Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner‘s dedicated London-based licensing team counts household names such as Tesco as key clients, and is prominent in the retail and hotel sectors. As well as advising on day-to-day licensing issues and assisting clients with licensing applications, particularly for gambling and alcohol licences, the team acts for clients with large developments, and assists developers with complex issues relating to licensing such as cumulative impact policy. In addition to its regulatory advice, the group is able to lean on the experience of practice head and associate director Jeremy Bark who, as a solicitor advocate, has a history of acting in licensing disputes, with a contentious offering including appeals at the High Courts in the UK.

John Gaunt & Partners displays strong depth at partner level, with a sizeable nationwide team whose leaders Jon Wallsgrove in Gosport and Christopher Grunert in London are supported by Tim Shield and Michelle Hazlewood in Sheffield. Hazelwood is especially active in the leisure industry, and Shield is prolific in the hotels space, forming a group-wide client base which is as broad as the team itself, growing its client roster in 2024 with the addition of large hospitality chains including well-known national restaurant chain Nando’s. Grunert stands out as a particularly versatile practitioner who has expertise in alcohol, gaming, taxi and sexual entertainment law, all areas of interest for the wider group for licensing requirements, applications and appeals, as well as licensing issues stemming from high value acquisitions and restructurings. Former practice head Luke Elford departed from the firm in January 2025.

Keystone Law is adept at advising on property licensing issues for large-scale hotel and hospitality developments, alcohol and gambling licences, as well as licensing hearings and reviews, housing a large team which continues to expand and benefit from the addition of three partners from former law firm Memery Crystal in 2025. This includes Carl Rohsler, a gambling law specialist forming a key part of the group’s activity in gambling licence applications and review matters, operating for clients nationally but notably in prime Central London locations. Gareth Hughes brings strength in the hospitality industry including restaurants and late-night hospitality, often advising on matters stemming from corporate transactions and M&A. Elsewhere, Andrew Wong regularly works with local councils on specific licensing issues, while Niall McCann ‘has a personable approach to navigating difficult and complex applications opposed by residents.’ Craig Baylis departed from the firm in 2025, while October of the same year saw Luke Elford join the practice from John Gaunt & Partners, adding experience in alcohol and entertainment licensing matters.

Poppleston Allen, a large boutique licensing firm, is known for its skill in Cumulative Impact zones mandates, particularly in prestigious areas such as Westminster in which objections are common due to its ability to draw upon experience acting opposite the Environmental Health Authority, the police and the Licensing Authority. Practice head Lisa Inzani has a strong track record of assisting large national restaurant chains, but expertise within the wider group extends to alcohol-related licensing, which forms the vast majority of the wider practice. David Inzani is skilled at assisting independent companies and large chains, particularly in relation to high-value entertainment licensing work, an area in which the wider group is also engaged, while Felix Faulkner is also cited as key.

Lauded as ‘extremely well-connected and knowledgeable in terms of the law and connections of police/council,’ licensing boutique Thomas & Thomas Partners LLP maintains a strong reputation as a London-centric practice with a strong grip on high-end licensing matters in central London, due to its base in London and a large volume of involvement in matters for central London boroughs. Alun Thomas and Thomas O’Maoileoin jointly head up the team. Holly McColgan utilises experience as a senior licensing officer at Westminster City Council to work on prestigious licence applications for prestigious institutions in Soho. Thomas is a go-to practitioner for development companies, routinely called upon by the firm’s prestigious clients with large development portfolios such as landlords, hospitality owners and national institutions, often advising on obtaining cumulative impact zone licences. Jack Spiegler stands out for licence extensions in the face of residential objections.

TLT‘s team has a strong presence in Bristol and London, and group head Matthew Phipps divides his time between the two locations, leading the group’s activity in alcohol licences for premises, a strength of the wider group. Among the team’s varied workload is regulation and advice to associations such as the Night-time Industries Association, but the group particularly stands out for the volume of licensing applications in which it acts. Ewen Macgregor has longstanding client relationships with independent leisure and retail operators across industries such as hospitality sector, with major pub, restaurant and hotel chains forming his varied client base.

Woods Whur stands out for a strong contentious licensing practice, acting in a range of licensing hearings, particularly in the Yorkshire area. Of note is its base in Leeds, from which it handles alcohol licensing applications, but also its ability to represent clients in criminal and civil courts in London. Within M&A transactions, the group often counsels clients on issues arising from high-value acquisitions to ensure a smooth transition between parties. Founding firm members Paddy Whur, who has a strength in retail and hospitality sector licensing, and solicitor advocate Andrew Woods are at the helm, while Christopher Rees-Gay specialises in festivals and large events, and is another key practitioner in the team.

The Cardiff-based practice at Hugh James has a standout regional offering, acting for prominent regional clients but also forging relationships with local government, public authorities or the agencies connected with them in both England and Wales. Martin Jones, the head of the firm’s regulatory practice, is a key force behind the team’s strength in matters stemming from a regulatory enquiry, leading many of these matters. Aled Walters, head of the firm’s commercial department, boasts a client base of some of the UK’s leading gaming and gambling companies, and is a key part of the group’s longstanding client relationships with established bookmakers in the country.

With a national presence, Irwin Mitchell operates a full-service practice with particular emphasis on the leisure, retail and hospitality licensing industries. Philip Somarakis, head of the firm’s regulatory and criminal investigations group, oversees the team, offering advice to a varied client base ranging from prestigious institutions such as Oxford Union to local retailers in the UK. The group recruited a team of seven regulatory lawyers from Ince & Co in 2023 and continues to assist with investigations by authorities over breaches of the Licensing Act 2003. At associate level, Andrew Cotton can be noted for both gambling and alcohol licensing advice.

Pinsent Masons LLP, which is involved in ‘complex licensing applications for large retailers’, operates in a multidisciplinary fashion, working on liquor licensing, gambling and civic government licensing advice throughout the UK for household name clients such as Tesco PLC, as well as assisting with strategic matters for licensing applications. Zoe Betts in Manchester, who heads up the team, is a criminal regulatory law specialist. Hannah Burton took up an in-house role in July 2025.

Squire Patton Boggs, whose core team is based in Birmingham, fields a team with proficiencies that span alcohol, entertainment and late-night food sales licensing issues, both in relation to new licensing applications and strategic advice relating to potential hearings due to objections. While the practice more broadly is especially catered to the hotel sector, assisting the largest independent hotel management company in the UK, team leader Stephanie Perraton is instructed by a particularly diverse client roster of clients in the hotel, transport hub and convenience retail spaces. Angela Hackett is another key team member.

The volume of off-trade licensing assistance undertaken by practitioners at Winckworth Sherwood LLP, particularly assistance with new licence applications, continues to grow, and has seen associates such as Jeenna Khela more involved in licensing hearings stemming from objections. These hearings are both council hearings and cases in court in which the group is involved. Practice head Robert Botkai has ‘best-in-class experience’, as well as strong relationships with large commercial retailers and supermarkets. Such companies sit among a varied client base for Botkai, emblematic of the group’s overall portfolio, which is filled with clients requiring on-trade licensing advice such as pubs, clubs and bars.

Burges Salmon LLP ‘provides an outstanding all round service for licensed premises’ and advises across all licensing regimes, commonly within the hotel sector, but also providing expertise across other key industry sectors including leisure, transport, and property management. In addition to this, the group displays a growing proficiency in assisting online retailers with alcohol licensing issues. Joanne Attwood heads up the group and stands out for broader regulatory expertise, as is heavily involved in the group’s key strategic applications in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003.