header-logo header-logo

28 May 2025
Categories: Movers & Shakers , Profession
printer mail-detail

Gardner Leader—Lynsey Smith

Partner joins dispute resolution team in Maidenhead

Gardner Leader has appointed Lynsey Smith as a partner in its Maidenhead Dispute Resolution team, further expanding its expertise in commercial litigation and franchising. Listed in the 2025 Legal 500, Smith brings two decades of experience and has acted for well-known franchise brands. ‘I’m extremely excited to have joined Gardner Leader,’ she says. ‘Everyone has been incredibly welcoming.’

Smith specialises in franchise disputes, contract breaches, injunctions, fraud, and misrepresentation claims. Having spent much of her career in Berkshire, she is well-acquainted with the region's legal landscape. ‘I look forward to bringing my expertise to the team and delivering extraordinary outcomes for our clients,’ she says.

Managing partner Derek Rodgers welcomes her appointment, stating: ‘With a wealth of knowledge in commercial litigation and franchising, Lynsey’s expertise is hugely valuable to our Maidenhead office and the wider firm.’

Gardner Leader now employs over 200 people across the South of England, marking a continued phase of growth for the firm.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Haynes Boone—Jeremy Cross

Haynes Boone—Jeremy Cross

Firm strengthens global fund finance practice with London partner hire.

DWF—Stephen Webb

DWF—Stephen Webb

Partner and head of national planning team appointed

mfg Solicitors—Nick Little

mfg Solicitors—Nick Little

Corporate team expands in Birmingham with partner hire

NEWS
Contract damages are usually assessed at the date of breach—but not always. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Gascoigne, knowledge lawyer at LexisNexis, examines the growing body of cases where courts have allowed later events to reshape compensation
The Supreme Court has restored ‘doctrinal coherence’ to unfair prejudice litigation, writes Natalie Quinlivan, partner at Fieldfisher LLP, in this week' NLJ
The High Court’s refusal to recognise a prolific sperm donor as a child’s legal parent has highlighted the risks of informal conception arrangements, according to Liam Hurren, associate at Kingsley Napley, in NLJ this week
The Court of Appeal’s decision in Mazur may have settled questions around litigation supervision, but the profession should not simply ‘move on’, argues Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, in this week's NLJ
A simple phrase like ‘subject to references’ may not protect employers as much as they think. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, analyses recent employment cases showing how conditional job offers can still create binding contracts
back-to-top-scroll