Debenhams Ottaway celebrated as trusted adviser in Chambers UK 2025

Debenhams Ottaway’s reputation as trusted adviser, helping businesses, individuals and families navigate legal challenges and make the most of new opportunities, is firmly established in the latest edition of the Chambers UK legal directory. This year five legal teams (including two in the top band 1) and ten lawyers (including two in the top band 1) are celebrated. A highlight this year is our insolvency and restructuring  team being recognised for the first time.  

The insolvency and restructuring team, part of our wider dispute resolution and litigation team, enters the guide for the first time in band 3, with a professional commenting that “they have a fast and commercial approach to decision-making. They offer an excellent, responsive and very client-focused service.” Juliet Schalker is also recognised for the first time in this area as “a real no-nonsense litigator and an invariably optimistic problem-solving solicitor” alongside Alexander Neale who is “excellent on the legal practice and procedure of insolvency litigation and combines this with numbers and good financial skills.”

The family law and divorce team maintains its top band 1 ranking with a solid reputation for giving “honest, pragmatic advice throughout the [divorce/separation] process.” Helen Young keeps her band 1 ranking with another adviser commenting that she is “realistic and pragmatic; she is willing to fight a client’s corner if needs be”. ‘Up and coming’ Natalie Lester is celebrated as “an exceptional lawyer who is very approachable and practical in her outlook.”

The commercial property team keeps its band 1 status and is recognised for having a “good eye for detail and as such are very aware of the implications of every point in the deal structure.” All three partners in the team receive individual rankings. Ruth Boulton is noted for “getting get the deal done under a lot of pressure and with consummate ease,” Jonathan Foy “always points out the risks of any transaction” and Neil Mercer is who you “call in a crisis…Rather than just coming up with a problem, he will suggest solutions as well”.

A client of the employment law team comments that they have a “very good understanding of our business and complement our commercial approach to managing litigation while providing expert legal advice”. Partner Louise Attrup is recognised in the individual lawyer rankings for her “knowledge and drive [that] gives her clients reassurance and encouragement to seek a resolution with her support and guidance.”  Newly ranked ‘up and coming’ partner  Michael Kerrigan is “an amazing person to have on your side. He explains everything in detail and highlights the positives as well as the negatives”.

The litigation team maintains its ranking with another litigator commenting “I like seeing them on the other side of cases, as a solution can be reached”. Head of the team Juliet Schalker moves up the individual rankings to band 2 and is noted for her “expertise and top knowledge from the City.”

Corporate partner James Brawn is recognised as “a knowledgeable operator and provides an excellent level of counsel.”

These successes follow the Chambers High Net Worth rankings that were published earlier in the year where Debenhams Ottaway continues to be band 1 firm for private wealth law. They add to this accolade by keeping their position in the just published eprivateclient top law firms for 2024 that lists the top private wealth law firms across the UK.

Chambers UK is one of the leading legal directories. It benchmarks UK law firms and individual lawyers based on independent research and recommendations by fellow professionals and clients. You can find a full list of Debenhams Ottaway’s rankings on the Chambers UK website.