Stephen joined our Manchester based corporate team as a partner in April 2018.
He has over 20 years of experience and his focus is mainly on company formations, mergers and takeovers, disposals and MBO/MBIs, as well as general commercial contracts and advice.
His clients are both regional and national and range from sole traders to large companies.
Outside of work, Bolton based Stephen enjoys going to the gym, supporting (for a very long time) Manchester City, gardening and spending time with his granddaughter.
Gareth joined Bermans in 2018, following qualification as a commercial litigation lawyer in the City and previous to that a successful career as a Premiership and international footballer.
He has accrued a wealth of experience in a wide range of white-collar crime matters, including SFO investigations and corporate compliance. The fusion of this specialist grounding and Gareth’s contact base has meant that he has developed niche expertise in complex high value tax fraud litigation and associated negligence actions as well as claims for restitution from mis-sold financial products.
He has also developed significant expertise in sports law, building on his extensive practical experience in the sporting industry.
He has been involved in numerous transfers and disputes concerning current and former players, including a leading Court of Arbitration for Sport case which resulted in changes being made to the rules. In addition, he is a member of the Football Association’s Judicial Panel and sits on both the Chairman’s Panel and the Football Panel. He is a member of Sports Resolutions’ independent Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators.
Andrew joined Bermans in January 2017 as a Partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution team based in Manchester.
Andrew studied at University College, Oxford and The College of Law, Guildford, before qualifying as a Solicitor in 1987 at Brooke North Solicitors, going on to hold positions at Halliwells and Salehs Solicitors.
Andrew advises for owner-managed businesses, professional practices, insolvency practitioners, property developers, secured lenders and individuals.
He specialises in property litigation, shareholder and partnership disputes; litigation for secured lenders; contract disputes; professional negligence and insolvency.
Outside of work,Andrew enjoys football (both playing 5-a-side and watching Manchester City); running; walking/climbing; music and learning to play the piano. Plus he is a member of the Manchester Law Society.
Visit Andrew’s LinkedIn page here or see contact details below to discuss your legal matter with Andrew.
Chris is an experienced Commercial Law partner who joined Bermans as Head of the Commercial Team in April 2014, having spent fourteen years at an International law practice.
Chris is well respected in his fields of expertise and advises businesses both nationally and internationally on commercial and company law matters. Chris advises companies on commercial contracts and company law, partners and partnerships on partnership law and partnership documentation, and charities on charity law matters such as registration and constitutional issues.
Having worked in industry for 13 years before qualifying as a solicitor, Chris provides a commercial approach in problem solving, which assist clients in achieving their commercial objectives.
David joined Bermans in 2014 to develop our Private Client service, having previously been a partner in Bremners and subsequently Brabners.
David advises on a diverse range of matters including IHT planning, Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Trusts and Probate (including contentious) as well as residential and commercial property.
David is an estate planning expert and regularly advises clients on how best to protect their assets. He also has a special interest in clients who don’t have mental capacity to manage their own finances, through illness, injury or old age, using the Court of Protection or powers of attorney.
David also has considerable expertise with charities and has been the Chair of the Education & Charities Committee at the Liverpool Law Society for many years. In 2015 he received a ‘Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Service’ for his tireless work as Committee Chair, where he runs 3 charitable funds, organises the high profile Conkerton Memorial Lectures, public speaking competitions and other such work.
As an experienced private client lawyer, his key aim is to develop a thorough understanding of his clients’ goals so that he can provide rounded practical advice to maintain and develop their wealth protection strategies.
Away from the office David enjoys water polo, golf, football and horse riding.
Guy is a Partner who joined Bermans’ Property and Construction team in 2006. He provides commercial property advice to clients within many different sectors including commercial property development, house builders, Private Rental Sector (PRS), property investment, retail and banking.
He has a wealth of experience across a wide range of commercial property transactions including, commercial property acquisitions and disposals, commercial leases, site acquisitions and disposals, development and planning agreements, secured lending, receivership appointments and property disposals and the creation of easements and rights of way.
Guy prides himself on providing speedy and pragmatic advice to his clients and also on his ability to deliver a top quality service within a transparent and competitive fee structure and within the required timeframes.
Nicky Benson joined Bermans in May 2007 to lead the firm’s growing employment team. Having qualified in 1988, she has spent over 20 years specialising in employment work. She sits as an Employment Judge in the Birmingham region.
Nicky regularly advises businesses of all sizes on their employment issues and is known for her practical and commercial approach to resolving problems. She regularly speaks on a
variety of topics for the local Chambers of Commerce and other organisations and is a member of the Liverpool Employment Tribunal Users Group and Liverpool Law Society Employment Committee.
Nick, a partner since 2001, and member of the firms management board also heads up the Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Collections teams.
A highly respected commercial litigator and cited by the Legal 500 as one of the top lawyers in the North West, he has expertise in heavy weight contractual disputes ranging from shareholder, partnership and franchisor issues to complex property construction, insurance and tax litigation. Professional negligence claims is also an area in which he is highly regarded.
As co-founder of the multi-award winning dispute resolution product, Escalate, Nicks innovative, solution driven and price sensitive approach is well recognised by his clients.
Alive to the changing climate, Nick has embraced ADR and has conducted many successful negotiated settlements through mediation.
Michael is a Senior Associate who joined Bermans as a trainee solicitor in 2008 and, following his qualification in September 2010, he joined the Litigation and Dispute Resolution team based in the firm’s Liverpool office.
Michael’s focus is commercial litigation and he provides specialist advice to clients in relation to a wide range of disputes, including shareholder and partnership matters, warranty and covenant claims, property litigation and complex, high-value contractual disputes.
Michael prides himself on his approachable and positive attitude, and clients appreciate his ability to explain complex legal issues in simple, understandable terms. Always keen to keep matters firmly in a commercial focus, Michael works with clients to resolve disputes and meet objectives in the most cost-effective way possible.
Jon heads up the Corporate team having joined Bermans as a Corporate Partner in January 2012. Jon had previously worked at SME focused law firms in Manchester since qualification.
He is a specialist in transactional and corporate finance work as well as providing general strategic advice.
Clients include a variety of companies, many of whom are owner-managed SMEs but also larger corporates.
He has worked with clients across a range of sectors but has particular expertise in the financial services, digital/media and healthcare (particularly ophthalmic) sectors.
Jon’s knowledge and experience allows him to provide clients with clear direction through what can be quite complex processes.
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