Phillips Law is delighted to have been featured across six departments in the Legal 500 for 2025. The Legal 500 is a globally recognised legal directory that ranks law firms and individual lawyers based on research and analysis. It serves as a comprehensive guide for clients seeking premium legal services.

Key results

Max Hope in the Litigation team is recognised as a Leading Partner

Sian Lias in the Wills, Trusts and Probate team is recognised as a Leading Associate.

Departmental breakdown

Corporate & Commercial team

Jack Gardener is recommended for shareholder agreements and corporate governance advice. The team was strengthened by the addition of Jacqueline Drury, who joined the firm from an in-house position in May 2023. Described as ‘incredibly knowledgeable’, Drury specialises in commercial work and has experience advising on matters relating to data protection, IT, and intellectual property issues.

• They are an excellent local practice with a good understanding of the client’s requirements.
• Jack Gardener heads up an experienced, commercial, and practical team. They are very good at simplifying the legal process and focusing on the pertinent commercial points.

Litigation team

Phillips Law houses a ‘knowledgeable and dedicated’ team that advises on professional negligence claims, shareholder disputes, and debt recovery issues. Leading the practice, Max Hope is ’an exceptional commercial litigator’, who regularly handles matters relating to property developments. The team was strengthened by the addition of George English, who joined from Gardner Leader LLP in August 2023; English has experience litigating in both the County Courts and the High Court.

• Max Hope is outstanding. He is commercial, knowledgeable, and the right level of aggressive with the opponents.
• Phillips never disappoints. They always deliver.

Employment team

The ‘extremely experienced and knowledgeable’ team at Phillips Law advises on immigration, recruitment, redundancy, and discrimination claims. Leading the employment practice, Jacqueline Kendal regularly represents clients in the Employment Tribunal; she is also experienced in advising on the enforceability of restrictive covenants, TUPE issues, and unfair dismissal claims. Sarah Filsell is recommended for her skills in handling settlement agreements as well as drafting staff handbooks and employment contracts.

• Their care and concern for their clients is exceptional and they always go the extra mile.
• Phillips have a very local feel about them, making them comfortable to deal with, whilst having a knowledge and experience that is clearly way beyond local. Their strengths lie in the depth and breadth of their experience.

Family Team – Tier 2

Daniel Weintroub and Elizabeth Taylor co-lead the team at Phillips Law. Taylor handles a range of finance and children cases, and is well-equipped to handle mediation, and Weintroub is a ‘superstar’ when it comes to complex financial matters, displaying expertise spanning the full spectrum of family law matters. Howard Gardener took a step back from partnership in October 2023, and works with the team as a consultant.

• An excellent firm with exceptional partners and associates who specialise in a range of areas.
• Daniel Weintroub is a superstar in complicated financial matters with significant business assets. He is always on top of his papers and takes no prisoners.

Wills, Trusts & Probate team – Tier 2

The team is co-led by Sian Lias and Lisa Perry. With significant experience advising high-net-worth clients, Lias is skilled in the creation and administration of trusts, while Perry routinely handles probate matters and is particularly capable in advising clients who have estates and assets located abroad. Claire-Marie Selwood is also noted for her experience drafting and reviewing wills.

• Sian Lias is helpful, kind, and understanding.
• The tax, trusts, and probate team provide a very personable service to both their clients and professional relationships. The team at Phillips understand their field completely. They also understand and empathise with the delicate nature of the work.

Commercial Property

The commercial property team at Phillips Law is co-led by Clare Strachan and Emma Elkington. Strachan specialises in commercial landlord and tenant matters, investment property acquisitions, and lease negotiations. Elkington regularly advises housebuilders, developers, and landowners. The ‘hardworking and diligent’ Matthew Morris-Ashton is noted for his experience in commercial property transactions.

• They are very professional, commercial, and hard-working.
• They have excellent communication, meet deadlines, and consider the bigger picture.