coe as a London firm with international reach. With London recognised as a global hub for the resolution of international disputes, the programme offers a valuable opportunity to share our expertise and further strengthen our international network.

On 3 and 4 June, we will host two panel sessions at our Lincoln’s Inn offices, delivered in collaboration with leading barristers’ chambers.

Panel 1: Securing the Award – The Power of Interim Remedies in Global Litigation and Arbitration

Date: Wednesday 3 June 2026
Time: 14:00–15:30, followed by networking from 15:00–15:30
Location: Edwin Coe, 2 Stone Buildings, Lincoln’s Inn
Hosts: Edwin Coe, Kings Chambers

An interactive panel discussion where consideration will be given to the range of interim protective measures available in the courts of England and Wales in domestic legal proceedings and in support of international litigation and arbitration, including under the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgements Act 1982 and Arbitration Act 1996.

Speakers

• Mark Harper KC, Barrister, Kings Chambers
• Andrew Grantham KC, Barrister, Kings Chambers
• Sam Karim KC, Barrister, Kings Chambers
• Lisa Walmisley, Barrister, Kings Chambers
• Shams Rahman, Partner and Head of Contentious Trusts and Estates, Edwin Coe
• Alex Shirtcliff, Partner and Head of Commercial Disputes, Edwin Coe

Panel 2: Arbitration and Inter‑Generational Disputes – The Reality and How It Works in Practice

Date: Thursday 4 June 2026
Time: 11:30–13:00, followed by networking from 12:30–13:00
Location: Edwin Coe, 2 Stone Buildings, Lincoln’s Inn
Hosted by Edwin Coe, 4–5 Gray’s Inn Square

An interactive discussion from senior practitioners, with wide experience across a range of jurisdictions, looking at the evolving issue of how arbitration supports intergenerational disputes. Traditionally, trust arbitrations were not seen as a means of resolving of such disputes. Decisions such as, but not limited to, Grosskopf v Grosskopf [2024] EWHC 291 (ch) and Gabriele Volpi v Delanson Servies Ltd & Matteo, Simone & Isabella Volpi [2025] have started to reset the position in this area of law.  The panel looks at the state of the law as of mid-2026 and considers how it might develop. Our panel provides depth and breadth of experience in both trust disputes and arbitration, with speakers from London, Dublin and the British Virgin Islands.

Speakers

• Lauren Fullerton, Barrister, 4–5 Gray’s Inn Square
• Shams Rahman, Partner and Head of Contentious Trusts and Estates, Edwin Coe
• Alex Shirtcliff, Partner and Head of Commercial Disputes, Edwin Coe
• Martin Kenney, Head of Firm, MKS Law
• Graham Kenny, Solicitor Advocate, Graham Kenny Solicitors

Find out more

To find out more about Edwin Coe’s involvement in London International Disputes Week, please contact our Events Team. To register your interest for our panel events, please visit the LIDW website using the links below:

Panel 1: Securing the Award – The Power of Interim Remedies in Global Litigation and Arbitration: Wednesday 3 June

Panel 2: Arbitration and Inter-Generational Disputes – The Reality and How it Works in Practice: Thursday 4 June

Find out more about our panel sessions by contacting events@edwincoe.com

Edwin Coe is proud to announce its continued recognition as one of the UK’s leading private client law firms in the newly released 2025 rankings by eprivateclient.

Our award-winning Private Client team provides expert guidance to individuals and families for whom wealth preservation is a key priority. We serve as trusted advisers to clients across the UK and internationally, including families, trusts, and owner-managed businesses.

The eprivateclient rankings are based on a comprehensive survey of over 100 UK law firms, evaluating not only the scale of their private client teams but also their standing within the private wealth sector. This year, 71 firms were selected for their commitment to delivering high-quality services to wealthy individuals and families.

We are honoured to be recognised once again for our excellence in private client work and builds on the team’s recent success in the Private Wealth Law category of the 2025 Chambers High Net Worth Directory and The Legal 500 UK 2026 Guide.

For more information please see the eprivateclient website (subscription required).

This year’s guide celebrates the achievements of our specialists:

 Tax team

• Sean Bannister, Head of Tax, is Top Recommended and Hetal Sanghvi, Partner, is Recommended in the Accountant and Tax Advisors Index.
• Morag Ofili, Barrister – Partner, is Top Recommended in the Tax and Trusts Barristers Index.

 Private Client team

• Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner and Head of Private Client, is Recommended in the Probate and Wills Lawyers Index, and Matthew Barnett, Head of Private Client, UK, is ranked for the first time as Recommended in the same index.
• Shams Rahman, Partner, is Recommended in the Contentious Trusts Lawyers Index.
• Lara Mardell, Of Counsel is Recommended in the Tax Lawyers Index.

Employment team

• Linky Trott, Head of Employment, is Top Recommended in the Employment Lawyers Index.

The Spear’s 500 is a leading resource profiling the foremost private client advisers, wealth managers, lawyers, and service providers assisting high-net-worth individuals. Recommendations are compiled through peer nominations, client feedback, interviews, firm data, and analysis by the Spear’s editorial and research teams.

For more details, you can view the Spear’s 500 profiles of Edwin Coe’s experts here.

We are delighted to share that Eleanor Showering, Associate in our Intellectual Property team, has been named a Rising Star in the esteemed UK IP Stars rankings 2025 from Managing IP.

This recognition follows closely after Maggie Ramage, Partner, being acknowledged as a Notable Practitioner in June this year. Additionally, our IP team earned distinction as a Notable Firm for Trade Mark Prosecution.

IP Stars from Managing IP highlights leading intellectual property experts from around the world, drawing on a thorough evaluation process that considers firm submissions, publicly accessible information, and market insights.

Simon Miles, our Head of Intellectual Property, stated: “Eleanor’s recognition as a Rising Star is a testament to the dedication and expertise within our outstanding IP team. We are exceptionally proud of her achievement, which highlights our ongoing commitment to developing leading IP specialists.”

To view the IP Stars 2025 rankings for Edwin Coe and our lawyers, please see here.  Subscription is required.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that our lawyers and their practices have been recommended for their outstanding work in 18 categories in the newly released The Legal 500 UK 2026 directory. These independently researched rankings highlight the individuals and practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to clients across a wide range of categories.

Individuals

Across our practices, our lawyers are recommended 73 times by the Legal 500’s expert researchers, with new mentions/reappearances for Sophie Armstrong and Greg Horsford (M&A), Charlotte Kessler (Commercial Litigation), Elliot Francis (Employment), Jeremy Curtis and Eva Moynihan (Personal tax, trusts and probate), James Hibbert (Property Litigation), Eleanor Showering, Kenny Cheung, Maggie Ramage, Karen Lee, Dennis Lee and Lakmal Walawage (all Intellectual Property).

Our Senior Partner, David Greene retains his membership of two ‘Halls of Fame’ for Commercial Litigation and for Group Litigation, whilst Matthew Barnett (Personal tax, trusts and probate), David Goepel (Personal tax, trusts and probate), Daniel Bellau (M&A) retain their rankings ‘Leading Individuals.’

Zahira Hussain (Commercial Litigation), and Thomas Malato-Johnson (Commercial Litigation: Mid-Market) also keep their ‘Next Generation Partner’ recommendations.

Additionally, Christopher Pollard is recommended in the South Eastern England categories of Commercial Litigation, IT & Telecoms and Intellectual Property for his work at his previous firm.

Practices

We are recommended in 18 practice categories – Our ‘approachable and knowledgeable,’ Property team is recommended for Residential Property give ‘5 star advice to protect their clients’ best interest’; Property Finance ‘works collaboratively with both the client and the lender to achieve the desired outcome’; Construction: non-contentious who are described as an ‘excellent team with incredible knowledge’, and also Property Litigation: ‘Very strong team with a pragmatic approach to often complex property litigation.’

Our ‘First-class private client team’ was recommended for Personal tax, trusts and probate along with Charities and not-for-profit. One client said ‘this practice has lawyers who are very professional, dynamic and friendly to work with.’

The Corporate team are recommended for M&A: £10m-£100m ‘excellent services, very good advice, and very timely results‘; and Equity Capital Markets: Small-Mid Cap, whilst a client comments on growing Intellectual Property team that ‘we can talk to anyone about our affairs and feel that they are knowledgeable.’

Our Employment lawyers were ranked for Employment: employers ‘legally robust, but also deeply strategic’ and for Employment: senior executives, with one referee commenting that the team are ‘they are highly talented, experienced and dedicated professionals’; plus both Immigration: Business and Immigration: Personal ‘Great service, great advice and very responsive.’

Finally, our litigators were also recommended for Group Litigation: Claimant ‘never afraid of the fight’; Commercial litigation: mid-market ‘very responsive and commercial’; Fraud: Civil ‘a strong team, fearless in their approach’; Professional Negligence ‘Simply the best team in the country’; Insurance Litigation: For Policyholders where one contact stated ‘one of the well-established and most respected in the sector.’

Congratulations to all involved!

For more detailed information, including specific lawyer rankings and commentary, please visit the Legal 500 website.

London, 30 September 2025 – Edwin Coe is delighted to announce the appointment of Clare Quinn-Waters in the newly created role of Chief Growth Officer. Clare joins the firm’s Management team and will be instrumental in driving strategic growth initiatives across the practice.

Clare brings a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, having held senior roles in both legal and professional services environments, driving transformative initiatives and fostering enduring client relationships. Prior to joining Edwin Coe, Clare served as Partner and Business Development Director at FRP Advisory, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s growth strategy. Her appointment reflects Edwin Coe’s continued commitment to innovation, client service excellence, and long-term growth.

Alison Broadberry, Edwin Coe’s Managing Partner said: “Clare’s appointment is a reflection of our ambition to grow with purpose and to invest in the very best talent. Her energy, strategic insight, and collaborative approach will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our offering. We are thrilled to welcome her to the firm and look forward to the impact she will make across the firm.”

Edwin Coe’s CEO, Tim Nash added, “We are very excited to welcome Clare to the firm at this time of transformation and positive change. Clare’s exceptional insight, drive and extensive experience will be instrumental in shaping our firm’s continued evolution.”

Clare commented, “I am excited to join Edwin Coe at such a dynamic time in its journey. The firm’s reputation for excellence and its collaborative culture make it a natural fit for my approach to client development and strategic growth. I look forward to working with the talented team here to build on the firm’s success.”

Clare will be based at Edwin Coe’s offices in Lincoln’s Inn and will work alongside the firm’s leadership to enhance client engagement, develop new market opportunities, and support the firm’s strategic ambitions.

Christopher deals with both contentious and non-contentious IP-related matters. He has extensive experience advising across technology, aerospace, automotive, and life science sectors. His practice includes data protection and GDPR compliance, as well as matters involving standard-essential patents and FRAND licensing. He also regularly advises on breach of contract disputes and confidentiality claims.

Christopher joins us from Field Seymour Parkes LLP in Reading where he led their Intellectual Property team, having previously worked at Anderson Law and Freshfields. Christopher’s arrival follows the earlier addition of Partners Dennis Lee and Lakmal Walawage this year, whose complementary skills have added further depth to the firm’s now seven-partner Intellectual Property team.

Edwin Coe’s Head of Intellectual Property Simon Miles, commented: “Christopher’s recruitment reflects our commitment to expanding our team of Intellectual Property specialists at a time when client demand is growing rapidly. His technical expertise and advocacy skills will be invaluable as we continue to grow our practice, delivering results for clients.”

Edwin Coe is proud to announce that Dayalan Thangaraj, Tax Manager, and Wendy Hall, Senior Associate in our Private Client team, have been recognised in the prestigious eprivateclient NextGen Leaders List 2025.

Wendy specialises in advising UK and international individuals and trustees on wealth preservation, trust and succession planning, tax, estate and inheritance tax planning, LPA, and Wills and letters of wishes. She also appeared in this list in 2018.

Dayalan advises a range of clients, from fast-growth entrepreneurs to multi-generational families, helping them manage their tax affairs efficiently while ensuring their wealth and succession strategies align with their personal and commercial objectives.

eprivateclient NextGen Leaders (previously known as the Top 35 Under 35 award) is the definitive annual list of exceptional young private client practitioners in the UK and Crown Dependencies. Eligibility is based on having 17 years or fewer of industry experience within private client advisory professions—whether in property, tax, trust, dispute resolution, family law, accounting, or as trustees.

Selection by the senior editorial team at PAM Insight is based on the individual’s qualities and achievements, taking into account the reputation of their firm, superior feedback, career progression, and engagement in volunteering or mentoring within the profession.

The full 2025 list is available on eprivateclient’s website and can be accessed here for A to L (including Dayalan) and here for M to Z (including Wendy). Subscription may be required.

This acquisition marks a significant step in Edwin Coe’s growth as a multi-disciplinary practice that already has partners and employees who are Barristers, Chartered Tax Advisers and Trade Mark Attorneys. It reflects the trend amongst progressive law firms to have independent businesses owned alongside the legal practice. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have very strict rules in this situation and we have consulted extensively with the SRA to ensure that Hoopers will be run as a fully compliant stand-alone business.

Alison Broadberry, Edwin Coe’s Managing Partner and Head of Private Client commented:

“I am delighted to welcome the team at Hoopers. This acquisition underscores Edwin Coe’s continued commitment to growth and specialist work within the private capital sector. Hoopers’ values align strongly with our culture and with our mission to be Collaborative, Committed and Connected with all our stakeholders.”

Lauren Harris, CEO of Hoopers, added:

“The Hoopers team are excited to have a new parent company that is committed to the continuing growth of our business, whilst allowing us to operate as a separate business, albeit alongside Edwin Coe’s thriving law firm.”

Founded in 1923, Hoopers’ full-time staff are supported by a dedicated group of self-employed contractors and consultants. Together, they offer the legal profession, public sector and beneficiaries the benefits of highly specialised knowledge and skills to resolve hundreds of intestacies annually.

Following the acquisition, the Hoopers team will relocate to new offices separate from, but adjacent to, those of Edwin Coe in Lincoln’s Inn.

To learn more about Hoopers, please visit: www.hoopers.co.uk

Edwin Coe is pleased to share that six of our lawyers have been recognised in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2025, achieving rankings across the Private Wealth, Tax: Private Client, and Real Estate: High Value Residential categories. Additionally, both our Residential Property and Private Client teams have retained rankings in this latest edition.

Our Residential Property team has retained its Band 4 ranking in the Real Estate: High Value Residential category, with Department Head Rosie McCormick Paice maintaining her Band 3 individual ranking.

The Private Client team remain in the same Band 4 ranking as last year for the Private Wealth Law category. For our individual lawyers, David Goepel’s ranking in Band 2 remains unchanged including Alison Broadberry’s ranking in Band 3 and Matthew Barnett’s ranking in Band 5.  Additionally, new partner Jeremy Curtis is also ranked in Band 5.

We are also proud to announce that Morag Ofili has received a Band 2 ranking for the first time in the Tax: Private Client category.

The Chambers High Net Worth Guide is an independently researched annual publication, featuring leading law firms, accountancy and tax firms, private banks, wealth managers, and multi-family offices serving high net worth individuals globally. Their research spans more than 55 countries across six continents.

Details of Edwin Coe’s practice area and individual rankings can be found on the Chambers High Net Worth website.

Congratulations to:

• Sean Bannister, Head of Tax
• Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner and Head of Private Client
• David Goepel, Head of Private Client International
• Denise Li Gates, Senior Associate, Private Client
• Lara Mardell, Of Counsel, Private Client
• Eva Moynihan, Senior Associate, Private Client
• Morag Ofili, Barrister – Partner, Tax
• Sundeep Rathod, Head of Immigration
• Hetal Sanghvi, Partner, Tax
• Katherine Simpson, Partner, Property

Citywealth’s Leaders List is a curated directory of the leading individuals in international private client and wealth management. Over 15 years of research, Citywealth has identified the advisors and managers who regularly assist clients with £5million + in investable assets and some of the wealthiest billionaires in the world.

All entries have been nominated for inclusion by their peers or organisations and independently verified by Citywealth with peer or client references.

Read more on Citywealth’s website.

The class action is led by Zahira Hussain, alongside David Greene. It comprises 140 clients, derived from a range of different sectors, from hauliers to breweries. The action has its origins in the European Commission’s findings in 2016 and 2017 that MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco, DAF and Scania colluded on truck pricing for 14 years from 1997 to 2011.

Zahira commented on the success of the settlement: “I am thrilled with the progress we have made in this case. The settlements are a testament to the determination and resilience of our clients, who have come together to seek compensation for the loss they have suffered. Class actions play a crucial role in providing access to justice, especially for smaller businesses and sole traders that might otherwise struggle to challenge large corporations on their own. This case highlights the power of collective legal action in holding corporations accountable and in securing damages for Claimants.”

Edwin Coe’s pioneering Class Action team continues to lead the rapidly evolving field of class actions in the UK, backed by over 30 years of successful litigation. The team brought its first Truck Cartel claim on behalf of clients in the High Court in 2018, settling with two manufacturers in 2024, and a third in 2025. The team remains resolute in its commitment to securing justice for those affected. It continues to actively pursue the remaining aspects of the case.

Further Information
Our Truck Cartel portal is available here.

Our client (the Claimant) and his then business partner invested in that business in 2011.  They also agreed that the investment would be held on trust for our client.  After many years, the Defendants refused to recognise our client’s rights.   Proceedings were brought in the London High Court seeking, amongst other things, declarations that the shares were held on express trust for our client.

At trial, His Honour Judge Anderson KC found that there was an express trust in our client’s favour.  In so doing the Court also rejected two main defences raised by the Defendants:

1. Laches (an equitable concept concerning, in effect, delay in bringing proceedings): The Court rejected this defence. Amongst other things, any “delay” was of the Defendants’ own making.
2. Waiver: The Claimant was a director of one of the Defendants.  When he resigned this post, he signed a standard waiver letter (generally aimed at claims which may arise when an office or employment is terminated).  The Defendants argued that this letter prevented him from pursuing a claim over trust assets.  The Court rejected that argument, finding that “no one could reasonably interpret this letter as foregoing rights under a trust which existed independently of [the Claimant’s] status as a director.”

Further, the Court rejected the Defendants’ claim for a “just allowance.” The Defendants claimed that, if the Claimant succeeded, they should be granted a “generous allowance in equity”.  The Court rejected that claim as “hopeless”.

Commercial Disputes Partner, Alexander Shirtcliff, led this case at his last firm and continues to do so in Edwin Coe’s Commercial Disputes team.

The full judgment is available here: Marco Maximilian Elser v Andrea Mandel-Mantello & Ors [2025] EWHC 1558 (Ch)

Our counsel: Adam Chichester-Clark of 3 Stone Buildings

The transaction will allow VitalHub to expand the scale and reach of its portfolio, particularly in the UK; to unlock efficiencies across the Group; and to identify opportunities to leverage Induction’s products — such as Attend Anywhere and Zesty — to enhance the combined offering and enable cross-selling opportunities, including into other target markets.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate Russel Shear, working alongside Greg Horsford (Senior Associate) and Henry Wright (Associate).

“We’re proud to have supported VitalHub UK on this important acquisition. It’s a great example of strategic investment in UK health-tech, and we’re pleased to have helped deliver a smooth and timely outcome,” commented Russel.

Our client, VitalHub is a leading health-tech company, combining some of the UK’s leading digital health brands, with a collective of over 160 years of experience in collaborating with the NHS, to co-design, develop and deploy expert patient flow solutions. It is part of the Toronto based VitalHub Corp. which is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange and operates across Canada, U.S., U.K., Qatar, Australia, New Zealand, and the EU.

Induction delivers a suite of software solutions that transforms care delivery and the patient journey through hospital. Their system-wide applications help healthcare providers and administrators to deliver care at any stage remotely as well as face-to-face – giving the communities they serve greater flexibility, control, and ease of access.

The relevant announcement confirming that the scheme of arrangement is effective can be found here.

We are thrilled to announce that Maggie Ramage, Partner in our Intellectual Property team, has been recognised in the prestigious UK IP Stars Rankings 2025 as a Notable Practitioner. Additionally, our IP team has been distinguished as a Notable Firm for Trade Mark Prosecution.

IP Stars identifies leading IP practitioners across various jurisdictions and practice areas. The rankings are determined through a comprehensive review process, including firm-submitted information, publicly available data, and market feedback.

Simon Miles, our Head of Intellectual Property, commented: “This accolade reflects the hard work and dedication of our talented IP team, and we are immensely proud of Maggie’s individual achievement. It reinforces our commitment to our strong brands specialists.”

For firm rankings in the UK IP Stars Rankings 2025, please visit here, and for individual practitioner rankings, visit here. Subscription is required.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that Intellectual Property Partners Simon Miles (also Head of our Intellectual Property team), Claire Lehr, and Nick Phillips, have once again been recognised as leaders in the World Intellectual Property Review’s (WIPR) Leaders Directory for 2025. Simon has been featured since 2016, while Nick and Claire joined the list in 2023.

Simon advises on all aspects of intellectual property and has a wealth of experience advising on trade marks, copyright (including software), designs, database rights, patents, and breach of confidence.

Claire’s practice covers both contentious and non-contentious aspects of trade marks. She assists clients throughout the entire process, from searching for trade marks to handling applications and achieving registration. She has successfully overcome challenging objections and managed complex multi-jurisdictional oppositions. Increasingly, she advises on infringement and passing off cases.

Nick has considerable experience advising clients on the implementation of the GDPR and on other data protection issues. He also regularly advises on a range of e-commerce, domain name, intellectual property, and internet-related issues, as well as on a wide variety of IT contracts. Nick also regularly advises on the protection, exploitation, and enforcement of the full range of intellectual property rights.

The WIPR Leaders Directory serves as a comprehensive guide to the top IP practitioners globally. Candidates are nominated by fellow IP professionals and subsequently vetted by the WIPR research team.

The Directory is available here, where you can view Simon, Claire, and Nick’s profiles.

London, 27 May 2025 – Edwin Coe is delighted to announce the appointment of Wings Turkington to the newly created role of Head of Knowledge. Wings joins the firm having previously been responsible for the Knowledge function at a number of global law firms, with over 18 years of experience as a knowledge management professional in various jurisdictions.

Wings will be working closely with our Chief Executive Tim Nash, and our Managing Partner Alison Broadberry, along with our Management Committee and Operations Committee on the firm’s knowledge strategies, systems and policies, as well as a range of knowledge and innovation projects, with a view to enhancing efficiencies, strengthening our service delivery, and minimising risks – ultimately to the benefit of our people and our clients. Wings’ appointment further demonstrates our continuous transformation as a modernised law firm during a period of strong growth.

Tim Nash commented, “Wings’ appointment comes at a crucial time for our firm, as we aim to navigate a legal market that increasingly depends on access to, and organisation of, knowledge. Her expertise in knowledge management within the legal sector will be invaluable as we evolve our systems and processes to continue to deliver exceptional service to our clients.”

Alison Broadberry added, “I am excited to welcome Wings to Edwin Coe, and I look forward to her driving our approach to knowledge management forward.”

We are thrilled to announce that Edwin Coe’s Residential Property team has been awarded the Property Law Firm of the Year award at the prestigious Citywealth Magic Circle Awards 2025. Congratulations also to our colleagues at Kingsley Napley, who were the runners-up in this category.

The Head of our Residential Property team, Rosie McCormick Paice, and Katherine Simpson, Partner, have wide expertise in working together on complex transactions involving an enfranchisement element, particularly against the major London Estates. They are regarded as the go-to team in this area.

Rosie McCormick Paice commented: “Both Katherine and I are incredibly honoured and proud to have received this prestigious award. This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and exceptional service that our team consistently delivers. We’re a close-knit team, passionate about what we do, and this accolade truly reflects our commitment to excellence. We remain steadfast in our mission to provide the highest level of expertise and client satisfaction in all our endeavours.”

Our Residential team acts for clients on the purchase and sale of high-value residential properties, advising on all aspects of residential/rural real estate ownership, including transactional, financing, landlord and tenant and leasehold enfranchisement.

For over 20 years, the Citywealth Magic Circle Awards have awarded the top-performing advisors and managers in global private wealth, from leading law firms and private banks to elite trustees, accountants, and multi-family offices. Submissions for the awards are judged on five different categories with weighting attached: Client Testimonials (25%), Performance & Alpha (25%), Innovation (20%), Risk & Governance (20%) and ESG & Ethics (10%).

For the complete list of winners of the Citywealth Magic Circle Awards, please visit here.

We are delighted to announce that Sundeep Rathod, Head of our Immigration team, is recommended in the Spear’s 500 Immigration Index 2025.

Sundeep advises high-net-worth individuals, SMEs, and large global businesses on navigating the UK’s complex and ever-changing immigration framework. He specialises in all aspects of UK immigration work, with a particular focus on obtaining a Skilled Worker or Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker Sponsor Licence for UK businesses wishing to hire either EU or non-EU nationals. He also advises businesses on the ongoing sponsorship and compliance duties placed on employers following approval to the register of licenced sponsors.

The Spear’s 500 is the indispensable guide to the top private client advisers and service providers for high and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Described as ‘the Michelin guide of wealth’, the directory includes profiles of over 3,000 advisers specialising in a range of fields, including legal and tax specialists.

Sundeep commented: “I am honoured to be recommended in the Spear’s 500 Immigration Index 2025. This recognition reflects my dedication and expertise in helping our HNW clients navigate the complexities of UK immigration law. I strive to provide the highest level of service to each individual and business I assist, ensuring that their immigration needs are met with precision and care.”

Sundeep’s Spear’s 500 profile can be accessed here.

With an extensive career in the City and Central London, Tony brings a wealth of experience in commercial property law, advising on acquisitions and disposals, investment, development, occupational real estate, property management, landlord and tenant matters, and secured lending. He joins Edwin Coe from the real estate team at Blake Morgan LLP.

Tony’s particular focus is on property finance and structured lending. He has advised a broad range of clients — including major lending institutions and both public and private sector organisations — across sectors such as financial services, retail, leisure, hospitality, and pharmaceuticals.

His arrival reinforces Edwin Coe’s commitment to providing high-calibre, commercially driven advice to clients navigating complex real estate and finance transactions.

Stephen Brower, Head of Property at Edwin Coe, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Tony to the team. His track record in commercial property and particular expertise in property finance add real depth to our existing capability. His pragmatic approach and deep sector knowledge will be of great value to our clients.”

We are delighted to announce that David Greene, Senior Partner and Head of Commercial Disputes & Class Actions; Ali Zaidi Head of Litigation and Insolvency; Thomas Johnson, Barrister – Partner, and Zahira Hussain, Partner in our Commercial Disputes & Class Actions team, have been included in the Lawdragon 500 Global Plaintiff Lawyers 2025 guide.

This year marks the second annual launch of the guide, which features 500 Lawyers globally who represent claimants in antitrust and competition, investor and shareholder rights, mass torts, aviation accidents, global asset recovery, and human rights. Lawyers are selected via submissions, peer critique, and journalistic research.

David Greene commented: “This recognition underscores our relentless dedication to advocating for our clients’ rights and achieving justice on a global scale. It is an honour to be named among such accomplished professionals in the Lawdragon 500 Global Plaintiff Lawyers guide.”

The Lawdragon 500 Global Plaintiff Lawyers 2025 guide can be accessed here.

Paula brings a wealth of expertise in advising developers, contractors, consultants and funders on residential, office, retail and leisure projects. Her arrival strengthens Edwin Coe’s capability to support clients through all phases of construction and development, from procurement and contract drafting through to dispute resolution and adjudication.

Commenting on Paula’s appointment, Brenna Baye, our Head of Construction said: “We are thrilled to welcome Paula to the team. Her technical knowledge, commercial acumen and client-focused approach make her a perfect fit for our practice. As our construction offering continues to grow, Paula’s expertise will be invaluable in supporting our clients on increasingly complex projects.”

Alex joins the firm with an exceptional track record in complex, high-value, multi-jurisdiction litigation. With a focus on complex civil fraud situations, he has pursued his clients’ interests across the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and multiple U.S. states. He is also a recognised authority on crypto asset litigation, an increasingly critical area for the firm’s clients.

His recent clients have ranged from global energy majors to high net worth individuals facing enterprise-level disputes.

Alex is Legal 500 recommended and has been called in the British Virgin Islands. He joins us from Blake Morgan and, before that, global litigation firm Kobre & Kim.

David Greene, Senior Partner and Head of Commercial Disputes & Class Actions, commented: “Alex brings an outstanding blend of technical skill, international experience, and commercial acumen which aligns perfectly with our strategic ambitions. His arrival significantly strengthens our ability to handle the most challenging disputes for our clients.”

This prestigious award recognises the top-performing mid-sized firms in the UK 200 rankings (positions 51–200 by revenue), and is judged by a panel of leading figures from The Bar, private practice, and in-house legal sectors.

This shortlisting reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional service, trusted advice, and commercially focused solutions — the same standards that underpin every aspect of our work with clients. It also highlights our ability to offer significant depth of expertise combined with the personal approach and commercial agility of a leading independent practice.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 17 June 2025 at the Grosvenor House Hotel. If you are interested, you can find out more about The Lawyer Awards 2025.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Simeon Gilchrist has appeared on the newly published Pro Bono Recognition List of England & Wales. The annually published list recognises the work of lawyers who have given 25 or more hours pro bono legal assistance in the previous calendar year.

Simeon led the successful Edwin Coe team in Manolete v White [2024] EWCA Civ 1418, in which the court made a costs order of £85k against Manolete in the charity’s favour. You can read more about the judgment on our website here.

The Pro Bono Recognition List was set up under the aegis of the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee, with support from the Access to Justice Foundation, Advocate, Advocates for International Development, International Lawyers Project, the Law Officers, the Bar Council, CILEX, the Clinical Legal Education Organisation, the In-House Pro Bono Group, the Law Society, LawWorks, the National Pro Bono Centre and TrustLaw.

The Recognition List for 2025 is here.

Promotions from Senior Associate to Legal Director:

• Kate Dwyer, Insurance Litigation
• Marina Russell, Private Client
• Selina Clifford, Intellectual Property

Promotions from Associate to Senior Associate:

• Elliot Francis, Employment
• George Orman, Employment
• Toni Recchia, Private Client

Promotions from Solicitor to Associate:

• Alex Morris, Restructuring & Insolvency
• Carlos Sharrock, Property
• Charlotte Gittins, Employment
• Daniel Samole, Property
• Ninad Bhagwat, Private Client

We are also pleased to announce that Robert Evans, previously a Paralegal, qualified as a Solicitor in Private Client on 1 February 2025.

Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner at Edwin Coe, commented: “We are incredibly proud to celebrate the success of our colleagues. These promotions justifiably recognise their hard work and achievements. Edwin Coe remains committed to investing in the development of our people and delivering the best outcomes for our clients. We look forward to seeing all our people continue to thrive, contributing to the firm’s ongoing success.”

We are pleased to announce that Edwin Coe has secured a position in the prestigious World Trademark Review 1000 firm rankings (WTR 1000) for trade mark expertise. Simon Miles, Head of Intellectual Property, along with Intellectual Property (IP) Partners Claire Lehr and Nick Phillips, have maintained their individual rankings in the WTR 1000. This year, they are also joined by another IP Partner, Karen Lee. Special recognition is given to Claire for obtaining a Silver ranking.

Edwin Coe offers a complete IP solution, combining the complementary strengths of IP solicitors and trade mark attorneys with related specialists in commercial contracts, IT, and tax.

Edwin Coe’s Intellectual Property team is recommended in the WTR 1000 2025 for its ‘first-rate practitioners’ offering quality advice and global reach. Simon is praised for leading Edwin Coe’s trade mark practice to the ‘next level’.  Claire is described as having an ‘unparalleled depth of substantive knowledge’ in trade marks. Nick is noted for his expertise in prosecution and enforcement, including multi-jurisdictional disputes. Finally, Karen is recognised for her strategic insights and deep expertise, as well as her understanding of her clients’ businesses.

Simon Miles commented: “We are pleased that Edwin Coe has been recognised in the WTR 1000 firm rankings and that I and Partners Claire, Nick, and Karen have been individually ranked. We extend our gratitude to our clients who recommended us to WTR.”

The WTR 1000 ranks trade mark professionals and firms in various jurisdictions worldwide. The WTR 1000 is a resource for identifying legal trade mark expertise. Following a written submission, WTR researchers conduct interviews with clients and trade mark professionals to determine the leading experts and firms in obtaining, protecting, managing, enforcing and monetising trade marks.

The 2025 edition of the WTR 1000 rankings can be viewed here, where you can also find Simon, Claire, Nick and Karen’s profiles.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted as a finalist in three categories at Tolley’s Taxation Awards 2025, which acknowledge excellence in client service, technical expertise and innovation of tax professionals across the UK.

The firm has been recognized in the following categories:

• Best Private Client Tax Practice
• Best International Tax Team
• Taxation’s Rising Star – Bradley Gabriel, Tax Manager

Sean Bannister, Head of Tax commented, “We are honoured to receive recognition in these highly competitive categories. We work very hard as a team to provide our clients and their professional advisors with the best possible advice and service, and it is gratifying when this is appreciated by our peers on the judging panel. I am delighted that Bradley has been recognised individually, but I would add that all of the Tax team at Edwin Coe are equally deserving of recognition.”

Edwin Coe’s Tax team is a dedicated and market-leading team of tax specialists and lawyers with many years of experience advising clients both in the UK and overseas.

These highly prestigious awards celebrate the outstanding achievements across the whole of the tax profession, including professional practices of all sizes, specialist firms, and those working in-house or in the public sector, and are judged by a panel of leading figures from the tax profession, and beyond.  The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony and dinner on Thursday 8^th May 2025 at the Hilton Park Lane.

