Our 2025 Legal500 rankings have been announced. These can be viewed in full here.
We have a total of 13 Recommended Practice Areas, 3 Leading Individuals Alastair Goggins, Chris Felton and Michelle Di Gioia, 1 Next Generation Partner Niamh Minihane, 1 Leading Associate Tim Blackman and 27 Key Lawyers.
Personal Tax, Trusts and Probate
Jolyon Barton leads the ‘extremely knowledgeable’ team at Gardner Leader LLP, focusing on core streams of work that include will and probate work, tax planning strategies and the establishment and administration of family trusts. Key contact Penny Wright has a wide range of experience that encompasses estate planning and inheritance tax planning, among other issues, with particular proficiency in matters of an international scale. Richard Mead bolsters the practice with his capabilities in protecting vulnerable beneficiaries and advising on the tax consequences of lifetime gifts. Niamh Minihane is capable of undertaking varied mandates in relation to inheritance tax planning, Court of Protection matters and capacity issues.
Practice head(s): Jolyon Barton
Other key lawyers: Penny Wright; Richard Mead; Niamh Minihane; Lucy Butcher; Lucy Savage; Marie Verney; Hannah Walbridge
Testimonials
‘The Team offers a fantastic balance between acumen and compassion. They have the ability to adapt their style and explanation in accordance with their audience; from the most sophisticated through to the most financially inexperienced client.’
‘My main dealings have been with Penny Wright and Marie Verney. Both show huge levels of compassion, but also clear, straightforward advice. I would not think twice to refer any of my own clients to either of these partners.’
‘They have always been professional in their dealings through some complex family scenarios, offering clear advice and also managing emotions.’
Corporate and Commercial
Philip Humphreys leads the corporate team at Gardner Leader LLP, utilising his experience across M&A, buyouts and reorganisations. On the commercial side, Peter James is the key name to note, bolstering the practice with his wealth of experience across commercial contracts, IP and IT related mandates.
Practice head(s): Philip Humphreys
Other key lawyers: Peter James
Testimonials
‘Gardner Leader are unique as their team is a unique blend of highly skilled lawyers, with commercial nous that are delightful well rounded and interesting individuals.’
‘Philip Humphreys is bright, sharp, and just an absolutely decent man. Great example setter for his team and clients. Hard worker who smiles a lot more than his competitors – based on the fact you can tell he loves helping clients.’
‘Their advice is focused, sharp, and its grounded/balanced advice. Unlike many firms, they truly operate as a team, with “horse for courses” – and because exceptionally strong legal knowledge is a given, the team members are interchangeable.’
Commercial Litigation
Noted for its arsenal of skills that encompass corporate and commercial disputes, civil fraud and international arbitration, Gardner Leader LLP is described by clients as ‘responsive, personable and able to work across a spectrum of litigation matters’ as well as being praised for its ’pragmatic, concise and timely manner’. Leading the team is Chris Felton, who harnesses his multi-jurisdictional expertise to assist clients across commercial, technology and construction sectors. ‘Unflappable’ Michelle Di Gioia is another key name to note in the practice.
Practice head(s): Chris Felton
Other key lawyers: Michelle Di Gioia
Testimonials
‘The team are responsive, personable and able to work across a spectrum of litigation matters and values from small claims to complex multi month litigation. The value proposition and attention to detail provided in each case makes all the difference.
‘Chris Felton is a litigation tour de force and a real go to for complex multi jurisdictional matters.’
‘Michelle Di Gioia is a strong litigator who isn’t afraid to go to bat for her clients. She also has a broad range of experience dealing with commercial disputes, property litigation and health and safety matters, which she uses to her advantage whether she is on the side of the company or individual.’
Employment
Gardner Leader LLP maintains a varied employment offering which encompasses tribunal claims, redundancies and the drafting of contracts and policies, with a particular focus on SMEs and the charity sector. Practice head Vicky Schollar, who joined the team in January 2024 from Blake Morgan LLP, manages a varied workload of contentious and non-contentious employment mandates. Peter James and Chris Felton are other key names to note in the practice. Former lead Julie Taylor joined Fenton Elliott Solicitors Limited in May 2023.
