Boys & Maughan’s property litigation and family lawyers have achieved listings in the 2023 edition of legal industry guide, The Legal 500, appearing in its rankings as amongst the best in Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

The Legal 500 additionally identified Andrew Baker, Jonathan da Costa, Paul Reeves, Matt Champ, Zoey Arscott and Max Konarek amongst its individual Recommended Lawyers. Zoey Arscott, a Chartered Legal Executive and member of Resolution at our Canterbury Broad Street office has been identified as a Recommended Lawyer by the guide for the first time.

Giving examples of some of the noteworthy matters its lawyers have dealt with, Boys & Maughan’s family lawyers are singled out for particular praise and described as having “a very high reputation for the quality of their work and their high professional standards.”

Cases that commanded particular attention include advising on financial remedy proceedings after a long marriage, with assets in the region of £6-10m, leading a high-net-worth collaborative case involving a complex corporate structure with multiple companies and acting for a wife whose husband lives and work in China.

Team head Jonathan da Costa is described as “highly intelligent and skilled but with the human touch.” The editors refer to his particular specialism in financial issues and how Jonathan regularly advises high-net-worth clients on their business interests, tax issues, investments, property matters and pensions in the context of divorce and separation.

A contributor said, “The family team members I have dealt with have been very committed and knowledgeable with excellent judgment.” Another individual added, “The team has a good depth of knowledge. All members of the team that I have dealt with have been approachable and easy to work with. The team all work in a collaborative manner to try and achieve the best outcomes for families.”

Describing our lawyers as “very down-to-earth but capable of working extremely hard when necessary”, the testimonials for Boys & Maughan’s property litigation team explain how we “field one of the larger teams in the South East… [and] provide a wide range of property-related services, covering everything from telecoms work to cohabitee disputes.”

This year the editors have included several examples of complex property litigation work undertaken by our specialists. The editors highlight how Andrew Baker’s clients include building contractors, landlords, developers, marinas, and parish councils. Matt Champ is noted for handling a range of work, including high-value developments, with niche experience in common constructive trusts, and Paul Reeves is described as being known for his contentious work for landlords and letting agents.

A testimonial for Matt Champ states that Matt is “...the stand out individual. He manages a very diverse and large case load with aplomb. He keeps calm under pressure and gives clear guidance in complicated cases. He is also very good with clients and is capable of developing good working relationships with his opponents.”

Another referee added “This firm provides ‘city’ quality representation at provincial prices. It is difficult to overstate the lengths to which they go to handle their clients’ needs. They provide excellent instructions to counsel and possess a detailed knowledge of the law in their areas of expertise.”

Andrew, Senior Partner at Boys & Maughan, said: “Zoey Arscott is a rare example of a member of our staff below partner level featuring in The Legal 500, so it was particularly pleasing to see recognition for her contribution this year. Our lawyers have extensive experience of assisting individuals and businesses across Kent and take a great deal of pride in their work, so this independent assessment of their skills and commitment is hugely appreciated.”

It’s the eighth time Boys & Maughan’s family team has been included in The Legal 500 and our firm’s property litigators have been listed for the third consecutive year.  

Boys & Maughan’s Legal 500 submission was subjected to detailed analysis and clients, referees and other firms gave views to the editors. Known in the legal marketplace for identifying all the key players, more than 40,000 clients took part in The Legal 500’s 2023 UK research.