OXFORDSHIRE - Ten years at the top for leading solicitor

As 32 members of the Gardner Leader team receive individual industry recognition

3rd October 2024, Oxfordshire: Chris Felton, Partner at leading regional law firm Gardner Leader, has been named for the 10th year in a row as a ‘Leading Individual’ in this year’s prestigious Legal 500 Guide, the industry’s foremost directory of the best law firms in the country.

Chris’s commendation is one of a host of top tier accolades received by Gardner Leader’s team, with the firm being highlighted for its ‘ability to adapt’, ‘excellent technical skills’, ‘well balanced and sensible advice’ and its ‘universally knowledgeable, determined, persistent and effective’ approach.

Awarded recommendations across 12 practice areas, including Corporate and Commercial, Commercial Litigation, Employment, Commercial Property and Property Litigation, Personal Injury, Clinical Negligence, Charities and not-for-profit, Family, and Contentious Trust and Probate, Gardner Leader also retained its top tier ranking for its Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate Private Client work for the fifth consecutive year.

As well as Chris, 32 members of the firm’s team received individual recognition, with five solicitors retaining special mentions. These include, Partner and Head of both the Dispute Resolution and Charity teams, Alastair Goggins, who was named as a ‘Leading Individual’ for a ninth time, and Michelle Di Gioia, Partner in the Dispute Resolution team and board member, also upholding the same award.

Real Estate Senior Associate, Tim Blackman, has been named as a ‘Leading Associate’ having been mentioned as a ‘Rising Star’ last year, and Partner in the Wills, Probate and Estate Planning team, Niamh Minihane, has been recognised for a fourth year as a ‘Next Generation Partner’.

For 35 years the Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of law firms across the UK, as well as rating and recommending the best performing firms and solicitors across their practice areas.

Chris Felton, Partner in the Dispute Resolution and Life Sciences teams, and board member, said: “It’s a great honour to have been recognised as a Leading Individual for a 10th year. I have been a part of the Gardner Leader family for nearly 30 years, it’s a brilliant firm to be a part of, this year’s rankings showcase the incredible hard work of every member of the team.”

The achievements highlighted in this year’s Legal 500 Guide mark a successful period of growth for the firm, which has seen its team grow by nearly 20% over the last two years. Cementing its position as one of the leading regional firms across the south of England, Gardner Leader now employs over 200 team members.

A part of the Thames Valley community for over 125 years, the firm has offices in Newbury, Thatcham and Maidenhead and has tripled in size over the last 10 years, expanding to Oxford, Swindon, London, and Windsor. Its highly experienced team of legal professionals work across nine specialist teams, each dedicated to providing specific services to businesses and individuals.

“The Legal 500 is highly prestigious, and something we are very proud of being included in.”, said Derek Rodgers, Managing Partner at Gardner Leader. “As a firm, we strive to provide expert legal advice and peace of mind to our clients, and this year’s far-reaching recognition shows that we are succeeding in delivering on this. As we grow, we are continuing to expand on our knowledge and experience across all practice areas.”

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.