4th October 2022

We’re delighted to have been recognised again by independent legal sector directory, Legal 500.  We’re proud of our consistent Band 1 ranking for Media & Entertainment and firm recognition for our IP (Trademarks & Copyright Design) and Defamation work.  We’re also thrilled that James Baker and our Employment team have been ranked for their work with Senior Executives.  A real achievement given James joined the firm in 2020 and has grown the practice significantly since.

In all, 22 of our lawyers have been ranked this year and recognised by clients for their exceptional work. We are most delighted with the generous client feedback received and published by Legal 500, including:

Some Media & Entertainment Client Quotes

‘Huw Morris is wonderful. He is easy to work with, gets to know the nuances of our business and really knows his stuff as it relates to advertising. Can’t rate him highly enough.’

‘I have to say I would not be able to run my business, nor have the career I have now without the support of the team at Lee & Thompson. They have been utterly supportive and devoted through years of development deals and complicated rights wrangling. It really does feel they understand and appreciate the long game, they are always readily available for support and advice. Being across so many deals in our industry, they have invaluable insight into what is going on and where else one might be able to look for funding and opportunities. I love working with them and I recommend them to everyone I can!’

‘Martyn Bailey – music litigation – tough, intelligent, realistic. Very measured and very good.’

‘I love working with Antony Swiatek and more recently Chloe Hutchings. They are incredibly smart and knowledgeable, and actually a lot of fun to work with. They are tough on deal points, tirelessly supportive of the producer’s perspective (even when you, the producer, are fatigued and ready to give in!) and all with a calmness and humour which I always really appreciate. These deals can be stressful and ugly to resolve, but I always trust matters will be handled with the people skills I really value in my own work.’

‘Julian Ward and Andrew Florence are highly professional, attentive with valuable experience’ 

‘The overall offering of the team at Lee & Thompson is good – there are some good lawyers, who operate pragmatically and commercially and who are approachable. They offer competitive rates / retainer arrangements and also provide training, office use if required etc, which is appreciated.’

‘Julian Ward is our go-to partner and always accessible. A real desire to be an extension to our internal team.’

‘Gordon Williams has the following attributes: – a terrific intellect – a strong knowledge of the law – a calm, unflappable manner – good people skills, interacting well with us and our clients – a commercial brain.’

Some Reputation Management Testimonials

‘Leo Dawkins – I have known Leo throughout his career and have found him to be an excellent solicitor, thoughtful on the law and excellent with clients and barristers alike.’

‘Mike Brookes and Leo Dawkins are highly experienced media lawyers who have acted for claimants in the past but now act mainly for defendants – poachers turned gamekeepers. Also very astute on costs (a key issue in media litigation).’

‘Mike Brookes – seasoned, calm, experienced. Leo Dawkins – new partner with a bright future.’

‘Mike Brookes is an outstanding media litigator: not just a great lawyer but tactically very astute and always focused on getting the best outcome for the client. He is ably supported by Leo Dawkins, Mark Stafford and other members of the team.’

‘A small but high-quality Reputation Protection team with the ability to handle complex and high-profile litigation.’

See the full rankings and feedback from our clients here.