Managing Partner Michael ShawSenior Partner Stephen BensonContact Colin BirtwistleThe Firm Cobbetts LLP is firmly established as one of the UK's leading law firms, serving key plc and institutional clients and regional mid market owner-managed businesses. Based in the key regional financial cities of Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester, Cobbetts also has a corporate finance practice in London that focuses on public markets, M&A and private equity work.
The development of national practice areas and key specialist teams in fields such as media, planning and public markets, combined with an overall depth of experience within the firm, equips Cobbetts with the skills and experience to deliver astute and practical legal advice. It is the firm's pragmatic style and its approach and commitment to client relationships, however, which truly distinguishes Cobbetts from its competition.
Principal Areas of Work
Corporate Finance: A comprehensive range of transactional expertise including M&A, MBO/MBIs, corporate restructurings, private equity, banking and IPOs.
Public Issue Work: Specialist expertise and a national reputation for bringing companies to AIM, particularly the international minerals sector, and for excellence in exporting legal services.
Taxation: A highly rated team which advises on all aspects of corporate, property and personal taxation - acquisitions and disposals, reorganisations, share incentive schemes and estate planning.
Banking & Finance: A strong banking and finance practice including expertise in general corporate lending, acquisition, asset, property and housing finance.
Commercial: Advises on full spectrum of commercial agreements, including distribution/agency/franchising rights, IP and media law, and UK/EU competition law.
ICT & Media: Offering commercial advice on all aspects of IT, outsourcing, data protection, internet, e-business and m-business, telecoms, television, radio, theatre and the arts; drafting and negotiating large-scale systems supply agreements.
IP: Advises on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious intellectual property law.
Dispute Resolution: A large dispute resolution team advising both large and small enterprises offering advice on corporate and commercial matters of a litigious nature.
Debt Recovery: Incasso, a division of Cobbetts, offers a complete credit management service to clients' accounts functions throughout the UK.
Business Recovery & Insolvency: Undertakes all aspects of business recovery and personal insolvency including restructuring and insolvency to organisations and primary and secondary level lenders.
Employment: An experienced team with a national reputation offering the whole range of contentious and non-contentious services to clients in all sectors and on all aspects of employment law matters.
Pensions: Advises employers and trustees on all aspects of pensions law (with particular experience of scheme wind-ups) and on the pensions issues arising on corporate transactions.
Estate Planning, Wills & Trusts: Advises individuals and trustees giving practical advice on tax planning, trusts, wills, estate planning and investment management.
Charities: A recognised specialist team advising charities and not for profit organisations, schools and colleges.
Real Estate: Specialisms include property investment, planning and environmental issues, including energy/wind/biofuels, landlord and tenant, portfolio management, residential and retail developments, housing and regeneration including procurement/state aid.
Property Litigation: Acts in contentious matters of all kinds relating to commercial, retail and residential property.
Property Finance: Acts for clearing banks, building societies and specialist property funders on all aspects of property finance.
Social Housing: A nationally recognised team specialising in all aspects of social housing law including governance and constitutional issues, litigation and property work, large-scale voluntary transfers. and construction and housing management.
Construction & Engineering: Advising developers, contractors, professionals, subcontractors and suppliers in all contentious and non-contentious aspects of the construction and engineering industry.
Regulatory: Advising on all aspects of environmental law, trading standards, food hygiene, consumer protection, regulatory bodies, risk management and procedure, and health and safety compliance.
Licensing: Advice includes all forms of liquor and public entertainment licensing, betting and gaming to clients such as national operators of bars, restaurants, off-licences, petrol forecourt and hotel chains as well as local/regional breweries, football
and rugby clubs, theatres, health and fitness centres and leisure developers.
Planning & Environmental: Specialising in planning, environmental, highways, compulsory purchase, compensation and administrative law.
Clients Overall, the Cobbetts client base is extensive and wide ranging, including large multinational corporations, public sector, listed and private companies. There is legal expertise across many industry sectors especially banking and finance, leisure, retail, public sector (including cooperatives and mutuals), information technology and social housing.
International For clients requiring advice and support internationally, Cobbetts is a member of the State Capital Global Law Firm Group. In addition, the firm has many bi-lingual lawyers, several lawyers with experience of practising outside the UK, and a German team which includes dual qualified lawyers with extensive contacts in Germany.
Areas of PracticeReal Estate: 30%Corporate: 20%Dispute Resolution: 20%Employment: 10%Commercial: 7%Social Housing: 6%Banking: 6%Incasso: 5%Private Capital Group: 4%Banking: 4%