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Award arrives! Averta's second Birmingham Law Society Firm of the Year win

Averta Employment Lawyers has won the Birmingham Law Society Law Firm of the Year – Sole Practitioners and Firms up to Five Partners.

Alan Jones, director at Averta said:

“Delighted to win the Law Firm of the Year Award for the second time. It’s a great credit to our fantastic team of solicitors, consultants, paralegals and support staff.”

“David Sykes and I are particularly proud of this achievement as it shows that we are still offering clients excellent service recognised by our peers.”

“I’d like to congratulate all the other winners and finalists and well done to the Birmingham Law Society for managing the online event so brilliantly.”

The Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards was held online April 15 and featured 12 different categories including apprentices, pro bono work and small, local and national practices.


Averta shortlisted for Birmingham Law Society Law Firm of the Year

Averta has been nominated for the Birmingham Law Society Law Firm of the Year – Sole Practitioners and Firms up to Five Partners. The Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards will be online on April 15 and features 12 different categories including apprentices, pro bono work and small, local and national practices.

Alan Jones, director at Averta said: “This is a very prestigious award. Having won the same award in 2015, we know how much difference it can make to a firm’s standing in the local legal community.  David Sykes, the team at Averta and I would be delighted to win again, but if we are not fortunate enough this year to be chosen, we are all delighted to have been shortlisted alongside some other very accomplished firms.”

With the awards celebrating its 20th year, the event will be hosted on the Birmingham Law Society website on Thursday 15 April 2021.

 


Chambers 2021 list Averta in Band One for Employment - Employees in the Midlands

Averta Employment Lawyers is listed in Band One in Chambers and Partners 2021 UK Rankings in Employment: Employee for the Midlands.

The firm gained some excellent comments from referees, such as:

“As a firm they stand out as providing an excellent service for senior individuals on the employee side.”

“They are one of the go-tos for senior executive work. They have high-quality lawyers and they are very good.”

“They do a stellar job – they are a pre-eminent firm.”

Notable Practitioners

Both of Averta’s founding partners are listed as notable practitioners.

On David Sykes, Chambers comments:

He has good experience in litigation and will fight with conviction for his client. He is calm and reflective.

Alan Jones is described as:

An excellent negotiator and he is willing to take a stand on issues while also being pragmatic. He is very commercial and pragmatic. He gets deals done quickly and negotiates hard for his clients.

Jones comments:

“It’s a credit to the whole team that our work is regarded so positively in the legal community in the Midlands.”

Chambers and Partners has been the leading source of legal market intelligence for over 30 years now. They have 85 experienced researchers ranking law firms and solicitors in the UK, providing localised knowledge and market insight.

Full entry in Chambers here – https://chambers.com/department/averta-employment-lawyers-employment-employee-uk-1:1887:11815:1:103906


Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Covid 19-Update

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most significant global public health crises in the last 100 years and is causing major disruptions at every level.

Averta is trying, along with many other businesses, to continue to provide a service to clients, whilst following public health advice.

Our primary concern at this time is the safety of our staff and clients.  In common with many law firms we often work remotely so are able respond to current challenges by extending our current working practices.

We are however following advice from Government and NHS and our employees are working from home where possible but still available to discuss any issues you have.

Following advice, we would ask that clients not come into to our offices. We can however continue to take instructions from clients remotely, either by telephone or online.

We will where possible use the online platform of your choice – for example Skype, WhatsApp or Zoom.

We are all adjusting to working in a new way, so please get in touch by initially calling us on 0300 303 3570.


Averta in Times Top 200 for Third Year

Often described as the ‘Best niche firm for senior executives’, and now one of  The Times Best Law Firms in 2019, 2020 and 2021

Once again, Averta Employment Lawyers has made it into The Times Best Law Firms. The list is compiled by international research firm, Statista.

Statista ask solicitors throughout England and Wales to recommend the 200 best law firms in 26 categories covering business, public and private-client fields. The final 200 firms in the list got the most votes from 3,271 respondents to make it into The Times Best Law Firms 2020. Solihull based Averta made the first list in 2019 and has again been voted into the 2020 list. Alan Jones, director at Averta Employment Lawyers said: “This is testament to the quality of the whole team at Averta and reflects the experience of the major commercial law firms who deal with us. As well as providing first class legal advice, this shows how much confidence our referrers have in us which means we have a consistent stream of quality clients.” This follows excellent ranking in Legal 500 and Chambers this year as in previous years.


Averta shortlisted for Birmingham Law Society 2020 Legal Awards

Averta Employment Lawyers has once again been shortlisted
for Law Firm of the Year (sole practitioners and firms up to five partners)
following its success in winning in 2015 and being shortlisted in 2017.

Alan Jones, director at Averta Employment Lawyers said:
“It’s a credit to the team here that we are recognised as one of the leading
firms in the Birmingham area.  Our
reputation is incredibly important to us, and I’m delighted to join a short
list of firms hoping to be successful in the award process’’

Shortlisted nominees will be interviewed by a panel of
judges from the legal sectors and the winners announced at the awards ceremony
in March at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham.

Averta advises on all employment law matters, with a focus
on the issues affecting senior executives and strategic advice to SME’s and
other businesses. Averta has also been named as one of The Times Best Law Firms
in 2019 and 2020.

The Legal Awards event has become a permanent fixture in the Midlands business calendar showcasing the achievements of the region’s legal community over the past year.

