Penningtons Manches Cooper announces 2026 partner promotions

UK and international law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper has announced its promotions for the forthcoming financial year. Four individuals will join the partnership and one will become an associate director.

The new appointments are:

Adam Crawford – Housing, Basingstoke (partner)
Andrew Jago – Costs, London (associate director)
Matilda Kingham – Family, Reading and London (partner)
Eleanor Moodey – Family, Oxford (partner)
Rachel Taylor – Court of Protection, Basingstoke (partner)

Adam Crawford, who joined the firm in 2022 and has over 20 years of experience as a Licensed Conveyancer in senior client side and advisory-side roles across the housing sector, will join the partnership (subject to regulatory approval). His deep knowledge and excellent reputation amongst clients and wider sector stakeholders have been instrumental in securing a number of new instructions and supporting expansion of the team’s strategic workstreams. In particular, he has significantly strengthened capacity in complex new build site set ups and accelerated the growth of the firm’s asset management offering. His client portfolio spans registered providers, local authorities, and developers. Adam also regularly speaks at industry conferences and has served as a panel judge for the First Time Buyer Magazine Reader’s Awards since 2024.

Specialist costs lawyer Andrew Jago joined the firm’s newly created costs practice in 2020 and has led the team through a period of exceptional growth, doubling the value of work undertaken and developing several bespoke cost services for litigation teams across the business. The team has become an important part of the firm’s full-service offering and a popular value-added service for a number of key clients. Andrew’s 25 years’ experience in the field, includes international arbitration, multi‑jurisdictional litigation and Solicitors Act assessments. He also brings specialist expertise in personal injury, clinical negligence, commercial disputes, and marine, trade and aviation matters. He is also helping steer the costs team’s contribution to the Pro Bono Expert Support Network.

Having joined the firm as a trainee in 2012, Eleanor Moodey is one of the new partners nurtured through the firm’s talent pipeline and a key figure in the firm’s strategy to grow its private wealth offering. Eleanor advises on all aspects of family law, with particular expertise in complex and international matters, including foreign divorces, international relocation and crypto asset issues on separation. Her lifelong personal and academic ties to the city anchor her firmly within the Oxford market, which she complements with a strong and diverse international network. Recent international instructions span a diverse variety of jurisdictions, including Sweden and Australia. Eleanor is an active member of the International Association of Junior Lawyers and has just returned from Berlin, where she helped organise a conference on venture capital and family offices across private wealth law.

Matilda Kingham is another of the firm’s homegrown success stories, having joined as a trainee. Matilda advises on all areas of family law but has a particular focus on complex children and high net worth financial remedy cases. She is integral to the private wealth group’s growth strategy. Although she has a proven track-record in litigation (including the landmark case of Waggott in the Court of Appeal), Matilda believes that separation does not need to be adversarial and has significant experience of using non-court alternatives. She is a qualified mediator and has built a strong reputation for her skills in this area. She also offers the innovative ‘One Couple, One Lawyer’ model of working. Matilda works from both the Reading and London offices and is currently expanding her practice with an impressive list of Berkshire-based clients.

Rachel Taylor is the third new partner to have joined as a trainee. She has established a thriving practice within the Court of Protection (CoP) team and has played an integral role in its continued expansion. A STEP qualified private client and trusts specialist, Rachel advises professional and lay deputies and trustees on complex, high value matters, including deputyship appointments, statutory wills, gifting, and trust related applications. She has a particular focus on acquired brain injury cases. Rachel is involved in industry forums and has strong relationships with key referrer organisations. She works closely with colleagues in other practice areas including private client, tax, personal injury and medical negligence employment and family. She is a director of PennTrust, the firm’s trust corporation, which acts as a deputy for property and financial affairs and professional trustee.

Commenting on the promotions Helen Drayton, Penningtons Manches Cooper’s CEO, said:

“Huge congratulations to Adam, Andrew, Eleanor, Matilda and Rachel on their very well deserved success. All five are brilliant examples of the exceptional talent and commitment to outstanding client service we pride ourselves on. The impact they have already made within their teams and across the wider firm is hugely impressive, and I have no doubt they will continue to make a strong contribution as they step into their new roles. Supporting and developing our people remains at the heart of our strategy, and it is always a pleasure to see colleagues progress who so clearly embody our values and ambition.”