We are delighted to announce the fantastic news that Sydney Mitchell has won Regional Law Firm of the Year in the Birmingham Law Society Awards 2020-21.

A great achievement! Thank you to all the partners and colleagues who made this possible.

Senior Partner, Karen Moores commented:

It has certainly been a challenging year, and this accolade is a wonderful recognition that celebrates  the determination and commitment  of all of our colleagues.

As always, we pride ourselves in delivering the highest quality of work for our clients and winning this award shines a light on this quality and is recognition of our excellent service.

We are great supporters of the Birmingham Law Society and look forward to celebrating further as the lockdown restrictions continue to be lifted.

Birmingham and the Midlands have so many great lawyers and we are pleased to be recognised as leaders in the region.

Thank you to Tony Rollason and Landmark Information Group for their continued sponsorship of this award.

Congratulations also to all of the shortlisted nominees and to the winners in all of the categories.

Sydney Mitchell specialist teams include employment, commercial property, company and commercial services, litigation and insolvency. Private client teams include family law, residential property, dispute resolution, immigration, wills and probate, contentious probate, tax and trusts and personal injury.

Sydney Mitchell LLP previously won Law Firm of the Year (5-15 partners) award in 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018 and it is a fantastic result that the firm has won the Regional award in 2020-21.

Sydney Mitchell, leading Midlands’ Law Firm, is pleased to announce the launch of its new Immigration Department.

Andre Minnaar, Senior Associate and Melissa Southall, Associate, have taken the reins of the newly formed Immigration department covering the whole of the Midlands and beyond; both join the firm from Cartwright King.

Andre and Melissa have wide ranging and far reaching skills dealing with the ever changing complexities of immigration law. With Brexit or No-Brexit on the horizon their skill sets will be of great help to those faced with the turmoil caused when facing human rights issues.

Andre is an expert in resolving complicated UK immigration, asylum and nationality problems of all kinds and is well known and respected for his in depth knowledge, guidance, support and thorough preparation whilst keeping his clients informed throughout the process. He is an experienced tribunal advocate, having successfully represented hundreds of appellants during his long career, often succeeding where others have failed.

Melissa is an experienced Solicitor and provides extensive personal immigration advice on spouse visas, applications for children, asylum and European applications. She has experience in all kinds of immigration and asylum work, and has a particular interest in applications involving the rights of children. She has worked with a number of Local Authorities over the years representing children in Local Authority care who have immigration problems.

Sydney Mitchell is recognised in the ‘Top Tier’ of the Legal 500 as a highly regarded practice and both Andre and Melissa have received outstanding comments from clients and contacts covered in the Legal 500.

Newly appointed Senior Partner, Karen Moores, welcomed the team, commenting:

Both Andre and Melissa are a great addition to the firm. As a firm we are always looking to help and develop the service we offer to our clients. As a divorce lawyer and Senior Partner of the firm, I see first-hand the complexities encountered in dealing with children and family matters where there are foreign jurisdictions involved. I am looking forward to working with them both.

Individuals, who are looking to work, live or just visit the UK from countries where they have been refused entry into the UK will be in safe hands with Andre and Melissa.

Andre comments that:

I am pleased to be joining such a well-established and respected legal firm in the Midlands.

I pride myself in delivering a friendly and excellent service where no stone is left unturned to ensure that not only I meet my client’s expectations, but exceed it. As an immigrant who went through the immigration process myself, I understand exactly what my clients are going through.

Melissa added:

I am passionate about helping those affected by strict immigration rules. Whatever stage our clients are at, we put our heart and soul into overcoming the hurdles that they face to ensure their applications are dealt with fairly and ultimately reach a favourable outcome.

Sydney Mitchell is a Midlands based award winning law firm, with offices in Birmingham City Centre, Sheldon and Shirley with additional facilities in Sutton Coldfield.

The firm has specialist teams that include employment, commercial property, company and commercial services, litigation and insolvency. Private client teams include family law, residential property, dispute resolution, immigration and wills and probate, tax and trusts and personal injury.

Birmingham law firm Sydney Mitchell LLP has aided Talash Hotels Group in their recent expansion with the purchase of Mercure Goldthorn Hotel, Wolverhampton.  The hotel was purchased from Aviva Investors for an undisclosed sum.

Brothers Sanjay and Ravi Kathuria are pleased with their latest acquisition commenting: 

The Mercure Goldthorn Hotel is an excellent hotel with great opportunities for development.  Geographically it fits into our existing portfolio perfectly, and we are excited about the potential for this hotel, and for the wider Wolverhampton area which will be seeing some major redevelopment in the coming years.

