Irwin Mitchell Secures Top Spot in Legal Charts
Sheffield law firm in Legal 500 awards
Sheffield based law firm Irwin Mitchell has been named as the largest law firm in Yorkshire as well as securing the number one ranking in seven areas of law by independent publication, the Legal 500, published yesterday.
Howard Culley, Managing Partner at Irwin Mitchell, says: "We’re delighted to be recognised as one of the leading law firms in the country. We are one of Sheffield’s biggest employers and we’re proud of the impact that brings to the city. The firm has grown considerably in recent years and it’s great that we have been able to take the reputation we’ve created here in Sheffield throughout the UK.
"It is well known how strong our personal injury practice is so it is particularly satisfying to see our other departments and lawyers also singled out for praise."
The Sheffield office took the top spot for Crime, Fraud and Licensing where Sarah Cleary’s team is described as an "impressive practice" for its work on multimillion-pound cases such as the £150m Missing Trader Intra-Community fraud case.
Irwin Mitchell also jumped from number three to first place for Commercial Litigation in Sheffield with clients including a high number of banking institutions. Nick Bates heads up the team, which is growing its defamation and construction disputes client base.
In Employment law Irwin Mitchell secured the top spot once again after challenging the UK’s retirement age of 65 with Age Concern.
The firm is the market leader for Clinical Negligence claimants in Yorkshire and lawyer Rachelle Mahapatra is singled out for her ‘absolutely sensational’ work.
Irwin Mitchell is once again the leading Personal Injury practice with the national head of personal injury John Pickering, based in Sheffield, and regional practice head Andrew Tucker praised in the report.
Irwin Mitchell took top spot for Professional Negligence working with individuals as well as a range of well known corporate clients and the firm is also advising on a number of significant claims as a result of the floods in 2007.
The firm remained on top for Family Law in South Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and Humberside with Martin Loxley named as the lead partner regularly handling complex cases.
Irwin Mitchell were also ranked in the top five in other areas including Corporate and Commercial, Banking and Finance, Insolvency and Corporate Recovery, Health and Safety, Pensions, Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate, Charities, Public Sector Education and Local Government, Private Finance Initiative, Healthcare, Property Litigation, Commercial Property, Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment and Sport.