Practice head(s): Vicky Schollar
Other key lawyers: Peter James; Chris Felton
Clinical negligence: claimant
Practice head(s): Alastair Goggins
Personal injury: claimant
Fielding a ‘young, keen and enthusiastic’ team, Gardner Leader LLP is particularly well regarded for its experience in claims arising from transport accidents; the group is also increasingly active in claims involving mental health issues. Alastair Goggins leads the practice from Newbury and is praised as ‘calm, collected, unflappable and committed to his clients’.
Practice head(s): Alastair Goggins
Other key lawyers: Andrew Shipp
Testimonials
‘Alastair Goggins is the standout – calm, collected, unflappable and committed to his clients.’
‘Their key strength is that they offer a bespoke service to PI clients and are able to obtain and retain the trust of their clients throughout the case through good communication and sensible advice.’
Charities and not-for-profit
Employing an ‘excellent team’ of professionals, Gardner Leader LLP navigates clients through the myriad charity law matters, from the regulatory system to the commercial issues. The firm also assists with policy reviews. Captaining the team, Alastair Goggins advises clients in the dispute resolution space. Penny Wright, having experience in-house with charities, focuses on compliance with charity laws and regulations.
Practice head(s): Alastair Goggins
Other key lawyers: Greg Humphreys; Penny Wright
Testimonials
‘Gardner Leader have an excellent team constituted of professionals at varying levels of capability from associate to partner. They demonstrate a strong team ethos and attention to detail which is valuable, and give experienced insights into a diverse range of professional matters.’
‘The Team is very specialised and can therefore call on their varied expertise but, at the same time, give a very personal service.’
‘Each member of the team make themselves readily available to deal with the matters raised and advise as to the action required. The partners were particularly helpful in providing advice and assistance.’
Contentious trusts and probate
Based in Newbury, Gardner Leader LLP specialises in disputes involving allegations of fraud, undue influence, lack of testamentary capacity, and misappropriation of estate assets. Providing ‘first-rate legal skills and knowledge’, practice head Alastair Goggins frequently acts for executors, trustees, beneficiaries, and charities, and is well-versed in disputes relating to the validity of wills, financial provison, and the removal of executors or trustees. Ashleigh Wong handles an array of proprietary estoppel and Court of Protection matters, as well as burial disputes.
Practice head(s): Alastair Goggins
Other key lawyers: Ashleigh Wong
Testimonials
‘The team works hard to ensure that its client feel fully involved in the work being undertaken, and are willing to go the extra mile to keep us informed and to understand the complexities of the process.’
‘Alastair Goggins is a superb trusts and probate litigator, combining first-rate legal skills and knowledge with pragmatism and tactical awareness. He takes a passionate interest in an interesting case and sees beyond the legal issues to the underlying human priorities and motivations (on which he is an astute observer and commenter).’
‘The professionals in this team have worked with compassion and patience so that we were fully engaged with the decisions we needed to make and understand the consequences of each option.’
Family
With team members in Maidenhead and Newbury, the offering at Gardner Leader LLP advises clients on the full range of family law matters, including financial arrangements, private children disputes, cohabitation, and nuptial agreements. Maidenhead-based practice head Simon Fisher is a key name for financial disputes on divorce, while in Newbury, Suzy Hamshaw has a growing specialism in nuptial and cohabitation agreements, alongside her work as a mediator. Stephanie Buckeridge is praised for having a ‘huge amount of experience’, assisting both married and unmarried families.
Practice head(s): Simon Fisher
Other key lawyers: Suzy Hamshaw; Elizabeth Saunders; Stephanie Buckeridge; Amy Wilson Weymouth
Testimonials
‘Gardener Leader LLP provide excellent service to their clients. They know their local area, courts and resources well, which ensures that the advice is tailored to the clients needs and the likely outcomes. The team are approachable and knowledgeable. Clients feel at ease discussing difficult subjects with them and know that they will receive the correct advice.’
‘Suzy Hamshaw handled my divorce with professionalism and compassion. Her communication was excellent and responded immediately when urgent matters arose. Suzy understood my expectations and provided knowledgeable, well balanced and sensible advice at all times. She offered support, reassurance and encouragement giving me the strength to see the lengthy 2 year process to the end, ultimately achieving the desired fair outcome in court.’