You can read more about the Awards and see the full 2025 shortlists here.

We are pleased to announce that Edwin Coe has again been recommended in the World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR) UK Trade Mark firm rankings for 2025.  For individual lawyer rankings, Simon Miles, Head of Intellectual Property, was “Recommended” for Trade Mark contentious work and Claire Lehr, Partner, was “Highly Recommended” for both contentious and non-contentious Trade Mark work.

This is the second edition of the WIPR UK Trade Mark rankings for firms and practitioners.  These rankings distinguish between non-contentious work, which typically involves trademark filing, prosecution, strategy, and portfolio management, and contentious work, encompassing trademark litigation, dispute resolution, and enforcement.

Simon Miles commented: “I am really pleased that we have been recognised once again in the UK Trade Mark firm rankings by WIPR. Moreover, it is a great privilege for Claire and I to be included in the individual rankings. This accolade reflects our team’s dedication and enthusiasm for all things intellectual property, as well as the high level of expertise and client service we consistently deliver.”

To view the WIPR Trade Mark rankings, please visit the WIPR website here.

Dennis has a great deal of experience and expertise in IP rights, licensing, business contracts, digital and technology, and internet and IT-related disputes.  Dennis is fluent in written and spoken Mandarin and Cantonese, and can advise and negotiate on behalf of clients in Chinese. He joins our team from Broadfield UK (formerly BDB Pitmans), having headed the IP department there.

Lakmal joins Edwin Coe from JMW Solicitors where he led their IP team, having trained at a specialist IP practice. Lakmal has experience covering all aspects of intellectual property law, breach of confidence, and defamation disputes. He specialises in disputes both in the High Court (including the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court) and in the Registry (both EUIPO and UKIPO). Lakmal adds additional strength to our trade marks and designs filing and prosecution practice.

“I am pleased to welcome Dennis and Lakmal to the firm,” commented Simon Miles, Edwin Coe’s Head of IP, “Their experience and complementary skills adds depth to our, now seven partner, IP team benefiting our existing clients and attracting new clients to the firm.”

Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner at Edwin Coe, added: “We are delighted that Dennis and Lakmal have joined Edwin Coe during this exciting period of our growth. Their experience aligns perfectly with our strategic focus of Private Capital and Litigation and we look forward to working with them.”

The Spear’s 500 Guide outlines Joanna’s work as influential in shaping legal precedents in significant property litigation cases. Rosie is noted in Spear’s 500 for her expertise in handling high-value and complex residential transactions in London in recent years. Katherine is acknowledged in Spear’s 500 as a specialist in leasehold enfranchisement, appreciated by clients for her solution-driven advice.

Joanna remarked, “I am honoured to be recommended in the Spear’s 500 Guide 2025 as a property litigator. Congratulations to my wonderful colleagues Rosie and Katherine, who have also deservedly been recommended as property lawyers once again. I would also like to thank my referees who very kindly supported my submission for which I am most grateful.”

Spear’s 500 is a comprehensive directory that identifies the top high-net-worth private client advisers across multiple categories, including Property Lawyers. The rankings are established based on peer nominations, client feedback, interviews, written submissions from firms, and data compiled by the Spear’s 500 editorial and research team.

This year’s edition of the Spear’s 500 Guide for Property Lawyers is here, where you can also read Joanna, Rosie, and Katherine’s profiles.

Jeremy is an experienced private client specialist, with over 25 years’ experience, acting for UK and international high net worth clients from a range of backgrounds. Recommended in the Legal 500 and Chambers HHW directories, he is experienced in all aspects of tax, trust and estate planning, including UK and International tax and succession, probate and estate administration, trusts, wills, heritage property and business succession. He joins the firm from the Private Wealth team at Cripps.

Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner and Head of Private Client at Edwin Coe commented “We are thrilled to welcome Jeremy to Edwin Coe. His deep knowledge and extensive experience will be a fantastic asset to our Private Client team. We look forward to working with him as we continue to grow and enhance our Private Capital offering to clients both in the UK and internationally.”

“I am delighted to be joining Edwin Coe. The emphasis on private capital, the strength and depth within the relevant practice areas, and the general ethos and character of the firm all sit very well with me – and for that reason I am confident they will with my clients and professional contacts too,” added Jeremy.

Edwin Coe’s leading Private Client team acts as trusted advisers to individuals, families, trusts and family or owner-run businesses. We offer continuity and foster close long-term relationships with clients in order to provide sound advice on the various situations that can arise in life, both legal and fiscal, in personal as well as business situations. Confidential and discreet handling of such matters is an essential part of what we offer.

Tax Manager, Dayalan has over seven years of experience advising both UK and international high-net-worth individuals on navigating complex tax matters and meeting their UK tax compliance obligations. He helps his clients manage their tax affairs efficiently while ensuring their wealth and succession strategies align with their personal and commercial objectives. Dayalan is an ACA-qualified member of the ICAEW and joins Edwin Coe from the Private Client Tax Advisory team at PwC.

Sean Bannister, Head of Tax commented: “We are delighted to welcome Dayalan to the firm. His expertise aligns seamlessly with the firm’s strategic focus on Private Capital and Litigation; allowing us to provide the best advice and enhancing our offerings to clients.”

Edwin Coe’s Tax team is a dedicated and market-leading team of tax specialists and lawyers with many years of experience advising clients both in the UK and overseas.

Congratulations to Simeon Gilchrist who won the Insolvency Lawyer of the Year award at the Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) Awards 2024 last night.

On receiving the award Simeon said: “This is an incredible honour from the IPA, and I would like to take a moment to congratulate all of the nominees and to thank the judges and the IPA for this amazing recognition.

I would like to thank my wife and daughter for putting up with this weird obsession that I have with the 86 Act, my partners at Edwin Coe for their wonderful support during what was a difficult personal year, my Restructuring & Insolvency team of outstanding lawyers, and our clients, who produce such wonderful work , and who are a joy to advise.”

The IPA is an organisation for those in insolvency practice or involved in insolvency-related work. It licenses and regulates Insolvency Practitioners under insolvency and Anti-Money Laundering regulations, and works to raise professional standards through professional training, benchmarking, networking, best practice sharing and other engagement opportunities.

For more information on the IPA and its awards, please see here.

We are delighted to announce that Hetal Sanghvi, Partner in our Tax team, has won Silver in the Inspirational Woman of the Year category for the Citywealth Powerwomen Awards 2025 International.

Citywealth’s Powerwomen Awards programme champions women in the wealth sector and highlights the female leaders of today and tomorrow. The awards spotlight individuals and companies who support caregiving responsibilities, as well as female leadership and celebrate diversity.

Hetal commented, “Receiving this award has been a great honour, and I’m grateful for the recognition. It’s a privilege to be part of an industry that continues to champion diversity and excellence. Thank you to Citywealth and to everyone who has supported me on this journey!”

Hetal has a wealth of experience in advising clients with multi-jurisdictional exposure, specialising in working with non-domiciled individuals seeking to optimise their position in a tax compliant framework and non-resident individuals seeking to have a UK nexus be it through asset acquisition or physical relocation. She has many years of experience assisting clients with various different forms of HMRC dispute (regularisation to enquiry) and leads the Tax Compliance offering at Edwin Coe.

Click here to view the Citywealth Powerwomen Awards winners.

Laura has expertise in complex commercial disputes in the financial services sector and extensive experience in unlawful competition, corporate, shareholder and boardroom disputes.  Laura established and headed up the digital assets practice group in her previous firm and she regularly works closely with Daniel Tunkel, our Head of Financial Regulation, a specialist in mid-market UK financial regulation.

Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner at Edwin Coe, said: “We are delighted that Laura has chosen to join Edwin Coe as our Head of Digital Assets.  Laura’s experience aligns perfectly with our strategic focus of Private Capital and Litigation; I look forward to her connecting all the current threads of strength in our firm on Digital Assets to advise clients holistically.  Laura’s expertise and energy will undoubtedly benefit our existing clients and attract new clients to the firm.  I am very happy that Laura, Daniel and David will reconnect as colleagues at Edwin Coe.”

Laura added “I am excited to join Edwin Coe and I look forward to developing a market leading Digital Assets practice group drawing on the expertise of my colleagues – new and old – at Edwin Coe.  It is an exciting time for the Digital Assets sector, and I am delighted to have joined a firm that supports the businesses and entrepreneurs in the Digital Assets space.”

Today, Joanne Wicks KC, sitting as a judge of the High Court, handed down Judgment in which Hamersley succeeded in its counterclaim and defence of the allegations brought by Ms Haynes. The cases concerned a substantial property in London valued at £11 million, addressing issues of constructive trust, proprietary estoppel, and international law, including expert evidence from Liechtenstein.

Ian Chai, barrister in the Commercial Disputes Team, appeared at trial as junior counsel led by Ian Clarke KC of Selborne Chambers.

The Judgment will be available here shortly: Hamersley Invest Anstalt v Haynes [2025] EWHC 432 (Ch)

A panel of judges selects the nominees for the IPA awards.

Simeon has expertise in contentious and transactional insolvency and advises insolvency practitioners, banks, distressed companies, and individuals on a wide range of corporate and personal insolvency matters. His corporate transactional work has an administration bias, with preparing business sales as a particular specialism. In personal insolvency matters, Simeon has a specialist European Regulation practice, advising individuals, practitioners and creditors.

For the list of the nominations for the IPA Awards, please see here.

David Sachs, a seasoned finance lawyer with over 25 years of experience, joins Edwin Coe to lead the Banking & Finance team. David has a distinguished track record of representing lenders, borrowers, private equity sponsors, and financial advisers in various complex transactions, including leveraged management buy-outs, public to private takeovers, real estate and development financing, and debt financings.

We are also delighted that Daniel Tunkel, the former Head of Financial Regulation at Memery Crystal, one of the leading experts in mid-market UK financial regulation, is also joining the firm. Daniel’s considerable experience in financial regulation assists clients across the financial markets in relation to being or becoming regulated in the UK or, where applicable, avoiding the need to do so.  This field has grown massively in recent years, as the jurisdiction of the FCA has been progressively broadened.  He also advises on the structuring and promotion of UK and offshore private investment funds, and of course, is increasingly active in advice to the developing cryptoasset market.

Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner at Edwin Coe, expressed her enthusiasm: “We are delighted to welcome David, Daniel and some of their previous teams to Edwin Coe. These highly experienced professionals and their teams add further strength and depth to our strategic focus of Litigation and Private Capital and significantly enhance our corporate offering. Their expertise will undoubtedly benefit our existing clients and attract new clients to the firm. It was evident very quickly when we met that our values are aligned; we all look forward to working with each other.”

David Sachs, Head of Banking and Finance at Edwin Coe stated “I am very excited to join Edwin Coe and to start working with my new colleagues and to further develop and grow the firm’s banking and finance practice. I believe my clients will benefit greatly from Edwin Coe’s supporting and empowering values and its reputation for client service excellence.”

Daniel Tunkel, Head of Financial Regulation at Edwin Coe commented “I have been impressed with Edwin Coe’s strategic vision in appreciating that offering financial regulation advice is now essential to the mid-market, and I look forward to helping existing clients of the Firm as well as my own to navigate this complex area of the law.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that our Head of Intellectual Property, Simon Miles has been newly ranked, and our Insurance Litigation team continues to be recognised, within the newly published edition of Chambers Global, alongside many of our colleagues from across our global legal network, Ally Law.

Simon Miles is recognised for his Intellectual Property work in the UK – “Simon is very good with clients and skilfully handles strong personalities,” said one client.

Our team is recommended in the Insurance: Mainly Policyholders category, along with lawyers Nicola Maher “really excellent” and Roger Franklin “knows all the tricks and he gets good results.” A client commented “Edwin Coe is one of the most efficient teams in the London market, they know how to maximise value.”

Additionally, Ally Law has retained its ranking as a Band 1 ‘Global Market Leader’ law firm network in Chambers Global 2025, as well as a recommended ‘Leading Regional Law Firm Network’ in Chambers Asia-Pacific 2025.

Clients commented “Ally Law firms have a great range of services where they can handle small matters efficiently, as well as large, complex matters. The depth and breadth of their team is strong” and “The personal interaction between member firms promotes trust and accountability between firms. The members of Ally Law are more than names on a list, the firms become well acquainted with each other.”

Congratulations to all!

Edwin Coe is recommended in the Chambers’ UK, High Net Worth and Global directories. Their independent research collects information about organisations, individuals and the marketplace, conducting thousands of interviews a year with in-house counsel and third-party experts, such as barristers and accountants, to deliver detailed insight into providers of legal services. You can view our results on Chambers’ website.

Sean Bannister, Head of Tax and Morag Ofili, Co-Head of EDI are “Top Recommended” in the Accountants & Tax Advisers and Tax & Trust Barristers categories, respectively. Hetal Sanghvi also appears in the Accountants & Tax Advisers as a “Rising Star”.

Our Managing Partner and Head of Private Client, Alison Broadberry, is recommended in the Probate Lawyers category, and Lara Mardell, Of Counsel in the Private Client team, is recommended as a Tax Lawyer.

Shams Rahman is recommended for his Contentious Trust work.

Head of Residential Property, Rosie McCormick Paice, and Katherine Simpson are recommended as HNW Property Lawyers.

Linky Trott, the firm’s Head of Employment and Co-Head of EDI, is “Top Recommended” in the Employment Lawyers Index. Finally, Sundeep Rathod, the Head of Immigration, is recommended for his HNW Immigration work.

The new edition of Spear’s 500 directory spans 564 pages and features 1,884 top private client advisers, wealth managers, lawyers, and service providers for HNW individuals. Their recommendations are based on peer nominations, client feedback, telephone and face-to-face interviews, data supplied by firms, and information gathered by Spear’s editorial and research teams.

To view Spear’s 500 profiles of Edwin Coe experts and lawyers, see here.

This list is an annually curated directory of the leading Tax professionals in international private client and wealth management.  Last year, the list comprised 100 Tax Professionals; this year, it is only 50. The list was compiled over several months of research and reviewing of submissions by the Citywealth judging team.

Sean Bannister, Head of Tax, commented: “I’m delighted that Morag, Hetal, Lara, and I have been honoured with a place on the Citywealth Top 50 Tax Professionals List for 2024. This is a testament to the hard work, client service and expertise of Edwin Coe’s fantastic Tax and Private Client teams. We strive to serve our clients with excellence, always.”

Sean acts for HNW individuals, families, and their advisors to advise on tax affairs, often across multiple jurisdictions. He also assists a significant number of clients who have had serious fraud enquiries and/or have sought to make disclosures to HMRC under one of the available disclosure facilities.

Hetal provides tax advice to HNW families with multi-jurisdictional asset bases and assists with their tax compliance in the UK. She also handles HMRC investigations and disclosures.

Morag is a Barrister who advises on a wide range of private client litigation and contentious tax services.

Lara is a tax lawyer who provides UK tax advice to individuals including of foreign nationality and professionals, including trustees, foreign lawyers, and wealth managers.

To access the Citywealth Leaders Top 50 Tax Professionals List for 2024, please see here.

Five Mobility is an independent supplier of bariatric and specialist equipment in the UK, specialising in beds, mattresses, seating, toileting and hoisting equipment for acute, community, long term care and home care.

Commenting on the deal, Alexandre Terrasse said: “We are delighted to have supported Winncare in their acquisition of Five Mobility Group. This transaction aligns with their strategic growth ambitions and reinforces their position in the mobility and healthcare sector. We look forward to continuing to work with our client as they pursue further opportunities in the market.”

FWD View Limited is a London-based specialist in financial market data transformations and visualization solutions. It works with banks and asset managers to define and implement their data strategy, combining technology, people and process optimisation.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate Russel Shear and assisted by Henry Wright and Jessica Daly. Russel commented “I am delighted to complete this transaction for our client. It was a pleasure to work with them as they bolster their portfolio in the financial services sector.”

Our client, Nagarro SE is a Frankfurt Stock Exchange listed (FRA: NA9) company based in Munich. With a team of around 18,300 people working across 37 countries, it is a global leader in digital product engineering, helping other businesses solve complex technology problems. It works with its clients to design, develop, and manage digital transformation solutions using technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data analytics. This strategic transaction enriches Nagarro’s portfolio in the financial services sector, building its market position in the UK with around 50 experts who deliver business critical data solutions in the financial services sector.

Nagarro’s announcement is available here: Nagarro fortifies its UK footprint with the strategic acquisition of FWD View Limited

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that 14 lawyers including 2 Band 1 ranked individuals, and 6 practice areas have been recommended in the 2025 edition of Chambers UK: A Client’s Guide to the UK Legal Profession. As reported in the guide, clients say: “Edwin Coe’s expertise is long-standing and deeply rooted within the team. They take a client-first approach...”

The firm has been recommended in 6 practice areas for the first time, with the new addition of Property Litigation in band 5 – “very strong individuals at all levels” mentioned a referee. Restructuring & Insolvency: Personal Insolvency “a reputation centred on quality”, Employment: Senior Executive – “undeniably high level of service and responsiveness,” and Insurance: Mainly Policyholders – “incredibly competent and caring,” are all ranked in band 2. Professional Negligence – “Edwin Coe’s expertise is long-standing and deeply rooted within the team,” remains in band 4 and “very serious players in the market,” Group Litigation: Claimant is in band 3.

The firm was awarded 14 individual rankings this year, including Band 1 recognition for Simeon Gilchrist in Personal Insolvency – “Simeon is highly responsive and technically excellent. He’s a sophisticated thinker who always brings something to complex situations,” and Roger Franklin for Professional Negligence: Mainly Claimant – “He is someone who clients really trust and he really knows what he’s doing.” David Greene – “one of the leaders in this sector” retained his status as a Senior Statesperson for Group Litigation: Claimant and Zahira Hussain was recommended as an ‘Up and Coming’ Partner in the same category for the first time. Linky Trott – “smart, hard-working and dedicated”, was promoted to Band 2 for Employment: Senior Executive. Shams Rahman – “a robust, calm, assured and persuasive property litigator,” joins the Property Litigation rankings for the first time, alongside Joanna Osborne – “a strong lawyer with a considerable breadth of knowledge.”

Also recommended were Ali Zaidi (Personal Insolvency) – “provided a fantastic result”, Sundeep Rathod (Immigration: Business) – “an excellent, well-rounded service”, Russel Shear (M&A) – “extremely competent and a pleasure to work with”, Simon Miles (Intellectual Property) – “a very knowledgeable and approachable specialist” and, Nicola Maher – “she’s really excellent – she knows it all backwards” and Roger Franklin (both for Insurance: Mainly Policyholders).

Thank you to all our clients and contacts who took their time to recommend us and congratulations to all involved!

Edwin Coe is recommended in the UK, High Net Worth and Global directories. Chambers’ independent research collects information about organisations, individuals and the marketplace, conducting thousands of interviews a year with in-house counsel and third-party experts, such as barristers and accountants, to deliver detailed insight into providers of legal services.

You can view our results on Chambers’ website.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that it has once again been recognised as a Top Private Client Law Firm in the newly published eprivateclient rankings for 2024.

Our leading Private Client team assists individuals and families for whom wealth preservation is a fundamental objective. We act as trusted advisers to individuals, families, trusts and family or owner-run businesses both in the United Kingdom and internationally.

Matthew Barnett, our Head of Private Client UK commented “We are incredibly proud to be recognised once again as one of eprivateclient’s Top Law Firms. This reflects the hard work, expertise and dedication of our team in providing trusted advice to our clients, helping them protect their wealth and plan for the future.”

The rankings are based on a survey of over 100 law firms in the UK assessing not only the size of firms’ private client teams, but also their reputations within the private wealth sector and the emphasis placed upon looking after wealthy clients and their families. This year 70 firms made the list. The judging team at eprivateclient ranked UK law firms providing high quality private client services to wealthy individuals and families based in the UK and internationally.

The recognition builds on the team’s recent success in the Private Wealth Law category of the 2024 Chambers High Net Worth Directory and The Legal 500 UK 2025 Guide.

For more information please see the eprivateclient website (subscription required).

Sean Bannister and Morag Ofili are “Top Recommended” in the Accountants & Tax Advisers, and Tax & Trust Barristers categories respectively. Hetal Sanghvi also appears in the Accountants & Tax Advisers as a “Rising Star”.

Our Managing Partner & Head of Private Client, Alison Broadberry is recommended in the Probate Lawyers category, Shams Rahman is recommended for his Contentious Trust work, whilst Lara Mardell is recommended as a Tax Lawyer.

The Spear’s 500 is a guide to the top private client advisers, wealth managers, lawyers, and service providers for HNW individuals. Their recommendations are based on peer nominations, client feedback, telephone and face-to-face interviews, data supplied by firms, and information gathered by Spear’s editorial and research teams.

Earlier in the year, Partners Rosie McCormick Paice and Katherine Simpson were recommended by Spear’s 500 as HNW Property Lawyers; Linky Trott “Top Recommended”, and finally, Sundeep Rathod was recommended for his HNW Immigration work.

To view Spear’s 500 profiles of Edwin Coe experts, see here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that our lawyers and their practices have been recommended for their outstanding work in 18 categories in the newly released The Legal 500 UK 2025 directory. These independently researched rankings highlight the individuals and practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to clients across a wide range of categories.

Individuals

Across our practices, our lawyers are recommended 65 times by the Legal 500’s expert researchers, with new mentions/reappearances for George Orman (Employment), Valerie Sweeting (Group Litigation: Claimant), Wendy Hall (Personal tax, trusts and probate), Brenna Baye, & Nik Haria (all Construction: non-contentious), and Charles Wilson (Property Finance).

Our Senior Partner, David Greene retains his membership of two ‘Halls of Fame’ for Commercial Litigation and for Group Litigation, whilst Matthew Barnett (Personal tax, trusts and probate), David Goepel (Personal tax, trusts and probate), Daniel Bellau (M&A) retain their rankings ‘Leading Individuals.’

Zahira Hussain (Commercial Litigation), and Thomas Johnson (Commercial Litigation: Mid-Market) also keep their ‘Next Generation Partner’ recommendations.

Practices

We are recommended in 18 practice categories – with new entries for Construction: non-contentious who are described as ‘highly knowledgeable in their own fields‘, and Immigration: Personal ‘knowledgeable, experienced and practical‘. Immigration: Business reappears after dropping out last year, and Commercial litigation: mid-market ‘A well-oiled machine undertaking an impressive range of high-quality instructions in challenging fields’ moves up one tier to tier 3.

Our litigators were also recommended for Group Litigation: Claimant ‘broad competence, excellent analysis, short turnover time, and willingness to go the extra mile for the clients’, Fraud: Civil, Professional Negligence, Insurance Litigation: For Policyholders where one contact stated ‘One of the strongest teams out there acting for insureds. They know what they are doing and are highly skilled at getting the right results for their clients.‘

Our ‘commercial in their approach and friendly to deal with’, Property team is recommended for Residential Property ‘highly professional team’; Property Finance and also Property Litigation: ‘The team are extremely committed, efficient, knowledgeable and tenacious.’

In the Private Wealth sector, our team was recommended for Personal tax, trusts and probate along with Charities and not-for-profit. One client said the team ‘give their clients not just the perfect professional service, but the perfect personal service too’.

Our Employment team was ranked for Employment: employers and for Employment: senior executives, with one referee commenting that the team have ‘great technical knowledge combined with excellent client relations and a pragmatic approach.’

‘The Edwin Coe team has been extremely easy to work with. Their technical knowledge has been spot on and their professionalism is top tier’ commented a client in of our Intellectual Property team; and our Corporate team are recommended for M&A: £10m-£100m ‘very capable, no nonsense approach,’ and Equity Capital Markets: Small-Mid Cap, ‘very knowledgeable.‘

Congratulations to all involved!

For more detailed information, including specific lawyer rankings and commentary, please visit the Legal 500 website.

As the Managing Partner of Edwin Coe, I am incredibly proud to celebrate our six-month anniversary of becoming B Corp certified. This milestone is a testament to our unwavering commitment to sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical business practices.

Over the past six months, we have continued to make strides in reducing our environmental footprint, supporting our local communities, and fostering a workplace culture that values diversity and inclusion. Our journey as a B Corp has not only strengthened our dedication to these principles but has also inspired us to set even higher goals for the future.

I want to extend my grateful thanks to the dedicated team across Edwin Coe, whose commitment to making a positive impact is truly inspiring. I would also like to thank our clients and stakeholders for their continued support and trust in our mission.

As we look ahead, we remain committed in our pursuit of creating a more sustainable and equitable world. Together, we can make a difference.

Alison Broadberry

Read more

• Press Release: Edwin Coe is proud to be B Corp Certified
• B Corp at Edwin Coe
• B Corp website

We are delighted to announce that Denise Li Gates, a Senior Associate in our Private Client team, has been included as a rising star in the Citywealth NextGen Top 40 Under 40. Denise advises both UK-based and international individuals to ensure their wealth planning and succession objectives are met tax-efficiently.

Mathew Barnett, Head of Private Client UK commented: “We are incredibly proud of Denise’s accomplishment. This well-deserved achievement highlights her dedication, hard work, and exceptional talent. It is a testament to her commitment to excellence, and we look forward to seeing her continued success in the future.”

Citywealth NextGen Top 40 Under 40 is a top-rated list of the rising stars in the wealth management industry. The list is based on recommendations from clients and peers, through independent research conducted by Citywealth.

The Citywealth 40 Under 40 reveals curated lists of talented individuals who have been recognised for excellence and well-rounded character. These individuals perform at the highest level in their work and with clients and give back to society through charity work and team endeavours. The lists were compiled over several months of research by the Citywealth team and by applications to Citywealth.

The full Citywealth NextGen Top 40 Under 40 2024 list is here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Morag Ofili, a Barrister – Partner in our Tax team and Toni Recchia, an Associate in our Private Client team, have been named in the respected eprivateclient NextGen Leaders List 2024.

Sean Bannister, Head of Tax, comments: “Congratulations to both – Morag joined the Tax practice at Edwin Coe earlier this year, and it is plain to see from the quality of the service and advice she offers to her clients, why she has been recognised by eprivateclient for a second time. As the tax landscape becomes increasingly complex for private clients, Morag’s experience in tax risk advisory, tax litigation, commercial litigation and professional negligence is a valuable asset for the team. I would like to thank our clients and referrers for supporting Morag and Toni’s nominations.”

Matthew Barnett, Head of Private Client UK “It is wonderful to see Morag and Toni being recognised on this prestigious list. This is a well-deserved honour for Toni who is developing into a skilled private client adviser whose technical ability and interpersonal skills are proving invaluable to her clients.”

The publication of the 2024 eprivateclient NextGen Leaders (previously called the Top 35 Under 35 award) is the definitive annual list of leading young private client practitioners in the UK and UK Crown Dependencies. To be considered on the NextGen Leaders List, you must have 17 years or less of industry experience from within the private client advisory professions: private client property tax, trust, dispute resolution and family lawyers, accountants, or trustees.

Judging by the senior editorial team at PAM Insight is based on the qualities and achievements of the individual. Other factors considered included the reputation or performance of the company that the nominee works for, feedback from superiors, as well as trajectory of promotion/business development success and age (i.e. younger individuals achieving relatively senior positions).  At the same time, the judging panel also consider volunteering outside of work or mentoring and advocacy within the industry.

The full list for 2024 is available on eprivateclient’s website and can be accessed here for A to G and here for H to Z (subscription may be required).

The successful qualifying solicitors who have secured positions within the firm are as follows:

• Lauren Barlow – Intellectual Property
• Harry Collins – Property and Trusts Litigation
• Hallam Lewis – Insurance Litigation
• Hannah Simpson – Intellectual Property

Edwin Coe’s Managing Partner, Alison Broadberry commented, “Congratulations to our newly qualified solicitors, who have chosen to continue their journey with Edwin Coe. We wish them every success as they embark on the next chapter of their careers. I would also like to extend my thanks to Nicola Maher and Nick Phillips who oversee our Trainee scheme, as well as our HR team who are committed to the important process of hiring and retaining outstanding trainees; their contribution is very much appreciated.”

Nicola and Nick added, “As a B Corp firm, we strive to constantly improve our people and so it is gratifying to see how these young lawyers have grown into their roles at Edwin Coe. We’d like to congratulate Lauren, Harry, Hallam and Hannah on qualifying as solicitors. The skill and dedication which they have shown as trainees will undoubtedly enrich their respective departments, and contribute to the positive impact we strive to make for our clients, our community, and the broader world.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that we are a Gold Sponsor of the SME London Business Awards 2025 for the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). Clare Gilroy-Scott, a Partner in our Employment team and Greg Horsford, a Senior Associate in our Corporate team will be on the judging panel.

The Awards are open to firms of up to 250 employees to enter into 23 different categories ranging from best entrepreneur to best young business leader, with the chance of winning either the Gold or Silver in their chosen category and the potential to be crowned as overall winner of the LCCI SME Awards.

The official Launch of the Awards was at the LCCI Summer Party on 11^th July 2024 at Westminster Abbey. Entries must be submitted by 26^th September 2024.  The judging will take place between 14^th to 17^th October 2024. Finalists will be invited to attend the Awards ceremony on 27^th February 2025 at the Leonardo Royal Hotel, Tower Bridge.

For more information on these awards and how to enter please see here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that its Private Client, Tax and High Value Residential Property lawyers have been recommended again in the latest edition of the Chambers High Net Worth guide.

Our Residential Property team retained its band 4 ranking for Real Estate: High Value Residential, whilst and Head of Department, Rosie McCormick Paice has moved up a level to band 3.

Our Private Client team has also retained all its rankings in the Private Wealth Law category, band 4 for the team and David Goepel is ranked band 2, Alison Broadberry is in band 3 and Matthew Barnett makes a second guide appearance in band 5.

Finally, Morag Ofili has been recommended in the Tax: Private Client category as an ‘Up and Coming’ lawyer.

Congratulations all!

A sample of our client feedback received in this edition includes:

Edwin Coe “have a great team to deal with any issues with high-value residential properties” whilst our Private Client team “provided faultless communications and expert advice in a professional manner. It also always seemed to have an expert on hand to help. I always received a prompt response to my enquiries.”

Rosie McCormick Paice “For high end transactions, I would definitely recommend her. Clients really like her as well.”

Alison Broadberry “is one of a kind, very knowledgeable and incredibly personable. Clients warm to her.”

David Goepel “is measured, thoughtful, knowledgeable and thorough. He is always ready to help.”

Matthew Barnett “is an excellent lawyer and a safe pair of hands on UK wills and probate work. He also has an excellent bedside manner.”

Morag Ofili “is very good at managing clients and focusing on their objectives. She is very knowledgeable and technical.”

Chambers HNW is an independently produced and researched annual guide which also feature listings and information about many of the top accountancy and tax firms, private banks, wealth management firms and multi-family offices acting for high net worth individuals. Their team researches in than 55 countries around the world, including every major private wealth market across six continents. Further information can be found on the Chambers High Net Worth website.

Morag will support the Tax team with the anticipated dispute workload brought on by changes in tax policies following the newly elected Labour Government in July 2024.   The new government’s tax policies will present significant implications for tax advisors, with an anticipated emphasis on closing tax loopholes and enhancing compliance measures, tax specialists are likely to see a surge in cases involving complex tax disputes and audits.

Morag joins Edwin Coe from Harbottle & Lewis where she worked as a Managing Associate. She is recommended by Legal 500 and Spear’s 500 (Top Recommended) as well as ranked in Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide. She has featured in eprivateclient: Top 35 under 35 and has previously been shortlisted for the Rising Star Award at the Taxation and ‘We Are the City’ Awards.

Sean Bannister, Head of Tax commented: “We are thrilled to welcome Morag to our expanding team at this busy time. With her extensive experience in litigation and contentious tax services, she will be a valuable asset. We are committed to providing the best advice and service, and her expertise will further enhance our offerings to clients.”

Edwin Coe’s Tax team is a dedicated and market-leading team of tax specialists and lawyers with many years of experience advising clients both in the UK and overseas.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Simon Miles, Nick Phillips, and Claire Lehr have been recognised as leaders in the World Intellectual Property Review’s Leaders Directory for 2024. Simon has been on the list since 2016, and Nick and Claire since 2023.

The WIPR Leaders Directory is a one-stop guide to the leading IP practitioners in the world. Leaders are nominated by IP professionals and then vetted by the WIPR research team. The team considers each nominee’s practice history, industry proficiency, notable cases, and additional contributions, such as writing and teaching responsibilities.

World IP Review is a publication that provides news and guidance on the challenges facing businesses and legal practitioners active in intellectual property, as well as marketing and branding professionals who operate online.

The directory is available online here, where you can view Simon, Nick, and Claire’s profiles.

Congratulations to Thomas Johnson of our Commercial Disputes & Class Actions team, who has been shortlisted by The Bar Council of England and Wales for their ‘Employed Barrister of the Year in a Law Firm’ award.

The Employed Bar Awards 2024 showcases the wealth of talent amongst employed barristers. Launched in 2017, they celebrate the vital contributions that employed barristers make across numerous practice areas and sectors including the public sector, law firms, commerce and the armed forces. The awards are presented for high quality legal advice and an outstanding contribution by employed barristers to the work of their organisations and the law more generally.

The judging panel for the 2024 awards includes Patrick Walker, Gaynor Wood, alongside Bar Council Chair Sam Townend KC and Vice Chair Barbara Mills KC.

The winners will be announced at the Employed Bar Dinner and Awards which this year, will be held at Gray’s Inn on Thursday 10 October.

