Michelmores LLP

Marketing Director: Louise Edwards

Managing Partner: Tim Richards

Senior Partner: Richard Cobb

Finance Director: Graham Johnson

Number of UK partners: 82

Number of other UK fee-earners: 212

Michelmores is the destination law firm for the ambitious, the imaginative and the distinctive. We help businesses and individuals who are navigating change to find a more positive future.

Our collaborative, creative and commercial lawyers focus on our clients’ next steps, starting with today's challenges, but growing success and impact for tomorrow.

We understand what today’s individuals and enterprises need to do to stay ahead and that’s what we deliver, every time. As a firm of over 500 people, we offer the full spectrum of legal services, advising clients across the UK and internationally.

Underpinning our legal work is a strong commitment to promoting sustainable business practices. As people, as lawyers and as an organisation, we have a key role to play in the transition to a green economy. Through our client work, pro-bono work and community partnerships, we are driving positive change. We focus on work that delivers a sustainable economy that reflects who we are, how we do things and our core values.

Michelmores is proud to promote an agile working business model, allowing us to provide the best client service, support inclusion and wellbeing.

What do we do?

Our collaborative, creative and commercial people focus on our clients’ futures, wherever they need us. It often starts with navigating the challenges of today, but where we really make a difference is in delivering ambition, success and impact tomorrow.

What’s our point of view?

Our clients face relentless change. The need for digital transformation to stay ahead. To bring brave new operating models into their enterprises. To protect the things that really matter to them. To create valuable partnerships. To reconcile profit and purpose. And to build resilience into their most valuable assets. But they all have at least one thing in common: the need to plan, navigate and optimise their evolution to a positive future. That’s where we come in.

What are we like to work with?

Clients say we’re more ‘human' than other advisers. We’ve earned a reputation for pragmatic and commercial advice, delivered by approachable people who are thoroughly down to earth and available when you need them. We take pride in being relatable. Our working style is supported and encouraged by our distinctive culture and a refreshing approach to collaboration

Our people and areas of practice

Agriculture:Vivienne Williams, Ben Sharples

Biodiversity Net Gain:Ben Sharples, Helen Hutton, Julie Sharpe

Charities:Edward Porter, Andrew White

Capital Markets:Ian Binnie

Contentious Probate:Tony Cockayne, Natasha McKeever, Alexa Payet

Commercial Property:Emma Honey, Lucy Smallwood

Company/Commercial:Richard Cobb, Ian Holyoak

Construction & Engineering:Anna Wood, Ashley Piggott

Corporate Recovery:Sacha Pickering

Court of Protection: Holly Mieville Hawkins

Dispute Resolution:Jonathan Kitchin, Marie-Louise King

Employment:James Baker, Andrew Tobey

Family:Daniel Eames, Sarah Green

Financial Services & Markets:Andrew Oldland KC

Insurance:Johnathan Kitchin

ICT:Tom Torkar

Intellectual Property:David Thompson

Investment Funds:Harry Trick

Landed Estates:Chris Massey, Tom Hyde

Litigation:Jonathan Kitchin

Planning:Mark Howard, Helen Hutton, Fergus Charlton

Private Wealth:Chris Massey

Private Equity:Stephen Morse

Projects/PFI:Carol McCormack OBE, Ben Hogan

Property Litigation:Andrew Baines

Public Sector:Carol McCormack OBE, Ben Hogan

Regulatory:Andrew Oldland KC

Technology, Media & Communications:Tom Torkar

PRINCIPAL AREAS OF WORK

Cross-office teams focus on servicing clients in a number of strategic sectors:

Private Wealth: Our private wealth group provides partner-led advice to wealthy individuals and their families, owner-managed businesses, landed estates and the wealth management firms and institutions that preserve and protect their assets. Our team acts for an increasing number of clients from overseas or with offshore interests, particularly in the area of international tax and trusts.

Finance & Investment: Michelmores has experience from across the finance and investment sector in banking and finance, re/insurance, investment funds, wealth management financial regulation (including financial crime) and enforcement. Our team has expanded its deal base to include a number of international and national clients including Social and Sustainable Capital, Triodos Bank, Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries, Allenby Capital, Hybridan, Zeus Capital and Finncap.

Real Estate: Our real estate group acts for national house builders and developers, investors, public bodies and national institutions. There is a close link between the non-contentious and contentious lawyers in the group, providing clients with a one-stop shop. Our clients are guided through acquisition and planning to construction and disposal, and benefit from advice on international tax and funds. Clients include Barratt David Wilson Homes, Wainhomes, Cavanna, CG Fry, St Modwen, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire County Councils and the Met Police.

INTERNATIONAL

Michelmores is a member of the International Bar Association and has a growing reputation for its corporate and investment work in emerging and frontier markets. Our firm also services a number of high profile clients from the agriculture, education, manufacturing, renewable energy and retail sectors.

RECRUITMENT

Michelmores is committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone feels they belong and has the opportunity to reach their potential while being their authentic self at work. We believe that one of our strengths lies in the difference between us as individuals. Below we have set out a number of examples of this in action.

In 2018, we set a target for our partnership to be at least 30% female. We surpassed this with our 2022 Partner promotion round and are delighted that our female partnership now far exceeds this figure. In 2024 Michelmores appointed two new female Partners and 10 Senior Associates, bringing the female partnership level to 50%, against an industry average of 35%. By percentage of female Partners, we are within the top 10 UK law firms. Our current proportion of female Senior Associates is 74% – within the top 5 UK law firms. These promotions show the success of our Senior Associate programme and our commitment to true gender equality.

17.33% of Michelmores' Partner-grade fee earners are from under-represented groups. We are also focusing on social mobility and the accessibility of law, particularly in early careers.