The firm’s teams across its offices in Bristol, Bath, Swindon, London and Romsey have a strong presence in the Legal 500 2021, which reviews the strengths of lawyers across the UK and recommends them based on feedback from their clients and peers.
Success in the rankings reflects the breadth and depth of Thrings’ specialist sector teams in private wealth, banking and finance, agriculture and development of land, and its ability to act as trusted advisers to medium-sized enterprises, entrepreneurs, and family-owned businesses.
Thrings’ Agriculture team, headed by partner Duncan Sigourney, retains the highest-possible Tier 1 ranking, with the directory noting that it “excels in its advice to national farming associations and well-known landed estates, and has a broad and highly-regarded contentious offering”. There is praise from clients for a “personal touch” and “excellent team spirit”.
The Corporate and Commercial team, led by partner John Davies, is ranked in Tier 2 for Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire with Will Foulkes, an associate specialising in blockchain and cryptoasset technology, singled out as a “Rising Star”.
Mike Tomlin, head of banking and finance, is also recognised as a leading individual in the South West for his expertise, reinforcing the firm’s continued commitment to the regional corporate market and focus on the banking sector.
The firm’s commercial litigation practice, ranked in the second tier, is noted for “an impressive roster of local, national and international clients” while its “sensible, pragmatic litigators” are praised as “client-focused with excellent response times and consistently clear and sound legal advice”.
Thrings’ offering to private individuals is highlighted, with its family law, contentious trusts and probate and personal tax specialists all featuring in the rankings.
The Romsey-based Family team is ranked in Tier 2 – a rise on last year’s Tier 3 position – and partner Sally Pike, who leads the team, is named as a “Leading Individual” in the South East. She is described as “an excellent solicitor and a joy to work with,” and praised for her “sound practicality and realism.”
Feedback for the wider Family team praises the team’s knowledge and expertise as “second to none” while the directory underlines its expertise in advising high-net-worth business owners and entrepreneurs.
The Legal 500 ranks Thrings’ Romsey-based personal tax, trusts and probate offering, headed by partner Michael Westbrook, in Tier 2, praising the firm’s “breadth of expertise in tax planning, including offshore planning advice, inheritance tax, stamp duty land tax, and capital gains tax”.
Thrings is also ranked for employment, debt recovery, banking and finance, and insolvency and corporate recovery.
Simon Holdsworth, managing partner at Thrings, said: “Recommendations in the Legal 500 are highly-valued because they are based on feedback from clients and others we work with.
“We are pleased to see that the expertise and outstanding client service we offer from our offices in the South West has been highlighted and praised in this prestigious guide.”