You can read more about the nominees and the awards on the Bar Council’s website.

London-based Ondo InsurTech Plc is a world leading provider of claims prevention technology for home insurers and has been awarded London Stock Exchange’s Green Economy Mark for companies who derive the majority of their income from Green activities. Ondo’s focus is currently on ‘LeakBot’, which is a British-made, patented Internet of Things solution that connects to the home wireless network and, if it detects a leak, notifies the customer via a mobile app. When a leak is detected, an approved expert plumber is sent to find and fix it. According to recent research by Consumer Intelligence, LeakBot could reduce the cost of water damage claims for insurers by 70%.

Daniel Bellau, leading Edwin Coe’s team, expressed his satisfaction with the successful fundraising, stating, “It was a privilege acting for Dowgate Capital once again to facilitate another milestone fundraising for Ondo. The strong support from both existing and new investors underscores the market’s confidence in Ondo’s vision and technological prowess despite difficult macro-economic conditions.”

You can read Ondo InsurTech’s news release here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that six of our solicitors are included in the thirteenth edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom, which has just been released. The 2025 UK edition recognizes the professional excellence of 6,458 lawyers in 85 practice areas, and in particular, recommends the following solicitors at Edwin Coe:

• David Greene (Competition Law and Litigation)
• Linky Trott (Employment Law)
• Rachel Harrap (Employment Law)
• Simon Miles (Intellectual Property Law)
• Christopher Berry (Insolvency & Restructuring Law and Litigation)
• David Goepel (Charities Law)

Congratulations to all!

The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom 2025 Guide
For over 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers awards are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe.

Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based on a rigorous peer-review survey. Their process is designed to capture the opinion of leading lawyers regarding the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. Best Lawyers asks voters the question: “If you were unable to take a case yourself, how likely would you be to refer it to this nominee?”

London-based Premier IT offers workforce planning, development and performance solutions for the healthcare sector. They serve 125+ organizations in the UK healthcare sector spanning the primary, secondary and independent healthcare landscape, supporting healthcare professionals from consultants, doctors and GPs to nurses, midwives, and care support staff.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate Russel Shear and Associate Michelle Ansah. Russel commented “This is the ninth transaction we have completed successfully with VitalHub in the UK. It was a pleasure to work with them once again and I wish them every success with their expansion plans.”

VitalHub Corp., which is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange, develops and supports mission-critical information systems in the social service, mental health, long term care, community health service, home health and hospital sectors across Canada, USA, UK, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe. It has a two-pronged growth strategy, targeting organic growth opportunities within its product portfolio whilst also pursuing an aggressive M&A plan. VitalHub is based in Toronto, Canada, with an offshore innovation hub in Sri Lanka.

VitalHub’s announcement is available here: VitalHub Corp. Announces Acquisition of Premier IT Partnership Limited

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce its support of The Law Society’s Art Group Annual Exhibition for 2024.  The Exhibition will be held online, and at the Landmark Arts centre from 11^th to 15^th June 2024.

At a Private View at the Landmark Arts Centre on the evening of the 14th June, Karen Iredale, an established artist who has exhibited in London Galleries such as Bankside and Southbank including at the Royal Art Society in Sydney, Australia, will judge the artwork on display, and a number of prizes will be awarded. Many of the works including paintings, sketches, sculptures and other 3D work will be available for purchase.

The Law Society’s Art Group is a small membership group, first set up in 1959, of practising or retired solicitors, staff of solicitors’ firms and to solicitors’ close family members, with an interest in or appreciation for art. The Group runs art events throughout the year including an annual exhibition, painting days, talks and visits to art collections and galleries.

Further information:

The Exhibition is online / in the Landmark Arts Centre (Ferry Road, Teddington, TW11 9NN) from Tuesday, 11^th June to Friday, 14^th June: 10am to 4pm; and Saturday 15^th June: 10am to 1pm.

The link for the online viewing is here.

The Private View will be held at the Landmark Arts Centre, on Friday, 14^th June from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, judging from 6.30pm.  It will be open to Law Society’s Art Group members, their guests & the Public. No booking required / free admission.

Dinner after Private View: Open to Law Society’s Group members & guests; prebooking is required.

The Art Group’s Facebook page is here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Sundeep Rathod, our Head of Immigration is recommended in the new edition of the Spear’s 500 guide for the Immigration Lawyer category.

Sundeep specialises in all aspects of UK immigration work particularly focusing on representing HNW individuals and prominent individuals operating within the media, creative and sporting sector on appropriate immigration routes to the UK. He represents individuals in making successful Global Talent applications. Sundeep deals with personal immigration matters and often represents clients with spousal, settlement, complex nationality and EU Settlement Scheme applications. He assists with Youth Mobility, High Potential Individual, and BN(O) applications.

Sundeep commented: “I was very keen to be included in Spear’s 500 guide. This honour underscores our commitment to providing exceptional service to our clients.”

Spear’s 500 is a guide to the best HNW private client advisers across a wide range of categories including Immigration Lawyers. Rankings are ascertained from peer nominations, client feedback, and interviews, as well as a written submissions by firms and information gathered from Spear’s 500 editorial and research team.

Sundeep’s Spear’s 500 profile can be accessed here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Linky Trott, Head of Employment is “Top Recommended” is “Recommended” in the Employment Lawyers category in the Spear’s 500 Directory for 2024.

Linky’s practice incorporates advice to senior executives on a broad range of issues from bonus disputes, team moves, issues arising with post termination restrictions and confidential information, whistleblowing and discrimination claims.  She advises on claims arising in the High Court and the Employment Tribunals.

Linky commented: “I am delighted that I am included in the Spear’s 500 guide.  This prestigious recognition reflects the high level of service we offer to our clients.”

Spear’s 500 is a guide to the best HNW private client advisers across a wide range of categories including Employment Lawyers. Rankings are ascertained from peer nominations, client feedback, and interviews, as well as a written submissions by firms and information gathered from Spear’s 500 editorial and research team.

This year’s edition of the Spear’s 500 guide for Employment Lawyers can be found here, where you can also read Linky‘s profile.

Litigator Barry McGouran (Restructuring & Insolvency) has been promoted to Senior Associate.

Former Edwin Coe trainees Nicole Davis (Restructuring & Insolvency) and Lara Persell (Private Client) have been promoted from Solicitor to Associate.

Finally in our Tax team, Bradley Gabriel has been promoted to Tax Manager along with Henry Hinton who becomes a Tax Executive.

Edwin Coe’s Managing Partner Alison Broadberry commented, “Sincere congratulations to all on their well-deserved promotions. We wish them every further success as they continue their career journey which we will fully support them on.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Hetal Sanghvi, Partner in our Tax team was named in the Citywealth Top 100 International Powerwomen List.

Citywealth’s Powerwomen list identifies the women working in the wealth management industry who are not only exceptional in their roles but also inspire and support their fellow women in their achieving their career goals​​​​​​​.

Hetal has a wealth of experience in advising clients with multi-jurisdictional exposure, specialising in working with non-domiciled individuals seeking to optimise their position in a tax compliant framework and non-resident individuals seeking to have a UK nexus be it through asset acquisition or physical relocation. She has many years of experience assisting clients with various different forms of HMRC dispute (regularisation to enquiry) and leads the Tax Compliance offering at Edwin Coe.

You can view the 2024 Top 100 Powerwomen list for 2024 on Citywealth’s website.

Edwin Coe LLP is delighted to announce that it is now a Certified B Corporation (B Corp).  B stands for Benefit for all and we are proud to have joined a growing global community of purpose-driven businesses who are leading the movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy.

Our purpose at Edwin Coe extends beyond simply making a profit.  It is enshrined in our LLP deed that we will carry out our business to have a material positive impact on society and the environment.

We aim at all times to focus on constantly improving our purpose, and our people, alongside our profit. We strive to uphold our duties to support the welfare, growth, empowerment, and appreciation of all our people.  We aim to fulfil our commitment and responsibilities to all our stakeholders including our clients, our suppliers, and the environment.

We realised in 2021 that our long-standing aim of being a force for good was very much aligned with the B Corp Movement. We also realised that we had achieved so many individual “good” standards that the B Corp Certification offered a fantastic, comprehensive, umbrella framework for us to support our focus on our continuous improvement.  So we began our journey to B Corp Certification, with a committed team across all areas of the firm working together towards meeting high standards of social and environmental impact (the B Lab Standards).  This is a rigorous process of demonstrating performance, accountability and transparency covering  B Lab’s five Impact Area Pillars of community, customers, environment, governance and workers.

Alison Broadberry, our Managing Partner commented “I am thrilled that we are now a B Corp Certified firm. This is a fantastic achievement to recognise the significant effort, commitment, and passionate belief in the importance of the mission of the B Corp community that we share across the firm.   We are all proud that Edwin Coe is one of the first few law firms in the UK to join the global B Corp community.  I would like to thank very sincerely all those who have contributed so much to this certification and who contribute to our journey of continuous improvement.”

Tim Nash, Chief Executive added “A score of 88.2 is very satisfying; however, this is only the start of the journey. There is still much further to go – B Lab encourages businesses to focus on continuous improvement delivering for their clients, their people and other stakeholders, along with continually improving their environmental and social performance.  Our aim is to improve our score when we are recertified in three years’ time!”

If you would like to talk to us about our B Corp Certification, please contact Alison Broadberry or Tim Nash.

Lara provides English legal and UK tax advice to individuals, particularly those with international connections, including the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.  She advises those coming to or leaving the UK on UK tax and structuring, and works with advisers in other jurisdictions to provide co-ordinated cross-border advice, taking into account not only tax but a client’s overall life goals.  She frequently also advises professionals including trustees, foreign lawyers and wealth managers.

Lara, who is recommended in Spear’s 500 and ALM’s Private Client Global Elite, joins Edwin Coe having previously worked at BDB Pitmans in London and Ogier in Hong Kong.

Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner and Head of Private Client commented, “I am so delighted to welcome Lara into our growing team. We always strive to provide the very best advice and service, and the wealth of international experience that Lara has, further strengthens our offering to clients.”

Edwin Coe’s Private Client team is recognised by eprivateclient as a Top Private Client law firm, and is recommended in the Private Wealth Law category of the 2023 Chambers High Net Worth directory and The Legal 500 UK 2024 Guide.

Rosie specialises in transactional and financing work involving high value residential properties in Prime Central London as well as country houses, equestrian properties, farms and estates for a mix of HNW and UHNW individuals plus developers and investors many of whom are from overseas.

Katherine is recognised as a pre-eminent expert in the specialist area of leasehold enfranchisement and is particularly renowned for her expertise in the Leasehold Reform Act 1967.

Rosie commented: “We are delighted to have been included in the Spear’s 500 guide which reflects the high level of service that we offer to our clients.”

Spear’s 500 is a guide to the best HNW private client advisers across a wide range of categories including Property Lawyers. Rankings are ascertained from peer nominations, client feedback, and interviews, as well as a written submissions by firms and information gathered from Spear’s 500 editorial and research team.

This year’s edition of the Spear’s 500 guide for Property Lawyers is here, where you can also read Rosie and Katherine’s profiles.

This is the first time that WIPR have ranked UK Trade Mark firms and individuals. In order to be ranked in WIPR’s UK Trade Mark rankings, firms and individuals are assessed through research, peer review and client testimony.

Simon Miles, Head of Intellectual Property (IP) comments: ‘I am really pleased that we are recognised in the 2024 UK Trade Mark firm rankings by WIPR and further that Claire and I are listed in the UK Trade Mark WIPR individual rankings.  It is testament to the dedication and passion of our team for all-things IP, and the resulting expertise and client service that we provide to our clients.”

Edwin Coe’s status in the WIPR UK Trade Mark firm rankings builds on last year’s success in the WIPR Leaders Directory 2023 where Simon and Claire, along with Nick Phillips were recommended.

To view the WIPR Trade Mark rankings please see the WIPR website.

Congratulations to the IP team.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner and Head of Private Client won the silver award in the Champion of the Year category in the 2024 Citywealth Powerwomen Awards International.

Alison commented “I am delighted to have received such a prestigious award and have been recognised as a leading role model to women in the private wealth sector.  I would like to thank Citywealth and everyone who took the time to support my nomination for this award.”

Citywealth’s Powerwomen Awards programme champions women in the wealth sector and highlights the female leaders of today and tomorrow. The awards spotlight individuals and companies who support caregiving responsibilities, female leadership, and celebrate diversity.

Please click here to view the winners.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that our Insurance Litigation team continues to be recognised within the newly published edition of Chambers Global, alongside many of our colleagues from across our global legal network, Ally Law.

Our “fantastic from start to finish” team is recommended in the Insurance: Mainly Policyholders category, along with lawyers Nicola Maher “very astute and consistently at the top of her game” and Roger Franklin “efficient and knowledgeable”.

A client commented “Their handing of matters is always of the highest standards. Edwin Coe’s lawyers give well thought-out advice, which is then acted upon in an extremely efficient manner.”

Additionally, Ally Law has retained its ranking as a ‘Global Market Leader’ law firm network in Chambers Global 2024, as well as a recommended ‘Leading Regional Law Firm Network’ in Chambers Asia-Pacific 2024.

Clients commented “It is a dynamic network that is flexible and brings fresh ideas.” and “The network covers the globe and it does a really nice job. All of its members are high quality.”

Within the new Chambers Global directory, twenty-one Ally Law member firms are ranked across twenty-four practice areas. The edition also recommends eighty-nine lawyers from Ally Law firms including four ‘Associates to watch,’ two ‘Foreign experts,’ and four ‘Up and Coming Partners.’

Congratulations to all our colleagues!

Edwin Coe is recommended in the Chambers’ UK, High Net Worth and Global directories. Their independent research collects information about organisations, individuals and the marketplace, conducting thousands of interviews a year with in-house counsel and third-party experts, such as barristers and accountants, to deliver detailed insight into providers of legal services. You can view our results on Chambers’ website.

You can read Ally Law’s comprehensive summary on their website.

Our team was led by Edwin Coe’s Head of Corporate Russel Shear, alongside Associate, Henry Wright. Russel commented “We’re delighted to be able to assist VitalHub on the completion of another acquisition, the eighth such transaction on which we have worked together successfully.”

BookWise offers specialist scheduling software for healthcare and corporate organisations ranging from general room booking software to more specialist scheduling systems. Formed in 2010, and based in Burton-on-Trent, BookWise supports 150+ healthcare organizations throughout the United Kingdom and Australia.

Edwin Coe has advised publicly traded VitalHub on its expansion plans in the UK health technology market for several years. VitalHub is based in Toronto, Canada, with an offshore innovation hub in Sri Lanka which develops and supports mission-critical information systems in the social service, mental health, long term care, community health service, home health and hospital sectors. It has a two-pronged growth strategy, targeting organic growth opportunities within its product suite, and pursuing an aggressive M&A plan.

VitalHub’s announcement is available here: VitalHub Corp. Announces Acquisition of BookWise Solutions Limited

We are pleased to announce that Edwin Coe has achieved a place in the well-known World Trademark Review 1000 firm rankings (WTR 1000). Simon Miles, Head of Intellectual Property and Claire Lehr, Partner have retained their places in the WTR annual rankings for individuals. They are joined by a third Partner Nick Phillips in this year’s edition.

Edwin Coe offers a complete IP solution combining the complementary strengths of IP solicitors and trade mark attorneys with related specialists in commercial contracts, IT and tax.

Simon Miles commented: “I am delighted that Edwin Coe has been recognised in the WTR 1000 firm rankings and that myself and colleagues Nick and Claire are also included in the rankings for individuals. We’d like to thank our clients who took the time to recommend us to WTR.”

The WTR 1000 ranks the top Trade Mark Professionals and Firms in key jurisdictions around the globe. WTR 1000 describes itself as the ‘definitive ‘go-to’ resource for those seeking world-class legal trade mark expertise’. Following a written submission to WTR, WTR researchers conduct interviews with clients and Trade Mark professionals to identify the leading professionals and firms that are deemed outstanding at obtaining, protecting, managing, enforcing and monetising trade marks.

The 2024 edition for the WTR 1000 rankings can be viewed here (subscription required).

The decision handed down on Friday in Gatwick Investment Limited & Others v Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe SE addressed a number of preliminary issues in a lengthy judgment which confirmed earlier decisions, notably Corbin & King Ltd v AXA¹.

Head of Insurance Litigation, Roger Franklin, said: “This is another important stage in the clarification of the rights of policyholders to recover business interruption losses suffered as a result of Covid-19. It is now hoped that insurers will finally begin to implement the conclusions of these test cases, rather than run similar arguments when there is no real hope of them succeeding.”

Edwin Coe LLP specialises in representing policyholders against insurers. If you have a claim which you think should be pursued as a result of this decision, please contact Roger Franklin or our Covid-19 Business Interruption team and we can advise on your available options.

Read the full judgment here (PDF).

————
¹ Edwin Coe acted for Corbin & King and its various subsidiaries in this matter.

More Acquisitions also announced the appointment of real estate specialist Neil Sinclair as Executive Chairman and entrepreneur, former owner of IRG plc and Stanley Davis Group, Stanley Davis as a non-executive director of the company. Both were previously co-founders of the London Stock Exchange listed REIT Palace Capital PLC.

More Acquisitions Plc is a London Stock Exchange listed investment company whose focus was on investing and developing businesses which are advancing the energy sector’s shift from fossil-based systems to renewable sources, such as wind and solar and lithium-ion batteries. It will now be focusing on targets in the real estate sector.

Neil Sinclair said “Daniel and his team were absolutely first class and we look forward to working with them as we seek a suitable Reverse Takeover.”

Edwin Coe’s team was led by Daniel Bellau (Corporate Partner) together with Henry Wright (Corporate Associate). Daniel commented, “I am delighted to have had the opportunity to advise Neil and Stanley again, having worked on many deals with them over the last 15 years. I’d also like to congratulate More Acquisitions on their successful fundraising and look forward to supporting them in their future success in developing growth plans for their business.”

You can read more about More Acquisitions’ transaction here

A Chartered Tax Advisor, Sean is the Head of the Tax practice at Edwin Coe and acts for high-net/ultra-high-net worth individuals, their families and their advisors.

Sean is also recommended in Citywealth’s Global Top 100 Tax Professionals List 2023, Spear’s 500 guide for Tax Advice and was also twice listed as one of eprivateclient’s Top 35 Under 35 private wealth advisors. He is also Edwin Coe’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility.

He commented, “I am delighted to be to be recognised on the Most Influential list. This award is a testament to the entire tax team’s hard work to provide outstanding advice and service to our clients. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my clients and colleagues who took the time to nominate me for such a prestigious award.”

The fifty individuals on the list were selected by PAM Insight judges after a review process where the industry knowledge of the judging panel and any achievements, promotions and progress that potential candidates had made in the past 12 months were considered, along with nominations from eprivateclient readers across the UK and UK Crown Dependencies’ private client practitioner sector.

Edwin Coe is also listed as a top private client law firm in eprivateclient’s Top Law Firms rankings.

You can see the full list on eprivateclient’s website. (subscription required)

Padel is the world’s fastest growing global sport, and whilst the UK is a newcomer to the padel market, with around 300 courts nationwide, the number is expected to grow exponentially over the next five years. It is played on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court, with a foam bat and softer balls than tennis. It is designed for groups of mixed ages and abilities to play together.

Edwin Coe’s multi-disciplinary team was led by Daniel Bellau, alongside Henry Wright, with input from Nick Phillips and Karen Lee. Daniel commented “I am pleased to have worked with AD Global Sports on this complex transaction and look forward to cheering the team on when they take to the courts in February!”

You can read more about padel and the Hexagon Cup on their website.

London-based Ondo InsurTech Plc is a world leading provider of claims prevention technology for home insurers. Ondo’s focus is currently on ‘LeakBot’, which is a patented self-install solution that connects to the home wireless network and, if it detects a leak, notifies the customer via a mobile app which in turn provides access to a team of expert engineers to ‘find and fix’ the problem.  Recent independent research by Consumer Intelligence found LeakBot can reduce the cost of water damage claims for insurers by 70%.

Ondo is one of the first InsurTech companies trading on the London Stock Exchange holding the coveted London Stock Exchange Green Economy Mark awarded to companies who derive the majority of their income from Green activities.

Edwin Coe’s team was led by Daniel Bellau who commented, “It was a pleasure to work with the team at Dowgate Capital on this successful fundraising. I’d like to congratulate Ondo and wish them success in developing growth plans for their innovative technology.”

You can read Ondo InsurTech’s news release on their website.

Edwin Coe’s Commercial Real Estate team of Joanne McIvor advised Lush on their return to Covent Garden. “It is always a pleasure to work on projects with Lush, and in particular on the successful completion of this transaction, which was transformed into a Lush property in just 6 short weeks. The new store is in a great location and looks fabulous. We wish them every success in their plans to develop it further in the new year.”

Our long-term client Lush was established in 1995, and now operates in 48 countries with over 850 shops, 38 websites shipping worldwide and a global network of native apps, broadcasting channels and digital communities in over 30 languages.

You can read more about this new store on the Lush website.

Edwin Coe is happy to announce that our Head of Tax, Sean Bannister has been named in the Citywealth Global Top 100 Tax Professionals List for the first time.  This is an annually curated directory of the leading Tax Professionals in international private client and wealth management.  For inclusion in this prestigious list, Sean was recommended by clients and his peers with references independently verified by Citywealth.

Sean commented: “It’s an absolute privilege to be chosen as a top Global Tax Adviser by Citywealth. This award honours not only me, but is a testament to the hard work, client service and expertise of our fantastic Tax Team here at Edwin Coe.”

Sean principally acts for clients with assets and business interests globally.  He is well versed on multi-jurisdictional issues and has a wealth of experience advising those who are seeking to ensure their tax affairs are administered in a framework that is both effective and compliant. He has been described by a client as a priceless asset for Edwin Coe. Sean and his team specialise in Tax Advisory Services, Tax Dispute Resolution and Tax Compliance.  For more details, please see here.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that it has once again been recognised as a Top Private Client Law Firm in the newly published eprivateclient rankings for 2023.

Our leading Private Client team assists individuals and families for whom wealth preservation is a fundamental objective. We act as trusted advisers to individuals, families, trusts and family or owner-run businesses both in the United Kingdom and internationally.

Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner and Head of Private Client commented “I am delighted that we have once again been recognised by eprivateclient. It is a well-deserved reward for the expertise, dedication and client service that the team provides to our clients.”

The rankings are based on a survey of over 150 law firms in the UK assessing not only the size of firms’ private client teams, but also their reputations within the private wealth sector and the emphasis placed upon looking after wealthy clients and their families. This year 64 firms made the list. The judging team at eprivateclient ranked UK law firms providing high quality private client services to wealthy individuals and families based in the UK and internationally.

The recognition builds on the team’s recent success in the Private Wealth Law category of the 2023 Chambers High Net Worth Directory and The Legal 500 UK 2024 Guide.

For more information please see the eprivateclient website (subscription required).

Congratulations to all involved!

Edwin Coe once again appears in The Times Best Law Firms Guide – The Times’ annual list of the top 250 legal practices in England and Wales. The newspaper highlights our expertise in litigation – on this occasion we were commended for both commercial dispute resolution and insolvency & restructuring.

Edwin Coe is renowned for its contentious practice, often for large groups of claimants in insurance, competition and complex financial disputes as well as property litigation, contentious trusts and insolvency. It has practitioners covering international and domestic litigation, mediation and arbitration. Our lawyers also take a full part in the profession, including leadership in INSOL Europe, R3 Association of Business Recovery Professionals and The Collective Redress Lawyers Association (CORLA).

Our top-ranked restructuring and insolvency team advises individuals facing personal insolvency, companies requiring advice on corporate restructuring, and Insolvency Practitioners acting as an office holder, on all aspects of insolvency, bankruptcy and liquidation.

The Times engaged international market research firm Statista, to ask solicitors and barristers across England, Wales and Scotland to recommend the best law firms covering business, public and private-client fields. Lawyers could not vote for themselves and could only vote once in the survey, to create a ‘definitive’ list of the most respected lawyers and firms in the industry. Only 250 of the approximately 9,425 firms in England and Wales made the list.

This success follows Edwin Coe’s recent rankings in the newly published Chambers UK 2024 and The Legal 500 UK 2024 directories.

Congratulations to all involved!

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that 13 lawyers including 2 Senior Statespeople, and 5 practice areas have been recommended in the 2024 edition of Chambers UK: A Client’s Guide to the UK Legal Profession. As reported in the guide, clients say: Edwin Coe “punches above its weight in a range of different areas.”

Restructuring & Insolvency retain their band 1 ranking for Personal Insolvency, whilst Simeon Gilchrist has retained his top individual ranking – “He is great, he’s very straightforward and he’s a good technical lawyer,” whilst Ali Zaidi has also retained his band 2 “He has very good technical awareness and the ability to identify issues.”

Senior Partner David Greene is newly appointed as a Senior Statesperson in the UK-wide Group Litigation: Claimant category, “David Greene is a very safe pair of hands. He knows this field and what he’s doing,” and our “knowledgeable and experienced” Class Action Team makes its first appearance in the same category.

Our Employment: Senior Executive team, “Every person within the legal team at Edwin Coe is a trustworthy, capable and strong lawyer,” retain their band 2 ranking, along with recommendations for Head of Department, Linky Trott who “has a wealth of experience to draw on. She builds great rapport and delivers a great service,” Rachel Harrap “She is very results-oriented, savvy and pragmatic,”.

In addition our Insurance team is again ranked twice – for Insurance Litigation: Mainly Policyholders and also for Professional Negligence. Clients comment that the team is “fantastic from start to finish.” Roger Franklin “just brilliant”, and is ranked in both categories. Nicola Maher is again ranked for Insurance Litigation and is described as “very astute and consistently at the top of her game.”

Russel Shear, our Head of Corporate retains his ranking for Mid-Market M&A “Russel understands our business and objectives”, Sundeep Rathod is newly recommended for Immigration: Business “Sundeep is a dynamic and phenomenal individual with great drive and passion,” Head of Intellectual Property Simon Miles is ranked again, one client said “Simon is fantastic – a commercially astute IP lawyer who consistently delivers results with pragmatic and clear advice,” and finally, Joanna Osborne is recognised for Property Litigation, and is described as “astute, tenacious, personable and an excellent lawyer.”

Congratulations to all involved!

Edwin Coe is recommended in the UK, High Net Worth and Global directories. Chambers’ independent research collects information about organisations, individuals and the marketplace, conducting thousands of interviews a year with in-house counsel and third-party experts, such as barristers and accountants, to deliver detailed insight into providers of legal services. You can view our results on Chambers’ website.

The Legal 500 UK 2024 directory has recently launched. This year, after extensive research and feedback from clients and contacts, their researchers have recommended our work in 16 categories.

Individuals
Across our practices, our lawyers are recommended 68 times by the Legal 500’s expert researchers, with new mentions/reappearances for Jamal Saleh (M&A); Clare Gilroy-Scott (Employment); Kate Dwyer (Insurance Litigation); Anna Primrose and Eva Moynihan (Personal tax, trusts and probate); and Claire Lehr (Intellectual Property).

Our Senior Partner, David Greene is now the member of two ‘Halls of Fame’ for Commercial Litigation and newly for Group Litigation.

Matthew Barnett (Personal tax, trusts and probate) is a new ‘Leading Individual,’ and joins David Goepel (Personal tax, trusts and probate) and Daniel Bellau (M&A), who retain their rankings ‘Leading Individuals.’

Zahira Hussain (Commercial Litigation) also retain their ‘Next Generation Partner’ rankings and Tom Johnson (Commercial Litigation: Mid-Market) becomes our third ‘Next Generation Partner.’

Practices
Two practices received their first recommendations this year – Group Litigation: Claimant, where the team was described as a ‘Lean and nimble team, which punches well above its weight in heavy duty commercial litigation. They have particular expertise on claimant side mandates in group actions.’ along with our Contentious Trusts and Probate team which is a ‘flexible and focused team which is committed to the client and determined to succeed.’

Still in the Private Client sector, our team was recommended for Personal tax, trusts and probate along with Charities and not-for-profit. One client said the team is ‘a very discreet, Rolls-Royce practice, where the client is far more important than the solicitor, and service is everything.’

Our Employment team was ranked for Employment: employers and for Employment: senior executives, with one referee commenting that the team are ‘Good at understanding the nuances of the case. Meet deadlines. Good communicators.’

Our Commercial Litigation team were recommended for Mid-Market matters whilst our Insurance Litigation team were ranked for Professional Negligence and For Policyholders, where one contact stated ‘…Always courteous and respectful to their client and others, Edwin Coe is a winning team.’ Our litigators were also recommended for Fraud: Civil – ‘Right on the spot with a clear strategy to achieve the final goal.’

Our ‘very professional and highly regarded’ Property team is recommended for Residential Property; Property Finance and also Property Litigation: ‘In the service we received, everything was spot-on – more a 7-star than a 5-star service from the property litigation team.’.

Other practice areas recognised in the UK directory are Intellectual Property; M&A: smaller deals ‘very commercial corporate practice,’ and Equity Capital Markets: Small-Mid Cap.

Congratulations to all involved!

You can read all the rankings and testimonials at the Legal 500 website.

Greg predominately advises on private mergers and acquisitions, fundraising, joint ventures and shareholders’ agreements, as well as on partnership and LLP matters, with experience acting for both corporate and individual clients across a diverse range of sectors.

Head of Corporate Russel Shear said: “I’m pleased to welcome Greg to the team. Greg’s wealth of knowledge and experience will undoubtedly enhance our ability to provide innovative and tailored legal solutions to our clients.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Sean Bannister has been recommended as a tax advisor in the new edition of Spear’s 500 guide.

Sean is Edwin Coe’s Head of Tax and acts for high-net worth individuals, their families and those that advise them (financial service providers and corporate service provider/trustees). He has been recommended in Spear’s 500 for tax advice since 2021.

Sean commented “I am delighted to be recommended in the Spear’s 500 directory once again. The entire tax team at Edwin Coe works hard to provide outstanding advice and service to our clients, and Spear’s continuing recommendation is testament to that.”

Spear’s 500 is an annual guide to top private client advisers, wealth managers, lawyers and service providers to high-net-worth individuals, produced by Spears magazine. A team of researchers and journalists assess a combination of company submissions, analyst survey data, client feedback and market nominations from experts to compile their recommendations across the private wealth sector.

The 2023 guide has recently been published in paper and will be gradually launched online over the next 12 months on the Spears 500 website. Sean’s Spear’s 500 profile is here.

David specialises in private client international work with a particular focus on trusts and succession planning. Much of David’s time is spent in advising private clients on cross-border issues, including the co-ordination of advice in a number of different jurisdictions.

“David has a pleasant attitude with great knowledge and a technical approach; he knows what he’s doing. He leads the firm’s practical approach and on the technical side he’s top-notch. If you come across a situation that is out of the ordinary, he is a go-to,” commented a client in the latest edition of Chambers HNW.

Matthew acts for predominantly UK-based high-net-worth individuals, families, executors, trustees and beneficiaries on a wide range of tax, trust, estate and succession planning issues.

“Matthew is charming, warm and knowledgeable. If you want a really good expert on wills, probate, tax trusts and estate planning who can handle complex matters sensitively and compassionately, then look no further than Matthew,” said a client in Chambers HNW 2023.

Alison acts for high-net-worth individuals and families on matters relating to tax, trusts, estate and succession planning, UK and cross-border probate.

“Alison’s energy and positivity is inspiring to her clients and those that work with her. Her wealth of experience at the very top level of private client is impressive and she manages an excellent team very adeptly,” noted a client in Chambers HNW 2023.

Speaking about the promotions, Alison Broadberry said, “I am thrilled to announce the well-deserved promotions of David and Matt. Their exceptional skills, dedication, and client-centric approach make them the perfect choices to lead our International and UK practices.”

She continued, “As our client base continues to grow; their needs and external factors become ever more complex, we felt that now was the time to ensure that we had practice areas dedicated to serving their UK and International requirements. David and Matt will guarantee that there is appropriate leadership and focus in our thriving team, ensuring that we will provide all our clients and contacts with the very best advice and service.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce the appointment of Kathryn Goswami to the newly created role of Head of Strategic Operations. She joins the firm after 17 years at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP.

Kathryn will be working closely with Alison Broadberry, our Managing Partner and Tim Nash, our Chief Executive, along with our Management Committee with the remit to advise on, create and assist in implementing strategies to make positive changes to improve the overall profitability, productivity and performance of Edwin Coe’s fee-earning and business operations areas.

Alison Broadberry commented, “Kathryn and I first worked together at Speechly Bircham and I am excited to have the opportunity to work with her again. Her strategic acumen and extensive legal sector experience will enable her to drive positive change.”

Tim Nash added, “Kathryn’s appointment comes at a crucial time for our firm, as we aim to navigate an increasingly complex and competitive legal market. Her expertise in legal operations and her ability to address complex challenges will be invaluable as we evolve our processes and systems to continue delivering exceptional service to our clients.”

Our M&A team was headed up by Alexandre Terrasse (Partner) and Michelle Ansah (Associate). Alexandre Terrasse commented “I am pleased to have advised Options Greathire on the successful completion of this transaction. I wish them every success in their plans to grow their business in the UK.”

Founded in 1981 in Paris, Options is a European leader in tableware and furniture hire, with more than 800 employees located in 23 offices across France and Europe. Options Greathire Ltd was created in 2020 by the merger of Options GB Limited and Greathire Limited, a supplier of high end furniture rentals to the UK events industry.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Eva Moynihan, a Senior Associate in our Private Client team has once again been named in the prestigious eprivateclient NextGen Leaders list.

