We’re proud to have retained our top tier rankings in Music, Media Finance and Film & TV, our excellent positioning for Video Games, Advertising & Marketing and Theatre & Publishing, and the strong rankings for our Reputation Management, Intellectual Property and Employment teams.
In all, 36 of our lawyers have been ranked or recognised this year by clients for their exceptional work. We are thrilled that Reno Antoniades and Lawrence Engel feature in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame, and that Nicki Parfitt, Richard Lever, Christos Michaels, Martyn Bailey, Gordon Williams, Huw Morris, Nick Swimer, Julian Ward and Mike Brookes are ranked as “Leading Partners”. Congratulations also to our Next Generation Partners Lizzie Payne-James, Antony Swiatek, Stephen Spence, Tim Fowler, Sam Goodman, and to Sarah Cundall, ranked as a “Leading Associate”.
We’re also proud that Sophie Anim, Dominic Bray, Luke Carey, Harrison Clark, Rebecca Coleman, Frania Cooper, Johan Ewing, Shay Kennedy, Michael Lucas, Alastair Mavor, Damian McParland, James Rushton, Nick Salbaing, Mark Stafford and Lee Stone have been recognised as key lawyers across our practices.
Above all, we are grateful to our clients for their kind words in this year’s guide, including:
‘The team is very approachable and very much an extension of our internal team. They are knowledgeable and practical in their approach to transactions and are always respectful, even under the most challenging circumstances.’
‘Lee & Thompson is a go-to firm for production legal, and financing work in the UK. The team inspire confidence with their deep knowledge and experience in the industry.’
‘Stephen Spence – his leadership style is to allow his team to take ownership of their transactions. He allows his team to form relationships with clients, but he’s always on hand to support or intervene if required. An excellent lawyer who works hard for his clients.’
‘Lee Stone is a highly pragmatic problem-solver who embodies the ‘get the deal done’ and ‘get it right’ client ethos.’
‘The media finance team at Lee & Thompson is our go-to team. They have appropriate expertise at every level, from trainees to partners, who all work seamlessly together to provide an excellent service. The team is technically excellent, responsive, reliable, and a pleasure to work with.’
‘The practical know-how combined with excellent legal drafting sets this firm apart. It can get to the heart of an issue, protect the client’s real interests, and move a deal towards closing in a timely fashion.’
‘Nicki Parfitt is one of the best media lawyers I have worked with and is hugely knowledgeable. Sarah Cundall is very impressive, easy to work with, and commercially focused and driven.’
‘We work mostly with Damian McParland and Nick Salbaing. Both demonstrate excellent knowledge in their field. Damian is friendly and approachable and always willing to explain to someone without legal experience. Nick is across much of our paperwork and is timely, accurate, clear, concise, and always polite.’
‘One of the go-to firms for all aspects of music work. The team have years of experience, fantastic knowledge of the sector, and plenty of commercial nous.’
‘Lee & Thompson is a firm that has the creative industries covered. For clients whose interests span those industries, it is a great one-stop shop.’
‘James Rushton is always a pleasure to work with, very pragmatic and smart, and works quickly and effectively. Michael Lucas is an entrepreneurial partner, with very strong and impressive relationships with his clients.’
‘Mark Stafford has years of experience, fantastic knowledge of the sector, and plenty of commercial nous. Dominic Bray is very bright and quick to grasp the technicalities of a case and cuts straight through to what matters.’
‘Martyn Bailey is a significant player in music-related litigation. Martyn has a sharp eye for his client’s interests and has good commercial instincts.’
‘Lee & Thompson are genuine leaders in our sector. Their knowledge of the market is exceptional, and they consistently provide forward-thinking advice on developments that may affect our business. The team combines technical excellence with a deep understanding of our commercial objectives, delivering practical solutions rather than purely legal answers. What makes them unique is their investment in our success. They are trusted strategic advisers who feel like an extension of our own team.’
‘Broad knowledge, expertise, and a diverse client base give a good perspective on the latest industry trends and approaches.’
‘Superb leadership from Julian Ward, who is great with clients, as well as technically excellent.’
‘Julian Ward goes above and beyond and is utterly dependable. I really enjoy working with him.’
‘The Lee & Thompson advertising and marketing team is one of a kind. All killer, no filler. Every single lawyer on the team is excellent – whip smart, responsive, great judgment, and the kind of people I’d choose to hang out with.’
‘The team combines excellent legal expertise with a genuine understanding of the media planning and buying landscape. What sets them apart is their ability to balance legal, commercial, and strategic considerations throughout complex global agency procurement and appointment processes.’
‘The team stands out for its deep sector expertise in digital advertising and ad tech, combined with a highly commercial, solutions-oriented approach.’
‘Nick Swimer is a standout adviser and a trusted partner to our business. He is widely respected by both legal and commercial teams (on both sides of deals) for his ability to combine deep expertise with practical, actionable advice.’
‘Lee & Thompson have always provided the company with brilliant service – prompt, accurate, and tailored to our needs. We’ve had no concerns; they are clearly at the top of their profession, and we enjoy working with them.’
‘They are incredibly knowledgeable, skilled, and specialised. Distilling complex theatre deals into clear terms and explaining mechanisms of structuring theatre entities in a way that we can understand and critically assess.’
‘Sam Goodman is working with us across several theatre projects. Sam is super smart, connected, and a delight to work with. He and the equally impressive L&T partner Tim Fowler are timely, constructive, and creative with their counsel on our individual projects, both short- and long-term business-building. They are also, unlike some in the trade, just very good people and go above and beyond.’
‘Their associate Shay Kennedy and legal director Anushka Sinha have also been extremely helpful and professional across all aspects of the workload.’
‘Specifically for film and TV clearance and defamation, Mike Brookes is very practical and commercial. He gives a straight answer to a simple question, which is surprisingly unusual in this field.’
‘Mike Brookes: trusted, strategic.’
‘Combines unrivalled practical knowledge of the entertainment sector with a strong understanding of the underlying IP rights.’
‘Amanda McDowall is a fantastic partner on our commercial IP issues – she’s ever patient, knowledgeable, and flexible. I really appreciate the clear and actionable position she gives in such a complex area. We always know we’re in safe hands, and she’s great fun to boot!’
‘Dominic Bray and Sophie Anim helped me through a very difficult trademark dispute, resulting in a successful co-existence agreement. Both were professional, friendly, technically excellent, and commercially minded.’
‘Mark Stafford is exceptional. Friendly, approachable, clearly intelligent, with great communication skills. He easily distils complex matters into understandable language; this is what I value most.’
‘The people stand out in their knowledge, approachability, and sector experience.’
‘Senior and junior team members work brilliantly together, ensuring that clients receive excellent service.’
‘Danielle Lobel-Weiss is dedicated to her clients, caring, knowledgeable, and strategic.’
‘Even though we’re a small and new company, L&T (and Martin Tynan in particular) made me feel like we were worth a seat at their table[…]’
See the full rankings and feedback from our clients here.