Guides
The leading independent guides to UK law firms, Chambers UK and The Legal 500, undertake extensive research to ensure that their rankings and editorial comments are fair and objective. Here is what the most recent editions of Chambers UK and The Legal 500 say about the team at Fox & Partners
Partnership
Chambers & Partners says:
Fox & Partners is a respected employment and partnership law boutique that is well known for its focus on contentious partnership matters. The team advises partnerships and individual partners, often on complex and highly sensitive issues such as allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination claims and expulsions. Fox & Partners represents traditional professional services partnerships as well as those in the financial services sector, including private equity firms.
A client says:
“The combination of both legal and practical knowledge was outstanding.”
One client reports:
“They’re responsive and provide clear, helpful advice and reasoning.”
Another client says:
“The service was excellent and so was the team’s responsiveness and quality of advice. They provided a great balance of the law applied practically to achieve the right business outcome.”
This year’s Guide sees the promoted to Band 1 in the rankings. Ivor Adair is ranked for the first time in Band 4, and Shoshana Bacall is listed as an Associate to watch.
Caroline Field is well known for her contentious partnership expertise, particularly in cases where there is crossover with employment law and issues of professional negligence.
“Caroline is just fantastic – a genius of a lawyer. Any client would be lucky to have her on their side.”
“She’s extremely good with clients, really knows the area and is good at managing work.”
“She is encyclopedic in her knowledge of partnership law and the go-to person in this area.”
Catriona Watt wins praise from sources:
“Catriona exhibits a balance of legal expertise, clear understanding of the business objectives and an ability to connect with her clients.”
“She keeps everything focused on what is best for the client, is very incisive, and knows the law inside out and how to apply it.”
“Catriona is excellent, really superb with clients and always authoritative.”
She handles a broad range of highly sensitive and contentious partnership matters, including compulsory retirements, partner exits and sexual harassment allegations.
Dean Fuller remains in Band 3 this year. He primarily provides non-contentious partnership advice to clients including traditional partnerships and LLPs. He is noted for his work for firms in the financial services sector.
“Dean is excellent – he is extremely good on detail, very technically efficient and a knowledgeable lawyer.”
“He is very down to earth, really commercial and knows what he’s doing.”
“He knows the law inside out and his written work is impressive – concise and convincing.”
Ivor Adair is ranked in Band 4 for the first time this year. He has a strong reputation for handling contentious partnership matters such as partner exits and restrictive covenants. He has notable experience working with partners at international law firms.
“Ivor was brilliant – he matched expert legal knowledge with deep practical case knowledge, and functionally delivered his wisdom and counsel with tremendous empathy for the client.”
“He’s a strategic thinker, calm under pressure and seems to be a master tactician.”
Eleanor Diamond continues to be listed as an Associate to watch. She is an associate who regularly assists on partnership disputes concerning partner expulsions, discrimination claims and compulsory retirement, among other issues.
“Eleanor is great – super efficient and really on the ball.”
“She is extremely impressive.”
Shoshana Bacall has been listed as an Associate to watch for the first time. She supports LLPs, professional partnerships and their individual members on a wide range of contentious matters. Her experience includes investigations into alleged harassment and disciplinary matters.
“Shoshana works incredibly hard, spots everything there is to spot and thinks two steps ahead in terms of strategy.”
“She is exceptionally diligent and all over the papers on a case. She can talk through and take really difficult points.”
The Legal 500 says:
Fox & Partners is hailed for ‘ bursting with talented individuals‘. The practice predominantly assists partnerships and individuals in the legal profession in addition to clients in the accountancy, insurance and financial services sectors. Catriona Watt advises on the full range of advisory and contentious cases including departures and arrivals, partner rights and entitlements and negotiating terms of exit for both firms and LLP members. Caroline Field is an experienced litigator who handles some of the most contentious and often novel cases; where necessary in the Employment Tribunal, High Court, and other dispute resolution forums. The team however aims to negotiate cases in order to preserve reputations. Dean Fuller undertakes advisory and disputes work in conjunction with related regulatory and corporate law while Ivor Adair also advises on acrimonious exits; the enforceability of post-termination covenants and potential claims under the equality act legislation and where partnership cases are entangled with issues such as alleged discrimination or harassment. Associates Shiv Raja (‘one to watch in the future‘) and Eleanor Diamond are highlighted and Ronnie Fox 
continues with the firm as a consultant. Senior associate Shoshana Bacall is also recommended.
The guide quotes clients as saying:
‘This is the best boutique firm in the City bar none.‘
‘Caroline Field is far more than an excellent lawyer – she is a fount of emotional insight and tactical wisdom. She saved my bacon. Catriona Watt is definitely the person to go to if you are a professional or a professional firm dealing with a difficult exit. Shiv Raja has what it takes to be one of the greats in employment law – but he will do it without ostentation.’