One nominee said of Eva: “Eva is a solid and well-rounded private client solicitor but what sets her apart are her soft skills – she is excellent at communicating with intermediaries and clients and is positive and cheery even in the most pressured situations. A delight to work with.”

Alison Broadberry, Managing Partner and Head of Private Client commented “Eva is a key member of the our team and I am delighted she has once again been recognised by eprivateclient. Congratulations to Eva.”

The eprivateclient NextGen Leaders list (previously called the Top 35 Under 35 award) is designed to identify, recognise, introduce and promote the rising stars of the private wealth advisory sector. It is the definitive annual list of young private client practitioners including lawyers, accountants, trustees and other professional intermediaries.

The judging process involved the collection of nominations and feedback from clients and fellow professionals on the upcoming stars within the private client sector. This year there were 500 nominations for individuals from firms across the UK and the UK Crown Dependencies. These nominations were then collated and the eprivateclient/PAM Insight judging panel drew up the final list.

The full list for 2023 is available on eprivateclient’s website (subscription may be required)

With a professional background in cross-border advisory work for both office-holders and insolvent entities, Simeon is looking forward to supporting INSOL Europe in its role as the profession’s meeting place, representative body and ideas forum.

Edwin Coe is particularly proud to deepen the firm’s relationship with INSOL Europe, having for several years sponsored the Academic Forum.

Simeon said about his election to office: “It is hugely exciting that UK members of INSOL Europe have placed their confidence in me to represent their interests at Council moving forward. Thank you to all of the membership for engaging with the election process, and I look forward to seeing you all at Amsterdam 2023 in October”.

The firm and Simeon look forward to working with the council of INSOL Europe in furthering its mission as a membership led organisation.

The successful qualifying solicitors who have secured positions within the firm are as follows:

• Carlos Sharrock – Residential Property
• Charlotte Gittins – Employment
• Ninad Bhagwat – Private Client

Edwin Coe’s Managing Partner, Alison Broadberry commented, “Congratulations to all five of our newly qualified solicitors, who have chosen to continue their journey with Edwin Coe. We wish them every success as they embark on the next chapter of their careers.”

Nicola Maher and Nick Phillips, the Partners who have overseen the trainee programme added, “Edwin Coe prides itself in its trainee programme and a growing number of our solicitors, associates and partners trained at the firm. Congratulations to Katie, Carlos, Ninad and Charlotte on qualifying as solicitors. The skill and dedication which they have all demonstrated as trainees will undoubtedly enrich their respective departments and enhance the experience of our valued clients.”

Founded in 1985, Interland is a private real estate and renewable energy investment group which owns, develops, and operates assets in the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Belgium. Interland’s wide-ranging portfolio includes private rented sector, social and council housing, student accommodations, hotels, youth hostels, offices as well as investments into energy storage.

Edwin Coe’s team included Stephen Brower. The team  commented “We are delighted to complete this transaction successfully for Interland, which will enable the group to reduce its overall cost of debt, and achieve its strategic and financial goals.”

Predator Oil & Gas is a Jersey-based oil and gas company, listed on the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market (LSE: PRD). The company is currently undertaking exploration and appraisal drilling for gas onshore in Morocco; exploration and appraisal drilling for oil onshore in Trinidad; and injecting carbon dioxide into existing and potentially future wells in Trinidad for enhanced oil recovery and carbon dioxide sequestration. It has a further interest in offshore gas fields in the Republic of Ireland’s territorial waters.

Daniel, who is a Partner in Edwin Coe’s Corporate team commented, “I am delighted to have worked with my colleagues at Fox-Davies and Novum on this successful transaction, one of a number of natural resources deals that the experienced capital markets team at Edwin Coe has advised on in recent times. I also wish Predator Oil & Gas every success with their plans.”

You can read Predator Oil & Gas Holdings’ announcement and news release on their website.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that its Private Client and High Value Residential Property lawyers have been recommended again in the latest edition of the Chambers High Net Worth guide.

Our Private Client team retained its band 4 in the Private Wealth Law category, and three partners from the team are ranked – David Goepel has been promoted to band 2, Alison Broadberry keeps her band 3 ranking and Matthew Barnett makes a first appearance in the Guide, in band 5.

In addition, our Residential Property team is newly ranked in band 4 for Real Estate: High Value Residential, and Head of Department, Rosie McCormick Paice has retained her band 4 ranking.

Congratulations all!

A sample of our client feedback received in this edition includes:

Edwin Coe’s Private Client team “instinctively knew what we needed to know and what was superfluous. Their commercial awareness for a professional client was really good.” – Private Wealth Law client, whilst a Real Estate: High Value Residential interviewee said: “Edwin Coe is responsive and has good judgement.”

Rosie McCormick Paice “Rosie was entirely professional, helpful and efficient throughout the process.”

Alison Broadberry “is great at advising on trust and tax, including related insurance and pension products, and thoroughly understands what makes private clients tick.”

David Goepel “is extraordinarily hard-working and very technically able.”

Matthew Barnett “has a really good private client offering, putting clients in a far better position.”

Chambers HNW is an independently produced and researched annual guide which also feature listings and information about many of the top accountancy and tax firms, private banks, wealth management firms and multi-family offices acting for high net worth individuals. Their team researches in than 55 countries around the world, including every major private wealth market across six continents. Further information can be found on the Chambers High Net Worth website.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Simon Miles, Claire Lehr and Nick Phillips have been recognised as leaders in World Intellectual Property Review’s Leaders Directory for 2023.

The WIPR Leaders Directory is a one-stop guide to the leading IP practitioners in the world. Leaders are nominated by IP professionals and then vetted by the WIPR research team. The team considers each nominee’s practice history, industry proficiency, notable cases, and additional contributions, such as writing and teaching responsibilities.

World IP Review is a publication that provides news and guidance on the challenges facing businesses and legal practitioners active in intellectual property, as well as marketing and branding professionals who operate online.

The directory is available online, here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that seven of our solicitors are included in the twelfth edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom, which has just been released. The 2024 UK edition recognizes the professional excellence of 6,344 lawyers in 137 practice areas, and in particular, recommends the following solicitors at Edwin Coe:

• David Greene (Competition Law and Litigation)
• Linky Trott (Employment Law)
• Rachel Harrap (Employment Law)
• Simon Miles (Intellectual Property Law)
• Christopher Berry (Insolvency & Restructuring Law and Litigation)
• David Goepel (Charities Law)

Congratulations to all!

The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom 2024 Guide
For over 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers awards are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe.

Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based on a rigorous peer-review survey. Their process is designed to capture the opinion of leading lawyers regarding the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. Best Lawyers asks voters the question: “If you were unable to take a case yourself, how likely would you be to refer it to this nominee?”

Karen joined Edwin Coe as a trainee, qualifying into the Intellectual Property team, and is also a qualified Chartered Trade Mark Attorney. She deals with all aspects of intellectual property law, both contentious and non-contentious matters in the fields of trade marks, passing off, copyright and design rights.  Karen also regularly prosecutes trade mark and registered design applications at UK, EU and international level. She manages, co-ordinates and deals with the enforcement aspects concerning the clients’ trade mark and registered design portfolios.

Thomas Johnson is dual qualified Barrister–Partner and is recommended as a ‘Rising Star’ for litigation in the Legal 500 UK directory. His practice spans all aspects of commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution.  He has particular experience in high value, complex fraud cases, finance disputes, and company law.

David Greene, Edwin Coe’s Senior Partner commented “I’m delighted to welcome Karen and Thomas into the partnership at Edwin Coe. Both are dedicated, talented lawyers who are a great asset to our clients and the firm.”

Based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Dormeo UK is the British wholesaler and retailer of the Dormeo® bedding and sleeping solutions brand, which offers top quality Italian-designed, European-made memory foam mattresses direct to domestic customers in 40 countries worldwide.

Adam Harris and Mark Siddall of Mazars said: “We are delighted to have been able to complete the sale of Dormeo as quickly as possible with the assistance of the Edwin Coe team. The sale of Dormeo protects hundreds of jobs, ensures that customers don’t lose out and preserves the brand that Dormeo has built up over the last 20 years.”

“A quick sale has meant that customers, suppliers and staff have not had to go through a period of protracted uncertainty, something that we are always keen to avoid in administrations.”

Edwin Coe’s multi-disciplinary team was led by Corporate Partner Jamal Saleh, with assistance from Elliot Francis (Associate) on the employment side, and Neil Flynn (Senior Associate) on property matters.

Jamal commented “It was a pleasure to successfully complete this transaction alongside the team at Mazars in just 4 days. It’s the latest in a series of business and asset sales on a pre-pack basis or otherwise out of administration which Edwin Coe has worked on across a range of business sectors, acting for not only administrators but also buyers.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Linky Trott has been elected to the Executive Board of our global legal network Ally Law. Linky is our Head of Employment and is a Chambers-ranked lawyer who advises on the full range of employment issues arising for established businesses and senior executives.

The Executive Committee is elected by Ally Law’s members and is comprised of prominent lawyers from member firms around the world. Members of the Executive lead various committees and also act as regional liaisons. The 2023 vote took place during Ally Law’s Annual General Meeting which took place in Sydney, Australia in mid-March.

Edwin Coe has been the member of Ally Law for England and Wales, since 2016.

You can read Ally Law’s press release announcing Linky and the rest of their leadership team on their website.

About Ally Law

Ally Law firms provide sophisticated legal services to major corporations, with a sharp focus on value and efficiency. Our 60+ firms include more than 2,800 lawyers in 100 business centres worldwide. Each has been subject to a rigorous vetting process and many are ranked by respected legal guides, including Chambers, The Legal 500 and Best Lawyers. For more information, visit www.ally-law.com.

Denise advises high net worth individuals and families to ensure their wealth and succession objectives are met. Her clients often have intricate and complex family backgrounds, property in offshore jurisdictions and valuable business holdings. She joins Edwin Coe from the Private Client team at Charles Russell Speechlys.

Alison Broadberry, Head of Private Client commented: “I am excited to have the opportunity to work with Denise again, having worked with her previously when we were both at CRS. Her addition to our thriving team will strengthen the very best advice and service available to our clients and contacts.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that World Trademarks Review has once again recommended Head of Intellectual Property Simon Miles for trade mark enforcement and litigation, and Partner, Clare Lehr for trade mark prosecution and strategy, in the new edition of their WTR 1000 directory.

Simon commented, “It is an honour for Claire and I to be recognised for our trade marks work by WTR’s researchers and to be listed in ‘the 1000’, we’d like to thank those in the market who took the time to recommend us.”

The 2023 edition of WTR 1000: The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals focuses exclusively on trade mark practices and practitioners. Each year, WTR undertakes an exhaustive qualitative research project to identify the firms and individuals that are deemed outstanding in this critical area of practice. When identifying the leading firms, factors such as depth of expertise, market presence and the level of work on which they are typically instructed were all taken into account, alongside positive peer and client feedback.

World Trademark Review is a daily news and information service dedicated exclusively to reporting on trademark issues for in-house and private practitioners internationally.

You can view the directory here.

The development is located on the North Cornwall coast near Bude, comprising more than 411 acres, a range of residential properties, a five-star holiday letting business with substantial development opportunity to further increase the number of units on site. There are also purpose built facilities including a restaurant and bar, leisure club and other recreational pursuits.

Edwin Coe’s team was led by Property Partner, Joanne McIvor and Corporate Partner, David Kinch and with support from other members across the firm, namely Neil Flynn (Property), Michelle Ansah (Corporate), Ruth Hickling and Elliot Francis (Employment).

Joanne commented “I’m delighted to have successfully completed this transaction – one of a number of similar acquisitions that Edwin Coe has acted on over the past few years. We’d also like to wish our client every success with their future plans for Whalesborough.”

For more information on this transaction, read this article on Savills website – the vendor’s agents.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Alison Broadberry has again been listed as one of eprivateclient’s 50 Most Influential Private Client Practitioners.

Alison is the Head of Private Client at Edwin Coe and will take on the role of Managing Partner from April 2023. She acts for high-net-worth UK and non-UK domiciled clients on a wide range of tax, trust and estate planning matters. She advises on and creates solutions to manage, protect and pass the wealth of her clients to minimise tax and maximise protection against threats to the family wealth including relationship breakdown, financial vulnerability and family conflicts.

“It is an honour to be recognised alongside such illustrious company on the Most Influential list. I am very grateful to everyone who took the time to nominate me for a place on this prestigious list,” commented Alison.

The fifty individuals on the list were selected by PAM Insight judges after an exhaustive selection process where the industry knowledge of the judging panel and any achievements, promotions and progress that potential candidates had made in the past 12 months were considered, along with nominations from eprivateclient readers across the UK and UK Crown Dependencies’ private client practitioner sector.

Edwin Coe is also listed as a top private client law firm in eprivateclient’s Top Law Firms rankings.

You can see the full list on eprivateclient’s website. (subscription required)

Based in London, with a key research centre in Lisbon, Truphone has a long list of international subsidiaries with coverage in over 200 countries and with over 400 direct network agreements.  The business offers communication services to over 2,000 multinational enterprise customers notably offering compliance solutions for recording phone and text messages for major global investment banks as well providing eSIM technology to major customers including Apple.

The transaction, which required both the approval of the Department of Business Enterprise and Industrial Strategy and of the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, was undertaken following an M&A sale process undertaken by FRP’s corporate finance team, led by Matthew Flower.

The transaction called on the services of a large Edwin Coe team across the breadth of the firm’s wide expertise. Daniel Bellau (Corporate Partner) led on the corporate side together with Jamal Saleh (Corporate Partner), Michelle Ansah (Corporate Associate). Working alongside were Linky Trott (Head of Employment), Nick Phillips (IP Partner) and Joanne McIvor (Property Partner).  Nelson Mullins advised on US law aspects.

The Buyer, TP Global was advised by law firms Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, Walker Morris LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and by investment bank Robey Warshaw LLP.

“We were delighted to be able to advise the FRP Team on this exciting and ground breaking transaction and in being able to unlock the significant potential of the Truphone business.  I’d like to thank the whole team for their hard work on completing this highly challenging and complex transaction,” commented Daniel.

Joint Administrator and CEO of FRP Geoff Rowley stated “This has been a complex transaction which has seen multiple challenges to address which has been greatly assisted by the multi-disciplinary team fielded by Edwin Coe working together with all the professional advisors.”

Further information on the transaction can be found on the Truphone website.

Corporate Partner Daniel Bellau commented “We’re delighted to be able successfully to assist Ethernity Networks once again in raising funds to support their growth strategies in what are undeniably challenging conditions for equity capital markets fundraisings.”

Mark Reichenberg, CFO Ethernity Networks commented “Once again, Daniel and his team acted efficiently, effectively, and always with the Company as their focus in getting this Placing done in extremely difficult markets. Having worked with Daniel over the past many years, he and Edwin Coe are our go-to team for our UK transactions.”

Ethernity Networks (AIM: ENET) is a leading provider of networking and security software solutions on programmable hardware for accelerating the performance of telecommunications and cloud networks. Headquartered in Lod, Israel, Ethernity was founded in 2004 and has its technology deployed in over 700K systems worldwide, connecting over 100 million end users. The proceeds of the transaction will be used to strengthen the balance sheet, to support the growing number of and field deployments of its products and for general working capital purposes.

You can read Ethernity Networks’ news release here with further information on their website.

Della AI is a provider of leading artificial intelligence technology based on advanced natural language processing. Their innovative technology allows legal professionals to review contracts in multiple languages by simply asking questions. The company was founded in 2018 and now employs 16 professionals based in London and Paris.

Edwin Coe’s cross practice team on this transaction was led by Corporate Partner Jamal Saleh, working alongside Henry Wright (Corporate Associate), with contributions from Ali Zaidi (Restructuring & Insolvency), Linky Trott (Employment) and Nick Phillips and Carlos Sharrock (Intellectual Property).

Jamal commented “I’m delighted that we have successfully completed this transaction to an end of year deadline, and would like to thank the team for their hard work during the festive period. This transaction further demonstrates our knowledge and expertise in the tech M&A sector. I wish the teams at Della AI and Wolters Kluwer every success in their plans to continue the development of category leading products for the corporate legal market.”

Della CEO and co-founder Christophe Frèrebeau added: “We were pleased to have had Edwin Coe by our side to facilitate a smooth and efficient sale process. The broad experience of Jamal Saleh, in particular, was ideally positioned to support us in this exciting step in Della’s journey.”

You can read more about the transaction on Wolters Kluwer’s website.

The care home portfolio has 438 high quality beds, of which 400 have en-suite bathrooms, with five homes in Shropshire and one in Cheshire. The Morris Group has granted a licence for the homes to continue to trade under their ‘Morris Care’ brand for three years and the current operational management team will transfer to Welford Healthcare, which will operate the homes. The structure of the transaction allows Welford to take immediate operational control of the six homes, thereby avoiding a potentially lengthy transition period while regulatory approvals are sought to register the operation of the homes in new legal entities.

Lyndsey O’Loughlin, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of Morris & Company commented: “This transaction represents another significant milestone in the Morris Group 153-year journey. The prompt, comprehensive and pragmatic advice delivered by every member of the Edwin Coe team made them the perfect choice as legal advisers reflecting  our own commercial philosophy  ̶  ‘Excellence as Standard’.”

Daniel Bellau (Corporate Partner) led Edwin Coe’s team alongside Joanne McIvor (Property Partner) undertook the property work and Linky Trott (Head of Employment) advised on employment issues. Daniel commented “We are delighted to have successfully completed this transaction for the Morris family, a new and exciting client for the firm, in what is a key sector of expertise for Edwin Coe. I’d like to thank the team for their assistance and we wish Morris every success in their property investment plans.”

You can read more about the transaction on Impact Healthcare REIT’s website.

Edwin Coe’s cross-practice team was led by Corporate Partner, Alexandre Terrasse, along with members of our Employment, Property, Intellectual Property and IT teams. Alexandre commented “We are pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Xynergy Groupe, and delighted that the success of the transaction will allow them to move forward with their plans in the UK.”

London-based Jane Plan offers bespoke diet food delivery programmes, which are portion and calorie controlled, supported by psychological support and guidance from a team of nutritionists and behaviour change psychologists.

The transaction is part of the growth strategy initiated by Siparex (a leading French independent private equity investment company), which took a majority stake in Winncare in 2021 to reinforce its leadership on the European market. Their target, Herida Healthcare is a Leeds based healthcare company, developing and manufacturing mattresses, cushions & various accessories to help treat and prevent pressure injuries in long term care, home settings, acute and residential settings.

Alexandre Terrasse commented “It was a pleasure to work with Siparex and the Winncare Group on this transaction. I wish them every success in their plans to grow their business in the UK and globally.”

You can read more about the transaction here.

Edwin Coe’s team was led by Corporate Partner, Daniel Bellau. Daniel commented “We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with Brandshield again, and delighted that the success of the transaction will allow them to move forward with their growth plans.”

BrandShield is a UK and Israeli based provider of cybersecurity solutions that protect some of the world’s largest brands. By utilising artificial intelligence and big-data analysis, BrandShield monitors, detects, and removes online threats facing companies. These threats include social phishing, executive impersonation, fraud, brand abuse and counterfeiting.

BrandShield’s announcement is available here: BrandShield Systems – Fundraise of £1.75 million and BrandShield Systems – Result of the Placing and Subscription.

Alison joined the firm in 2016 and over the last six years has grown the Private Client team, their revenue, profit and market position rankings.   Alison will remain as Head of Private Client and maintain her practice with the support of her award winning team.  Commentators to The Legal UK 500 and Chambers HNW 2022 note: “Alison is a whirl of energy and can-do approach”; she is “fizzing with enthusiasm and utterly dedicated to delivering for her clients”; and “She is lovely to work with and is an uplifting presence”.

Alison has been on the firm’s Management Committee for the last three years and has been a key driver behind a number of initiatives of great benefit to the firm and its people.

Alison comments: “I am honoured and humbled to have been elected as the next Managing Partner of Edwin Coe.  We are all very grateful to David who has steered us so well particularly through the significant uncertainty and changes brought about by Covid and more recent challenges.  I look forward to continuing to build on Edwin Coe’s growth strategy and to further our reputation and success for the benefit of all our stakeholders.”

David comments:  “It has been an honour to have been Edwin Coe’s Managing Partner over the last four years and to have played a part in our growth and the delivery of some important projects over that time.  Alison has been elected by acclamation by the firm’s senior equity partners and I have no doubt that she will do a fantastic job.  I look forward to remaining as a Corporate partner at the firm.”

Edwin Coe has once again been included in The Times Best Law Firms Guide – The Times’ annual list of the top 250 legal practices in England and Wales. The newspaper highlights our expertise in commercial dispute resolution.

The votes on this occasion highlighted Edwin Coe’s outstanding claimant dispute resolution team. Edwin Coe is renowned for its contentious practice often for large groups of claimants in insurance, competition and complex financial disputes as well as property litigation and insolvency. It has practitioners covering international and domestic litigation, mediation and arbitration. It also takes a full part in the profession, boasting the current Presidents of R3 Association of Business Recovery Professionals and The Collective Redress Lawyers Association (CORLA).

“I’m delighted that The Times has recognised the hard work and expertise of Edwin Coe’s outstanding litigation team,” said David Greene, Edwin Coe’s Senior Partner, “our litigators, throughout the firm, work tirelessly to achieve commercial and often innovative solutions for our clients, and it is particularly gratifying to receive recognition from the solicitors and barristers who we work with every day.”

Ali Zaidi, Edwin Coe’s Head of Litigation and Insolvency added, “Congratulations to our talented lawyers. This listing is a great reflection of the expertise and quality of work being produced across the firm for our clients.”

The Times and Statista, an international market research firm, asked solicitors and barristers across England, Wales and Scotland to recommend the best law firms in any of 28 categories covering business, public and private-client fields. Lawyers could not vote for themselves and could only vote once in the survey, to create a ‘definitive’ list of the most respected lawyers and firms in the industry. Only 250 of the approximately 9,700 firms in England and Wales made the list.

This success follows Edwin Coe’s recent recognition in the newly published Chambers UK 2023 and Legal 500 UK 2023 directories.

Alison Broadberry, Head of Private Client at Edwin Coe, commented “It is great news that the team’s hard work, expertise and dedication to our clients has again been recognised by eprivateclient – a leading authority in our market.”

The rankings are based on a survey of over 150 law firms in the UK assessing not only the size of firms’ private client teams, but also their reputations within the private wealth sector and the emphasis placed upon looking after wealthy clients and their families. This year 56 firms made the list.

The team was recently also recommended in the Private Wealth Law category of the 2022 Chambers High Net Worth Directory and The Legal 500 UK 2023 Guide.

For more information please see the eprivateclient website (subscription required).

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that 14 lawyers and 4 practice areas have been recommended in the 2023 edition of Chambers UK: A Client’s Guide to the UK Legal Profession. As reported in the guide, clients say: “Edwin Coe provides advice which is consistently strong and technical in nature.”

Restructuring & Insolvency retain their band 1 ranking for Personal Insolvency, whilst Simeon Gilchrist has retained his top individual ranking – “Simeon Gilchrist’s depth of knowledge is second to none”, whilst Ali Zaidi has also retained his band 2 “Ali Zaidi has good commercial awareness of the issues faced by a trustee.”

Our Employment: Senior Executive team, “They are my go-to team of advisers” retain their band 2 ranking, along with recommendations for Linky Trott “She has a vast knowledge of employment law, is highly intelligent and I have never found her flummoxed by anything”, Rachel Harrap “brilliant at determining the desired outcome and then works to deliver that”.

In addition our Insurance team is again ranked twice – for Insurance Litigation: Mainly Policyholders and also for Professional Negligence. Clients recognise their “good-quality work.” Roger Franklin “our go-to person with any insurance dispute or technical query – his level of service is exceptional” is ranked in both categories. Nicola Maher is again ranked for Insurance Litigation and is described as “client-friendly, pragmatic and helpful.” Finally, Oliver Pannell has been recognised as an Up & Coming Partner “very hard-working and always well prepared.”

Head of Intellectual Property Simon Miles is ranked for Intellectual Property, one client said “Simon Miles is knowledgeable, sharp and strategically minded”, whilst Joanna Osborne recognised for Property Litigation “Joanna is so experienced and takes everything in her stride. She is very decisive and able to cut through matters.” Finally Russel Shear retains his ranking for Mid-Market M&A “Russel Shear is very responsive and supportive, knowledgeable in our sector, and gives excellent advice.”

Congratulations to all involved!

Edwin Coe is recommended in the UK, High Net Worth and Global directories. Chambers’ independent research collects information about organisations, individuals and the marketplace, conducting thousands of interviews a year with in-house counsel and third-party experts, such as barristers and accountants, to deliver detailed insight into providers of legal services. You can view our results on Chambers’ website.

On this occasion, the Edwin Coe team was led by Corporate Partner Alexandre Terrasse and assisted by Property Partner Joanne McIvor, Employment Partner Ruth Hickling and Intellectual Property & IT Partner Nick Phillips.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Sean Bannister has been recommended as a tax advisor in the new edition of Spear’s 500 guide.

Sean is Edwin Coe’s Head of Tax and acts for high-net and ultra-high-net worth individuals and families and those that advise them (financial service providers and corporate service provider/trustees).

Sean commented “It is an honour to again be listed in the Spear’s 500 directory. The entire tax team at Edwin Coe works hard to provide outstanding client service, and Spear’s recommendation is testament to that.”

Spear’s 500 is an annual guide to top private client advisers, wealth managers, lawyers and service providers to high-net-worth individuals, produced by Spears magazine. A team of researchers and journalists assess a combination of company submissions, analyst survey data, client feedback and market nominations from experts to compile their recommendations across 15 private client focussed categories.

The 2022 guide has recently been published in paper and will be gradually launched online over the next 12 months on the Spears 500 website. Sean’s Spear’s 500 profile is here.

Jamal advises on a wide variety of cross-border corporate and commercial transactions including private mergers and acquisitions, private investments, joint ventures, partnership and LLP matters and restructurings.

He has a particular focus on private capital investments, often involving family offices and high growth companies, while his sector expertise includes sport, automotive, technology and hotels and hospitality.

Head of Corporate Russel Shear said: “We are happy to welcome Jamal to the firm. We are delighted that our clients will be able to benefit from his skills and experience. He is a great fit for the team and we are looking forward to working with him.”

Since the start of 2022, Edwin Coe has grown with the addition of a new lateral hire Partner in Clare Gilroy-Scott (Employment) and promoted three Senior Associates to the Partnership – Sophia Bompas (Restructuring & Insolvency), Oliver Pannell (Insurance Litigation) and Sundeep Rathod (Immigration).

Sundeep joined Edwin Coe in 2021 as a Senior Associate, to lead the firm’s Immigration practice.  His practice has a particular focus on obtaining Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility Sponsor Licences for businesses wishing to hire either EU or non-EU nationals, and advises businesses on their ongoing compliance duties as Sponsors.  He works with entrepreneurs and high net-worth individuals wishing to start up a business in the UK and often advises and assists clients with a Start-up or Innovator visa. He also advises on immigration matters for overseas businesses who are looking to set up a UK branch or subsidiary and represents various individuals with making a successful Global Talent or High Potential Individual visa.

Edwin Coe’s Head of Employment, Linky Trott commented “I am thrilled to welcome Sundeep to the Partnership – his promotion is very well deserved. Not only is he a highly skilled, experienced lawyer but his practice complements the work of the larger Employment team and indeed the rest of Edwin Coe.”

Individuals
Across our practices, our lawyers are recommended 54 times by the Legal 500’s expert researchers, with new mentions/reappearances for Neil Flynn (Property Finance), Sundeep Rathod (Immigration), Kate Dwyer and Oliver Pannell (both Professional Negligence: Insurance), Fred Sheppard (Commercial Litigation).

Our Senior Partner, David Greene joins the ‘Hall of Fame’ and Tom Johnson is a new ‘Rising Star’, both for Commercial Litigation: Mid-Market. David Goepel (Personal tax, trusts and probate), Daniel Bellau (M&A), retain their rankings as ‘Leading Individuals,’ as has Zahira Hussain (Commercial Litigation ‘Next Generation Partner’).

Practices
Our Commercial Litigation team were recommended for Mid-Market matters whilst our Insurance Litigation team were ranked for policyholders and Professional Negligence. Where one contact stated ‘…they handle more such claims than any other claimant firm, and they prosecute such claims much better than anyone else.’ Our litigators were also recommended for Fraud: Civil – ‘Efficient, approachable and responsive team, and particularly experienced in group litigation matters. A pleasure to work with.’

In the Private Client sector, the team was recommended for Personal tax, trusts and probate along with Charities and not-for-profit. One client commented ‘The team undertakes difficult and sensitive work for the full range of private clients with quiet competence and dedication. They are especially good at the client-care side of the job.’

The larger Employment team was ranked for Employment: employers, Employment: senior executives; Immigration: business and Immigration: human rights, appeals and overstay, with one referee commenting that ‘My experience with Edwin Coe was notable for the flexibility, empathy and resourcefulness of the senior staff.’

Our Property team is ‘A team of extremely experienced real estate finance lawyers providing practical and commercial advice to clients, breaking down complicated legal jargon into bitesize and digestible nuggets, and a nice bunch of people too.’ and were recommended for Residential property; Property Finance and also Property Litigation.

Other practice areas recognised in the UK directory are Intellectual Property ‘The unique thing about this practice is their personal attention to their clients’; M&A: smaller deals ‘Very attentive and practical’ and Equity Capital Markets: Small-Mid Cap ‘Entrepreneurial busy firm’.

Congratulations to all involved!

You can read all the rankings and testimonials at the Legal 500 website.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Eva Moynihan, an Associate in our Private Client team has been named in the prestigious 2022 eprivateclient Top 35 Under 35 rankings.

One nominee said of Eva: “Several years of working experience with Eva led me to nominate her. She always acted with great professionalism and is clear, efficient and reliable.”

Alison Broadberry, Head of Private Client at Edwin Coe commented “Congratulations to Eva for this well-deserved recognition. It is a reflection of the commitment and client service she provides and which we all pride ourselves on at Edwin Coe.”

The Top 35 Under 35 award is designed to identify, recognise, introduce and promote the rising stars of the private wealth advisory sector. It is the definitive annual list of 70 young private client practitioners – 35 men and 35 women – including lawyers, accountants, trustees and other professional intermediaries.

The judging process involved the collection of nominations and feedback from clients and fellow professionals on the upcoming stars within the private client sector. This year there were 500 nominations for individuals from over 79 firms across the UK and the UK Crown Dependencies. These nominations were then collated and the eprivateclient/PAM Insight judging panel drew up the final list.

The full list is available on eprivateclient’s website (subscription may be required)

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that its Private Client and High Value Residential Property lawyers have been recommended again in the latest edition of the Chambers High Net Worth guide.

Head of Private Client, Alison Broadberry and David Goepel have been promoted to Band 3 Notable Practitioners. Additionally, the Private Client team has been promoted to Band 4.

Property partner Rosie McCormick Paice was also recommended as a Notable Practitioner for her Real Estate: High Value Residential work.

Congratulations all!

A sample of our client feedback received in this edition includes:

Edwin Coe’s Private Client team “are extremely good at complex matters, with a great attention to detail,” says a source. The firm are “particularly good at understanding the business issues affecting private clients,” adds another commentator.

An interviewee says: “They are all consistently good at explaining things to the lay client and to other professionals in a clear, concise and accessible way. They help simplify things well. They are carving out a very good niche for themselves.”

Alison Broadberry is “very approachable, with a great loyal client base, and is very knowledgeable,” states a source. Another commentator adds: “She is intelligent and has seemingly unmatched reserves of energy and drive for her clients. She is lovely to work with and is an uplifting presence.”

David Goepel “is a really good and extremely loyal private client solicitor.”

Rosie McCormick Paice leads the residential property practice. She advises wealthy clients on prime London purchases and also assists with rural property matters. “Rosie has a can-do attitude,” says an interviewee.

Chambers HNW is an independently produced and researched annual guide which also feature listings and information about many of the top accountancy and tax firms, private banks, wealth management firms and multi-family offices acting for high net worth individuals. Further information can be found on the Chambers High Net Worth website.

Edwin Coe’s team was led by Property Partner Joanne McIvor and Corporate Partner David Kinch. Joanne commented “It was a pleasure to work on this complex transaction. It’s one of a number that the firm’s multi-disciplinary care homes team has advised on in the past few years, in this growing sector.”

For more information on this transaction, read this article in Impact Investor.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce its support of The Law Society’s Art Group annual exhibition for 2022. The exhibition will be held online, with a selection of the exhibits in the Rolls Building, Fetter Lane, EC4A (open weekdays 10am-4pm). At a private view on 20th June, Tim Benson, PROI NEAC RP, President, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, will judge the 2D and 3D artwork on display, and a number of prizes will be awarded. Edwin Coe is sponsoring the ‘Best sculpture or three dimensional work‘ prize. Many of the works will be available for purchase.

The Law Society’s Art Group is a small membership group, first set up in 1959, of practising or retired solicitors, staff of solicitors’ firms and to solicitors’ close family members, with an interest in or appreciation for art. The Group runs art events throughout the year including an annual exhibition, painting days, talks and visits to art collections and galleries.

