Stone King achieves top-tier rankings in respected legal directory

Thirty-five of Stone King’s lawyers have been named in the independent guide the Legal 500’s 2021 rankings, which once again recognises the firm as top-tier.

Stone King LLP has offices in Bath, Bristol, Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds and London, and has had lawyers ranked across all its sectors of Education, Charity & Social Enterprise, Business and Private Client.

The firm’s Charity & Social Enterprise lawyers continue to be recognised as national leaders with eight experts singled out for their expertise, including sector head Tim Rutherford and Consultant Ann Phillips, who is ranked in the guide’s Hall of Fame.

Clients have spoken of the team as ‘providing advice in a timely and friendly manner’ making the practice ‘stand above others’ and that the team has ‘excellent knowledge of their subject area. Very articulate. Very good understanding of their clients’ activities, operations and needs.’

Other lawyers singled out for their expertise in this sector include Julian Blake who is ‘renowned as one of the top charity solicitors practising in the UK today and for developing innovative cross-sector social enterprise structures for public services’, as well as Reema Mathur, Hannah Kubie, Stephen Ravenscroft, Tom Murdoch and Alexandra Steffensen.

The firm’s national education sector, led by Roger Inman who is described as ‘the fount of all knowledge’, has also maintained its tier-one rankings with glowing client testimonials. One client said: ‘They listen carefully to our needs and do not over complicate their advice. Always efficient and never let you down’, whilst another says ‘Their knowledge of the sector is in-depth and they are proactive in assisting clients to influence policy changes in regulatory settings.’

Other education specialists singled out for their expertise include Helen Tucker, Tom Morrison, Ciara Campfield, Michael Brotherton and Laura Berman, as well as Graham Burns listed in the guide’s Hall of Fame.

Other key areas recognised by the independent legal guide include Stone King’s employment team, including sector head Peter Woodhouse, Jean Boyle, Polly O’Malley and Tim Tyndall, as well as commercial and property litigation, whilst the firm’s immigration team and particularly Partner Julie Moktadir have been singled out. Julie is praised for putting ‘clients at ease’ with client saying she is ‘at all times, even now in this present COVID-19 crisis, always ready to explain any point necessary.’

Commercial Litigation, led by the highly-regarded Tony Pidgeon has achieved a Tier 2 ranking. The firm acts for companies, charities, education providers and high-net-worth individuals in a range of disputes, and it is particularly strong for contractual and property litigation.

It also has growing expertise in Companies Act claims, insolvency litigation and asset finance disputes. Tony focuses on real estate and commercial disputes with a niche in representing education sector clients in property litigation.

Commercial Property, headed up by Caroline Taylor, is ranked in Tier 3 with the team having a particular focus on retail leases with turnover rents, pre-lets, commercial and mixed-use leasing and development projects. The team’s Hugh Pearce is also highlighted as a key lawyer in this sector.

The firm’s Private Client practice, headed by Stone King chair Alison Allen, was strengthened in December 2019 by joining forces with Bath-based private client firm Mowbray Woodwards, and is also ranked for its wide-ranging expertise, including the Family Law team led by Tracey Smith. Other service areas rated include personal tax, trusts and probate and a tier-one ranking for the firm’s Crime team with team head Matthew Graham singled out for his expertise, alongside Andrew Banks for leaving ‘no stone unturned to clients or counsel in preparing a case’ and Nicholas Wragg. The Stone King team is described as having a ‘long-established client base and having merged with Mowbrays is now the main player in the Bath region in private crime work.’.

Steven Greenwood, Stone King’s Managing Partner, said he was delighted by the latest rankings.

“It really is an excellent result to see so many of our lawyers rated by the Legal 500 and is testament to the hard work they do for their clients and the firm.

“We always pride ourselves on doing the very best we can and this is confirmed by these high-profile rankings.”

The Legal 500 carries out extensive independent research, including speaking to clients, before awarding its rankings.

To view Stone King’s full listings, please visit the Legal 500 website.