See the shortlist here - https://birminghamlawsociety.co.uk/the-2020-legal-awards-shortlist/


New team unveiled at Averta

Rachel Broughton moves on as Employment Judge

Averta Employment Lawyers is expanding its team and sadly, saying goodbye to director Rachel Broughton.

Rachel has been with the firm since 2007 and is leaving to take up an appointment as a full time Employment Judge.

Alan Jones, director at Averta said: “I have worked with Rachel for nearly 20 years, first at DLA Piper, and at Averta since 2007. She is an outstanding lawyer and will be much missed by me, her colleagues and clients. However, we are all very proud of her appointment to the position of Employment Judge, which reflects not only on her outstanding capability, but the perception of Averta in the legal community’’.

Andrew Lester adds depth, Andrew Spooner returns

Andrew Lester has joins Averta as an associate.  Andrew comes via ORJ in Stafford, having previously been a partner at Bowling & Co Solicitors in London where he headed up the employment law team, advising SMEs, partnerships and Individuals as well as representing clients at the Employment Tribunal.

Return of Andrew Spooner

Andrew Spooner returns to the firm as a litigation consultant, alongside his work as a part time District Judge.  He was formerly chairman of Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and practises as a Mediator. He has been a consultant at Averta in its early days before moving to Wright Hassall for several years.

 

Izzy Canning to qualify in early 2020

Izzy Canning, who joined as a trainee paralegal in 2016, becoming a trainee solicitor in July 2018, will qualify as a solicitor in early 2020 and will continue to give excellent support to Averta’s clients thereafter.

Paralegal Melanie Denis

Melanie Denis has joined the firm as a paralegal. Melanie has a Law Degree from Aston University and is current studying for a Master of Law (LLM) at Birmingham City University and will graduate in 2020.  She is bilingual, being fluent in French.

 

 

David Sykes, director and one of the founders of Averta Employment Lawyers says:

“Whilst we are very sad to see Rachel move on, we are delighted to have Andrew Lester and Melanie onboard, as well as Andrew Spooner back.  Our reputation as the best niche firm for employment means we are able to attract the best talent around.”


Averta makes it into The Times Best Law Firms 2019

Averta Employment Lawyers has been named as one of The Times Best Law Firms 2019. The 200 firms on The Times Best Law firms are regarded as leaders in their areas of practice.

Research was conducted by Statistic for The Times, to find out from the UK’s lawyers which of the 10,000 plus law firms in England and Wales they would recommend.  Five hundred law firms were then recommended and the firms with the most votes made it to the top 200

According to The Times:

“Established in 2004 by a pair of former DLA Piper partners to provide practical and robust advice to directors, senior executives and professionals, as its name suggests, Averta Employment Lawyers has become recognised as a leader in the field of employment law. Since opening its doors 15 years ago, the firm has acted for more than 7,500 individuals and on many occasions has advised large groups of employees in reaching settlement agreements.”

The partners, David Sykes, Alan Jones, Rachel Broughton and Anne Mannix, have long been recognised as leaders in employment law.  Many of Averta’s clients are referred to them by major commercial legal firms, who do not specialise in representing individuals.

According to Averta director, David Sykes: “Since day one our success has been built on the premise that other lawyers can confidently recommend clients to us.  Being included in The Times Best 200 Law Firms demonstrates that the Averta team is maintaining the high standards in terms of service and delivery, we have aspired to from day one.”

The full list of 200 can be found at thetimes.co.uk/bestlawfirms

 


Legal 500 Recommends all Averta’s Birmingham Partners

We are delighted to have all our Birmingham partners recommended in the 2018 Legal 500 West Midlands Employment category, which went live today.  Averta was also ranked in Tier two, which is a commendable performance for a niche firm.

According to Legal 500:

“Averta Employment Lawyers LLP is a niche practice that represents senior employees on high value claims, and is 'commercial', 'pragmatic' and 'able to work to tight deadlines'.”

Commenting on the partners, it described Alan Jones as “'hugely experienced' and 'not afraid to give straight advice'.  Fellow founder David Sykes has extensive experience handling restrictive covenant and corporate related employment issues. Also recommended is Rachel Broughton, who specialises in discrimination and diversity claims.”

Strong performer in the legal market

Sykes commented: “It’s comforting for our clients, and our fellow professionals who refer clients to us, to know that each partner is acknowledged by Legal 500 as a strong performer in the legal market’

For 29 years, The Legal 500 has been analysing the legal sector across the world, with a comprehensive research programme which is revised and updated every annually.

 


Rachel's on the winning team

 

Rachel Broughton alongside her Bargain Hunt team’s antique expert, John Cameron.Some non-employment news here –  Averta Employment Lawyer’s director Rachel Broughton was on the winning red team on BBC One’s Bargain Hunt with her mother who is a keen antique collector.

In Bargain Hunt, two teams, red and blue, have £300 and one hour to buy antiques which they then sell at auction.  The team that makes the most money from their purchases is the winner. Each team is accompanied by an expert who helps guide them round what might be the best buys. Contestants don’t have to be antique experts, but the BBC are interested in people who do love antiques and collectables.  Enthusiasm is as important to being selected as knowledge, but a combination of both is perfect for the programme.

Rachel had great fun filming with their team’s expert John Cameron, Anita Manning and the rest of the wonderful BBC crew, making the most profit on the day.

Bargain Hunt is on BBC One at lunchtimes during the week; it airs at 12.15 and as we appreciate that it is not a good time for most of us at to watch the programme.    So if you want to catch up the 'Rachel' episide of Bargain Hunt can be seen here  - http://https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b64cbq

 

 

 

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