Further information:

• The exhibition e-catalogue.
• The Private View will be held on Zoom on Monday 20th June 2022, from 6.45pm to 8pm, judging from 7pm. Free registration is required.
• The Art Group’s Facebook page also includes the e-catalogue.
• The exhibition runs from 20 June 2022 – 21 December 2022.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that six of our solicitors were included in the eleventh edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom which has just been released. The 2022 UK edition recognizes the professional excellence of 6,017 lawyers in 84 practice areas, and in particular, recommends the following solicitors at Edwin Coe:

• David Greene (Competition Law and Litigation)
• Linky Trott (Employment Law)
• Rachel Harrap (Employment Law)
• Simon Miles (Intellectual Property Law)
• Christopher Berry (Litigation)

The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom 2023 Guide
For over 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers awards are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe.

The Guide is compiled from purely peer review data. Lawyers who are nominated for consideration are voted on by currently recognized Best Lawyers working in the same practice area and geographic region. Awards and recognitions are based purely on the feedback received from these top lawyers. Those who receive high peer reviews undergo a thorough verification process before being recognized by Best Lawyers.

“We are pleased to advised BrandShield on this transaction,” commented Daniel Bellau, the leader of Edwin Coe’s team, “and look forward to working them in the future as they build their business.”

BrandShield is a UK and Israeli based provider of cybersecurity solutions that protect some of the world’s largest brands. By utilising artificial intelligence and big-data analysis, BrandShield monitors, detects, and removes online threats facing companies. These threats include social phishing, executive impersonation, fraud, brand abuse and counterfeiting.

BrandShield’s announcement is available here: Brandshield Systems – Subscription to raise £1.0 million

Hicom has been a developer of software that automates healthcare and business processes for the past twenty years. Their software supports a wide range of healthcare-centred processes including: patient and clinical care; clinical research; workforce management; recruitment and selection; learning and development; compliance management; and health & safety.

Edwin Coe has advised VitalHub on its expansion plans in the UK health technology market for several years. VitalHub is based in Toronto, Canada, with an offshore innovation hub in Sri Lanka which develops and supports mission-critical information systems in the social service, mental health, long term care, community health service, home health and hospital sectors. It has a two-pronged growth strategy, targeting organic growth opportunities within its product suite, and pursuing an aggressive M&A plan.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate & Commercial Russel Shear. Russel commented “It was a pleasure to once again assist VitalHub on the successful completion of this acquisition.”

VitalHub’s announcement is available here: VitalHub Corp. Announces Acquisition of Hicom Technology Limited

Thomas was instructed to appear for an Iranian defendant at trial arising from allegations concerning conversion of sums received using ‘Havaleh’, an honour based ‘banking’ system.

Thomas achieved a positive result for the defendant and the claimant’s claim has been dismissed. Congratulations Thomas.

Further information on the 25 for 25: the Pro Bono Challenge is available on Advocate’s website.

Update November 2022: Advocate have compiled a report which highlights the impact barristers have made. Alongside the many chambers who are listed, Edwin Coe is mentioned (see page 6). We are one of only a handful of law firms that have committed employed barristers to this work.

Kendrick Resources Plc is a London-based mineral exploration and development company with projects primarily based across Scandinavia (in Finland and Sweden with an option over 3 projects in Norway). The company explores the opportunities within the natural resources sector with a focus on battery, base, and precious metals notably vanadium and nickel. The proceeds of the transaction will be used to undertake further exploration and development projects, along with funding ongoing operating costs.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate & Commercial Russel Shear along with Associate Dana Eyre. “We are delighted to have advised on this transaction and wish Kendrick Resources every success in their plans of building a top tier energy metals production business,” commented Russel Shear.

You can read the full announcement on the LSE’s website here.

T.S.S. is a family owned security business, with over 6,500 front line staff, providing over 11 million hours of guarding services each year to some of the UK’s largest retailers, such as Tesco and Morrisons. The acquisition will strengthen G4S’s position as a major UK provider of security services.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate & Commercial Russel Shear. Russel Shear, commented “We are pleased to have advised on this transaction and wish both T.S.S. and G4S every success for their future.”

You can read more about the transaction on the T.S.S. website.

Sophia is an insolvency and restructuring specialist within Edwin Coe’s Tier 1 Chambers UK-ranked insolvency team. She has extensive experience advising on contentious and non-contentious corporate and personal insolvencies. Her broad insolvency practice sees her acting for clients across a range of industries and sectors, including insolvency practitioners, creditors, debtors, banks, directors of financially distressed companies, as well as individuals in financial difficulty.

As a Chambers and Legal 500 recommended insurance claims specialist, Oliver is experienced in acting for policyholders in claims against insurers, as well as in claims for professional negligence against insurance brokers and other professionals. He regularly acts in claims involving breach of contract, allegations of negligence, breach of warranty, breach of condition precedent, misrepresentation, material non-disclosure and fraud.

David Kinch, Edwin Coe’s Managing Partner commented “I’m delighted to welcome experienced litigators Sophia and Oliver into the partnership at Edwin Coe. It is particularly pleasing that they are ‘home grown’ talents, both having joined us as trainees.”

Ali Zaidi, Head of Litigation added, “Congratulations to Sophia and Oliver. They are both talented, tenacious litigators and a great asset to our clients and the firm.”

In the past 6 months Edwin Coe has also added three new lateral hires to the Partnership in Clare Gilroy-Scott in the Employment team and William Edwards within the Private Client practice.

At the time of the judgment, Roger Franklin commented “This judgment is a very important step for Policyholders in their efforts to recover the losses they have suffered, and continue to suffer, as a result of Covid-19.  Those in the hospitality sector have been particularly hard hit, and this decision will be significant for many of them.”

The judgment may affect not only those restaurants, bars and cafes with similar NDDOA clauses in their business interruption insurance, but also other similar businesses that were forced to shut by the Government during the pandemic, including nightclubs, betting shops, hair salons, gyms and auction houses (a full list below).

What you should do now

If your business has suffered serious losses as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and your claim was denied by your insurer, we can review the constituent elements of your NDDOA clauses in light of the judgment. In the first instance, please contact Roger Franklin or any member of our Insurance Litigation team and we can advise on your available options.

Edwin Coe LLP specialises in representing policyholders against insurers and acted for Corbin & King and its various subsidiaries in this matter.

The affected businesses

1. Restaurants, including restaurants and dining rooms in hotels or members’ clubs.
2. (1) Cafes, including workplace canteens (subject to sub-paragraph (2)) but not including—
   (a) cafes or canteens at a hospital, care home or school;
   (b) canteens at a prison or an establishment intended for use for naval, military or air force purposes or for the purposes of the Department of the Secretary of State responsible for defence;
   (c) services providing food or drink to the homeless.
   (2) Workplace canteens may remain open where there is no practical alternative for staff at that workplace to obtain food.
3. Bars, including bars in hotels or members’ clubs.
4. Public houses.
5. Cinemas.
6. Theatres.
7. Nightclubs.
8. Bingo halls.
9. Concert halls.
10. Museums and galleries.
11. Casinos.
12. Betting shops.
13. Spas.
14. Nail, beauty, hair salons and barbers.
15. Massage parlours.
16. Tattoo and piercing parlours.
17. Skating rinks.
18. Indoor fitness studios, gyms, swimming pools, bowling alleys, amusement arcades or soft play areas or other indoor leisure centres or facilities.
19. Funfairs (whether outdoors or indoors).
20. Playgrounds, sports courts and outdoor gyms.
21. Outdoor markets (except for stalls selling food).
22. Car showrooms.
23. Auction Houses.

Source: Paragraph 52 [2020] EWHC 2448 (Comm)

Jersey based CleanTech Lithium PLC is involved in the exploration and development of lithium, which is a core component of batteries needed for the rapidly growing electric vehicle market. The company plans to produce commercial scale quantities of battery grade lithium, with near zero emissions, through the development of the Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin projects in Chile, with production projected to commence in 2024. CleanTech Lithium uses a new process called Direct Lithium Extraction which minimises the environmental impact of the metal’s extraction.

Edwin Coe’s team was led by Daniel Bellau who commented, “It was a pleasure to work with the teams at Beaumont Cornish and Fox-Davies Capital on this successful IPO. Congratulations to CleanTech Lithium and I wish them success in their forthcoming projects.”

You can read CleanTech Lithium’s news release on their website.

Clare was a Partner within the employment department at Goodman Derrick LLP; prior to that, Clare she spent three years working in HR for a recruitment company and she regularly advises clients in the recruitment sector. Clare advises across the range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters.

Edwin Coe’s Head of Employment, Linky Trott commented “I am delighted to welcome Clare to the firm. Her wealth of expertise and experience makes her a perfect fit for our Employment team and in ensuring that we continue to deliver the very best service to our clients.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Property Partner, Joanne McIvor has been appointed the Women in Property’s South East Chair for 2022-23.

Joanne and a number of other members of our Property & Construction teams have been actively involved in Women in Property for several years, arranging and attending events. Joanne commented “To achieve diversity in an organisation, you have first to be inclusive. This has been the Women in Property ethos since its inception back in 1987 and our work continues with this at our core. Now, the conversation is less about gender specifically and has a greater focus on inclusion. We must continue to break through the barriers, the preconceived ideas that still make it difficult for many people to succeed, whether because of gender, race, age, disability or social mobility.”

Head of Property, Stephen Brower commented: “I am delighted that Joanne is able to take a leading role within Women in Property and its work in promoting diversity within the sector.”

Women in Property is a national influencing and networking organisation which creates opportunities, expands knowledge and inspires change for women working in the property and construction industry. They actively seek an industry that is balanced, diverse and inclusive, and encourage an exchange of ideas and expertise through their extensive schedule of best practice workshops, site visits, key note talks and social events. Edwin Coe regularly hosts events and seminars in association with Women in Property.

Further information on Women in Property can be found on their website.

The case considered two important matters of principle: the scope of the Non Damage Denial of Access (“NDDA”) cover in light of the causation analysis of the Supreme Court in the FCA test case and quantum.  In relation to the first matter, the judge concluded that the Supreme Court’s approach to causation should be adopted and that Covid-19 is capable of being a danger within one mile of the insured premises which, coupled with other uninsured but not excluded dangers outside, led to the regulations which caused the closure of the businesses and caused the Business Interruption loss. In relation to the second matter, the judge held that the NDDA cover provided a separate limit of £250,000 for each individual premises in respect of each claim (rather than a single limit of £250,000 in relation to all of the premises for any one claim).

The judgment will come as welcome news to claimant policyholders, many of whom have materially identical NDDA clauses in their policy wordings and have been eagerly awaiting the outcome of this case. Head of Edwin Coe’s Insurance Litigation team, Roger Franklin, commented as follows:

“This judgment is a very important step for Policyholders in their efforts to recover the losses they have suffered, and continue to suffer, as a result of Covid-19.  Those in the hospitality sector have been particularly hard hit, and this decision will be significant for many of them.”

Edwin Coe LLP specialises in representing policyholders against insurers and acted for Corbin & King and its various subsidiaries in this matter. If you have a claim which you think should be pursued as a result of this decision, please contact Roger Franklin or any member of our Insurance Litigation team and we can advise on your available options.

A copy of the judgment can be found here. A full analysis of the judgment will be published shortly.

Led by CG Restaurants & Bars Limited, the owners of the well-known independent group of cocktail bars Dirty Martini and numerous other bars and restaurants across the UK, the group will focus on recovering an indemnity for the multiple lockdowns that have occurred as a result of the pandemic.

Head of Edwin Coe’s Insurance Group, Roger Franklin, said: “The purpose of this action group is to establish the precedent that the RSA 3 wording, which is underwritten by RSA and QIC Europe Ltd, gives rise to multiple indemnity periods and thus, potentially, responds to all the lockdowns and restrictions experienced by the hospitality sector in 2020.   So far insurers have indemnified their insureds for lockdown one only, but that ignores the reality of the policy wording and the government’s response to increasing cases of Covid-19 throughout 2020.”

This case is one of a number of test cases advanced by the firm in respect of business interruption losses caused by Covid-19.  A further test case against AXA and involving the owners of The Wolseley restaurant is due to be heard at the end of January 2022.

Daniel Coffer, Director of CG Restaurants and Bars, commented: “This has been a horrendous time for the hospitality sector, and it will continue to be difficult in the near future.  Hospitality businesses have had to fight tooth and nail to obtain an indemnity from their insurers, notwithstanding the clear terms of the policies they purchased prior to the pandemic.  The continued effect of the new OMICRON variant only highlights the need for members of the hospitality sector to take action to recover the sums to which they are contractually entitled.  Our claim alone is substantial, and there are others who no doubt have similar sized claims who need the protection that this class action will afford.”

How can we help?
At Edwin Coe LLP we have a team of specialist insurance solicitors acting exclusively on claims for policyholders. We are able to assist in reviewing your policies, advising in relation to their terms and in pursuing claims. Policyholders who have been denied claims from these insurers, and are interested in joining the group should contact Roger Franklin or any member of our Insurance Litigation team.

Atome Energy PLC is a Leeds-based green energy company, with large-scale production planned in Iceland and Paraguay targeting the fast-growing global demand for eco-friendly power. Green hydrogen is widely considered to be a key ESG clean energy resource in the UK’s bid to reach net-zero emission targets by 2050. It can be widely used in industries such as heavy goods vehicles, maritime shipping and certain industrial processes where batteries or other forms of alternative power to fossil fuels are not expected to fulfil the required needs.

Daniel Bellau, Partner, led the Edwin Coe team. Daniel commented “We are delighted to have advised our colleagues at Beaumont Cornish, finnCap and S.P. Angel Corporate Finance on this pioneering transaction. Green energy will be increasingly important to us all and we wish Atome Energy every success with their plans.”

You can read Atome Energy’s announcement on their admission to AIM and First Day of Dealings here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that 14 lawyers and 4 practice areas have been recommended in the 2022 edition of Chambers UK: A Client’s Guide to the UK Legal Profession.  As reported in the guide, clients say: “Edwin Coe is a very good firm to work with. They have partners and experts to cover all major legal areas.”

Our Restructuring & Insolvency team retained their band 1 ranking for Personal Insolvency where they are praised for their “very professional” approach.  Simeon Gilchrist has retained his top individual ranking and is seen as “a standout in the personal insolvency space”, whilst Ali Zaidi has also retained his band 2 “Ali Zaidi is very pragmatic with sensible and down-to-earth approaches to problems.”

In addition our Insurance team is again ranked twice – for Insurance Litigation: Mainly Policyholders and also for Professional Negligence. Clients recognise their: “expertise in insurance litigation and depth of knowledge.” Roger Franklin “a brilliant negotiator with a razor-sharp mind” is ranked in both categories. Nicola Maher is again ranked for Insurance Litigation and is described as “a brilliant solicitor and a superb communicator – she is invested in her clients, down to earth and super smart.” Finally, Oliver Pannell has again been recognised as an Associate to Watch.

Our Employment team have also retained band 2 for their Senior Executive work. Commentators note that the team can “handle very challenging and complex work and they are very speedy and efficient.”  Three lawyers are ranked from the team – Linky Trott “makes me feel like I am her most important client, even though she has others, and she has a prevailing understanding of market trends”, and Rachel Harrap “is excellent at identifying key issues and responding appropriately. She is always ahead of the game, anticipating the actions available to the other side and nullifying their possible choices.”

Head of Intellectual Property Simon Miles is ranked for IP, of his work, one client said “Simon’s strategy was expert and he is resilient.” whilst Joanna Osborne recognised for Property Litigation “Joanna is absolutely committed to her clients and works phenomenally hard, leaving no stone unturned.” Finally Russel Shear retains his ranking for Mid-Market M&A.

Congratulations to all involved!

Edwin Coe is recommended in the UK, High Net Worth and Global directories. Chambers’ independent research collects information about organisations, individuals and the marketplace, conducting thousands of interviews a year with in-house counsel and third-party experts, such as barristers and accountants, to deliver detailed insight into providers of legal services. You can view our results on Chambers’ website.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that it has contributed to a new report designed to promote Jersey’s expertise in managing international capital, and its commercial, legal and regulatory framework that meets the needs of its Indian clients and their advisers. ‘Jersey’s Relationship with India: Political, Commercial and Cultural Connections’ looks at what gives Jersey a competitive edge, putting it at the forefront of global banking, wealth management and corporate services.

Tax Partner Hetal Sanghvi wrote an article on how for Indian investors and their families, Jersey forms a bridge into the UK and Europe. Hetal has a substantial Indian client base and works with many families and their advisors with multi-jurisdictional investments. “For many of our clients and their families, Jersey plays a key role in their wealth structuring, as they look to diversify currency risk, asset base and jurisdictional exposure for the family’s interests,” she commented.

Funded by members of the local finance industry and the Government of Jersey, Jersey Finance has a global presence with offices in Jersey, New York, Dubai and Hong Kong, representation in London, and virtual offices in Shanghai and Mumbai. They aim to create a safe, ethical and secure environment for investors.

You can read and download a copy of the document on the Jersey Finance website.

Class Action specialist, Zahira Hussain, an Edwin Coe Partner, said “Edwin Coe is once again at the forefront of the battle against cartels. We are litigating these claims in both the High Court and the Competition Appeal Tribunal and now over 125 businesses, large and small, have come to us to use our expertise in this area of the law, from small enterprises to major breweries, to renowned high street names, all of which claim losses of tens of millions pounds at the hands of the cartel. As well as relying on our peerless experience fighting cartels, our clients have the benefit of insurance that gives a guaranteed return on damages awarded, without any risk. No wonder businesses are fighting their way to the Edwin Coe door.”

“As a result of the cartel, any business which purchased, leased or outsourced trucks weighing six tonnes or more between 1997 and 2011 is likely to have overpaid for its trucks. Edwin Coe is seeking damages from the truck manufacturers on behalf of clients.”

“We are delighted that we are already assisting so many clients on a no win, no fee basis, with the ability to continue doing so for future claimants. Our website carries a wealth of further information on the action, and I would be delighted to discuss it further with anyone who has an interest in signing up to this class action.”

Contact us
Edwin Coe’s Trucks Cartel team is able to advise on all aspects of the claim across Europe. If you or your business used trucks (whether bought, rented or leased) in the period, please contact Zahira Hussain in order to discuss the matter further.

Background
Five truck manufacturers, MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco and DAF, have admitted to the European Commission that they participated in a price fixing cartel against purchasers of their trucks from 1997 until 2011. There has also been a finding against a sixth manufacturer, Scania, by the European Commission.

In 2018, Edwin Coe issued a first claim on behalf of clients in the High Court. The firm recently issued two more claims in the High Court on behalf of further clients in November 2020.

The team dealing with the claims is considering making further claims on behalf of clients. If you or your business bought, leased or outsourced trucks weighing 6 tonnes or more, here or in Europe, between 1997 and 2011 (the cartel period), you will have a claim.

Edwin Coe has funding in place, which means you can pursue your claim without cost or risk, subject to assessment of the claim.

Edwin Coe’s Class Action Team
Edwin Coe is at the forefront of the growing field of class actions. We are one of a handful of UK firms specialising in this type of work, bringing cases against entities whose actions have caused damage to small or large groups of people. We advise on the stages involved in pursuing a class action and the various options for funding.

Further Information
Our Truck Cartel portal is available here

William enjoys acting as a ‘family’ lawyer for a wide range of high net worth families in London, the home counties and internationally. He advises on UK tax and succession planning and administers substantial estates with assets in a variety of jurisdictions. He joins Edwin Coe from the Private Client team at South East England-based Downs Solicitors, and was previously an associate at Pemberton Greenish.

“I am thrilled to welcome William to Edwin Coe. His addition will even further enhance the wealth of experience and specialist knowledge that we can use to provide all our clients and contacts with the very best advice and service,” commented Alison Broadberry, Head of Private Client.

William is the second new Partner to join the department in 2021 after the promotion of former Senior Associate, Brendan O’Shea to the Partnership in April.

Mount Street will service the loans on behalf of a consortium, which comprised Attestor Capital, an experienced purchaser of loan portfolios, Ellandi, an experienced asset manager of such properties, and Octane Capital.

The Project Mercatus portfolio comprised debt of over £400 million, and is secured on institutionally owned shopping centres.

Mount Street is a global provider of loan servicing solutions to investors and lenders across a wide range of credit markets.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Daniel Bellau of our Corporate & Commercial team who commented “We’re delighted to be able to assist Ethernity Networks on the successful completion of this transaction as part of their expansion plans.”

Ethernity Networks (AIM: ENET) is a leading provider of networking and security software solutions on programmable hardware for accelerating the performance of telecommunications and cloud networks. Headquartered in Lod, Israel, Ethernity was founded in 2004 and has its technology deployed in over 700K systems worldwide, connecting over 100M end users. The proceeds of the transaction will be used to strengthen the balance sheet, to support the growing number of engagements for its 5G offering and for general working capital purposes.

You can read Ethernity Networks’ news release on their website.

Eurasia Mining PLC is an international mining and mineral exploration company focussed on Russia and is listed on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange plc.  This is the second transaction that Edwin Coe and H.C. Wainwright have worked for Eurasia Mining this year. The first placement in May raised GBP £14.12m. This second deal is intended to fund the next stage of Eurasia’s joint venture projects with Rosego, a Russian government multidisciplinary geological exploration company. The JV is focusing on mining platinum group metals and battery metals (nickel, copper and cobalt) that are ‘future facing metals’ in relation to the fast-growing hydrogen and EV markets respectively.

H.C. Wainwright & Co. is a New York based financial services firm offering leading-edge investment banking, corporate finance, and strategic advisory services to public and private growth companies across multiple sectors and regions.

Corporate Partner, Daniel Bellau led the Edwin Coe team and commented, “It is always a pleasure to work with the dynamic team at H.C. Wainwright and I am pleased be able to once more assist Eurasia Mining furthering their plans.”

You can read Eurasia Mining’s news release on their website.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that its Corporate & Commercial team has been ranked in two categories in the newly released 2022 UK Guide: M&A: smaller deals, up to £50m where we are proud to have been promoted to tier 2 and Equity Capital Markets: Small-Mid Cap, a new category for the firm in which we are excited to have gained recognition for our growing team.  Further,  Daniel Bellau is recommended as a ‘Leading individual’ for M&A and Partners Russel Shear, and Alexandre Terrasse, along with Daniel are recommended in both practice areas.

Client comments on the team published by Legal 500 included:

‘Strong values like attention to detail, flexibility and value for money are what makes them stand out for me. We find Edwin Coe extremely responsive and co-operative.’

‘Very high calibre of skill delivered in a very scalable platform. Russel Shear is very knowledgeable and very pragmatic.’

 ‘The French Desk Team is very efficient on cross-border transactions. Alexandre Terrasse is a great professional with a business sensitive approach. He has, both from cultural and legal prospective, a deep knowledge of the execution of transactions.’

 ‘Dan Bellau is commercial, understands small caps and the world of listed SMEs.’

 ‘Excellent commercial advice. Practical assistance in dealing with the UK securities regulation framework.’

Head of Corporate, Russel Shear commented, “It is great to see our excellent results in this year’s Legal 500 UK guide. This recognition for both the department and individual lawyers is testament to their expertise, hard work and strong reputation in the market.”

For 33 years, The Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of law firms across the world, with a comprehensive research programme revised and updated every year to bring the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market. The rankings are based on a series of criteria, but simply put, we highlight the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel. Its research is based on feedback from 300,000 clients worldwide, submissions from law firms and interviews with leading private practice lawyers, and a team of researchers who have unrivalled experience in the legal market.

Edwin Coe’s results are available on the Legal 500’s website.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that it has been recognised as a top private client law firm in the 2021 eprivateclient rankings. The judging team at eprivateclient ranked UK law firms providing high quality private client services to wealthy individuals and families based both domestically and internationally

Alison Broadberry, Head of Private Client at Edwin Coe, commented “I am delighted that the team have again been recognised by eprivateclient – it is a testament to our hard work, expertise and dedication to our clients.”

The rankings are based on a survey of over 150 law firms in the UK assessing not only the size of firms’ private client teams, but also their reputations within the private wealth sector and the emphasis placed upon looking after wealthy clients and their families. This year 50 firms made the list.

For more information please see the eprivateclient website (subscription required).

Edwin Coe is acting for almost 400 of Eclipse investors in a claim against HSBC for fraud in the selling of the Eclipse schemes.

David Greene, Senior Partner said “The offer being made by HMCTS effectively to abandon its claim for tax on declared income that we now discover was fictional is welcome news for so many. The amount of tax for individuals, some £1.6 bn in total, was an existential threat to assets and livelihoods.

This is the right answer from the Revenue in the face of our appeal for one of the partnerships and on behalf of investors. The Revenue recognise that the whole mechanism constructed by HSBC and others was false and, having examined all the contractual documents, concluded that the income that was declared by partnerships was, in fact, fictional. It now just remains for HSBC to make good the substantial actual losses of investors deriving from the cash invested.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that its Private Client team has been recommended again, in the latest edition of the Chambers High Net Worth guide for Private Wealth Law (Band 5) in London.

Head of department Alison Broadberry has again been recommended as a Notable Practitioner alongside partner David Goepel.

Property partner Rosie McCormick Paice was also recommended as a Notable Practitioner for her Real Estate: High Value Residential work.

Client feedback for our Private Wealth Law team received in this edition includes:

“They have a good outfit for private client matters. Their advice is always spot on and they are very accessible.“

“I’ve had a fabulous experience with Edwin Coe – what I like about them is that they think outside of the box, they are really straightforward and creative,” comments an interviewee, adding: “It’s rare that lawyers can actually apply the law. Their application of the law is great, they come up with great solutions and they are good at brainstorming.“

Chambers HNW is an independently produced and researched annual guide which also feature listings and information about many of the top accountancy and tax firms, private banks, wealth management firms and multi-family offices acting for high net worth individuals.

Alison Broadberry, Head of the firm’s private client team advises high net worth clients on a range of matters.

“She is very good at mastering her brief, she is extremely good with clients and incredibly intelligent. She is very human in her approach and clients adore her.“

David Goepel, Private Client Partner and Head of Charities advises particularly on international clients on tax planning, trusts and tax matters.

“He is an absolutely leading private client lawyer with a fantastic manner with clients. He’s incredibly thorough, experienced and collaborative.”

]]> https://www.edwincoe.com/government-in-complete-reversal-over-its-obligations-to-judges/ Mon, 26 Jul 2021 11:19:31 +0000 https://www.edwincoe.com/articles/government-in-complete-reversal-over-its-obligations-to-judges/ In a complete turnaround to its previously pleaded position (and a long standing constitutional assertion) in a claim of judicial bullying brought by Her Honour Judge Kaylani Kaul QC, the Ministry of Justice, the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice have made an open admission submitted to the Court on 23 July 2021 that they do owe a duty of care to her and are vicariously liable for other judges’ behaviour.

HHJ Kaul QC commenced both High Court proceedings and Employment Tribunal proceedings against the Ministry of Justice, the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice alleging mistreatment by high ranking members of the judiciary in relation to a substantial criminal trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court over which she presided. All three defended on the basis that the constitutional relationship and position of judges meant that none of them had any duty of care or liability for judges’ conduct. They prayed in aid that the independence of the judiciary meant that judges are independently working for the purposes of the

administration of justice in accordance with their oaths of office and in relation to grievances, effectively, self-governing.

Today the Government accepted that this element of the Defence is no longer sustainable and in a formal admission[i] to the Court accepted that the Government does owe a duty of care to judges and is liable for judges’ conduct.

David Greene, Senior Partner of Edwin Coe LLP and past President of the Law Society, representing HHJ Kaul QC said;

“My client is naturally happy that this concession is now made albeit two years into the case. She took a stance at great emotional and personal expense, for all judges to ensure she and they work in a safe environment and that the Government takes responsibility for it”

“The Government has maintained throughout this case and many others, against the flow of modern obligations; the age old constitutional position that the independence of judges meant it had no duty to ensure that judges worked in an environment absent of bullying or mistreatment.  They said that that obligation might apply to everyone else but not to judges.  We are pleased that they have abandoned that core element of their defence.  It is unfortunate that it has taken so long to do so, until just before the first hearing. In the statement to the court the Government has accepted blame for the delay.[ii]

“This is an issue of some constitutional and practical importance for judges and the administration of justice. The independence of the judiciary is sacrosanct but the Government now accepts, for the first time, that it has an obligation to ensure a safe and secure working environment even in the relationship between judges. We may well see a flood of claims by judges now emboldened to speak out against bullying and mistreatment.”

Hopefully this admission will now lead to action and the Government will live up to its admitted responsibility. We want our great judges to do the day job without fear of their working environment”

“For the future and taking my client’s diminutive name, I hope this sea change will in future be known as “Kally’s Law” in recognition of her fortitude and bravery in pressing this issue”

END

Liam Ryan of 7 Bedford Row is counsel for the Claimant

GLD acts for the Defendants

[i] “If negligence is found on the part of those judges against whom allegations of negligence are pleaded in the Particulars of Claim, or on the part of the other Defendants, then the Crown will be liable to the Claimant in damages, and the Ministry of Justice is the correct authorised government department for the purposes of Section 17 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947.

[ii] “The Defendants accept that it would have been better had the admission been made sooner.

The Defendants wish to reassure the court that they have given careful and detailed consideration to this claim throughout.

The decision to make the admission has been the subject of very careful consideration. The Ministry of Justice hopes that by making the admission now, it narrows the issues in dispute, saves expense to both parties, and reduces the burden on the court’s limited time and resources.” Government statement to Court of 22 July 2021

“Bradley’s successful completion of the CTA examinations, all first time passes in each paper, is testament to his hard work and dedication. He has acquired broad experience across all three of the Tax Team’s practice lines ­- Tax Dispute, Tax Compliance and Tax Advisory. We are delighted to see his continued progress as an advisor, and attaining this professional designation represents a substantial milestone in that process. Huge congratulations to Bradley” commented Sean Bannister, Head of Tax.

The Chartered Institute of Taxation is the leading body in the UK for taxation professionals dealing with all aspects of taxation.  Chartered Tax Adviser is a protected title in the UK, Ireland, Australia and Hong Kong, which reflects the highest standards of academic achievement and adherence to professional conduct in relation to taxation (PCRT).

Toni Recchia and Jessica Brittain passed their STEP Advanced Certificate in Administration of Estates, whilst Anna Primrose passed her STEP Advanced Certificate in Trust and Estate Accounting.  This examination success builds on the achievement of our Associate Eva Moynihan last year, who successfully completed her STEP Diploma in Trusts and Estate Planning, becoming fully TEP qualified.

Alison Broadberry, Head of Private Client at Edwin Coe commented “Huge and well-deserved congratulations to Toni, Jess, Anna, and Eva. They all worked extremely hard and I am very proud of their considerable efforts and achievements in their exam success.  The additional knowledge they have gained is already enhancing the advice and services they and the team deliver to our clients.”

STEP is a global professional association, comprising lawyers, accountants, trustees and other practitioners, who advise families across the generations.  Full STEP members, known as TEPs, are internationally recognised as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate & Commercial Russel Shear. Russel commented “We’re delighted to be able to assist VitalHub on the successful completion of another transaction as part of their expansion plans.“

Founded in 2010, Alamac is a Banbury-based, health-tech consultancy which specialises in improving performance and behavioural change in the NHS by building and implementing robust Patient Flow Business Intelligence systems.

VitalHub Corp., which is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange, develops and supports mission-critical information systems in the social service, mental health, long term care, community health service, home health and hospital sectors. It has a two-pronged growth strategy, targeting organic growth opportunities within its product suite, and pursuing an aggressive M&A plan. VitalHub is based in Toronto, Canada, with an offshore innovation hub in Sri Lanka.

VitalHub’s announcement is available here: VitalHub Corp. Announces Acquisition of UK Based Alamac Limited

Toni advises UK and international individuals, families and trustees on a broad range of private client matters including inter-generational wealth planning and in preparing wills, lasting powers of attorney and trusts. She regularly advises clients on their UK tax position, particularly in relation to asset holding structures, domicile and residence. She also works with executors and trustees on complex UK and cross-border estate administrations.

A STEP Affiliate member, Toni joins Edwin Coe from the Wealth Planning department at Rooks Rider Solicitors LLP.

Alison Broadberry, Head of Private Client commented, “I am delighted to welcome Toni into our thriving team. We are all very excited to be working with her and further strengthening the very best advice and service to our clients and contacts.”

Since the start of 2021, Edwin Coe has seen steady growth with the hiring of new Partners – Daniel Bellau (Corporate) and Clare Lehr (Intellectual Property) – and promoting two Senior Associates to the Partnership – Brenna Baye (Construction) and Brendan O’Shea (Private Client).

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that six of our solicitors were included in the tenth edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom which has just been released. The 2022 UK edition recognizes the professional excellence of 5,436 lawyers in 83 practice areas, and in particular, recommends the following solicitors at Edwin Coe:

• David Greene (Competition Law and Litigation)
• Linky Trott (Employment Law)
• Rachel Harrap (Employment Law)
• Simon Miles (Intellectual Property Law)
• Christopher Berry (Litigation)

The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom 2022 Guide
For 40 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the lawyers best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers awards are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe.

Lawyers who are nominated for consideration are voted on by currently recognized Best Lawyers working in the same practice area and located in the same geographic region. Awards and recognitions are based purely on the feedback received from these top lawyers. Those who receive high peer reviews undergo a thorough verification process to make sure they are currently still in private practice. Only then can these top lawyers be recognized by Best Lawyers.

David Greene, Senior Partner of Edwin Coe said “Following the collapse of the criminal trials against former officers and a solicitor for alleged doctoring of evidence there has been much said on the issue of the police cover up of events. This has caused profound distress to our clients who are survivors of the disaster. The cover-up was detailed by the Hillsborough Independent Panel in September 2012, its existence was accepted by the then Chief Constable of the South Yorkshire Police, acknowledged by the then Prime Minster David Cameron, and by the Lord Chief Justice of the High Court. The Inquest jury in the 2014-2016 inquests found that the behaviour of the fans did not contribute to the deaths of the 96.

