Recommended for its expertise in transformative transport reform and infrastructure programmes, the transport team at Addleshaw Goddard combines rail franchising and procurement expertise with knowledge of major urban transit, freight logistics and aviation mandates. The group routinely acts for central government, combined authorities and transport authorities, alongside rail operators, infrastructure owners, freight businesses, airports and airlines. Heading up the group, Paul Hirst draws on longstanding rail experience, placing him as a key port of call for government and private sector clients on transport infrastructure projects. Adept in bus reform and franchising is Sara Gilmore, while Michael Rainey is well versed in giving transport-related commercial and procurement advice, and Lee Hughes handles a range of regulatory crime cases, including road traffic incidents. Samantha Haigh, Ursula Gould and Clare Dwyer are other key members of the group.

Clyde & Co sits as a market leader in international transport law, showcasing pre-eminence in marine, logistics and aviation disputes. Its clients include major marine and transport insurers, airlines, ports and terminals, and logistics operators operating both in the UK and internationally. Co-head Emma Rice draws on deep litigation and arbitration experience to lead in marine and transport disputes, routinely handling cargo loss and damage claims across sea, air, rail and road transport. Co-head Robert Muttock is particularly impressive in complex liability claims arising from motor, marine and travel accidents, and co-head Craig Rooney is a reference in the market for aviation dispute resolution and is regularly turned to by airlines and their insurers. Liz Watton focuses on the shipping sector.

DWF maintains a strong position in the market for its transport regulatory and compliance work, operating across a range of mandates including operator licence hearings and public inquiries, motor criminal defence, and health and safety investigations, alongside its widely recognised motor insurance and fraud defence capability. The team is sought out by multinational logistics and haulage operators, major insurers, public bodies and corporates. Jointly steering the group is Vikki Woodfine, an expert in road transport regulatory and safety law, frequently advising major fleet operators on operator licensing, compliance and public inquiries, and defending companies and directors in serious incident investigations. Alongside Woodfine is co-head Joanne Witheford, who has deep experience in road transport regulatory compliance and crisis management. Neena Sharma is a key contact for motor criminal defence and regulatory investigations.

With a strong focus on cargo loss and damage disputes and marine insurance coverage issues, Hill Dickinson LLP’s team of transport experts routinely handles complex claims following collisions and other transport-related incidents across road, rail, sea and air. The group predominantly acts for insurers, logistics operators, freight forwarders, haulage companies and other transport-sector businesses. Heading up the group is Adrian Marsh, who draws on deep experience at the intersection of the marine, logistics and international trade sectors, showcasing stellar expertise in litigation and arbitration domestically and internationally. Richard Allingham is a seasoned litigator, who handles disputes arising from the international and domestic carriage of goods by road, sea, air and rail. Caroline Bridge and Edward Locke are other key members of the group.

The team at Pinsent Masons LLP excels across high-value transport infrastructure construction projects and disputes involving rail, road, aviation and port projects, frequently leading on procurement, PPP structuring, NEC-based contracts and delivery issues on nationally significant schemes. Leading the group is construction expert Mark Job, who leverages longstanding transactional experience to take a key role on major UK and international projects, notably the Heathrow H7 programme. Graham Alty is highly active at the intersection of construction projects with the nuclear, power and oil sectors, while Siân Hughes is a go-to for construction and civil engineering disputes. Andrew Batty is another prominent member of the group, and Michael Hopkins also leads the practice.

Backhouse Jones specialises exclusively in road transport law, with particular strength in operator licensing and public inquiries before the Traffic Commissioners, road regulatory compliance issues, and sector-specific litigation. Practice head Mark Davies draws on deep experience involving regulatory road transport law for goods and passenger operators, with particular expertise in advocacy before the Traffic Commissioners in public inquiries. James Backhouse has a high level of knowledge at the intersection of regulation and HGVs and PSVs. Jonathon Backhouse is well versed in road transport law relating to goods and passenger carriage. Steven Meyerhoff and Andrew Woolfall are other key members of the group.

Dyne Solicitors Limited has a proven track record in road transport regulatory and criminal defence law, with a particular niche in operator licensing public inquiries, transport prosecutions and PACE advisory work. The firm is especially recognised for advising abnormal load operators and trade bodies such as the Heavy Transport Association. At the helm of the practice is Jared Dunbar and John Dyne, both key advisers on road transport regulatory law, with notable experience representing national and international operators at Traffic Commissioner public inquiries. James Edes is well equipped to handle a variety of transport work, with a particular focus on abnormal load operators.

JMW Solicitors LLP has well-rounded expertise in commercial road transport regulatory law, with key services including advising haulage, HGV, coach and bus operators on operator licensing, public inquiries and advocacy before the Traffic Commissioners. The team has a particular niche in bus and coach regulatory regimes. Co-head Laura Hadzik draws on a wealth of knowledge in coach and bus regulatory law and is routinely sought out by coach and bus operators facing clandestine entrant civil penalties imposed by Border Force. Co-head Scott Bell specialises in strategic operator licensing law and is geared to support on operator licensing due diligence and restructuring advice.

Reputed for its marine and shipping work, Weightmans LLP fields a genuinely multi-modal transport and logistics practice, with particular strength in marine disputes and road transport regulatory work, alongside insurer-backed fleet litigation. The team frequently represents P&I clubs and insurers, shipowners and port operators, and freight and logistics businesses. Leading the team in Liverpool is marine specialist Mike Burns.