Irwin Mitchell Manchester

11/09/2009

Irwin Mitchell’s Manchester office has further cemented its position of excellence this week by retaining its number one ranking for both personal injury (claimant) and clinical negligence (claimant) by Legal 500, the leading independent publication.

The firm, based on Quay Street, has also seen a number of its new departments make it onto the rankings for the first time.

The Personal Injury team led by Regional Managing Partner, Grahame Codd, is described as commanding ‘huge respect’ from its competitors and boasts a first class reputation for pursuing claims arising from brain and spinal injuries and asbestos related diseases.

The publication makes particular reference to the work of industrial disease expert and Partner Geraldine Coombs, who successfully recovered £650,000 for a client with a Mesothelioma claim against the MoD.

Partner Lindsay Wise, who specialises in brain and spinal cord injuries, heads the firm’s Clinical Negligence department which regularly deals with high value claims and in the last year recovered more than £20 million in damages for clients. Francesca Dowse, Stephanie Forman and Sue Tyson are all referenced for their work. 

The firm’s Family Law team has improved its ranking from 5 to 3 – an impressive leap for a department in its infancy. Partner Elizabeth Tait joined the firm to head up the family and private client department in 2008. She is praised by her clients for her holistic approach and highly regarded by her peers for her excellence and clarity of vision.

The firm’s crime, fraud and licensing has moved up the rankings this year. Partners Paul Haycock and Dan Stowers head up the crime group in the North. Associate Emma Windle has been engaged in some high value cases.

Making it into the rankings for the first year are human resources and dispute resolution– a reflection of the firm’s ambition to build a legal powerhouse for litigation services in the region. Partners Ed Cotton and John Lord have recently joined the firm to help achieve this strategic objective.

The firm has developed its profile in the Dispute Resolution area following its merger with Scottish firm Golds in 2008. Associate Michael Bond leads this department and clients include RBS, HBOS and Barclays.

Grahame Codd, Manchester’s Managing Partner said: “We are pleased with the firm’s position at the top of these prestigious lists. We are particularly delighted to see that some of our new departments have been recognised for the first time. The results are testament to the hard work and expertise of our solicitors. 

Codd continues: "Our goal over the next 12 months is to continue to grow and build on the excellent foundation we have worked so hard to establish. We are committed to providing a first class range of legal services for our clients in the north west."