We trust that a settlement will put an end to any fresh attempts to rewrite the record and wrongly claim that there was no cover-up. In so commenting, we contrast the dignity of the bereaved families and the supporters, with the conduct of those who still seek to peddle the discredited lies of the past.  Our clients want to move on and resolve issues without the rewriting of history”.

H.C. Wainwright & Co. is a New York based financial services firm offering leading-edge investment banking, corporate finance, and strategic advisory services to public and private growth companies across multiple sectors and regions.

Eurasia Mining PLC is an international mining and mineral exploration company focussed on Russia and is listed on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange plc.  The funds raised are planned to be used to finance Eurasia’s joint venture projects with Rosego, a Russian government multidisciplinary geological holding company which provides a full range of geological exploration services. The JV assets includes open pit palladium (a rare platinum group metal), platinum, copper, nickel and cobalt deposits in Russia, where Eurasia has carried out due diligence including over 20km of exploration drilling and some twelve thousand samples.

Corporate Partner, Daniel Bellau led the Edwin Coe team and commented, “I am delighted to have completed a second deal with H.C. Wainwright this year – it is a pleasure to work with their dynamic team. I also wish Eurasia Mining every success in their plans.”

You can read Eurasia Mining’s news release on their website.

The PIP debacle erupted in 2010 when it emerged that implants fraudulently manufactured by PIP were made of cheap, industrial-grade silicone not cleared for human use, which was up to six times more likely to rupture than other implants and was found to have leached into the bodies of women who, as a result, suffered auto-immune disease, prolonged anxiety, and possibly cancer.

The late Jean-Claude Mas, founder of PIP was jailed for four years and fined 75,000 euros in 2013.

A French lawyer, Olivier Aumaitre, and “partner” lawyers¹ internationally, set up PIPA (PIP Implant World Victims Association) to represent claimants in claims against TUV, the German authority that certified PIP implants.

The judgment of the court in Paris today means that TUV’s negligence is held to be solely responsible for paying damages and Mr Aumaitre is reported as having said that “After 10 years of waiting and fierce combat, the German certifier will have to fully compensate the victims.”

Unfortunately, not all who commenced proceedings will enjoy the proceeds because some 6,200 victims have had their claims ruled to be “inadmissible” for lack of evidential proof being submitted.

Edwin Coe LLP, one of Britain’s leading class action firms, with 30 years’ experience in this type of litigation, is investigating the merits of possible claims against the lawyers.

PIPA suggests on its website that any claimants should not challenge PIPA or Mr Aumaitre!

Amanda Carter, who has played a central role in representing PIP victims, said, “After 7 years embroiled in a very stressful legal battle, we find it inexcusable that these women have had their claims disallowed and are now in the awful position of having to potentially repay the 3,000 euros interim payment they received. The responsibility for ensuring that adequate checks and evidence were provided is ultimately the lawyers’ responsibility. This is a never-ending saga that is causing unquantifiable stress.”

Edwin Coe intends to look into all aspects of the case and to investigate various possible causes of action including for negligence, conflict of interest, breach of data protection and a failure of client care.

David Greene, Senior Partner at Edwin Coe commented, “It is sad that whilst many women will be celebrating this victory there are thousands who were dismissed from the case for technical reasons and are not being compensated notwithstanding the pain and suffering caused by, literally, the poison that was put in them. This was a matter of French law and we are looking at the circumstances in which these thousands of cases were dismissed and whether appropriate action at the time might have led to those thousands also celebrating the win today.”

Technology partner GMT has opened the online pre-registration and registration of interest to participate in this case is now live here.

NOTES TO EDITORS
The website of PIPA sets out information pertinent to the case.

¹ Including a claims management company Stanton Fisher, Slee Blackwell Solicitors of Barnstaple, Your Lawyers of Chesterfield as well as Coleman Legal of Dublin.

Group action management technology for the case is provided by Group Management Technology.

The Jayex System is a hospital queue management system, much like VitalHub’s “Intouch with Health” product offering (which Edwin Coe helped VitalHub to acquire last year), which is installed at almost 60 customer sites in the UK and Australia.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate & Commercial Russel Shear, who commented “We’re delighted to be able to assist VitalHub on the successful completion of another transaction as part of their expansion plans. This is the fifth transaction we have completed for VitalHub in a short space of time.” Russel was assisted on the transaction by Intellectual Property Senior Associate Selina Clifford.

VitalHub Corp., which is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange, develops and supports mission-critical information systems in the social service, mental health, long term care, community health service, home health and hospital sectors. It has a two-pronged growth strategy, targeting organic growth opportunities within its product suite, and pursuing an aggressive M&A plan. VitalHub is based in Toronto, Canada, with an offshore innovation hub in Sri Lanka.

VitalHub’s announcement is available here: VitalHub Corp. Completes Acquisition of On-Premise Hospital Queue Management Business From Jayex Healthcare Limited

Imperial X Plc is a natural resource investment and exploration company, based in Vancouver, Canada. Its strategy is to acquire, develop, and manage a diverse portfolio of mineral assets in the natural resource sector, primarily in the Americas and Africa. On admission to the Official List the company will change its name to Cloudbreak Discovery Plc.

Edwin Coe’s growing Corporate team has enjoyed a string of successful ECM deals since the start of 2021 acting for a mixture of issuers, nomads, brokers, funders and financial advisers across various sectors and exchanges.

Daniel Bellau, who led Edwin Coe’s team commented “I am delighted to have acted on this exciting listing with Novum, with whom we have worked on numerous deals, and wish Imperial X/Cloudbreak Discovery every success with their investment plans.”

You can read the full announcement on the LSE’s website here.

The Claimants Lifestyle Equities CV and Lifestyle Equities BV (together “LE”) were the owner and licensee respectively of a number of EU and UK trade marks for the stylised “BEVERLY HILLS POLO CLUB” logo (“the BHPC Logo”) shown below:which was registered in relation a range of goods including in relation to textiles, watches and clothing.

Greenwich Polo Club Inc. owned a number of registered trade marks and /or licensed the use of trade marks which were referred to in the judgment as “Greenwich Signs 1 – 3″ as follows:

Following an analysis of the evidence, the Honourable Judge held that the Greenwich Signs are not similar to the BHPC Logo, and he found that the reasonably well informed and reasonably circumspect consumer could not be confused by the marks here in question. He went on to find that that there is no infringement under Article 9(2)(b) and Article 9(2) (c) of the EU Trade Mark Regulation / section 10(2) and 10(3) of the Trade Marks Act 1994. The passing off case fell with the Article 9(2)(b) case.

The Honourable Judge went on to consider the question of the joint and several liability of the other Defendants in the case, including an individual director of the Copyrights Group Limited. As the Copyrights Group was not liable for infringement, it followed that neither was the individual director, but the Judge did point out that on the evidence in the case, he would require some persuading that the limited activity of the Defendant rendered him liable as a joint tortfeasor.

The judgment itself should be available from today at https://www.bailii.org/.

Claire is a trade mark specialist with over 20 years’ experience advising clients on their branding and trade mark matters. She not only has significant experience in advising start-up companies, from their initial searches to trade mark filings but also advises established large entities, including clients in the financial services, gaming, restaurant and clothing sectors. Claire has worked in-house (Dalgety PLC and adidas), and in private practice, and spent part of her career in The Netherlands and Germany. Most recently she was a Partner at boutique IP firm, EIP Europe LLP based in London.

“We are delighted to welcome Claire to the firm,” commented Simon Miles, Edwin Coe’s Head of IP, “She brings with her a wealth of trade mark experience and we are all very excited to be working with her and continuing to grow our practice.”

Claire added “I am thrilled to be joined an established IP practice and working alongside distinguished practitioners. I look forward to growing the practice and being part of the team.”

• Can one individual represent millions of unnamed consumers in pursuit of a claim. This is a first in English procedure outside cartel cases and reflects US style class actions. Will the court’s support it?
• A whole string of cases for data breaches has followed the appeal decision and they will be affected by the decision in the Supreme Court.
• Do all consumers whose data has been used suffer the same damage
• What damages are payable for the misuse of data in breach of the Data Protection Act and the EU Data Directive
• If the Court of Appeal judgment does not stand how do consumers pursue compensation available under the statute.

David Greene, Senior Partner of Edwin Coe LLP said “This is a super important case in establishing the respective rights of the consumer to control information about them and the rights of platforms and web sites to garner information through cookies and then sell or use it. If the Supreme Court goes the way of the Court of Appeal it will open up a whole range of possibilities for consumers not just in the field of data farming but in other wider consumer claims.”

The WTR 1000 research directory, which focuses on trademark practices and practitioners, has firmly established itself as the definitive ‘go-to’ resource for those seeking world-class legal trademark expertise. The WTR’s researchers look at factors such as depth of expertise, market presence and the level of work on which they are typically instructed were all taken into account, alongside positive peer and client feedback.

World Trademark Review is a daily news and information service dedicated exclusively to reporting on trademark issues for in-house and private practitioners internationally.

You can view the directory here.

Brendan specialises in dealing with intestate estates which often involve complex situations and identifying beneficiaries who were previously unknown to the deceased. The practice maintains a high volume of cases and all aspects of estate administration, including the reconstruction of the deceased’s financial profile.

Alison Broadberry, Edwin Coe’s Head of Private Client commented “I am delighted to welcome Brendan into the partnership at Edwin Coe after 17 years of dedicated service growing his practice area; his wealth of experience and specialist knowledge is invaluable.”

Since the start of 2021, Edwin Coe has added a new lateral hire Partner in Daniel Bellau (Corporate) and promoted two Senior Associates to the Partnership – Brenna Baye (Construction) alongside Brendan.

Brenna undertook her training at the firm and qualified into the Construction team in September 2013. Since qualification, she has advised employers, contractors, funders, developers and consultants in relation to a myriad of issues arising throughout the lifecycle of a construction project.

Prior to qualifying as a solicitor, Brenna worked in the IT industry both in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Edwin Coe’s Head of Property, Stephen Brower commented “I am thrilled to welcome Brenna to the Partnership. Her promotion is very well deserved – she is a skilled lawyer and a key member of the Construction team and the wider Property team.”

Since the start of 2021, Edwin Coe has grown with the addition of a new lateral hire Partner in Daniel Bellau (Corporate)  and promoted two Senior Associates to the Partnership – Brendan O’Shea (Private Client) alongside Brenna.

David Greene, partner in Edwin Coe LLP said “Vostochny Bank (often referred to as Orient Express Bank) has been mired in controversy since U.S. investor Michael Calvey, the founder of private equity group Baring Vostok, was detained along with other fund executives in 2019 after state investigators accused them of embezzlement related to the bank.”

“The issue the bondholders had was unrelated but turned on a change to the terms of the bonds. With claims of US$75 million the issue looked set for litigation in London but discussions between the parties lead to resolution and the bondholders reached agreement on terms that are wrapped up in the acquisition of Vostochny by Sovcombank. This is a great result for the Edwin Coe team in their continuing work for major Russian clients.”

The litigation was handled by the Group and Finance litigation team at Edwin Coe LLP, led by Senior Partner David Greene and Senior Associate Fred Sheppard.

Both the Belgian and English businesses are market-leading premium cigar and whisky merchants, with physical stores and strong online operations selling worldwide.  The businesses offer an unrivalled selection of Cuban and New World cigars with multiple profitable touchpoints into the growing luxury cigar market.

The merger involved the sale of C.Gars Limited to new Belgian parent company Dominique London NV, a reorganisation of the Belgian business and a fundraising led by a consortium of UHNWs and family offices across Europe and the Middle East.

Corporate Partner, Daniel Bellau led the Edwin Coe team, assisted by Nick Phillips (IP Partner).  Dominique London was advised by Deloitte Legal and the investors were advised by Ashurst in England and Belgium and leading Belgian firm Eubelius.

Managing Director of C.Gars Ltd, Mitchell Orchant said “Thanks a million for all your help with this transaction, would never have got it over the line without all of your help.”

Daniel Bellau said “It was a pleasure to have helped this entrepreneurial business achieve a successful merger and fundraising.  One of the strengths of Edwin Coe is the ability to call on a wide range of expertise from across the firm to seamlessly work on this complex transaction. I look forward to assisting the enlarged group to go on to achieve even greater success.”

You can read more about the merger on Cigar World

At a private view on 5th March, Professor Anita Taylor, Dean of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design at the University of Dundee, judged the artwork on display at The Law Society’s 61^st Art Group Exhibition, and awarded (amongst others) the Edwin Coe LLP prize for ‘Best Work on Paper in any medium’. The award winner was Ruth Munby with her cyano print ‘We Are Connected’ (left). Congratulations to Ruth.

The Law Society’s Art Group is a small membership group, first set up in 1959, of practising or retired solicitors, staff of solicitors’ firms and to solicitors’ close family members, with an interest in or appreciation for art. Their annual exhibition is usually held in the Reading Room at The Law Society’s offices in Chancery Lane, but was held virtually for the first time this year.

Further information:

You can view the exhibition on The Law Society’s website.

The exhibition e-catalogue (Ruth Munby’s exhibit is no. 69).

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce its support of The Law Society’s Art Group annual exhibition for 2021, which opens today and runs online until 21st March. The exhibition is usually held in the Reading Room at The Law Society’s offices in Chancery Lane. At a private view on 5^th March, Professor Anita Taylor, Dean of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, University of Dundee, will judge the 2D and 3D artwork on display, and a number of prizes will be awarded. Edwin Coe is sponsoring the ‘Best Work on Paper in any medium‘ prize. Many of the works will be available for purchase.

The Law Society’s Art Group is a small membership group, first set up in 1959, of practising or retired solicitors, staff of solicitors’ firms and to solicitors’ close family members, with an interest in or appreciation for art.

Further information:

You can view the exhibition on The Law Society’s website.

The exhibition e-catalogue.

The Private View will be held on Zoom on Friday 5th March 2021, from 6.45pm to 8pm, judging from 7pm.  Free registration is required.

The Art Group’s Facebook page also includes the e-catalogue.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Sean Bannister has been recommended as a tax & trust advisor in Spears 500 for 2021.

Sean is Edwin Coe’s Head of Tax and acts for high-net and ultra-high-net worth individuals and families and those that advise them (financial service providers and corporate service provider/trustees).

Sean commented “I am honoured to be listed in the Spears 500 directory. This recommendation is testament to the outstanding client service and advice that the entire tax team at Edwin Coe provide.”

Spear’s 500 is an annual guide to top private client advisers, wealth managers, lawyers and service providers to high-net-worth individuals, produced by Spears magazine. A team of researchers and journalists assess a combination of company submissions, analyst survey data, client feedback and market nominations from experts to compile their recommendations across 15 private client focussed categories.

The 2021 guide has recently been published in paper and will be gradually launched online through the year on the Spears 500 website. Sean’s Spear’s 500 profile is here.

The transaction proceeds will be used by One Heritage to help finance the acquisition of Plus House, Stockport. The property is currently used as an office but has been acquired with planning approval to convert three floors into twelve apartments with approximately 2,500 square foot of office space on the ground floor and the option to add an extension which would create a further three apartments. The project is expected to complete in mid-2022 and should return a gross development value on completion of GDP £2.3m.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Daniel Bellau, who has advised Hybridan for over 10 years and last acted for them on the IPO of One Heritage Group PLC onto the Standard List of the London Stock Exchange in December 2020.

Daniel commented “I am delighted to have worked once more with my colleagues at Hybridan on this transaction. I am very proud of our successful long-term working relationship ensures that we can deliver best value to listed clients. It is also gratifying to see One Heritage push forward with its development plans following last year’s IPO.”

You can read One Heritage Group’s press release in full here.

MyHealthChecked plc is a Cardiff-based consumer home-testing healthcare company which is listed on AIM. Proceeds from the transaction will be used to launch their women’s fertility products into the retail sector and to develop a pipeline of new products, alongside a smartphone app in order to capture data. MyHealthChecked is also planning to increase its headcount to support these commercial activities, more than doubling its team by December 2022 and increasing the required marketing investment to accelerate commercial growth.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Russel Shear, who commented “I am pleased to have worked with my colleagues at SPARK Advisory Partners and Oberon Investments to successfully complete this transaction for MyHealthChecked. I wish them every success with their exciting expansion plans.”

You can read MyHealthChecked’s press release in full here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Alison Broadberry has again been listed as one of eprivateclient’s 50 Most Influential Private Client Practitioners.

Alison is the Head of Private Client at Edwin Coe and acts for high-net-worth UK and non-UK domiciled clients on a wide range of tax, trust and estate planning matters. She advises on and creates solutions to manage, protect and pass the wealth of her clients to minimise tax and maximise protection against threats to the family wealth including relationship breakdown, financial vulnerability and family conflicts.

“I would like to thank everyone who took the time out from their own commitments to nominate me for a place on this prestigious list. I really do appreciate that effort and being recognised alongside such illustrious company on the Most Influential list,” commented Alison.

The 50 individuals on the list were selected by PAM Insight judges after an exhaustive selection process where the industry knowledge of the judging panel and any achievements, promotions and progress that potential candidates had made in the past 12 months were considered, along with nominations from eprivateclient readers across the UK and UK Crown Dependencies’ private client practitioner sector.

Edwin Coe is also listed as a top private client law firm in eprivateclient’s Top Law Firms rankings.

You can see the full list on eprivateclient’s website. (subscription required)

H.C. Wainwright & Co. is a New York based financial services firm offering leading-edge investment banking, corporate finance, and strategic advisory services to public and private growth companies across multiple sectors and regions.

Argo Blockchain plc is headquartered in London, UK and is the only cryptocurrency mining company listed on the London Stock Exchange. Their energy-efficient, powerful mining operations are strategically located throughout North America. The income from the private placement will partly fund new mining hardware scheduled to be fully operational by June 2021. According to Argo, this expansion will add approximately 610 petahash to their installed computing power, bringing it to a total of 1,685 petahash, mainly focussed on mining Bitcoin.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Daniel Bellau, in his first completed deal as a Partner in our Corporate & Commercial team.

Daniel Bellau commented “I am delighted to have completed this first deal having joined Edwin Coe at the beginning of January 2021 but more particularly to have acted for such a highly reputable, successful and longstanding financial services firm in such an exciting and dynamic sector.”

Craig Schwabe, managing director at HC Wainwright said “We are proud of the work H.C. Wainwright & Co and Edwin Coe did on the capital raise for Argo Blockchain. With Daniel’s lead at Edwin Coe we were able to operate efficiently and deliver for our mutual client. We look forward to working with Daniel again in the near future.”

You can read Argo’s press release in full here

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that IP expert Nick Phillips will be delivering a training session on the Uber and Enterprise Nation: ‘Empowering Journeys’ course. Entitled ‘’What’s the idea?’, he will look at how to protect your business ideas, branding, and indeed all those important legal issues around intellectual property. “Protecting your IP from others profiting from your ideas from when you start your business can help your new enterprise thrive and will help you attract investors,” comments Nick.

Nick is a Partner at Edwin Coe and has considerable experience in advising businesses on the protection, exploitation and enforcement of the full range of their intellectual property rights. He also regularly advises on a range of GDPR/privacy, e-commerce, domain name, and internet related issues as well as on a wide variety of IT contracts.

Together with Enterprise Nation, Uber has launched three new initiatives to empower drivers, couriers, and restaurants as well as new food entrepreneurs. In addition to a series of training sessions and a start-up grant, applicants will be offered 12 months’ free access to business start-up support and advice.

Uber’s partner, Enterprise Nation is a community of small businesses and business advisers that exists to shortcut the route to trusted business support. Whether a start-up or growing a business, Enterprise Nation has the resources, expertise, and connections to help get it right.

For more information, click here.

Daniel joins Edwin Coe after 11 years at Hamlins LLP where he was a Partner and head of the corporate team having previously been a partner at Memery Crystal LLP.

Daniel undertakes all aspects of corporate law, including public and private mergers and acquisitions, private equity and VC investments and fundraisings. He also advises on equity capital markets transactions on the Official List and AIM. He is recommended for his M&A and capital markets work in the current edition of the Legal 500 UK, including being listed as a Leading Individual for M&A deals up to £50m.

His clients include entrepreneurs, SMEs, funds and AIM Nomads and Brokers.  He has particular experience in the real estate, TMT, hotel and leisure sectors.

Head of Corporate & Commercial Russel Shear said: “We are delighted to welcome Daniel to the firm. His background and wide-ranging experience makes him a perfect fit for the Corporate team, and for Edwin Coe as a whole. We are looking forward to working with him.”

Daniel Bellau commented:  “I am very excited to be joining Edwin Coe and in particular its strong and well established corporate team and to have the opportunity to introduce my clients to the wide range of high quality specialists at the firm.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that 15 lawyers and 4 practice areas have been recommended in the 2021 edition of Chambers UK: A Client’s Guide to the UK Legal Profession.

Our Restructuring & Insolvency team retained their band 1 ranking for Personal Insolvency where they are praised for the lawyer’s “depth of insolvency expertise.” In addition, Simeon Gilchrist has retained his top individual ranking and is seen as “a highly regarded expert in the industry“, whilst Ali Zaidi has moved up to band 2 “He is very effective and pragmatic.”

Our Employment team have been promoted to band 2 for their Senior Executive work. Commentators note the team’s “high-quality lawyers who are thorough and knowledgeable.” Three lawyers are ranked from the team – Linky Trott “She’s a delight to work with – commercially focused, solutions-orientated and extremely knowledgeable”, and Rachel Harrap “She is an outstanding lawyer; she’s very approachable and has colossal experience and knowledge of employment law.”

In addition our Insurance team is ranked twice – for Insurance Litigation: Mainly Policyholders and also for Professional Negligence. Clients say: “They punch above their weight and achieve remarkable results.” This year, Nicola Maher has been promoted to band 2 for Insurance Litigation “She is really forensic with the detail and is also fantastic with her turnaround times “, whilst Roger Franklin “very decisive and in control of the whole process” is ranked in both categories. Finally, Oliver Pannell recognised as an Associate to Watch “He is a very capable lawyer who is very thorough and very clear.”

David Goepel is recommended for his Charity work and Russel Shear retains his ranking for Mid-Market M&A. Clients say that “He offers great legal and commercial input, and provides a seamless process and timely responses.” Simon Miles who clients say is “Really clever, very responsive and very quick at picking things up and turning them around” is ranked for Intellectual Property Law whilst Joanna Osborne has moved up a band for Property Litigation “She is tactically unbeatable.”

Congratulations to all involved!

Chambers’ independent research collects information about organisations, individuals and the marketplace, conducting thousands of interviews a year with in-house counsel and third-party experts, such as barristers and accountants, to deliver detailed insight into providers of legal services. You can also view our results on Chambers’ website.

The Legal 500 UK 2021 legal directory has recently launched. This year, after extensive research and feedback from clients and contacts, their researchers have recommended our work in 15 categories. Across our practices, our lawyers are recommended 41 times by Legal 500 in the editorial, with David Goepel (Personal tax, trusts and probate) retaining his ranking as ‘Leading Individuals’. Our Senior Partner, David Greene is a new ‘Leading Individual’ and Zahira Hussain is ranked a ‘Next Generation Partner’, both in the Commercial litigation: mid-market category, where they are described as having ‘Excellent strength in depth across the full range of commercial fields.’

Our Commercial Litigation team were recommended for Mid-Market matters whilst our Insurance Litigation team were ranked for policyholders and Professional Negligence. Where one contact stated ‘Edwin Coe just about invented claims against insurance brokers – without a doubt it has more experience of successfully pursuing such claims than any other firm. They are also effective in acting for SMEs and individuals in claims against other professionals, particularly lawyers.’

In the Private Client sector, the team was recommended for Personal tax, trusts and probate along with Charities and not-for-profit. One client commented ‘The firm that really does go the extra yard. Nothing is too much trouble, and its clients hugely appreciate the devotion to service at the highest levels. One of the few firms I recommend to my friends.’

The larger Employment team was ranked for Employment: employers, Employment: senior executives; Immigration: business and Immigration: human rights, appeals and overstay, with one referee commenting that ‘The people at Edwin Coe come across as experts in their respective field. You are given the impression that you are in safe hands but you are not lost in legal jargon.’

Our Property team, ‘Knowledgeable, diligent, accessible’ were recommended for Commercial Property: corporate occupiers; Property Finance and also Property Litigation.

Other practice areas recognised in the UK directory are Intellectual Property; M&A: smaller deals, up to £50m and Fraud Civil.

Congratulations to all involved!

You can read all the rankings and testimonials at the Legal 500 website.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that David Greene yesterday took up the role of President of The Law Society. He won the Law Society’s presidential election for 2018 and was appointed as deputy vice president in July 2018, becoming vice president in 2019 and now president in 2020. The Law Society’s president represents the organisation at home and abroad and is chair of their Council.

David is the firm’s Senior Partner and Head of Group Action Litigation. He led the Article 50 Brexit litigation in 2016 and has worked on group actions in the UK since the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. He has for many years advised sovereign states on disputes in international tribunals and particularly specialises in work involving governments in sub-Saharan Africa advising on civil justice and human rights.

Managing Partner, David Kinch said “We are delighted that David has been elected to lead the profession. It is well deserved recognition for his contribution to the profession over more than four decades and dedication in campaigning for civil justice and in his pioneering group action litigation work. It is a huge honour for the firm.”

David’s inaugural speech is available here.

Prior to joining Edwin Coe, Jessica worked as a Paralegal at Samsung Electronics. She graduated with an LLB from the University of Birmingham and completed her LPC at the University of Law, receiving a Distinction.

Head of Private Client, Alison Broadberry commented, “We are delighted to welcome Jess into our thriving Private Client team. Jess is a fantastic fit for us, our clients and contacts; her addition will greatly enhance the service we can deliver to our clients.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that it has been recognised as a top private client law firm in the 2020 eprivateclient rankings.

The judging team at eprivateclient ranked UK law firms providing high quality private client services to wealthy individuals and families based both domestically and internationally. The rankings are based on a survey of over 150 law firms in the UK assessing not only the size of firms’ private client teams, but also their reputations within the private wealth sector and the emphasis placed upon looking after wealthy clients and their families. This year 48 firms made the list.

Alison Broadberry, Head of Private Client at Edwin Coe, commented “I am delighted that the team’s hard work, expertise and dedication to our clients has again been recognised by eprivateclient.”

The team was recently also recommended in the Private Wealth Law category of the Chambers High Net Worth Directory, alongside individual rankings for Alison Broadberry and David Goepel.

For more information please see the eprivateclient website (subscription required).

VitalHub paid approximately £3,850,000 for the entire issued share capital of ITWH, to be adjusted in accordance with a closing net equity adjustment. This was paid in cash to the ITWH shareholders at completion, which took place on 19 August 2020.

Three weeks later, VitalHub completed its acquisition of the entire issued share capital of TSL on 9 September 2020. The total consideration paid for the TSL shares was £5,951,820, which is composed of a £1,900,000 issuance of common shares of VitalHub and a cash payment of £4,051,820. The common shares of VitalHub issued pursuant to the share component were issued at CAD $2.11 per common share, resulting in a total of 1,566,827 common shares being issued.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate & Commercial Russel Shear, working in conjunction with Hunter Forman of our Ally Law network colleagues at Torkin Manes (Ontario, Canada).

Transforming Systems Limited helps the NHS solve a fundamental challenge surrounding lack of access to real-time information across its multitude of services. This empowers NHS teams to determine actionable insights from a wide range of healthcare data, leading to improved organizational efficiencies and resource utilization, ultimately aiming to improve the delivery of patient care.

Intouch with Health Limited is a UK leader for patient flow management solutions that allow patients to more effectively move throughout a hospital. Their products are used by over 53 National Health Services Trusts in the UK representing 130 hospitals. Its solutions are also deployed internationally.

VitalHub Corp., which is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange, develops and supports mission-critical information systems in the social service, mental health, long term care, community health service, home health and hospital sectors. It has a two-pronged growth strategy, targeting organic growth opportunities within its product suite, and pursuing an aggressive M&A plan. VitalHub is based in Toronto, Canada, with an offshore innovation hub in Sri Lanka.

Our client’s full announcements are here: Vitalhub Corp. Announces Acquisition of Intouch With Health Inc. and VitalHub Corp. Completes Acquisition of Transforming Systems Ltd.

Nik Haria commented, “It’s six months on from the start of the Covid-19 crisis in the UK and whilst construction output is still below the pre-pandemic period, we’re seeing increasing numbers of projects starting up again. The team at Edwin Coe has been working closely with its construction clients throughout the pandemic, providing guidance on key things to consider to help firms manage projects through the crisis. This event will allow you, whether or not you are an existing client, to tap into this experience. A quick informal chat with us can be the first step to helping you resolve your practical and legal issues.”

Our panel will be lead by:

Nik Haria – Chair, Consultant, Construction, Edwin Coe LLP

Brenna Baye –  Senior Associate, Construction, Edwin Coe LLP

If you would like to book an appointment, please email info@www.edwincoe.com and provide us with your contact details, preferred time and a brief description of your construction dispute.

One of our team will be in contact with your appointment and will forward on your Zoom meeting invite.

Construction at Edwin Coe
Our team offers both contentious and non-contentious legal services to clients across a variety of industry sectors, working closely with our firm’s other departments to provide an all-encompassing service to our clients.  Our non-contentious construction work regularly consists of acting for developers, contractors and/or funders in relation to either residential or commercial construction projects.  We also advise both employers and contractors on all types of construction disputes whether adjudication, expert determination, litigation and arbitration.
Read more here

The challenge to the A Level algorithm met with immediate success. The firm was acting for a student from a school with a challenging academic record who had a place at Bristol to do law. His predicted grades were reversed by the use of the applied algorithm and he lost his place. A letter before action was written following which the Government abandoned the algorithm and restored assessment undertaken by schools.

David Greene, Senior Partner, said “This severely affected our client who, was the first of his family going to University, had a place to read law at Bristol University. He lost that place as a result of the recalculation of his A Level results on the application of the Government’s algorithm. We wrote a letter before action in accordance with the pre-action protocol. It is a real pleasure that the Government has reversed its decision because, like thousands of others, the result gives the client the chance of getting back his place. The problem many face now, however, is the level of oversubscription at University. We remain hopeful that the client will secure his place. He’ll make a great lawyer.”

“We also issued proceedings on 14th August against the Post Office for judicial review of aspects of their compensation scheme for sub-postmasters established following a devastating judgment by the High Court in December on their treatment of sub-postmasters. Following that judgment the Post Office has set up a scheme to compensate those that were not party to the proceedings. That scheme has several flaws and is wholly inappropriate to establish the level of compensation due. We have issued on behalf of a former sub-postmaster whose life has been devastated by the utterly disgraceful conduct of the Post Office.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Ally Law member firms have had a strong showing in the latest editions of the European legal directories published by Chambers & Partners and Legal 500.

Legal 500
In the recently published 2020 Legal 500 EMEA Guide, eight member firms were recommended: Alerion (France), Your Legal Partners (Greece), KCG Partners (Hungary), Italy: Gitti & Partners (Italy), Lipa Meir & Co (Israel), WH Partners (Malta) and Dynasty Law Firm (Ukraine). Additionally, Ally Law’s German member firm Melchers was ranked in the 2020 Legal 500 Deutschland Guide and Edwin Coe LLP was ranked in the 2020 Legal 500 UK Guide. Further information on these rankings can be found here.

Chambers & Partners
Ally Law member firms and individuals ranked in Chambers Europe 2020 include: Kalaidjiev & Georgiev (Bulgaria), Georgiades & Pelides (Cyprus), TVC Law Firm (Denmark), Melchers (Germany), KCG Partners Law Firm (Hungary) and WH Partners (Malta). Additionally, Edwin Coe LLP was ranked in the Chambers UK 2020 and High Net Worth directories. Further information on these rankings can be found here.

Finally, Ally Law has been ranked a Band 1 Leading Law Firm Network, Global-wide, in Chambers Global 2020, as well as Band 1 in Chambers Latin America (Global Law Firm Networks, Latin America-wide) and Band 3 in Chambers Asia Pacific (Leading Regional Law Firm Networks).

Björn Welinder, president of Ally Law and a partner in Lund, Sweden-based law firm Lindmark Welinder said, “I congratulate all of our honored European member firms. The stature of our member firms is the cornerstone of our cost-effective, coordinated legal service model.”

Edwin Coe has been a member of Ally Law (formerly the International Alliance of Law Firms) since 2016.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that 4 solicitors were included in the ninth edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom which has been released today. David Greene, our Senior Partner, alongside Head of Employment, Linky Trott; Head of Intellectual Property, Simon Miles; and Restructuring & Insolvency Consultant, Christopher Berry, have all been recommended in the 2021 edition:

• Christopher Berry – Litigation
• David Greene – Litigation and Competition
• Linky Trott – Employment
• Simon Miles – Intellectual Property

The Best Lawyers UK 2021 Guide
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. For more than 30 years, their methodology has been designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their private practice colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

The Hiscox action, which advances under the name of the Hiscox Business Interruption Group, involves a number of businesses that have been denied claims for business interruption losses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Head of Insurance Litigation at Edwin Coe, Roger Franklin commented:

“While it is correct that a lot of commercial insurance policies do not provide cover for losses caused by Covid-19, a lot of them do. Hiscox is one such example. Unfortunately, in many cases claims have been denied because of arguments based on ambiguous policy wordings and weak legal precedent. We aim to challenge those arguments as quickly and cost effectively as possible so that businesses can survive in these trying times.”

