Well-known and respected local firm Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP is celebrating an excellent set of results in The Legal 500 rankings.

In the 2023 edition, the family team remains Top Tier – a position it has held for over a decade. Recommended in seven practice areas, the firm also boasts commercial litigation and wills, life planning and probate in Tier Two as well as three Leading Individuals and seven Next Generation Partners.

The well-regarded family team is led from Colchester by Simon Osborn – he is hugely experienced and is known for his “sound knowledge and pragmatic approach”. The practice handles complex, high-value financial remedy proceedings, private law children matters and also offers legal aid.

The team, which is spread across nine offices, including Braintree, Billericay, Sudbury and Chelmsford as well as Tendring, prides itself on resolving cases for clients without the need to attend court, and is praised for being “approachable and using clear language in all dealings”. 

Other key members of the team include Charlotte Knappett and Rachel Earnshaw.
Susanne Grimwade leads the wills, life planning and probate team and is described as “compassionate and practical”, dividing her time between the firm’s Colchester and Holland-on-Sea offices. 

She is a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and regularly handles complex estate administration, including notably high-value matters.

She works alongside deputy head Andrea Godfrey, who is praised for her “supportive, 
kind and humane” approach. Andrea is based in Clacton-on-Sea and has particular expertise in advising elderly and vulnerable clients.

The corporate and commercial team, led by firmwide CEO Tony Fisher, is described as a “highly responsive and commercially aware” team, particularly active in the care, healthcare and IT sectors, acting for a range of mid-sized IT companies in the south east.

Leah Groves is active in the healthcare sector, leading the group’s healthcare practice.
Ashton Carter, who is praised for his ability to “deliver a rapid response at short notice”, handles both the corporate side of acquisitions as well as elements of the property related to such transactions.

Ellen Peterson leads the commercial property team and is described as “very personable and friendly”, handling a wide range of work with a particular focus on land development, transactional matters, leasehold enfranchisement and lease extensions – the practice also includes in-house town planning expertise. Clients are drawn from sectors including healthcare, farming, charity and facilities management.

Paula Fowler, chief operating officer at FJG, said: “I am thrilled that we have once again been recognised in The Legal 500 rankings. 

“The results are a testament to the incredible lawyers that we have throughout our offices and the exceptional service they provide to our clients. Our expertise is reinforced by a culture of delivering exceptional client care that sets us apart from our competitors.”

Through extensive research, The Legal 500 identifies the most capable expert lawyers and firms operating within the UK and is widely recognised as the most important third-party reference guide for the legal sector.

You can read the full listings here.