‘Specialist firm to have acting on your partnership issues and litigation The rival to CM Murray’
‘A formidable female leadership. Nimble and strategic.’
‘A small boutique firm, bursting with talented individuals who offer a fantastic service for clients for partnership matters.’
‘My main contact at the firm throughout the engagement was Dean Fuller. The service I received from Dean was excellent – he was very responsive and very thorough. I had a high degree of confidence in him throughout the process.’
‘Also worthy of mention is Eleanor Diamond who is always en pointe and very thorough.’
‘The firm has strength and depth in the team that it presents. They can gear up and muster a diverse team quickly to deal with complex issues. They are transparent, speak in plain English, and are commercially focused. They will happily tell you when it might make sense to consider a settlement, rather than continue to incur legal costs and embark on litigation – which is refreshing advice.’
Employment
Chambers & Partners says:
Fox & Partners is a boutique employment law firm offering expert advice to senior executives, with noted expertise when it comes to restrictive covenants and boardroom disputes. Capabilities also extend to whistleblowing and discrimination claims. The firm is regularly instructed by high-profile individuals from financial and professional services firms.
Clients say:
“They’re without doubt my favourite firm, everyone is outstanding. Fox is very collaborative, incisive and good at strategy.”
“Their niche is top-end deal and high-level executive work, which spins off into commercial work. They have a very good reputation in the city.”
Another adds:
“They provided quick, timely responses so that we could conclude quickly, despite the amount of documentation provided to them. They are very practical and come up with smart recommendations.”
Another client said:
“The firm provides very good service and responsiveness.”
Caroline Field is recognised for her work representing employees in employment disputes before the Employment Tribunal and High Court. Restrictive covenants are a notable area of strength, as are whistleblowing claims.
“Caroline has a very rounded approach. She is also very balanced and focused on client interest. She’s a very measured litigator.”
Catriona Watt is noted for her astute advice to senior executives. She regularly advises clients on cases involving discrimination, whistleblowing and restrictive covenants.
“Catriona is very much on the ball. She was very good at dealing with difficult clients, opponents, and keeping everything focused on what was best for clients irrespective of demands being made by them.”
Ivor Adair was promoted to Band 3 this year. He is an experienced litigator who is comfortable before the Employment Tribunal and the High Court. He regularly assists clients with whistleblowing, discrimination and TUPE matters.
“Ivor is a strategic thinker, calm under pressure and he seems to be a master tactician.”
“Ivor is very pragmatic and outcome-orientated.”
“I enjoyed working with him. He is committed and a very technical and intellectual lawyer.”
Shiv Raja continues to be listed as an Associate to watch. He has notable experience negotiating exit agreements and other non-contentious matters. His practice also sees him handle employment disputes.
“Shiv is very responsive and pragmatic.”
The Legal 500 (Employers and Senior Executives) says:
The ‘subject matter experts’ at Fox & Partners ‘come up with pragmatic, smart recommendations’, with a particular focus on the professional, insurance and financial services sectors. Alongside an experienced contentious practice, the firm advises on post-termination covenants and the implications for executive moves. Caroline Field is experienced at litigating in the Employment Tribunal, courts and other dispute resolution forums. She co-leads the team with Ivor Adair, who is ‘a brilliant technical lawyer and very strategic’. Also active in the area is Catriona Watt , whose expertise includes contentious departures and arrivals and negotiating terms of exit.
The Guide quotes clients as saying:
‘They are subject matter experts and come up with pragmatic, smart recommendations. Always available and prompt on their responses regardless of the documentation they have to go through. Provided diligent feedback.’
‘Very pragmatic and out of the box thinking in recommendations. Explored different options and design the strategy and roadmap accordingly. Solution oriented with can do mentality.’
‘Fox & Partners are a well-run, professional outfit. From the work I’ve done with them, I can see their clear desire to get the best outcome for their client, with good commercial nous. They work hard for the client’s interests – at whatever time of day, and get results accordingly.’
‘Ivor Adair is a brilliant technical lawyer and very strategic. An experienced litigator, he knows how to get the best results for his client.’
‘Ivor Adair is a dynamic litigator whose intellectual prowess is buttressed with commercial astuteness and versatility. Ivor’s experience shines through in heavyweight commercial disputes. He is formidable.’
‘The team provides a first class service in the most complex senior executive disputes. The partners at Fox are experts in their fields and they quickly assemble a team to provide practical solutions to difficult legal problems.’
‘Ivor Adair is superb. He takes an innovative approach to legal problem-solving, providing creative solutions to tricky situations. He is extremely experienced and his technical knowledge base is stand out. Catriona Watt routinely handles some of the most high value senior executive exits in the country. She combines very experienced intuition with rock solid judgment to negotiate the very best positions for her clients.’
‘They are a young practice, dynamic, hard working and user friendly, especially strong for partnership work.’