Penningtons Manches announces seven new partners in 2019 promotions round

Posted: 01/04/2019

Top 50 law firm Penningtons Manches has announced seven new partner promotions with effect from today, bringing the total number of partners in the firm to 117.

Spanning the firm’s litigation, corporate, commercial and IP/IT, private client, family and clinical negligence practices, the newly appointed partners are:

Rachel Bradley - intellectual property (life sciences)
Elizabeth Carson - family
John Chater - corporate (banking and finance)
Kathy Hills - corporate (tax)
Alison Johnson - clinical negligence
Sarah Lee - private client (contentious probate)
David O’Brien - commercial dispute resolution

A highly experienced IP and commercial lawyer, Rachel Bradley supports clients on a broad range of non-contentious IP matters. She has particular expertise in advising biotech/pharmaceutical clients on licences, collaborations, and other commercial agreements. She also works closely with organisations in the publishing sector. Rachel is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars, and worked as in-house counsel for AstraZeneca before joining Penningtons Manches in 2015.

Elizabeth Carson attended Harvard law school and qualified as a litigator in New York before moving to London to practice family law. She advises clients on complex financial disputes where there are assets in multiple jurisdictions, with a particular focus on cases with a US dimension. She also advises on cases involving the international relocation of children. In 2018 she acted for the husband in the widely reported case of Waggot. She was successful in the Court of Appeal and in submissions made to the Supreme Court. The case has paved the way to a reconsideration of lifetime spousal maintenance awards.

Banking and finance specialist John Chater has extensive experience acting on a broad range of finance transactions including acquisitions, real estate and project finance, loan servicing and general corporate banking. John’s clients include lenders (including major UK banks) and borrowers. He also advises on the restructuring of distressed businesses and insolvency procedures. He has a particular focus on the technology, healthcare, hospitality and renewable energy sectors.

Kathy Hills is a corporate tax specialist providing advice on acquisitions and disposals, reorganisations and restructurings and corporate finance. She advises on tax efficient investments such as EIS, SEIS and VCT and provides tax structuring for a planned exit including advising on the availability of Entrepreneurs' Relief. She has particular expertise in share incentives, advising on EMI schemes, unapproved option schemes, CSOPs, LTIPs, growth shares, phantom share schemes and drafting UK schemes which are compatible with the incentive stock option scheme in the US.

Clinical negligence specialist Alison Johnson represents claimants in a wide variety of clinical negligence claims. She has a particular focus on birth injury, maternal injury and gynaecology, general practice and oncology claims and also deals with fatal accident claims arising out of clinical negligence actions. Alison is a Law Society and Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) accredited panel solicitor and has previously worked regularly with AvMA as a helpline adviser.

Sarah Lee advises individuals on a broad range of contentious private client matters. Her practice includes trust and estate litigation, disputed wills, administration disputes, professional negligence and Inheritance Act claims. Sarah’s expertise also covers complex probate queries, personal tax, property ownership disputes and ownership agreements, elderly clients and power of attorney issues.

An integral member of the firm’s commercial dispute resolution team, David O’Brien has a particular expertise in high value commercial contract disputes, particularly with international elements. He is also a key member of our group actions team with notable experience and reputation in acting for claimants in high value, multi-party actions against solicitors.  

The promotions round also included 20 associates who were made up to senior associate.

David Raine, chief executive of Penningtons Manches, said: “I would like to extend my congratulations to our newly appointed partners. The announcement comes as a direct result of their hard work and dedicated contribution to the firm. Our award-winning development programme, which aims to support and mentor senior associates who display potential to become partners or associate directors, is at the forefront of this success. Well done to them all.”

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