The RSA claim involves an even larger number of businesses that have suffered during the pandemic.

“Businesses purchase insurance to give them some protection in times of crisis, especially SMEs, which usually only have one source of revenue. Too many insurers are reneging on the bargain they struck when they agreed to accept the premium.”

At the start of the month, the team announced a similar action, in conjunction with insurance claim consultancy Harris Balcombe, against Allianz Insurance plc.

Edwin Coe’s specialist insurance litigation team acts exclusively for the insured and is ranked as a leading firm in this area of law by leading legal directories. The lawyers have built a successful track record in this field over many years, handling a steady stream of high-profile and complex instructions and winning cases on behalf of claimants against most of the well-known insurers.

The team has developed particular expertise in quantum issues and business interruption losses, for which it has a justly renowned reputation. This experience, coupled with the firm’s strengths in commercial and insolvency work, enable Edwin Coe to assist clients not only in dealing with their disputed claim, but also in coping with cash flow, trade creditors and many other related commercial problems that often arise from the delayed settlement of an insurance claim.

Policyholders who have been denied claims from these insurers interested in joining the group should contact Roger Franklin.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that it advised Tethyan Resource Corporation on the proposed sale of 100% of its issued share capital to Adriatic Metals PLC, by way of a Plan of Arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia).

Tethyan is a precious and base metals mineral exploration company incorporated in British Columbia, Canada and listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. It is focused on the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt in Eastern Europe, mainly Serbia, where it operates two brownfield development projects, Kizevak and Sastavci, and has a large prospective landholding on the Tethyan mineral belt.

Adriatic is a dual listed (ASX and LSE) precious and base metals explorer and developer. This deal diversifies Adriatic’s portfolio and positions it as the leading Balkan base and precious metals developer.

The full announcement is here.

Edwin Coe partner Michael Whitton said:

“This Allianz policy insures business interruption loss caused by interruption or interference to the insured’s business as a result of a Notifiable Disease occurring within the vicinity of an insured location.  It would strike me as fanciful to suggest, as Allianz do, that cover would only be provided in the event that the loss occurred in the vicinity but not beyond thereby ruling out a pandemic.  That’s not what the policy says.  If this policy wording doesn’t give rise to an entitlement to an indemnity in relation to business interruption losses resulting from the Covid 19 shut down, I don’t know what policy wording does.”

Policyholders with the benefit of the Resilience policy wordings (many of which were arranged by JELF and Marsh) interested in joining the group should contact our Insurance Litigation team.

The government has provided support in a number of ways to keep businesses going. These include:

• deferral of VAT
• deferral of income tax payments
• government backed and guaranteed loans (CBILS)
• rate relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure industry
• cash grants for small businesses
• the Coronavirus Retention Scheme – furlough leave for employees.

These measures are no doubt a great help to struggling businesses but they may not be sufficient to stave off insolvency, and a requirement to call in an administrator or liquidator. However, it is thought that further measures are about to be introduced by the government which will temporarily relax some of the more draconian regulatory provisions as they apply to businesses in a position where they are unable to continue trading. These include:

• a review of the rules of wrongful trading (under which directors can incur a personal liability) to allow directors to continue with business as usual to the extent possible
• a moratorium for companies giving them breathing space from creditors enforcing their debts for a period of time whilst they seek a rescue or restructure
• a new restructuring plan binding creditors to that plan
• a protocol for administrators to allow for a “debtor in possession” trading administration; and
• further rules around when and how a winding up petition might be presented.

Whilst we are waiting for the detailed legislation to be introduced in order to implement these measures, they will nonetheless be a welcome relief for businesses facing unparalleled difficulty.

Edwin Coe has put together a multi-specialist task force to provide advice to businesses in this situation and for taking advantage of these new insolvency relief measures.

This will include:

• tailored advice based on the new legislation when it is published
• work around plans including debt/equity swaps, restructurings, asset realisations, financing and other fund raising opportunities (including potential introductions to institutions seeking investment opportunities)
• access to our panel of Insolvency Practitioners
• employment advice in relation to the work force
• utilisation of procedures to keep businesses afloat including arrangements with creditors.

For an initial consultation without charge please contact any of the following:

Ali Zaidi, Head of Litigation & Insolvency; Simeon Gilchrist, Partner – Restructuring & Insolvency; Russel Shear, Head of Corporate & Commercial or Linky Trott, Head of Employment.

In a press conference on 17 March 2020, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed that the Government had reached an agreement with the insurance industry such that, if a policy is only designed to respond when a business has been compelled to shut, rather than being urged to shut, the insurance industry understand that policies should respond. How this might work in practice has yet to be seen.

What should businesses consider?

As well as considering whether there is any statutory redress available to them, businesses should consider their policy wording including:

1. Do you have cover for Notifiable Disease and/or Denial of Access (these are commonly extensions to cover for business interruption)?
2. If so, is the cover limited in scope such as for specific diseases only or where the specific disease has been found at the insured premises?
3. What period of interruption is covered and what is the sum insured?
4. Might any other section of the policy respond?

Cover for a Notifiable Disease will depend on whether Covid-19 comes within the list of defined diseases in the policy (which is not uncommon since the SARS epidemic), although wider wordings do exist.

Disputes over policy coverage

It is not uncommon for arguments to arise between policyholders and insurers about policy coverage and whether a policy is designed to respond in a given scenario. If insurers have refused cover, on the basis that they say the policy does not respond to issues arising from Covid-19, businesses should consider whether that is right.

In a case we have been looking at, a reputable insurer has declined to investigate a claim on the basis that: “the core coverage is for interruptions to the business following insured damage”. There is, however, a Public authority clause in the policy which covers financial losses arising from:

“your inability to use the insured premises due to restrictions imposed by a public authority during the period of insurance following :

• a murder or suicide;
• an occurrence of human infectious or human contagious disease, an outbreak of which must be notified to the local authority; . . .”

There is no need to show that any physical damage has been caused to the insured’s property or indeed any property.  Just because an insurer tells you that the policy does not respond to financial loss arising from the effects of Covid 19, does not necessarily mean that that is the correct position.

At Edwin Coe LLP we have a team of specialist insurance solicitors acting exclusively on claims for policyholders. We are able to assist in reviewing your policies, advising in relation to their terms and in pursuing claims, including where policy liability has been denied.

The Claimants rely on the European Commission’s decision (background on the claim). The manufacturers sought to differentiate between different parts of the decision for that reliance. The Tribunal has however rejected their objections and found that, subject to limited exceptions, the Claimants can rely on all of the decision, including recitals which the Tribunal has found binding, including that those companies to which the decision was addressed were guilty of exchanging gross price lists and information on gross prices, including planned future gross price increases. This included information which was not in the public domain, and which was commercially sensitive. In addition it was found that between 1997 and 2004 the addressee companies in some cases also agreed their respective gross price increases and also discussed net prices for some countries.

If you or your business purchased or leased trucks weighing 6 tonnes or more between 1997 and 2012, you will have been subject to any overcharge arising from the price fixing cartel.

Please contact us today to make a claim as soon as possible.  In the first instance, please complete the following short questionnaire(s) as applicable: 1. Brand new truck purchase; 2. Leased trucks or 3. Second-hand truck purchase or contact Zahira Hussain directly.

The Ally Law legal network includes more than 70 member firms and nearly 3,000 lawyers worldwide. 19 member firms are listed in the latest editions of Chambers & Partners’ legal guides. Member firms are subject to a strict selection process and must adhere to rigorous client service standards.

Edwin Coe has been the English & Welsh member of Ally Law (formerly the International Alliance of Law Firms) since 2016.

We have a remote working system in place to allow us to continue to service our clients’ needs effectively, whether that be by email, phone or via conference calls. We are doing all we can to ensure we are able to continue to provide the high levels of service you expect from us and appreciate your understanding and co-operation in dealing with any inconveniences that arise in the current circumstances.

If you have any questions on the steps we are taking please get in touch with your usual Edwin Coe contact.

Thank you for your understanding and support in these challenging circumstances.

David Kinch
Managing Partner

If you or your business bought trucks weighing six tonnes or more and then rented them out to third parties between 1997 and 2012, please get in touch. You or your business will have overpaid for the trucks because of the price fixing that was prevalent in the trucks market at the time. Five truck manufacturers (MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco and DAF) have admitted to the European Commission that they participated in a price fixing cartel against purchasers of their trucks from 1997 until 2011

Edwin Coe has funding in place for these claims. This means that the funder will cover the legal costs of the claim in exchange for a share of any damages secured at the end of the proceedings – there is nothing to pay as the claim progresses. If the claim is unsuccessful, there will be nothing to pay.

The decision by the European Commission was published in 2016. Time is therefore marching on. Accordingly, if you would like to make a claim, please get in touch as soon as possible.

Please complete the following short questionnaire(s) as applicable: 1. Brand new truck purchase; 2. Leased trucks or 3. Second-hand truck purchase or contact Zahira Hussain directly.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that it has achieved the Cyber Essentials Plus certification for 2020-21. Cyber Essentials is a Government backed scheme designed to improve the resilience of UK businesses and their clients to the most common cyber security threats.

To achieve Cyber Essentials Plus, our IT systems and processes were reviewed and tested by an independent assessor to ensure that all our client and business information is safe from the vast majority of cyber-attacks.

Edwin Coe is delighted to have been shortlisted in the “Law Firm of the Year – London” category at the Citywealth Magic Circle Awards for 2020.  The annual awards highlight the work of the best advisors and managers across the global private wealth industry.

The vote
The shortlisted candidates will be judged by a panel featuring ten global industry experts alongside an online vote which carries the weight of one additional judge.  If you would like to vote for us, please follow this link – voting is closes on 31st March 2020.

The winners will be announced during a gala dinner at The Landmark Hotel in London on Wednesday 13 May 2020.

We are delighted to announce that Edwin Coe is sponsoring ‘The Best Work on Paper’ prize for The Law Society’s Art Group, in their 60th annual exhibition at The Law Society.

Taking place on Friday 17 January 2020, Head of Group Litigation David Greene will be speaking at the event and presenting the Edwin Coe LLP prize to the winner of Best Work on Paper.

The Law Society’s Art Group has a full programme of events throughout the year including painting days, talks and visits to art collections and galleries. Membership is open to staff of solicitors’ firms and to solicitors’ close family members.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Alison Broadberry has again been listed as one of eprivateclient’s 50 Most Influential Private Client Practitioners. This list ranks the key players in the UK and UK Crown Dependencies’ private client practitioner sector.

Alison is the Head of Private Client and acts for high-net-worth UK and non-UK domiciled clients on a wide range of tax, trust and estate planning matters. She advises on and creates solutions to manage, protect and pass the wealth of her clients to minimise tax and maximise protection against threats to the family wealth including relationship breakdown, financial vulnerability and family conflicts.

On receiving the award Alison commented “I would like to thank everyone who took the time to nominate me for this prestigious listing. I am delighted to have been named again in eprivateclient’s 50 Most Influential list; it is a great honour to be recognised amongst such esteemed company.”

The 50 individuals on the list were selected by PAM Insight judges after an exhaustive selection process where the industry knowledge of the judging panel and any achievements, promotions and progress that potential candidates had made in the past 12 months were considered, along with nominations from eprivateclient readers.

Earlier in the year, Edwin Coe was also listed as a top private client law firm in eprivateclient’s Top Law Firms rankings.

You can see the full list on eprivateclient’s website. (subscription required)

Sean has over a decade’s experience acting for high-net worth and ultra-high-net worth individuals and families and those that advise them (financial services firms and corporate service providers/trustees). A Chartered Tax Advisor, he has appeared twice in ePrivateclient’s Top 35 under 35 list and regularly speaks in the UK and internationally on tax issues. Sean became a partner in 2015, having joined Edwin Coe in 2012.

Managing Partner, David Kinch commented: “I am delighted to announce Sean’s promotion. The leadership and significant technical expertise he brings to the team is of great benefit to our clients and firm”.

Sean Bannister added: “Being asked to lead the tax team at Edwin Coe is a great privilege. I am looking forward to driving the business forward and continuing to work with my colleagues across the firm to provide the best possible service to all of our clients”.

Sean acts for clients with assets and business interests across the globe and is well versed on multi-jurisdictional issues. He has a wealth of experience advising those who are seeking to ensure their tax affairs are administered in a framework that is both effective and compliant.

Matthew advises predominantly onshore high net worth individuals and trustees on estate and succession planning, will, trusts, probates and the administration of trusts and estates. He joins Edwin Coe from Harbottle & Lewis and had previously worked alongside our Head of Private Client Alison Broadberry, at Speechly Bircham (now Charles Russell Speechlys).

Anna joined the Private Client team from Withers LLP and advises UK and international individuals, families and trustees on a wide range of matters including wills, trusts, tax, estate and succession planning and Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Alison Broadberry commented, “I am delighted to welcome Matthew and Anna who are both excellent additions to our thriving team. They bring a wealth of experience, which will be invaluable in ensuring that we continue to deliver the very best service to our clients. We are all very excited to be working with them and continuing to grow our market leading practice.”

The defendants have admitted liability for the cartel. The quantification of damages flowing from the cartel remains in dispute and will be the core of the litigation process in front of the Tribunal.

Background

Edwin Coe, the UK’s leading group action litigation firm, is leading a group action on behalf of claimants seeking damages from truck manufacturers. The claims arise out of an investigation and findings by the European Commission that six different truck manufacturers were guilty of price fixing over a 14 year period. As a result of the cartel, any business which purchased, leased or outsourced trucks weighing six tonnes or more between 1997 and 2012 is likely to have overpaid for its vehicles

If you bought, leased or outsourced trucks weighing 6 tonnes or more, here or in Europe, during the cartel period, you will have a claim. Edwin Coe has funding and insurance in place, which means you can pursue your claim without cost or risk.

Our trucks cartel team is able to advise on all aspects of the claim. Please contact Zahira Hussain for more information.

Joanne McIvor is embarking on The Most Exotic Challenge 2019, organised by The British Asian Trust, which is taking place from 7-12 November.

In the past 3 years, she has completed similar challenges in Cambodia, India, and Tanzania. This year Joanne and colleagues will be riding through the pearl of the Indian Ocean, travelling over 300 kms, and passing through Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle.

Joanne is cycling to raise funds for The British Asian Trust, which was founded in 2007 by the Prince of Wales to tackle widespread poverty and hardship in South Asia. All funds raised through this challenge will go towards combatting the horrifying problem of child trafficking in South Asia, one of the Trust’s four key areas of focus.

If you would like to sponsor Joanne, her newly created fundraising page for the British Asian Trust is here

David Greene, Senior Partner at Edwin Coe LLP, says:

“The issues are of supreme constitutional importance. It is vital that those issues are fully developed in court.  Our clients, who are members of parliament, seek naturally a political resolution in Parliament to the question of whether the UK should leave the EU without a deal but believe that their entitlement as MPs to take a full part in that debate and decision is being unlawfully curtailed. They join the action to ensure that the voice of backbench MPs is heard in the question of whether the foundation of the proroguing of Parliament is lawful”

Jess Phillips MP commented:

“When the Prime Minister took the decision to prorogue Parliament it was a sad day for our democracy. Not only does he seek to gag Parliament from its clear opposition to ‘no deal’ but he is throwing out pending legislation including the Domestic Violence Bill. The Bill is dedicated to addressing the issues faced by victims of violent crime, and those who provide the services that respond.

Since 2013, the All-Party Parliamentary Group in partnership with Women’s Aid and in collaboration with survivors, national and regional specialist services, academics and professionals (such as those working in the criminal justice system and local authorities), have worked together to shape and promote the Bill, a key aspect of which is the barring of abusers from cross-examining their victims in the family courts – a practice which can, from first-hand experience does, cause immense distress and amount to a continuation of abuse. This is a vital piece of legislation to protect the victims of domestic abuse, an urgent piece of legislation that will be lost. Those that it seeks to protect will be victims of the Prime Minister’s decision to ride rough shod over our democracy.”

Alex Sobel MP said:

“It is absolutely clear that the proroguing of Parliament is a device to shut down the opposition to ‘no deal’. The intent of the Prime Minister to rob Parliament of its constitutional rights is unlawful.  As a Member of Parliament, I have been elected by the electorate to represent them but Boris Johnson now wants to take away from the electorate their rights that are part and parcel of our democracy by shutting me out of the constitutional decision making process in Parliament. In seeking to challenge that in court I am standing up for my constituents’ democratic rights to be exercised through Parliament.”

The claim will be presented alongside Ms Miller’s legal team in the High Court on Thursday.

Tailored Brands, Inc. is a leading specialty retailer of men’s tailored clothing and one of the world’s largest men’s formalwear providers with an expansive omni-channel network that includes over 1,400 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

The Company was advised on the transaction by Edwin Coe LLP and Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP. Houlihan Lokey, Inc. served as financial advisor to the Tailored Brands Board of Directors.

As a result of the cartel, any business which purchased, leased or outsourced trucks weighing six tonnes or more between 1997 and 2011 is likely to have overpaid for its vehicles. Edwin Coe, the UK’s leading group action litigation firm, in conjunction with Affiniti, is leading a group action on behalf of claimants seeking damages from the truck manufacturers, which will be a cost and risk free claims process.

If your business rented trucks to third parties and you had a fleet of at least 100 trucks in total during the cartel period, please contact Zahira Hussain about the claim for damages. Alternatively, you can register your claim by completing the relevant online questionnaire(s) and, on receipt of your completed questionnaire(s), we will be in touch.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Eva Moynihan from our Private Client team has been shortlisted in the Associate Lawyer of the Year category at the Citywealth Future Leaders Awards 2019.

Now in their fifth year, the awards programme champions young professionals in the wealth sector and highlight the leaders under forty of today and tomorrow. The philosophy of the contest is to support future leaders who excel at work but who also make an important contribution to society. The shortlist is based on submissions, judges’ recommendation and editorial research.

You can vote for Eva here until the 15th October 2019.

Winners will be announced at the Awards dinner on Wednesday, 13th November 2019 in London at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House hotel.

In the multi-million dollar deal, Royal Road Minerals acquired Northern Colombia Holdings Limited from a subsidiary of AngloGold Ashanti. NCH holds mining concession agreements covering approximately 36,000 hectares of land, and the further rights to applications that have been made to acquire mining concessions over approximately 215,000 hectares of land, in prospective mineral belts in the Colombian regions of Nariño, Cauca and Antioquia. The overall acquisition cost will be related the achievement of a range of exploration and production milestones.

Royal Road Minerals is a Toronto-based gold and copper focused mineral exploration and development company, which is listed on the Toronto Venture Exchange and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The company is unique in its approach as first-movers in post-conflict and transitioning environments.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate & Commercial Russel Shear, who commented: “We are delighted to have assisted Royal Road Minerals in building its presence in Colombia, through this complex acquisition.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that it has been listed as a top private client law firm in the 2019 eprivateclient rankings.

The judging team at eprivateclient ranked UK law firms providing high quality private client services to wealthy individuals and families based both domestically and internationally. The rankings are based on a survey of over 150 law firms in the UK assessing not only the size of firms’ private client teams, but also their reputations within the private wealth sector and the emphasis placed upon looking after wealthy clients and their families.

Alison Broadberry, Partner and Head of Private Client at Edwin Coe, commented “I am delighted that the team’s hard work, expertise and dedication to our clients over the past year has again been recognised by eprivateclient.”

As a result of the cartel, any business which purchased, leased or outsourced trucks weighing six tonnes or more between 1997 and 2011 is likely to have overpaid for its vehicles. Edwin Coe, the UK’s leading group action litigation firm, in conjunction with Affiniti, is leading a group action on behalf of claimants seeking damages from the truck manufacturers, which will be a cost and risk free claims process.

Zahira Hussain commented: “It was great to meet members of the IRHA, to answer their questions on the status of the claim and to be able to offer them a cost-free route to compensation.”

Edwin Coe’s trucks cartel team is able to advise on all aspects of the claim across the European Union. If you or your business used trucks (whether bought, rented or leased) in the period, please contact Zahira Hussain in order to discuss the matter further.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Roger Franklin has been re-elected as Secretary to Ally Law’s Executive Board at their Annual General Meeting in New Delhi, India on the 7 March 2019.

The Executive Committee is elected by Ally Law members and is comprised of prominent lawyers from around the world. Members of the Executive lead various committees and act as regional liaisons.

Edwin Coe has been a member of Ally Law since 2016 and last year hosted the network’s AGM in London.

About Ally Law
Ally Law firms provide sophisticated legal services to major corporations, with a sharp focus on value and efficiency. The network consists of over 2,800 lawyers, across 70 firms based in 100 business centers worldwide. Each has been subject to a rigorous vetting process and many are ranked by respected legal guides, including Chambers, The Legal 500 and Best Lawyers.

For more information, visit www.ally-law.com.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that it has achieved the Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation for 2019. By once again achieving this accreditation, Edwin Coe is continuing to manage five security controls to ensure that all client and firm-wide information is safe from the vast majority of cyber-attacks.

Below are the five security controls:

1. Secure configuration
2. Boundary firewalls and Internet gateways
3. Access control and administrative privilege management
4. Patch management
5. Malware protection.

The order was made in proceedings in which Edwin Coe represents over 90 claimants, individuals from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, who lost approximately £3.5 million paid to purchase holiday homes in the South of Italy. The Italian mafia and the IRA were involved in the developments in question, which were seized by Italian financial police and never completed. In the meantime, the purchasers’ deposits were paid away unlawfully by the firm who had been nominated by the developers and were acting for the purchasers.

The purchasers brought suit against the firm, whose defence was in large measure funded by their insurer, AIG. As the Court found, the litigation was fought fiercely and unreasonably on the part of the defendants:

“Every possible point was taken on behalf of the Defendants and such concessions as were made were made very late and made only when the position being maintained hitherto was plainly untenable.”

The purchasers prevailed at trial on all points and then again before the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, in appeals pursued fruitlessly by the defendants. After having been awarded its costs against the defendants, the purchasers then applied to have those costs paid by their insurer.

Costs are not automatically awarded against an insurer who funds the defence. In this case, however, the Court was persuaded that such an order was appropriate: Mr Justice Foskett found that AIG had bankrolled the Defendants’ unreasonable conduct for their own commercial reasons and in so doing had failed to exercise the powers they enjoyed to require the Defendants litigate reasonably. In the judge’s words:

“The objective observer, which I was for this purpose, could readily conclude that this was a war of attrition, but one which would probably have been substantially avoided if AIG’s funding had not been provided and AIG had exercised proper control over the expenditure.”

As well as granting the purchasers costs in the High Court, the Court also awarded them the costs of the application.

David Greene, Senior Partner and Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution at Edwin Coe and the partner in charge of this litigation, says:

“This decision is an important victory for our clients, who have suffered both delay and needless expense due to the conduct of both the defendants and AIG. The way in which AIG funded and directed (or refused to direct) the defence in these proceedings deserved condemnation, and our clients deserved compensation; this decision provides both.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce it will be sponsoring the Best EIS Investment Exit award at the EISA Awards 2018. The winner is to be announced at the EISA Awards Ceremony which takes place at the House of Lords on the 7 February 2019.

The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) is a government scheme that provides a range of tax reliefs for investors who subscribe for qualifying shares in qualifying companies.

The awards recognise excellence in various categories among EIS and SEIS practitioners over the past 12 months. Firms were asked to submit their own applications giving information from the past 12 months only in relation to a set criteria. The entries were then judged by a panel of independent judges.

For more information on the EISA please click here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Alison Broadberry has been listed as one of the 2019 eprivateclient 50 Most Influential Private Client Practitioners. This list ranks leaders from the private client accountancy, legal, trust and family law sectors based in the UK and UK Crown Dependencies.

Earlier in the year, Edwin Coe was also listed as a top private client law firm in eprivateclient’s Top Law Firms rankings.

Alison Broadberry, Head of Private Client, acts for high-net-worth UK and non-UK domiciled clients on a wide range of tax, trust and estate planning matters. She advises on and creates solutions to manage, protect and pass the wealth of her clients to minimise tax and maximise protection against threats to the family including relationship breakdown, financial immaturity or vulnerability and family disputes.

On receiving the award Alison commented “I would like to thank everyone who took the time to nominate me for this prestigious listing. I am delighted to have been named in eprivateclient’s 50 Most Influential list once more; it is a great honour to be recognised amongst such esteemed company.”

The 50 individuals listed were selected after an exhaustive judging process where the industry knowledge of the PAM Insight judging panel plus any achievements, promotions and progress of potential candidates in the past 12 months were reviewed. An open call for nominations was also made and names put forward by this process were also considered for the list.

Hazlems Fenton is a London-based accountancy firm focusing on providing a range of compliance and advisory services to owner-managed businesses.

Earlier in the year, we also advised Blick Rothenberg on their acquisition of Westleton Drake, the international taxation specialists.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Russel Shear, who is the Head of the firm’s Corporate & Commercial practice. “We are delighted to have once again assisted Blick Rothenberg on this transaction and in its plans to build a high quality business focusing on domestic and international private businesses and their owners,” he commented.

For more information please view Blick Rothenberg’s announcements on the acquisition of Hazlems Fenton and the acquisition of Westleton Drake.

Edwin Coe is delighted to have been shortlisted for “Charity Law Firm of the Year” at the CityWealth Magic Circle awards for the third time.

The annual Magic Circle Awards highlight the work of the best advisors and managers in the global industry. The shortlisted candidates are judged by a panel featuring ten global industry experts alongside an online vote which carries the weight of one additional judge.

If you would like to vote for us, please follow this link – voting is closes on 12th April 2019.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at a venue to be announced in London on Thursday, 16 May, 2019.

The Top 35 Under 35 award is designed to identify, recognise, introduce and promote the rising stars of the private client professions. It is the definitive annual list of 70 young private client practitioners – 35 men and 35 women – including lawyers, accountants, trustees and other professional intermediaries.

The judging process involved the collection of nominations and feedback from clients and fellow professionals on the upcoming stars within the private client sector.  2018 saw a record number of over 500 nominations for individuals from over 85 firms – an increase of over 12% from 2017. These nominations were then collated and the eprivateclient/PAM Insight judging panel drew up the final list.

Head of Private Client, Alison Broadberry, commented “I am delighted that Wendy has been recognised for her hard work, expertise and client service”.

Wendy advises predominantly UK individuals and trustees on a wide range of tax, trust and estate planning matters including Wills and bespoke letters of wishes, general trust and estate planning, as well as tax and trust planning with property, surplus income and business property.  One nominator commented that “She has a talent for distilling intricate concepts down into comprehensible, lucid language which puts clients at ease” and “Wendy is a genuine pleasure to work with and I wouldn’t hesitate to refer further clients.”

Joanne and colleagues will be cycling across 350 kms of African savannah from the western edges of Kilimanjaro to the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, one of the world’s most abundant game reserves.

This will be her third Most Exotic Bicycle Challenge, having visited India in 2016 and Cambodia last year. These challenges raise money for the British Asian Trust which works to tackle widespread poverty and hardship in South Asia. Founded in 2007 by HRH The Prince of Wales, the money raised through this challenge will support the Trust’s anti-trafficking and education programmes in India

Joanne said “I’m delighted to take part in my third Most Exotic Bicycle Tour and to visit Tanzania which promises to be spectacular. I am looking forward to the challenge and hope you will sponsor me, helping to raise money for this fabulous cause. ”

To read more about the challenge and to sponsor Joanne, please click here.

As a result of the cartel, any business which purchased, leased or outsourced trucks weighing six tonnes or more between 1997 and 2011 is likely to have overpaid for its vehicles. Edwin Coe, the UK’s leading group action litigation firm, is leading a group action on behalf of claimants seeking damages from the truck manufacturers.

Zahira Hussain of Edwin Coe’s Litigation team commented:

“We are delighted to be joining forces with Affiniti in relation to the truck cartel claims. In conjunction with Affiniti, we are able to offer our clients a cost and risk free claims process. If the claims are unsuccessful for some reason, our clients will have nothing to pay. Companies that used trucks weighing six tonnes or more between 1997 and 2011 can pursue their claims through us without risk.”

Edwin Coe’s trucks cartel team is able to advise on all aspects of the claim including how pass on may affect you. Please contact Zahira Hussain – Senior Associate for more information.

Team feedback received in this edition includes:

• Our lawyers “always seem to be able to get the work done.”
• “They provide you with full knowledge and all the required information.”
• “The firm’s strength is the practicality of the solicitors involved,” says a source, explaining: “Firstly, they are readily available. Secondly, they aim to simplify the legal issues involved and concentrate on those which affect the outcome of the case.”
  

Chambers HNW is an independently produced and researched annual guide which also featuring listings and information about many of the top accountancy and tax firms, private banks, wealth management firms and multi-family offices acting for high net worth individuals.

Head of department Alison Broadberry has again been recommended as a notable practitioner alongside Nick Giles and David Goepel.

Team feedback received in this edition includes:

• “They’re a one-stop shop for problems that we have so that whatever problem we have can be tackled.“
• “Their technical ability in complex cases is something we are very comfortable to rely on.“
• “They’re articulate, they give good advice, they’re very caring, very efficient and they certainly know their job.“
• The team is also praised as “extremely approachable” and “well qualified.”

Chambers HNW is an independently produced and researched annual guide which also featuring listings and information about many of the top accountancy and tax firms, private banks, wealth management firms and multi-family offices acting for high net worth individuals.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Roger Franklin has been elected to as Secretary to Ally Law’s Executive Board. Roger, our Head of Insurance Litigation had previously served as a Vice President.

The Executive Committee is elected by Ally Law members and is comprised of prominent lawyers from around the world. Members of the Executive lead various committees and act as regional liaisons. The 2018-19 vote was finalized in May at Ally Law’s Annual General Meeting held in London.

Edwin Coe has been a member of Ally Law (formerly the International Alliance of Law Firms) since 2016.

About Ally Law
Ally Law firms provide sophisticated legal services to major corporations, with a sharp focus on value and efficiency. Our 60+ firms include more than 2,300 lawyers in 100 business centers worldwide. Each has been subject to a rigorous vetting process and many are ranked by respected legal guides, including Chambers, The Legal 500 and Best Lawyers. For more information, visit www.ally-law.com.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that once again David Greene, our Senior Partner, alongside Head of Intellectual Property, Simon Miles; Head of Employment, Linky Trott and Restructuring & Insolvency Consultant, Christopher Berry, have all been recommended in the new UK edition of Best Lawyers:

• Christopher Berry – Litigation
• David Greene – Litigation and also Competition
• Linky Trott – Employment
• Simon Miles – Intellectual Property

The Best Lawyers UK 2019 Guide
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. For more than 30 years, their methodology has been designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their private practice colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

Edwin Coe is delighted to be taking part in the London Legal Walk 2018.

The London Legal Walk is the biggest of its kind in the UK and is held in May every year. Last year over 12,000 people walked the 10km route. The walk is organised by the London Legal Support Trust (LLST), a charity established in 2004 to raise funds for specialist free legal advice. All funds raised support over 100 free legal advice charities in London and the South East, helping them provide more free and pro bono legal advice.

A team from Edwin Coe will be participating, other walkers include The Lord Chief of Justice – Lord Burnett, Lady Hale – President of the Supreme Court and many more.

This year’s walk takes place on the 21 May 2018 and concludes with a street party on Carey Street with street food vendors, fire jugglers and musicians.

If you wish to sponsor Edwin Coe please click here.

David is the firm’s Senior Partner and Head of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group. He led the Article 50 Brexit litigation in 2016 and has worked on group actions in the UK since the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. He has for many years advised sovereign states on disputes in international tribunals and particularly specialises in work involving governments in sub-Saharan Africa advising on civil justice and human rights.

Managing Partner, Nick Giles said “We are delighted that David has been elected to lead the profession. It is well deserved recognition for his hard work and dedication in campaigning for civil justice and in his pioneering group action litigation work.”

We are delighted to announce that Simeon Gilchrist, Restructuring & Insolvency Partner has been re-elected to the R3 Council, retaining a National place for the second three year term following the recent R3 elections.

As a member of R3, Simeon has been an advocate for the Smaller Practices Group (SPG) community for the last three years as chair of the SPG committee which has been a challenging but rewarding experience.

Simeon comments: “It is a privilege to be able to serve the R3 community, and I am delighted to be re-elected to Council. Serving as SPG chair is enormously rewarding and so to be able to continue for a second term is tremendous. These are challenging times both for the profession and R3. There is a lot of work ahead and being part of that process is a tremendous responsibility. I hope to make a difference!”

About R3 (The Association of Business Recovery Professionals)

R3 is the trade association for the UK’s insolvency, restructuring, advisory, and turnaround professionals. We represent insolvency practitioners, lawyers, turnaround and restructuring experts, students, and others in the profession. R3 is there to provide technical and training support for the profession, networking opportunities for members, and to give members the opportunity to influence the legislation, regulation, and guidance which governs our work.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that it has been named Full Service Employment Law Firm of the Year at the ACQ Law Awards 2018. In addition, Head of Employment, Linky Trott was named Gamechanger of the Year and Consultant, Rachel Harrap, was named Female Employment Lawyer of the Year.

The ACQ Law Awards have been celebrating achievement, innovation and brilliance since 2008. Every year, ACQ invites nominations and feedback from their 168,000+ readers to help the judging panel select their award winners.

ACQ magazine & the ACQ5 news portal are focused on bringing news and analysis of the global corporate marketplace to senior executives.

