Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Guy read law at the University of Leeds graduating with an LLB (Hons) Degree in 1991. He joined Foster Baxter Cooksey Solicitors as a Trainee Solicitor and qualified as a Solicitor in the Commercial Litigation Department in 1995.
From 1998 to 2000 Guy worked on secondment at a major bank supervising and overseeing its in-house legal team. Following Guy's return to the Firm, he was made Partner in 2000 and became Head of the Firm's Commercial Litigation Department in 2002.
Guy deals with a full and varied caseload involving general commercial litigation, Companies Act litigation and shareholder/partnership disputes, intellectual property litigation, insolvency related litigation and construction and building dispute work. Guy acts for a variety of clients from individuals and small owner managed businesses through to FTSE 200 listed companies.
Trainee solicitor then qualified solicitor
Legal recoveries department
Schooled locally, Guy Birkett read Law at Leeds University and following graduation joined fbc Solicitors as a trainee in 1993 being retained by them on qualification in 1995.
University
1989 - 1991
Law, LLB (Hons)
"Department leader Guy Birkett ‘has excellent commercial sense and is utterly reliable."
"Calm and sensible with sound judgement"
"Excellent, calm and unflappable as a character."
"tactically astute" and "highly recommended"
Acted successfully on a £2.5 million shareholder dispute
Four partners in a West Midlands law firm have been named as leaders in their field in the latest edition of a top legal guide that has just been published.
Chambers & Partners singled out Wolverhampton based Tracy Worthington, Head of Employment for FBC Manby Bowdler, and her colleague Guy Birkett, the firm’s Head of Litigation, for the accreditation in its 2015 independent guide to law firms
Shropshire partners Steven Corfield, Head of Agricultural and Rural Services, and Sarah Baugh, a Partner in the same department, join Tracy and Guy on the list. The guide covers more than 70 specialist areas of law. Only the top lawyers in their sector are chosen for the prestigious ‘leaders in their field’ list.
FBC Manby Bowdler retained its top Band 1 rankings in Agriculture and Rural Affairs – Shrewsbury and surrounds; Family/Matrimonial – Shrewsbury and surrounds; and Litigation – Wolverhampton and the Black Country.
In addition it achieved a Band 2 ranking for Employment – Wolverhampton and the Black Country.
Niall Blackie, FBC Manby Bowdler Senior Partner, said: “We are absolutely delighted that four of our partners have been recognised by Chambers. It is a real credit to their work and to the firm that they have been listed.
“It is also gratifying that their expertise is spread across several departments in the firm, illustrating that FBC Manby Bowdler offers a high standard of service to our clients.”
Tracy qualified as a solicitor in 1988 and became a partner at FBC Manby Bowdler in 1995. She deals with all aspects of employment law including unfair dismissal, discrimination, breach of contract, restrictive covenants, settlement agreements, The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment), drafting contracts, handbooks and service agreements as well as advising on dealing with difficult employees, sickness and misconduct issues.
Tracy also provides practical training on employment matters for clients and works for both employees and employers who range from small companies to large PLCs.
Guy Birkett joined the firm as a trainee solicitor in 1993 and qualified in 1995. Since then, he has specialised in litigation dealing with a general commercial and chancery litigation caseload.
From 1998 to 2000 Guy worked on secondment at a major bank supervising and overseeing its in-house legal recoveries department. Guy became a partner at FBC Manby Bowdler in 2000 and in 2005 became Head of the firm’s Commercial Litigation department.
Guy is also part of established teams within the department dealing with construction and insolvency disputes. He has developed a particular interest and specialism in shareholder disputes and partnership disputes having run a number of reported cases through the higher courts. An influential figure in the city’s legal profession, Guy is a past President of Wolverhampton Law Society and sits as a director of a local independent school.
Guy’s work is consistently recognised in the Legal 500 Directory
A solicitor since 1981 and a partner at FBC Manby Bowdler since 1992, Steven
Offers a wide range of advice on all property related matters with an agricultural bias.
Brought up on family farm, Steven recently become a Fellow of the Agricultural Law Association, the highest specialist qualification that the organisation grants. Steven has acted as a solicitor for the Crown Estate since 1994 and has dealt with a broad range of commercial and agricultural transactions including sites of special historic and national interest.
Steven has built up an equine side to his legal practice acting for a number of trainers and sits on the Shropshire and National and Parliamentary Committees of the Country Landowner’s Association.
A Law and French graduate of Birmingham University, Sarah joined FBC Manby Bowdler in May 2012. She specialises in all aspects of property based agricultural and landed estate work.
Sarah provides clients with a detailed knowledge and understanding of matters arising in the acquisition and disposal of freehold land as well as agricultural, residential or business leasehold matters with particular emphasis on Agricultural Holding Act tenancies, estate management, refinancing, subsidy advice and agri-environmental schemes.
She has built her reputation acting as legal adviser to some of the largest landed estates across the Midlands and into Wales as well as multi generational family farmers in reorganising their farming business structures and partnerships. Sarah is a member of the Law Society and Vice Chair of the Staffordshire Committee of the Country Landowner and Business Association (CLA). She also serves on the CLA’s National Legal, Parliamentary and Property Rights Sub Committee.
A longstanding member of the Agricultural Law Association, Sarah successfully completed the organisation’s Fellowship examinations in 2012
FBC Manby Bowdler also retained its top rankings in the latest edition of the independent Legal 500 guide, where it featured in the top tier of corporate and commercial law firms.
It was ranked in the top tier of law firms for its work in the following sectors: corporate and commercial, dispute resolution, agriculture and estates, contentious trusts and probate, family, and planning.
2016