‘Elizabeth Saunders is absolutely first class. She provides a Rolls-Royce service to clients but always has an eye on proportionality. She gives robust and accurate advice and manages client expectations well.’
Commercial property
With expertise extending across commercial, retail, residential and mixed-use development mandates, Gardner Leader LLP routinely advises a diverse client roster that encompasses developers, investors, foreign and local property funds. Practice head Greg Humphreys is noted for his expertise in advising restaurant businesses on various property transactions, while Richard Buckeridge is particularly active across property sales, regulatory issues and management work. Suki Hardy principally focuses on acquisitions, dispositions, leasings and the development of land, and Tim Blackman is regularly entrusted by SMEs to handle leasehold premises matters.
Practice head(s): Greg Humphreys
Other key lawyers: Richard Buckeridge; Suki Hardy; Karron Whitter; Tim Blackman
Testimonials
‘Gardner Leader in my opinion are a uniquely talented group of solicitors; with remarkably consistent strengths across the board for all services offered nationally and collaborations internationally.’’
‘The partner we have been dealing with at Gardner Leader has provided a very efficient, thorough and professional service, demonstrating a good understanding of relevant details and our requirements, which has given us every confidence in the advice and service provided.’
‘The individuals at Gardner Leader at all levels offer a very experienced and efficient high-quality service.’
Property litigation
Based in Newbury, the team at Gardner Leader LLP is led by Michelle Di Gioia, while Alastair Goggins heads the overarching litigation practice at the firm. The team routinely handles a wide variety of mandates concerning boundary disputes, adverse possession claims, breaches of contract, and watercourse disputes. The ‘exceptional’ Daniel Smith has broad experience in disrepair, nuisance, and misrepresentation claims, and Andrew Shipp is noted for his strong knowledge of TOLATA claims.
Practice head(s): Alastair Goggins; Michelle Di Gioia
Other key lawyers: Andrew Shipp; Alex Tigwell; Hilary Messer; Daniel Smith
Testimonials
‘The service was exceptional. The advice was always high quality, prompt, and relevant. The solutions proposed were extremely effective.’
‘Daniel Smith at Gardner Leader is simply an exceptional lawyer. His manner was always calm and reassuring. He really listened to us, and the advice he proposed was first-class.’
‘The team at Gardner Leader are experts in their field. They are supportive, efficient, and easily accessible.’
‘Alex Tigwell is an incredibly reliable partner who has vast experience of residential leasehold disputes.’
Health & Safety
Led by Michelle Di Gioia in Newbury, the team at Gardner Leader LLP has an established practice relating to compliance, risk management, and litigation in health and safety, with a particular focus on the construction sector. The firm regularly advises clients on risk assessments and directors’ liabilities, with Di Gioia offering a backdrop of corporate support. Stephen Bennett, based in Maidenhead, has experience acting for health and safety consultants instructed by indemnity insurers regarding investigations into workplace deaths, among other compliance issues.
Practice head(s): Michelle Di Gioia
Other key lawyers: Stephen Bennett
Corporate and Commercial – Gloucestershire, Somerset & Wiltshire
Based in Swindon, Gardner Leader LLP advises diverse domestic and multinational corporations on transactions within the South West region and beyond, in addition to assisting with matters such as drafting agreements and handling restructurings. Philip Humphreys acts as practice head and is particularly active on the transactional side of the business, as is M&A-focused Joe Lewis. On the corporate end, Gail Vallis is a key name to note and fields noted sector expertise relating to life sciences.
Practice head(s): Philip Humphreys
Other key lawyers: Peter James; Joe Lewis; Gail Vallis
Testimonials
‘The practice ensures it specifically understands our business with a close knowledge of our products, services and key people. This ensures the advice provided precisely matches our particular and unusual operational environment.’
‘Philip Humphreys and Gail Vallis are both collegiate, commercial, constructive problem solvers, professional and lacking in egos. They work incredibly well together.’
‘Peter James we trust implicitly. Peter responds to our varied requests for assistance promptly and succinctly and he always adds significant value in these responses.’
‘The Swindon office has a wide breadth of expertise and the partners are responsive and very reactive to client needs.’