David Greene, Edwin Coe’s Senior Partner and Head of Litigation, said: “Post graduate students from abroad rented accommodation at Sidney Webb House from the LSE paying £9,000 a year. The accommodation was damp, unheated and lacked hot water for extended periods causing students to fall ill. Complaints made by students fell on deaf ears. Eventually students came to us and we worked with them to crowd fund a small amount to pay for experts to examine the mould that was caused by the conditions. We helped the students to engage with the LSE and to pursue their claim. I am pleased that we have been able to resolve the complaints with a small payment by the University but more importantly the University and Unite have issued apologies and undertaken to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that it has been listed as a top private client law firm in the 2018 eprivateclient rankings.

eprivateclient rank UK law firms providing high quality private client services to wealthy individuals and families based both domestically and internationally. The rankings are based on a survey of over 140 law firms in the UK assessing not only the size of firms’ private client teams, but also their reputations within the private wealth sector and the emphasis placed upon looking after wealthy clients and their families.

Alison Broadberry, Partner and Head of Private Client at Edwin Coe, commented “I am delighted that the team’s hard work, expertise and commitment to giving our clients clear, practical and tailored legal advice over the past year has again been recognised by eprivateclient.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce Partner, Rachel Harrap has been named Most Influential Woman in Employment Law 2018 – UK in Acquisition International’s Global Excellence Awards.

The winners of the Global Excellence Awards are handpicked by AI magazine based on comprehensive analysis and research undertaken by the wider group. Their awards recognise the best in the business and rewards those succeeding in their endeavours, innovating, growing and improving.

Acquisition International is a digital magazine dedicated to corporate finance for CEOs and other high-level decision makers.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Citywealth has released an International Women’s Day Top 100 list. Edwin Coe is pleased that Head of Private Client Alison Broadberry, features in the top 100.

The list was released to support the achievements of Power Women and also recognise men who support women in a joined up approach to fulfil female career ambitions within private wealth management. The list consists of female entrepreneurs and male and female champions within the industry.

Happy International Women’s Day!

To view the full list please click here.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that it has achieved the Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation for 2018. By once again achieving this accreditation, Edwin Coe is continuing to manage five security controls to ensure that all client and firm-wide information is safe from the vast majority of cyber-attacks.

Below are the five security controls:

1. Secure configuration
2. Boundary firewalls and Internet gateways
3. Access control and administrative privilege management
4. Patch management
5. Malware protection.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce Simon Miles, Head of Intellectual Property has once again been recognised as a leader in World Intellectual Property Review Trademarks Leaders 2018.

The WIPR Leaders Directory is a one-stop guide to the leading IP practitioners in the world. Leaders are nominated by IP professionals and then vetted by the WIPR research team. The researchers look into the work of the lawyers including practice history, industry expertise and notable cases.

World IP Review is a publication that provides news and guidance on the challenges facing businesses and legal practitioners active in intellectual property, as well as marketing and branding professionals who operate online.

Simon was also recognised in 2016 and 2017.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that its Head of Private Client, Alison Broadberry, was the silver award winner in the Inspirational Woman of the Year category at Citywealth’s sixth annual Powerwomen Awards.

Alison received her award last night, at a gala dinner at the Rosewood London Hotel, hosted by former England rugby star Will Greenwood.

Citywealth’s Powerwomen Awards programme champions women in the wealth sector and highlights the female leaders of today and tomorrow. The awards spotlight individuals and companies who support caregiving responsibilities, female leadership, and celebrate diversity.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce it has been shortlisted as Best EIS/SEIS Legal or Regulatory Adviser for the EISA Awards 2017. The winner is to be announced at the EISA Awards Ceremony which takes place at the House of Lords on the 6 February 2018.

The awards recognise excellence in various categories among EIS and SEIS practitioners over the past 12 months. Firms were asked to submit their own applications giving information from the past 12 months only in relation to a set criteria. The entries were then judged by a panel of independent judges.

The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) is a Government scheme that provides a range of tax reliefs for investors who subscribe for qualifying shares in qualifying companies.

For more information on the EISA please click here.

Zahira Hussain, Edwin Coe Senior Associate said on the appeal: “It is surprising that Scania has appealed, bearing in mind that five of the manufacturers admitted their wrongdoing. The Commission found that Scania had also been up to no good. The appeal does delay matters for claims against Scania but all the other cartelists are liable and we are pressing ahead with all our claims across the EEA.”

Claims for losses suffered as a result of a breach of competition law can be brought in the High Court or in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT). Usually such claims can be brought in the High Court up to six years from the date on which the loss was suffered. The start of the six year period can however be deferred where the Defendant(s) deliberately concealed essential facts about its infringement. The limitation period thus begins to run from the date on which a Claimant is, or could with reasonable due diligence be, in possession of sufficient facts to be able to plead a course of action. This time is likely to run from the date of the publication of the Commission’s Statement of Objections or Decision.

In the CAT however the limitation period is different. Where a claim arises before 1 October 2015 (as it does here because of the cartel period of 1997 – 2011), the CAT’s rules provide for a two year limitation period, which runs from the later date on which:

1. The cause of action accrued;
2. The relevant Commission Decision becomes final.

In the trucks cartel, the Commission decision in relation to five of the cartelists has become final because the time limit for appealing the decision dated 19 July 2016 expired without an appeal being made by the five companies. In relation to Scania however, the appeal made automatically extends time until the appeal is finally resolved. This is good news for companies that wish to issue a claim in the CAT against Scania.

We have prepared a video in which David Greene, our Head of Litigation & Dispute Resolution discusses the trucks cartel.

Anyone who has been affected by the trucks cartel and would like to register their interest should contact Zahira Hussain (t: 020 7691 4000 e: zahira.hussain@www.edwincoe.com)

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that it has been named UK Financial Consulting Law Firm of Year at the 2017 Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards.

Head of Corporate & Commercial, Russel Shear said: “We’re delighted to have been recognised for our work in this sector and would like to extend our thanks to those clients and peers who nominated us.”

The Awards recognise the achievements of the most knowledgeable and solution-orientated lawyers in the profession today, with a primary focus on their achievements over the past 12 months.  Over several months, the Lawyer Monthly research team collect and collate nominations through an online voting system. Each nominee was compared against a strict set of measurable criteria which were combined with additional industry research to help produce the list of winners.

To read more about the Awards, please click here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that its Employment team has been named UK Employment Disputes Law Firm of the Year at the 2017 Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards.

Commenting on receiving the award, Head of Employment Linky Trott said: “I am delighted that the Employment team at Edwin Coe has received this award.  We would like to thank our peers and clients for nominating us.”

The Awards recognise the achievements of the most knowledgeable and solution-orientated lawyers in the profession today, with a primary focus on their achievements over the past 12 months.  Over several months, the Lawyer Monthly research team collect and collate nominations through an online voting system. Each nominee was compared against a strict set of measurable criteria which were combined with additional industry research to help produce the list of winners.

To read more about the Awards, please click here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Alison Broadberry has retained her listing within eprivateclient’s 50 Most Influential Private Client Practitioners.

Alison Broadberry, Head of Private Client, acts for high-net-worth UK and non-UK domiciled clients on a wide range of tax, trust and estate planning matters. She advises on and creates structures to hold, protect and pass the wealth of her clients to minimise tax and maximise protection against threats such as remarriage, divorce of beneficiaries and family disputes etc.

On receiving the award Alison commented “I am extremely pleased to have been named in eprivateclient’s 50 most influential once again. It is a great honour to be recognised amongst such prestigious company and I am grateful to everyone that nominated me.”

The eprivateclient 2018 50 Most Influential began with an open call for nominations for UK and Crown Dependency based professionals with a shortlist then drawn up from the nominations. In selecting the 50 Most Influential, the quality and quantity of nominations were considered. Factors such as the nominee’s position, achievements, career progression and who made the nomination were taken into account. These, along with PAM Insight’s knowledge of the sector, were used to draw up the definitive list of those deemed to be at the forefront of shaping private client work.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce Kate Dwyer is now recommended in The Legal 500 2017 for Insurance Litigation: for policyholders and Professional Negligence. The Insurance Litigation team is also ranked in this year’s The Legal 500 for Insurance Litigation: for policyholders as tier 2 and Professional Negligence as tier 5.

Kate is described as ‘particularly good‘ and Edwin Coe is mentioned as ‘one of the go-to firms for claims against insurance brokers; it knows the subject inside out.’

Edwin Coe, the UK’s leading collective action litigation firm, is now leading a group action on behalf of claimants seeking damages from these truck producers.

Five truck manufacturers, MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco and DAF, admitted to the European Commission that they participated in a price fixing cartel fraud against purchasers of their trucks from 1997 until 2011. These manufacturers colluded for 14 years on truck pricing and on passing on the costs of compliance with stricter emission rules. Additionally, Scania fought the allegations but has recently been found guilty by the Commission and fined €880 million. The total fines across manufacturers are €3.7 billion.

The manufacturers now face claims of €100 billion across the EU.

Edwin Coe has put together a team of lawyers and specialist economists to run the claims. It is already acting for major high street names.

Zahira Hussain, Edwin Coe solicitor said “We are looking to help breweries and drinks sector businesses make their claim, whether they operate a large fleet of delivery trucks or perhaps only one or two.

Companies will have a claim in damages in relation to the difference between the higher price that was paid by them as a result of the cartel, and the purchase price of trucks that would have been payable, had there been no cartel. These claims are called “follow-on damages” claims. It is estimated that some 10 million trucks were sold across the EU during this period and that each one may have been overpriced by up to £10,000.

Companies that bought, leased or outsourced trucks weighing 6 tonnes or more between 1997 and 2011 will have a claim. Through Edwin Coe, these businesses can pursue that claim without cost or risk.”

We have prepared a video in which David Greene, our Head of Litigation & Dispute Resolution discusses the cartel with a focus on the brewing industry.

For more information and to view our video, please see our dedicated site http://trucksclaims.co.uk Truck owners and operators who would like to register their interest should contact Zahira Hussain
(t: 020 7691 4000 e: zahira.hussain@www.edwincoe.com)

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce Joanne McIvor is now recommended in The Legal 500 2017 for Real Estate – Property Finance. The Legal 500 2017 also ranks our Property Finance team as tier 6, Commercial property: general as tier 5, Commercial property: hotels and leisure as tier 4 and Commercial property: retail as tier 3.

In the Guide the Property team are referred to as ‘responsive, commercial‘ and ‘very highly regarded.’ Edwin Coe LLP provides ‘robust, sensible advice’ and has ‘in-depth knowledge.’

Edwin Coe is delighted to have been shortlisted for “Charity Law Firm of the Year” at the CityWealth Magic Circle awards.

The annual Magic Circle Awards highlight the work of the best advisors and managers in the global industry. The shortlisted candidates are judged by a panel featuring ten global industry experts alongside an online vote which carries the weight of one additional judge. Over 17,500 votes were received for the 2017 shortlist.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Hilton London Bankside on 10th May 2018.

]]> RICS Logo+® https://www.edwincoe.com/edwin-coe-advises-on-pursuing-your-trucks-cartel-claim/ Thu, 09 Nov 2017 16:22:29 +0000 https://www.edwincoe.com/articles/edwin-coe-advises-on-pursuing-your-trucks-cartel-claim/ Edwin Coe, the UK’s leading collective action litigation firm, is leading a group action on behalf of claimants seeking damages from truck manufacturers who entered into a fraudulent price fixing cartel.

Since the recent finding against Scania, there are now six manufacturers which have been found by the European Commission to have participated in a price fixing cartel fraud against purchasers of their trucks from 1997 until 2011. These six manufacturers, MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco, DAF and Scania, account for around 9 out of every 10 medium and heavy trucks produced in Europe.

The manufacturers now face claims of €100 billion across the EU.

Zahira Hussain, Edwin Coe solicitor said “Companies that bought, leased or outsourced trucks weighing six tonnes or more between 1997 and 2011 will have a claim. Through Edwin Coe, these businesses can pursue that claim without cost or risk.”

In our video David Greene, Head of Litigation & Dispute Resolution explains who might have a claim and how it might be pursued.

For more information and to view our video, please see our dedicated site http://trucksclaims.co.uk

Anyone who has been affected by the truck cartel and would like to register their interest should contact Zahira Hussain (t: 020 7691 4000 e: zahira.hussain@www.edwincoe.com)

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce Nicola Maher has been ranked as Band 3 for Insurance: Mainly Policyholders in the latest Chambers UK Guide. This is Nicola’s first Chambers UK ranking, having previously been recommended in 2015 and 2016. The Insurance Litigation practice also ranked as Band 2 for Insurance: Mainly Policyholders.

Nicola Maher wins praise for her robust handling of complex coverage disputes. Acting for policyholder clients, she demonstrates particular knowledge in business interruption and property damage matters.

In the Guide a source comments “She is straightforward, commercial and fights her client’s case with charm.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Simeon Gilchrist has been ranked in Band 1 in Restructuring/Insolvency: Personal Insolvency for the first time, in the latest Chambers UK Guide. Our personal insolvency department is also ranked by Chambers as a Band 1 practice.

Simeon is a dedicated personal insolvency specialist, with additional expertise on pensions-related issues. He regularly represents insolvency practitioners and individuals on a range of issues related to bankruptcy.

In the Guide, a client commented on Simeon: “If I have an insolvency-based issue I can’t get my head around, he is the closest I have to a go-to guy for getting me out of the woods.“

David Greene, Edwin Coe’s Senior Partner and Head of Litigation, said: “These investors were misled on a wholesale basis. They thought, and were advised, that they were investing into film-backed investments that had potential tax advantages. Now the whole façade presented appears to have been fictional.”

The investors are also represented by tax specialists Newport Tax Management LLP.

Further information on the action may be found here.

Partner David Greene said “The Tory/DUP Agreement of money for votes raises important constitutional issues in relation to political corruption. The Government have conceded that the Agreement is subject to the determination of Parliament but Mr McClean proffers that unless that approval is very specific it is still a corrupt bargain”

The respective cases of the parties as well as the skeleton arguments to be presented to the Court, may be found here.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Property Partner, Joanne McIvor, will be taking part in the “Most Exotic Charitable Cambodian Bicycle Tour” being organised by The British Asian Trust on 4 November to 9 November 2017.

After successfully completing “The Most Exotic Bicycle Challenge 2016” in India last year, Joanne has agreed to take part in 2017’s challenge in Cambodia. Starting in Phnom Penh (the Capital of Cambodia) the challenging route covers 250km of plantations, waterways and villages before finally finishing in Angkor (home of the famous temple Angkor Wat).

The British Asian Trust was founded in 2007 by HRH The Prince of Wales to tackle widespread poverty and hardship in South Asia. He engaged with local entrepreneurs linking them with social entrepreneurs and grassroots interventions in the region.

Joanne said “I am very excited to have been given the opportunity to take part in my second Most Exotic Bicycle Tour and to cycle across Cambodia! I am looking forward to the challenge and hope I can raise more money for this amazing cause.”

To contribute to the British Asian Trusts fundraising page please click here.

Five truck manufacturers, MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco and DAF, admitted to the European Commission that they participated in a price fixing cartel fraud against purchasers of their trucks from 1997 until 2011. These manufacturers colluded for 14 years on truck pricing and on passing on the costs of compliance with stricter emission rules. Additionally, Scania fought the allegations but has recently been found guilty by the Commission and fined €880 million. The total fines across manufacturers are €3.7 billion.

The manufacturers now face claims of €100 billion across the EU.

Edwin Coe has put together a team of lawyers and specialist economists to run the claims. It is already acting for major high street names.

In our video in which David Greene, Head of Litigation & Dispute Resolution discusses the cartel with a focus on the retail industry.

Zahira Hussain, Edwin Coe solicitor said “We are looking to help retailers make their claim, whether they operate a large fleet of delivery trucks or perhaps only one or two.

Companies will have a claim in damages in relation to the difference between the higher price that was paid by them as a result of the cartel, and the purchase price of trucks that would have been payable, had there been no cartel. These claims are called “follow-on damages” claims. It is estimated that some 10 million trucks were sold across the EU during this period and that each one may have been overpriced by up to £10,000.

Companies that bought, leased or outsourced trucks weighing 6 tonnes or more between 1997 and 2011 will have a claim. Through Edwin Coe, these businesses can pursue that claim without cost or risk.”

For more information and to view our video, please see our dedicated site http://trucksclaims.co.uk Truck owners and operators who would like to register their interest should contact Zahira Hussain
(t: 020 7691 4000 e: zahira.hussain@www.edwincoe.com)

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that David Greene, Senior Partner and Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution won the Law Society Gazette Legal Personality of the Year 2017 at the Law Society’s 11th Excellence Awards last night.

The Awards are designed to celebrate the very best work across the legal profession and the winners were announced at a ceremony at the Hilton Park Lane, London.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that three partners have been included in the Citywealth Leaders list 2017 for their work in Private Client and Tax.

Our Head of Tax, Frank Strachan is featured, together with our head of Private Client, Alison Broadberry and David Goepel who is also a member of the Private Client team.

The annual Citywealth Leaders List helps people and charities with £25 million and above to choose the best wealth managers and advisers globally. It features lawyers, accountants, private bankers, family offices, private investment offices and trustees working on behalf of UHNW private clients, wealthy families, entrepreneurs and charities. All entries have been nominated for inclusion by their peers or organisations and independently verified by Citywealth with peer or client references. Their inclusion in the Leaders List means that their expertise is recognised and recommended.

Client feedback for our Partners included:

“Frank Strachan is a key player and figurehead within the market. He is by far the best I have worked with in his chosen field. He is an absolute all-rounder. Frank’s ability to master and explain highly complex matters is exceptional and the advice he gives is entirely solution-driven, making him the obvious choice for ultra-high net worth individuals and large corporations. You really would want no other and this is evidenced by his ability to retain clients who are of some significant standing.”

“Alison is dedicated to giving her clients a first class service. She has an excellent and unusually in-depth all round knowledge of legal, technical and practical matters affecting private clients. Alison communicates clearly with clients who find her manner refreshing. Advisers enjoy working with her due to the clarity of her advice and the clear, practical and commercial guidance she always provides. It is always an absolute delight and a pleasure to work with her. ”

“I have worked very closely with David for six years on a particularly challenging estate in administration of which I am an executor. This case has involved not only handling and advising on complex international legal and tax questions but has also meant dealing with the human aspects of administering an estate with a large number of beneficiaries and interests. Throughout this time, David has demonstrated his competence, expertise and versatility in dealing with these issues in a timely fashion. David is an easy and agreeable communicator and generally an excellent legal support to have at one’s side.”

Edwin Coe, the UK’s leading group action litigation firm, is leading a group action on behalf of claimants seeking damages from truck manufacturers which entered into a fraudulent price fixing cartel.

Five truck manufacturers, MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco and DAF, admitted to the European Commission that they participated in a price fixing cartel fraud against purchasers of their trucks from 1997 until 2011. These manufacturers colluded for 14 years on truck pricing and on passing on the costs of compliance with stricter emission rules.

Scania fought the allegations but has been found guilty by the Commission and fined €880 million. The total fines across manufacturers are €3.7 bn.

The manufacturers face claims of €100 bn across the EU.

Edwin Coe has put together a team of lawyers and specialist economists to run the claims.  It is already acting for major high street names.

Zahira Hussain, Edwin Coe solicitor said “Companies will have a claim in damages in relation to the difference between the higher price that was paid by them as a result of the cartel, and the purchase price of trucks that would have been payable, had there been no cartel.  These claims are called “follow-on damages” claims. It is estimated that some 10 million trucks were sold across the EU during this period and that each one may have been overpriced by up to £10,000.

Companies that bought, leased or outsourced trucks weighing 6 tonnes or more between 1997 and 2011 will have a claim. Through Edwin Coe, these businesses can pursue that claim without cost or risk.”

For more information, please see our dedicated site http://trucksclaims.co.uk or, to register your interest, please contact Zahira Hussain (t: 020 7691 4000 e: zahira.hussain@www.edwincoe.com)

Established in 2005, the Client Choice Awards recognise those law firm partners around the world who stand apart for the excellent client care they provide and the quality of their service. All nominations are made by corporate counsel.

The winners are honoured at an annual gala dinner at One Great George Street in London.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that the firm has been ranked 104th in the 2017 edition of The Lawyer ‘UK 200’ law firms, up 7 places from last year.

Managing Partner, Nick Giles, commented “I’m pleased that the firm has made progress this year. I would attribute our growth to careful investment in our key practices, monitoring our costs and ensuring a consistently high standard of work for clients. We hope to realise our ambition to become one of the top 100 law firms in the current year.”

The Lawyer ‘UK 200′ provides comprehensive statistics on turnover, diversity, business management, profit per equity partner and cost per lawyer alongside wider market trends and attitudes. The yearly report is the culmination of six months’ data collection, interviews and research into the financial health of the UK’s largest law firms.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that its Private Client team has been recommended in the latest edition of the Chambers High Net Worth (Chambers HNW) guide. The firm has once again been ranked for Private Wealth Law (Band 4) in London. Private Client specialists Nick Giles and David Goepel have again been ranked as notable practitioners alongside a new ranking for head of department Alison Broadberry.

Team feedback received in this edition includes:

• “I use them fairly extensively for estate planning, trust creation and will writing for my high net worth clients. I look forward to introducing the next generation of my clients to Edwin Coe.”
• “If one person can’t deal with your issues, someone will be able to deal with it immediately. They’re good value for money, their advice is excellent and their professionalism in undisputed.”

Chambers HNW is an independently produced and researched annual guide which also featuring listings and information about many of the top accountancy and tax firms, private banks, wealth management firms and multi-family offices acting for high net worth individuals.

Edwin Coe is pleased to announce that its Property team has been recommended in the latest edition of the Chambers High Net Worth (Chambers HNW) guide. The firm has once again been ranked for Real Estate: High Value Residential (Band 3) across the UK.

Team feedback received in this edition includes:

• Our lawyers “have always been extremely efficient and dealt with everything that I’ve required, and quickly. I feel very positively about the firm. I’ve dealt with them on a few things and they’ve been extremely quick, with no hassle. My dealings with them have always been extremely smooth and efficient.”
• “I’ve always found their advice to be precise. I like their quiet, reassuring confidence.”

Chambers HNW is an independently produced and researched annual guide which also featuring listings and information about many of the top accountancy and tax firms, private banks, wealth management firms and multi-family offices acting for high net worth individuals.

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Hetal Sanghvi, Partner in the firm’s Tax team has been named in the prestigious Top 35 Under 35 women awards by eprivateclient for the third year running.

Hetal has substantial experience in the management of HMRC investigations and the provision of bespoke tax advice to clients, particularly those with an international interests. She is a qualified Chartered Tax Advisor and achieved distinctions in her ATT qualification. Earlier in the year, Hetal became one of the youngest Partners in the firm’s history.

The Top 35 Under 35 is designed to identify, recognise, introduce and promote the rising stars of the private client professions and is the definitive annual list of young private client practitioners.

The judging process involved nominations and feedback from clients globally and from the UK, and UK offshore (Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man) industry for young and upcoming stars within the private client advisory professions, including lawyers, accountants, trustees or any other professional intermediary.

Frank Strachan, Edwin Coe’s Head of Tax commented, “Hetal is a key member of the Tax team and I’m delighted that her expertise, hard work and commitment has once again been recognised by eprivateclient. A hat trick of awards is particularly impressive and a testament to the outstanding client service that my team provides, especially as the judging panel placed strong emphasis on feedback from our clients.”

Head of Employment at Edwin Coe, Linky Trott commented “This decision has far reaching implications, not least because the Lord Chancellor’s Department will now have to refund all Tribunal fees paid by Claimants since the introduction of the fee regime to all claimants who brought claims before the employment tribunals since fees were introduced in July 2013. This will be complicated by the fact that successful Claimants are likely to have an order that their fees are paid back to them by the losing Respondent; if that has been paid by the Respondent, will that Respondent be able to claim a refund? It also raises the question of what will happen to those potential Claimants who did not bring a claim within the relevant time limit because they could not afford to pay the fee; will they now be granted time extensions to bring those claims?

We would advise anyone who has had to pay employment tribunal fees to speak to their legal advisors for guidance on how to reclaim these costs.”

The transaction involved a complex network of agreements, including separate leases for every property, documentation of agreed works to be carried out and exercise of a significant number of options.

The transaction was put together by GDL, a leading provider of corporate advisory services based in London and the North East.

The seller commented: “We are amazed at the professionalism and capacity of the whole team at Edwin Coe LLP and especially how they integrated with our deal team from GDL to get this transaction completed in such a timely manner.  We are delighted with the outcome and look forward to future transactions.”

Kahlil de Burca of GDL commented:  “I am delighted that this transaction has been completed so swiftly and professionally by the team at Edwin Coe. I have worked with some of the best law firms around, but to be honest this was one I enjoyed and Edwin Coe has a team which in my opinion is something special.”

The Edwin Coe team was led by Corporate Partner, John Young and Property Partner, Jo McIvor with support from other members across the firm.

Corporate Partner, John Young commented: “This has been my first major transaction since joining Edwin Coe, and I have been incredibly impressed by the dedication and reserves of good humour of Joanne McIvor and her team. We’ve been able to bring this complex deal to a successful conclusion in an incredibly short period, and we look forward to continuing to work with our client on future projects.”

No 11 Stone Buildings is a 10% increase in office space and has been fitted out to adopt cutting-edge working practices as part of the firm’s expansion and growth strategy.  There will be areas for hot-desking, and a staff café with breakout room.

Nick Giles, Managing Partner at Edwin Coe, said:  “We are delighted to have all of our partners, solicitors and support staff together within Lincoln’s Inn after a 10 year absence using our annexe on High Holborn, which we have now vacated.  It is important to our brand and staff retention that we remain within the Inn.

It is one of our differentiating factors from our competitors, who might be happier in a steel and glass block elsewhere in Holborn.  I think clients identify us with certain buildings in the same way that we identify with Stone Buildings as being part of the DNA of the firm.”

David Greene, Edwin Coe Senior partner and Head of Litigation, said:

“We have today served a claim form on Uber London Limited on behalf of our client Jolyon Maugham QC seeking from Uber a VAT receipt for a journey taken by Mr Maugham for business purposes.  Uber has refused to provide a receipt because they say that it does not provide a service to the public but merely facilitates a contract between the driver and the passenger through its App. The Employment Tribunal has recently found that it is, however Uber that provides services to the public and the driver’s position is that of a worker. The claim asserts that this being the case, Uber is obliged to register for VAT and to provide a VAT receipt.

We have also issued an application for costs protection for the Claimant. This is a case of public importance and in running the claim Mr Maugham is, in our view, entitled to protection from the potential massive costs Uber will lavish on their lawyers and that may silence the issues raised in this claim.  This is an important issue that should be tried and not buried under potential costs liabilities. We will of course invite Uber to agree on that proposal. That will be the first issue for the Court and why the issue of the application follows after the issue of the proceedings.

Edwin Coe is pleased to join with Mr Maugham and the Good Law Project on this crowd funded claim.”

The crowdfunding page is here.

The Good Law Project web page is here.

Mark was admitted as a solicitor in 1981 and joins Edwin Coe having previously worked for several English and global law firms including Chadbourne & Parke, and (as partner) for Denton Wilde Sapte, and Sidley Austin.

His role is to undertake all aspects of UK real estate work, with a particular focus on secured lending and funding transactions.

Mark has over 35 years’ experience in advising UK and international public and private investors, banks, developers, financial/funding institutions, public/private authorities, insolvency practitioners, loan servicers, companies and individuals on acquisitions/disposals, development, leasing, funding (including securitised and syndicated loans) and management of commercial retail, residential and leisure properties, principally in the UK but also in France, Germany, Spain, Greece and other parts of Europe.

Head of Property Stephen Brower said: “We are delighted to welcome Mark to the firm. His background and experience is a perfect fit for Edwin Coe and I very much look forward to working with him again.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that it has won the Rule of Law Award for its Article 50 litigation at the Solicitors Journal Awards 2017 last night. David Greene, Senior Partner and Head of Litigation and Group Action, was delighted to accept the award.

David Greene commented: “It’s fulfilling when the work we do is recognised by our peers. The award by the judges for the Solicitors Journal of the Rule of Law Award is particularly pleasing. The Article 50 litigation was of national and international importance and the firm was honoured to be involved.  Peer recognition of that in this award is all the more fulfilling.”

The Solicitors Journal Awards recognise excellence in legal practice and celebrate legal professionals who are making significant contributions to the legal services industry. The awards ceremony took place at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London on Wednesday, 17 May 2017.

The company also raised £1.5 million via a share placing which, it said, will be used to fund the development of additional patent applications for reformulations of a wide range of generic drugs, to undertake clinical trials for N4 Pharma’s reformulation of sildenafil and for working capital purposes.

The Edwin Coe team was led by Head of Corporate & Commercial Russel Shear, who commented: “We are delighted to have assisted Onzima Ventures on this acquisition and its re-admission to AIM as N4 Pharma.”

John joins from Mishcon de Reya LLP and he specialises in corporate law, focusing primarily on the business needs of entrepreneurs, SMEs and family businesses. He has particular expertise in advising on investments into businesses, the sale and purchase of businesses, joint ventures, and shareholders agreements both in the UK and internationally.

Head of Corporate & Commercial Russel Shear said: “We are delighted to welcome John to the firm. His background and experience is a perfect fit for Edwin Coe and I very much look forward to working with him.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce that Ally Law has been ranked for the fifth year running as a Leading Global Network by Chambers & Partners in its 2017 Global Guide.

In the same guide, eleven Ally Law member firms have also been honored individually – including Edwin Coe. In total, sixteen Ally member firms are rated in at least one of the Chambers directories.

Edwin Coe has been a member of Ally Law (formerly the International Alliance of Law Firms) since 2016.

Edwin Coe has advised babylon, the UK digital health firm founded by Dr Ali Parsa, on its $60 million fund raising, adding to the $25 million the firm raised in 2016.

Babylon will use the money to build its artificial intelligence (AI) healthcare platform app, which aims to help patients to diagnose their ailments via a smartphone.

Its app, which is used by 800,000 people, allows patients to text symptoms to artificial intelligence software and receive accurate medical advice. The babylon technology is currently being piloted by the NHS in parts of London as an alternative to the non-emergency 111 number.

babylon patients are also able to have video consultations with GMC-registered GP’s at a time that suits them, 7 days a week.

The Edwin Coe team was led by, Head of Corporate & Commercial, Russel Shear, who commented: “We are delighted to have assisted this innovative company yet again and raise further funds to help it pursue its expansion plans.”

Edwin Coe notches up its second significant win in the Supreme Court this year. The law firm that acted for the Claimant in the Article 50 litigation records a second significant win in the Flood litigation with Times Newspapers on which the Supreme Court ruled today.

Nick Neocleous, Edwin Coe partner, has been acting for Gary Flood throughout this case. He comments: “It has been a long and bumpy road, with two trips to the Court of Appeal, two to the Supreme Court and numerous other hearings. It is not a case for the faint-hearted.”

Acting for police officer, Gary Flood, Edwin Coe brought a case for defamation against The Times newspaper after an article was published in The Times and on The Times website suggesting that there were strong grounds to believe that Mr Flood had been guilty of corruption for taking bribes from Russian exiles. The matter was complicated by the fact that the printed article in question was kept on the paper’s website in an electronic form after DS Flood had been exonerated by a police investigation. Gary Flood was awarded substantial damages for the website publications as well as all his costs in December 2013. The Times appealed the cost order and their appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in December 2014.

The Times then appealed to the Supreme Court in connection with the cost order and against the order requiring it to pay success fees and the insurance premium. It argued that payment of the success fees and insurance premium violated its rights under the Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights. However, today the Court found in favour of Gary Flood. This matter started in 2006 with the initial publication by The Times, and Edwin Coe is delighted with the ruling for its client.

David Greene, Head of Litigation and Senior Partner, and who acted in the Article 50 litigation said: “It has been good to be involved in two of the most significant cases before the Supreme Court this year. As I was coming out of the Article 50 judgment, my partner Nick was going in to the same court for the Flood appeals. These cases do not come along each day but the Edwin Coe team continue to be at the forefront of litigation in London.”

Edwin Coe is delighted to announce its successful Supreme Court ruling with the announcement today of its client’s win against The Times newspaper.

Acting for police officer, Gary Flood, Edwin Coe brought a case for defamation against The Times newspaper after an article was published in The Times and on The Times website suggesting that there were strong grounds to believe that Mr Flood had been guilty of corruption for taking bribes from Russian exiles. The matter was complicated by the fact that the printed article in question was kept on the paper’s website in an electronic form after DS Flood had been exonerated by a police investigation. Gary Flood was awarded substantial damages for the website publications as well as all his costs in December 2013. The Times appealed the cost order and their appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in December 2014.

The Times then appealed to the Supreme Court in connection with the cost order and against the order requiring it to pay success fees and the insurance premium.  It argued that payment of the success fees and insurance premium violated its rights under the Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights. However, today the Court found in favour of Gary Flood. This matter started in 2006 with the initial publication by The Times, and Edwin Coe is delighted with the ruling for its client.

Nick Neocleous, Edwin Coe partner, has been acting for Gary Flood throughout this case. He comments: “This was not a case for the faint-hearted. It has been a long and bumpy road, with two trips to the Court of Appeal, two to the Supreme Court and numerous other hearings. Much law has been made along the way that has developed the manner in which competing human rights should be treated. This final decision develops in particular the Art 10 rights to freedom of expression and the competing rights of Mr Flood to rely on the law as it stood when he commenced the litigation.”  

• Christopher Berry – Litigation
• David Greene – Competition and also Litigation
• Linky Trott – Employment
• Simon Miles – Intellectual Property

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