Oxford’s leading law firm is acknowledged as a UK ‘Top Tier’ firm for its legal experience and expertise

Written by: Emma Roby Photography by: Freeths Solicitors

Freeths has, yet again, received great reviews in the Legal 500 (the Clients Guide to the UK Legal Profession 2019 edition). It has been ranked in the Top Tier of law firms in the south east in eight of its practice areas: family law; contentious trusts & probate; private client (Wills, trusts & probate); commercial property; clinical negligence (claimant); agriculture and rural estates; charities; and professional negligence.

Seven Partners are listed in the elite “Leading Lawyers” list, which is the Legal 500’s guide to outstanding lawyers nationwide. Lawyers listed include Rachael Oakes (family law), Nigel Roots (charities), Sarah Foster (contentious trusts & probate), Iain Davis (agriculture & estates), Duncan Crine (professional negligence), Jane Maitland (personal tax, trusts and probate, agriculture and estates) and Carolyn Lowe (clinical negligence).

In addition, seven lawyers are recognised as “Next Generation Lawyers” for their experience, expertise and ability to provide a high quality service to clients. In total, 34 lawyers based at Freeths’ Oxford office are recommended by Legal 500 for their legal expertise.

Freeths also ranked Top Tier by the Chambers and Partners 2019 Guide to the UK Legal Profession for clinical negligence; agriculture and estates; family; and private client wealth including disputes (High Net Worth).

Six Partners are individually recognised as leaders in their field for their legal knowledge and experience, their ability, effectiveness and client service. Lawyers listed in Band 1 include, Iain Davis (agriculture and rural affairs), Samantha Leigh (agriculture and affairs), Carolyn Lowe (clinical negligence), Rachael Oakes (family), Duncan Crine (professional negligence), Nigel Roots (private wealth law – HNW guide). Sarah Foster is ranked as an Eminent Practitioner in professional negligence and private wealth disputes (HNW guide).

Sarah Foster, managing partner at Freeths, says: “It is great to be acknowledged again as a top tier law firm. As Oxford’s and Oxfordshire’s leading law firm, these results are testament to the high quality advice we provide to our private individuals and business clients. This can be evidenced from the client and professional advisor testimonials in both, the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners”.

Both directories also gave stellar reviews on the firm’s highly regarded corporate & commercial, property litigation, employment, and commercial dispute management teams for their legal expertise and experience.

See what the Legal 500 directory says about their top-ranking teams:

Commercial Property – Tier 1

Freeths LLP’s real estate team provides ‘excellent service including prompt responses and well-considered, clear advice’.

Family – Tier 1

‘Star solicitor’ Rachael Oakes heads the ‘team of driven and passionate lawyers’ at Freeths LLP”…”Oakes is recommended as being ‘hugely impressive, formidable, very good with clients and well respected by the judiciary’.

Private Client – Tier 1

Freeths LLP has a ‘hugely experienced and knowledgeable team, but without the expense of a London firm’. National private client practice head Nigel Roots ‘runs a team of excellent individuals who deliver great results’.

Agriculture & Rural Estates – Tier 1

Freeths LLP attracts praise for its ‘excellent grasp of agricultural law’, with clients singling out practice head Iain Davis (‘approachable, very knowledgeable and supremely efficient’), Samantha Leigh (‘highly knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile’) and the ‘hugely efficient’ Sarah Duffy as key figures among the sizeable team.

Contentious Trusts and Probate – Tier 1

‘A top-flight firm with a national profile’, Freeths team is ‘a really good option for serious contentious litigation’. Sarah Foster heads the practice and is noted for her ‘wealth of experience in the field, which she can draw on to secure good results for clients’.

Clinical Negligence – Tier 1

The clinical negligence practice at Freeths LLP consists of ‘high-quality advisers’.

Charities – Tier 1

Freeths LLP is ‘a very personable firm that does not baffle clients with legal terms and always has their interests in mind’. The charities team is praised for its ‘strong breadth of experience’.

Professional negligence – Tier 1

Freeths LLP’s professional negligence practice is praised for its ‘clear understanding of facts and legal issues, sensible legal advice, and well-drafted legal documents’.

See what the Chambers and Partners legal directory says about their top-ranking teams:

Clinical negligence – Tier 1

‘This is a very ably led team that handles cases at the highest level of complexity successfully. They are quality players in the field’.

Agriculture and estates – Tier 1

“…the lawyers are ‘always efficient with their responses’ and offer ‘good-value service’.”

Family – Tier 1

‘The lawyers are keen to innovate and ensure that they offer the best service they can’.

Private client wealth (High Net Worth) – Tier 1

Freeths’ lawyers ‘have a clear understanding of their clients’ needs and aims, and are relentlessly focused on achieving those aims’.