As the sixth acquisition in the last 13 months, we are pushing ahead to expand our portfolio and reach our target of 20 hotels by 2020.  Stewart Coles and Roy Colaba of Sydney Mitchell have been excellent throughout, and helped to make this a very smooth and successful transaction.

Stewart Coles, an Associate in the Commercial Property team at the Birmingham office of Sydney Mitchell LLP commented:

It has been great to work with Sanjay and Ravi over the last few years and see them grow into what is now one of the most active and rapidly expanding hotel groups in the region.  We are delighted to have been able to assist them with their latest acquisition, and knowing the drive and ambition that they have I am confident that they will make a great success of this hotel, and that the group will continue to go from strength to strength.

Finance was provided by Allied Irish Bank (GB). Mark Duggan and Morgan Keating advising from Allied Irish Bank.

The Talash Hotels Group is based in Leamington Spa and now has 13 hotels in their portfolio.

Picture 1 – Roy Colaba, Associate Solicitor, Sydney Mitchell LLP; Sanjay and Ravi Kathuria Talash Hotels Group, Stewart Coles, Associate, Sydney Mitchell LLP

Picture 2 – Mark Duggan, Alied Irish Bank, Sanjay and Ravi Kathuria Talash Hotels Group, Stewart Coles, Associate, Sydney Mitchell LLP, Roy Colaba, Associate Solicitor, Sydney Mitchell LLP and Morgan Keating, Allied Irish Bank.

For further information, please contact:

Linda Heyworth, Senior Marketing Manager

Tel – 0121 746 3300   Mobile: 0777 279 5041

Email – l.heyworth@sydneymitchell.co.uk

About Sydney Mitchell:

Sydney Mitchell is a Midlands based award winning law firm, with offices in Birmingham City Centre, Sheldon and Shirley with additional facilities in Sutton Coldfield. Offering a range of specialist legal services for both businesses and individuals, Sydney Mitchell is listed in the Top Tier of the Legal 500, Lexcel accredited and won the Law Firm of the Year in 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011 and 2008 (5-15 partners) in the Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards.

The firm’s specialist teams include employment, commercial property, company and commercial services, litigation and insolvency. Private client teams include family law, residential property, dispute resolution and wills and probate, tax and trusts and personal injury.

About the Talash Group

The Talash Hotels Group offers a collection of thirteen individual character hotels in Warwickshire, Derbyshire, the West Midlands and the north-west.

The Directors care passionately about the business; providing hotel facilities and services through continued investment and delivering tailor made yet flexible, value for money services in all areas.

The Talash Group has been substantially invested in, with a highly creative philosophy which is profoundly evident when entering each property. The Talash Group own and operate hotels in Royal Leamington Spa, Coventry, Risley, Crewe, Wigan, Telford, Walsall and Wolverhampton. These centrally located hotels have strong travel links to all major areas both regionally and nationally.

Sydney Mitchell is representing a number of men who have been treated by Mr Arackal Manu Nair, a Consultant Urologist working for Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust at Solihull Hospital and also in a private capacity at Spire Parkway Hospital.

Concerns relate to surgical cancer treatment which includes prostate cancer, bladder cancer and kidney cancer. Mr Nair had carried out radical prostatectomy surgery where patients diagnosed with prostate cancer had their prostate gland removed. He also carried out laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy surgery which involved the removal of a kidney and entire ureter.

Patients have been subject of recalls and have concerns as to whether some surgery performed was necessary at all and whether other, less radical, treatment would have been appropriate. Where surgery had been carried out, questions also arose as to whether all of the disease was successfully removed or whether the surgery that had been carried out was performed properly (raising similar concerns to those involving Ian Paterson, a controversial breast surgeon at the same hospital).

Other treatment included HIFU (High Intensity Focussed Ultrasound) treatment which at the time provided was not approved by NICE.

Mr Nair was suspended from his post at Solihull Hospital after concerns were raised relating to his surgical practice.  Since being suspended, he has resigned from his post at Solihull Hospital. The General Medical Council is investigating his treatment of 170 men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer and had their prostate removed.

If you have been treated by Mr Nair and have any concerns please contact Mike Sutton (m.sutton@sydneymitchell.co.uk) or Steve Jesson (s.jesson@sydneymitchell.co.uk) at Sydney Mitchell LLP on 0121 698 2200.

Related links – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-34418228

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/patient-suspended-surgeon-manu-nair-10181944