Another firm that punches well above its weight is Travers Smith Braithwaite . Margaret Chamberlain , who heads the practice, has one of the best reputations in the sector and is highly thought of by clients and competitors alike. The firm is also active on the contentious side in investigative and disciplinary proceedings. The reputation of Macfarlanes has grown substantially as illustrated by the quality of its growing client base which includes a major investment bank and City Finance Communications. Clients praise the financial services team, headed by Bridget Barker , for its regulatory expertise and commercial depth.
Clients report that the firm has a good mix of financial services and e-commerce expertise.
Pamela Thompson is highly recommended. Slaughter and May has a relatively small but experienced team which advises a number of banks and other financial institutions on the regulatory aspects of proposed takeovers and mergers. The recommended Ruth Fox heads the practice. The firms in the final tier do not have dedicated groups but have some very well respected individuals with excellent experience. Readers should note that there are a number of other firms also active in this field.