Partnership
UK Guide 2025 : UK-wide
Band 1
About
Provided by Fox & Partners
We are engaged by partners/members and partnerships and LLPs, typically within the legal, insurance and financial services markets, where there are not only high-value financial issues at stake, but also regulatory and reputational issues to consider.
Assisting partners looking to retire or exit a firm, or firms looking to achieve such outcomes with minimal disruption and risk to the business, is the cornerstone of our practice. Our experience includes both compulsory and voluntary retirements, and stretches the full spectrum of advising clients from negotiating strategy to representing clients in a more public forum. We receive regular instructions at the cutting edge of partnership law, including those relating to discretionary decision making to expel or retire partners often with the consequent loss of multi-million pounds of carried interest. We are also seeing a growing trend of older and female partners keen to explore discrimination and equal pay angles. This work also has an increasing international dimension.
We also continue to be instructed by high profile LLP members facing disciplinary or performance concerns and investigations, or firms conducting such processes. Acting for partners/LLP members and firms bringing and defending discrimination and whistleblowing allegations is a core area of our practice. We are called upon as true experts with unique experience and understanding of the application of (often untested) law, culture and regulatory environment.
Chambers Review
Fox & Partners is a respected employment and partnership law boutique that is well known for its focus on contentious partnership matters. The team advises partnerships and individual partners, often on complex and highly sensitive issues such as allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination claims and expulsions. Fox & Partners represents traditional professional services partnerships as well as those in the financial services sector, including private equity firms.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Fox & Partners have real expertise in complex partnership matters, led by exceptional partners and supported by talented associates. I trust their commercial judgement and expertise."
"They have joint expertise in senior executive employment and partnership work. They are a very well-led, good group of people who do a good job."
"Fox & Partners do tricky, sophisticated, high-profile work. The firm has shown that they can do a huge amount of work in a short time period."
"Fox & Partners have real expertise in complex partnership matters, led by exceptional partners and supported by talented associates. I trust their commercial judgement and expertise."
"They have joint expertise in senior executive employment and partnership work. They are a very well-led, good group of people who do a good job."
"Fox & Partners do tricky, sophisticated, high-profile work. The firm has shown that they can do a huge amount of work in a short time period."
Notable Practitioners
Caroline Field is well known for her contentious partnership expertise, particularly in cases where there is crossover with employment law and issues of professional negligence.
"Caroline is so impressive and is a standout. She provides rapid turnaround, is very precise and she never loses sight of an argument."
"Caroline is everything you would want from an adviser on partnership matters. She is commercial, knows the law inside-out, is highly responsive, and is understanding and compassionate."
"Caroline is great. She is really bright, very commercial and a very good lawyer with an abundance of common sense and strategic nous."
Catriona Watt handles a broad range of highly sensitive and contentious partnership matters, including compulsory retirements, partner exits and sexual harassment allegations.
"Catriona is a calm voice of reason."
"Catriona is good technically, good with clients and good at getting the job done."
"Catriona Watt knows partnership law inside-out."
Dean Fuller provides partnership advice to clients including traditional partnerships and LLPs. He is noted for his work for firms in the financial services sector.
"Dean is a very solid pair of hands. He is attentive and responsive."
"Dean is a good partnership lawyer."
"He is very capable and focused on the issues I needed support and advice on."
Ivor Adair has a strong reputation for handling contentious partnership matters such as partner exits and restrictive covenants. He has notable experience working with partners at international law firms.
Legal director Shoshana Bacall supports LLPs, professional partnerships and their individual members on a wide range of contentious matters. Her experience includes investigations into alleged harassment and disciplinary matters.
"She is 100% dedicated and you want her on your side."
Ranked Lawyers at
Fox & Partners
UK-wide
Members
Provided by Fox & Partners
Head of Department
Claire Plumb
Jackie Thomas
Joanna Whymark
Maree Cassaidy
Industries
Provided by Fox & Partners
Financial Services
Insurance
Legal Services
Professional Services