Legal 500 'leading firm' status awarded

The independent legal directory Legal 500 has released its 2021 rankings and LBMW is pleased to announce that the firm has been officially ranked as a leading firm for Education: Schools and for Charity and Not for Profit.

The rankings are released following in depth analysis of law firm submissions and interviews conducted by Legal 500 researchers and reflect LBMW's expertise in the education and charity sector, notably the firm's work with Church of England schools, academies and a diverse range of charitable entities.

Client Testimonials for Education: Schools

'The education team at LBMW has well-established expertise in educational law which is unrivalled. It is consistently well-briefed on legal developments and is adaptable to the varying needs of a range of clients.'

'Clifford Woodroffe is very impressive. He has a huge amount of knowledge about trust issues in education and a very good client manner.'

'We have used LBMW for nine academy conversions and they are simply amazing! All work is completed efficiently and the communication received from them is superb. You have absolute faith that charges are transparent and if their work exceeds your original brief in terms of cost or scale there is always prior permission sought about this. I cannot recommend them highly enough.'

'Ella Westby is incredibly efficient and a very skilled communicator. She has incredible in-depth knowledge of complicated historical land issues. She is superb at explaining complicated matters to all audiences. She works incredibly hard and responds to queries at an amazing speed. Ella works tirelessly to achieve the outcome that her clients want. When we have reached deadlock over issues which seem simply unsolvable Ella has found a way!'

'LBMW has been established for many years and has specialist experience in the education and charity sector. This experience is tangible both in the quality of advice both from longer-serving and new staff, and gives a sense of security. Whilst there are high-quality rivals, I have not seen from any of these the breadth and depth of quality that is available at LBMW. My experience, in particular, is of the state-funded education sector.'

'David Whittington has been with the firm for many years, and his knowledge and understanding of the church school system is second-to-none. He understands and can explain clearly not only the legislation, but also the spirit and intent of it. His encyclopaedic knowledge and network of connections is a great asset to the firm. Uniquely, perhaps, David has also sat in his clients’ shoes and understands the realities and complexities of managing a church school estate.'

'Ian Blaney has consistently provided high quality advice in multi-layered matters where acumen coupled with experience are required to solve problems. His knowledge of education and charity legislation has helped to protect the long-term assets that we manage. Ian has a good grasp of the wider educational landscape and provides clear and concise advice. He has a patient and professional manner.'

'Ella Westby is a rising star for LBMW and has impressed with her academy conversion work. A thorough and professional approach has often saved us time and money or avoided pitfalls. Ella is very well organised and capable of juggling many aspects to a matter at once, helping her clients to focus on the key matters.'

Client Testimonials for Charities and Not-for-Profit

'The team is always professional, friendly and extremely helpful'

'The lawyers are experts in their field and they provide comprehensive advice.  They have good communication skills and quick response times along with availability'

'Its commitment to customer service and the need for timely and sometimes robust advice is highly valued'

'We find the team to be extremely knowledgeable in the area of charity work'

'Jane Grenfell has recent experience in the Charity Commission so is able to give particularly clear and nuanced advice'

'We are highly appreciative of and admire the work of Khalid Sofi and his team as they give very practical advice'

'We work closely with Khalid Sofi, who provides commercial and practical advice about operating and setting up charities'

'Howard Dellar has been constantly available and directly accessible to me, providing timely and appropriate advice. Jane Grenfell has unparalleled knowledge of the sector and the Charity Commission'

More information can be found on the Legal 500 website: https://www.legal500.com/firms/2034-lee-bolton-monier-williams/311-london-england/