Oxfordshire - Leading regional law firm appoints new partner

Leading regional law firm, Gardner Leader, appoints new Partner, Lynsey Smith to further strengthen and expand its Dispute Resolution team.

Lynsey’s appointment follows Lauren Blackman’s, who joined the firm last year as a Partner in the Residential Property team, and marks a busy period for the firm, which has welcomed 8 new starters since the beginning of April across its seven office locations. Gardner Leader now employs more than 200 people across the south of England.

Listed in the 2025 Legal 500 for both Commercial Litigation and Franchising, Lynsey joins from IBB Law and brings two decades of experience to her role. As a specialist in franchise disputes, Lynsey has acted for a broad range of clients, including well-known brands in the franchising industry. Her commercial dispute resolution work also includes breaches of contract, injunctions, fraud and misrepresentation claims.

Lynsey Smith, Partner at Gardner Leader, said: “I’m extremely excited to have joined Gardner Leader. Having spent much of my career in the South East, it’s a name I’ve long been familiar with. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming; I’m looking forward to bringing my commercial litigation and franchising expertise to the team, helping us to continue to deliver extraordinary outcomes for our clients.”

Gardner Leader has been at the heart of the Thames Valley community for over 130 years. With offices in Newbury, Maidenhead, Thatcham, Oxford, Swindon, Windsor and London, the firm has more than tripled in size over the last 10 years, expanding across the South of England. Its highly experienced team of legal professionals work across six specialist teams each dedicated to providing specific services to businesses and to individuals.

Derek Rodgers, Managing Partner at Gardner Leader, added: “With a wealth of knowledge in commercial litigation and franchising, having someone of Lynsey’s expertise join the wider Dispute Resolution and Gardner Leader teams is hugely valuable.

“Our goal is always to build on the extraordinary work our teams are doing, delivering the best legal advice, support, and peace of mind to all our clients. Lynsey will be a fantastic addition in helping us to achieve this.”

Ends

Editors notes

With offices in Newbury, Thatcham, Maidenhead, Windsor, Swindon, Oxford and London, Gardner Leader is a leading law firm in the Thames Valley and South East, offering a wide range of legal services for businesses and individuals.

In the Legal 500 prestigious guide for 2022 the firm was described as ‘shining above all with their approachable and friendly way of doing things’, with Partner Niamh Minihane named as a “Next Generation Partner”, and Katie Dyson, Partner, singled out as a “Rising Star.”

In 2018 the firm won ‘Best in Business’ and ‘Best in Customer Service’ awards in the Newbury Weekly News award, and in 2016 it also won the LawNet award for Law Firm of the Year, and the Halsbury Legal Award in Business Development. Other awards include the LawNet Excellence in Employee Engagement award (2015), Highly Commended in the Regional Conveyancing Firm of the Year category in the 2015 National Conveyancing Awards and Commended.

The firm was first founded in 1895. It has over 160 staff. Its team of highly experienced and friendly solicitors are all specialist, specifically dedicated to their areas of expertise. Each team is driven by what matters to the client and committed to delivering results.