Fenwick Elliott LLP ranked top by Legal 500
Fenwick Elliott LLP has been ranked by Legal 500, the independent guide to the legal market in over 70 countries, in joint first place in its annual ratings of London construction law firms for 2006. Just 4 firms have made the top slot; the other three are CMS Cameron McKenna LLP, Pinsent Masons and Shadbolt & Co LLP.
The Legal 500 2006 commentary says:
Niche construction firm Fenwick Elliott LLP 'really stood out from the crowd' for contentious work in 2005. Acting largely for suppliers, Simon Tolson's 'extremely high-calibre' team has a distinct aptitude for 'very intelligent' litigation both in the TCC and in adjudications, whilst it nurtures a capacity for international arbitration. Recent highlights include successfully acting for the Great Eastern Hotel in its high-profile dispute with Laing. The firm carries out increasing amounts of front-end work under partners Julian Critchlow and Victoria Russell, particularly in the education sector.
Fenwick Elliott LLP was founded by Robert Fenwick Elliott, and headed up by him from 1980 until 2002, when he moved to Australia; he is now a consultant to the firm. Like its much younger Australian cousin, the London firm has consistently punched above its weight, acting in and winning many of the largest construction and engineering disputes in the world.
The other respected legal directory, Chambers & Partners, first ranked the firm top several years ago (it now ranks the firm 2nd in the UK). Their 2006 commenatary says this:
Fenwick Elliott LLP
Construction: Supplier-led
Best of the UK
The Firm: "One of this firm's greatest feats was to identify much earlier than anyone else that adjudication was here to stay." With more than 1,500 adjudications concluded and a recent appointment to the Association of Independent Construction Adjudicators completing the picture, it has earned its place at the forefront of construction litigation. However, as commentators observe, a firm this commercially astute was unlikely to restrict itself to contentious matters. To this end, the group has made forays into the lucrative domestic education sector, advising the London School of Economics (LSE) on procurement relating to the £24 million development of a teaching block in Kingsway. It has also immersed itself in a growing portfolio of international work in the energy market, prompting a shower of praise from members of the construction Bar for its stellar performance in connection with the controversial Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.
The Lawyers: Clients of every hue relish "high-quality advice," provided with a "clear empathy for business objectives." Simon Tolson's boundless enthusiasm and extensive experience of major ICC hearings and various forms of ADR make him a "big hitter" in clients' books. As well as handling multilayered litigation for a Japanese petrochemical company, he successfully resolved two disputes in the waste-to-energy sector before they came to trial. "Between you, me and the gatepost," one client confides, Julian Critchlow "gives the impression of being an English gentleman, but he's a kick-boxer in court." Combining contentious and non-contentious work, his cognisance of the difficulties that can beset a project make him the perfect person to advise the Red Cross on redevelopment work in South-East Asia in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami. Closer to home, his clientele includes major contractors like Mowlem and EMCOR Drake & Scull. "A man for all seasons," Anthony Francis adopts a "compelling and relentless style" in argument that assuages the most demanding of clients. He has represented Norwest Holst and Gateshead Council in claims against contractors which, like Tolson's cases, were settled before trial. Sources assert that Victoria Russell has "her finger on the pulse" of the construction industry. As well as involvement in two sets of judicial review and injunction proceedings on behalf of a Portuguese contractor, she has considerably broadened her horizons, drafting framework agreements for the universities represented by Fenwick Elliott. Demonstrating "great interpersonal and mediative skills, alongside the ability to dissect the finer points of a case without losing sight of the bigger picture," her position in the market is secure. Nicholas Gould has achieved a secure position in the construction hierarchy, attracting commendation as one whose interest in exploring ADR has contributed to his ascent.