Our People
Alex Smith
Partner & Managing Director
Alex Smith
Partner & Managing Director
Shakespeare Martineau Nottingham
As Managing Director of Shakespeare Martineau’s Infrastructure & Specialist Markets Business Unit, I’m responsible for the strategic growth of the business unit, working closely with colleagues in the development of our strategy, values and culture.
Ben Buckton
Chief Marketing & People Officer
Ben Buckton
Chief Marketing & People Officer
Ben is part of our Main and Exec Boards, and as Chief Marketing & People Officer (CMPO), he is responsible for our people, customer, commercial and marketing strategy.
Karen Walker
Chief Transformation Officer
As Chief Transformation Officer, Karen has a particular focus on transformation and change. Aligning to our ambitious strategy, Karen’s role is focused on maximising the profitability of our business and unlocking our potential.
Mark Beesley
Partner & Managing Director
Mark Beesley
Partner & Managing Director
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Mark is Managing Director of the litigation services and dispute resolution business unit, responsible for growing and developing the litigation and restructuring teams across Shakespeare Martineau.
Paul Bird
Chief Financial Officer
Paul is our Chief Financial Officer and plays a significant role in Shakespeare Martineau’s strategic leadership through an extensive knowledge of growing and managing UK and international businesses.
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My Recent Articles
- Best Companies names Shakespeare Martineau as ‘outstanding’
Sarah Walker-Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Sarah Walker-Smith is the CEO of Shakespeare Martineau. She is the first female, non-lawyer CEO in the legal top 50.
A trained accountant having worked for PWC and Deloitte, Sarah puts people at the core of everything she does as well as the marketing and branding experience gained at Boots plc
Victoria Tester
Partner & Managing Director
Victoria Tester
Partner & Managing Director
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Victoria sits on our Main Board and is responsible for our Life & Business, business unit.
Andrew Taylor
Partner & Head of Restructuring
Andrew Taylor
Partner & Head of Restructuring
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Andrew is a highly regarded and experienced restructuring lawyer.
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Languages:
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English
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French
Andrew Whitehead
Senior Partner & Head of Energy
Andrew Whitehead
Senior Partner & Head of Energy
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Andrew is a specialist energy regulatory and contracts lawyer, who works with a range of utility and developer clients and funders to help them manage regulatory and legal risk in a fast moving and complex environment. Andrew is also currently our elected Senior Partner.
Barry Jervis
Partner & Head of Litigation & Restructuring
Barry Jervis
Partner & Head of Litigation & Restructuring
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Barry brings a no-nonsense approach to resolving disputes for his clients whilst involving them at every stage of the process.
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Languages:
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English
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French
Brian Mullin
Partner & Head of Marrons Planning
Brian Mullin
Partner & Head of Marrons Planning
Shakespeare Martineau Leicester
Brian is a Town Planner and chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute with in excess of 15 years of experience accrued in local government and the private sector.
Clive Read
Partner & Head of Birmingham
Clive Read
Partner & Head of Birmingham
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Clive has been advising universities and colleges on the management and development of their campuses for 30 years.
David Browne
Partner & Head of Employment
David Browne
Partner & Head of Employment
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
David is the lead employment partner for the firm’s education clients and provides sector specialist advice to universities and colleges.
Duncan James
Partner & Head of Corporate
Duncan James
Partner & Head of Corporate
Shakespeare Martineau Nottingham
Duncan works with fast growing family businesses and entrepreneurs to ensure they are successful and to help them achieve their goals through acquisitions, funding lines and exit and succession planning.
Ed Wright
Partner & Head of Sport
Ed Wright
Partner & Head of Sport
Shakespeare Martineau Nottingham
Ed works with clients from all sectors (particularly healthcare/life sciences, sport, technology, media and communications) on wide-ranging non-contentious contractual, IP, data protection and competition law issues.
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Languages:
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English
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French
Emma Porter
Partner & Head of managed legal services
Emma is the Head of Operations for our Volume and Consumer group and has in excess of 18 years’ legal practice management experience.
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My Recent Articles
- Intervention of Cardinal Solicitors Ltd
- Intervention of Porter & Co Law Ltd
Joanna Deffley
Partner & Head of West Midlands
Joanna Deffley
Partner & Head of West Midlands
Shakespeare Martineau Solihull
Joanna is a partner in our development team specialising in strategic land development projects.
Kavita Patel
Partner & Head of Investment Funds
Kavita Patel
Partner & Head of Investment Funds
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Kavita is Regional Head for our South region and also Head of our Investment Funds sector. She has a formidable reputation amongst her clients for technical excellence and getting the job done and is regarded as the ‘rainmaker of the team’.
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Languages:
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English
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Gujarati
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Hindi
Louise Drew
Partner & Head of Building Communities
Louise Drew
Partner & Head of Building Communities
Shakespeare Martineau Stratford
Louise is the Head of the Building Communities team, having a passion for delivering development that brings major benefit to residents in terms of health, wellbeing, education, employment and the environment.
Mark Merrell
Partner & Head of Corclaim
Mark Merrell
Partner & Head of Corclaim
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Mohammed Saqub
Partner & Head of Islamic Finance
Mohammed Saqub
Partner & Head of Islamic Finance
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Mohammed is a real estate finance and islamic finance specialist with considerable experience in dealing with a range of high-value and complex property investment, finance and development transactions.
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Languages:
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English
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Urdu
Naomi Tudor
Partner & Head of Banking & Financial Services
Naomi Tudor
Partner & Head of Banking & Financial Services
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Naomi and her team work together with funders and their customers to ensure a smooth path to completion of a transaction where all parties are satisfied with the terms.
Neil Gosling
Partner & Head of Residential Development
Neil Gosling
Partner & Head of Residential Development
Shakespeare Martineau Solihull
Neil builds long standing working relationships with our clients by becoming an extension of their business. He is forward thinking and progressive in his approach.
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Languages:
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English
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French
Nicholas Briggs
Partner & Head of Intellectual Property
Nicholas Briggs
Partner & Head of Intellectual Property
Shakespeare Martineau Birmingham
Nick helps UK and international clients enforce and protect their Intellectual Property rights, and defends those accused of infringing IPRs.
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Languages:
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English
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French
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German
Why Shakespeare Martineau
legal force
We’re intent on shaking up our profession for the better, building something different… for our clients and our people
Case Studies
we’ve given to our clients
We work closely with clients
to understand the priorities
and goals that drive you
Our thoughts
All the latest views and insights on current topics.
13 Jan
For the individual
No-fault divorce preparation should start now
With the landmark Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 coming into force in April, […]
6 Jan
Corporate & Commercial
New OfS Regulatory Advice on Reportable Events – what it means for providers
The OfS has now published its updated regulatory advice on reportable events, which is […]
6 Jan
Corporate & Commercial
Flexible working in schools – making it work
24 Dec
SRA Intervention
Intervention of Cardinal Solicitors Ltd
17 Dec
Corporate & Commercial
Heat Network Metering and Billing Regulations – what registered providers need to be aware of
16 Dec
Corporate & Commercial
Birmingham law firm supports acquisition of pirate deterrent group
14 Dec
Corporate & Commercial