Coodes gets high praise for expertise and client service in the Legal 500

Coodes Solicitors has once again been recommended in the prestigious national directory, the Legal 500. The South West law firm is ranked for five areas of legal expertise in the 2021 edition of the guide.

Based mainly on client feedback, Coodes is recommended for its expert advice and client service to businesses and individuals in the following areas: corporate and commercial; clinical negligence; agriculture and estates; contentious trusts and probate; and property litigation.

In the directory, Coodes is described by a client as being “the pre-eminent legal firm for clinical negligence in the South West,” and having a “very experienced and knowledgeable team.” Partner and head of the department Rachel Pearce is described as “intelligent and able to cut straight through the issues”, while Partner Julie Hatton is “a very able and experienced clinical negligence lawyer,” who “is great with clients and works hard on their behalf”.

The Legal 500 highlights Coodes’ expertise in advising high net worth landowning families and smaller family farms on a broad range of legal issues. It quotes a client as saying: “They provide an excellent service to their farming clients in all areas. They are efficient, respond quickly and get on with dealing with instructions without any delays.” While Partner and Rural Services team leader Pam Johns is described as being “highly regarded by the farming industry in Devon and Cornwall”.

The firm’s growing specialist expertise in handling contentious trust and probate matters is highlighted in the guide. A client is quoted describing Partner and Head of Personal Disputes Melanie Grose as “sympathetic to individual situations” and someone who “demonstrates empathy with clients, which is often a quality missed by many lawyers” as well as being “knowledgeable and experienced in her specialist field”. Her colleague Ben Sidgwick is referred to by a client as being “professional, attentive and efficient… quick to understand the complexities of my situation and I trusted his experience and judgement”.

The Personal Disputes and Commercial Disputes teams are recommended for their experience “across the full spectrum of property litigation, including adverse possession claims, landlord and tenant disputes and commercial property dilapidations claims”, with a client describing Coodes as a “genuine one-stop shop”.

A fellow professional describes Litigation Executive Hayley Gaffney as being “fierce on behalf of her clients but a pleasure to work with”. Feedback on Associate Ben Sidgwick states that he “thinks like a military strategist and is a sharp tactician”.

The Corporate and Commercial team, which advises businesses across the South West and beyond is recommended for its expertise in corporate transactions and day-to-day commercial work for small and medium sized businesses, as well as intellectual property and commercial contracts.

Working across Cornwall and Devon, Coodes Solicitors focuses on providing business the highest quality legal expertise and a friendly, local service.

Peter Lamble, Chairman of Coodes Solicitors, said: “As we come towards the end of what has undoubtedly been a difficult year for many, it is extremely rewarding to see our expertise and client service being recognised in this way.

“The Legal 500 is a very prestigious directory, with rigorous research processes and which only includes the very best lawyers and law firms in the UK. It is fantastic to see such a breadth of our expertise being included.

“This achievement is a reflection of the hard work and commitment of all our team members, who are so committed to providing the highest quality of service to all our clients.”