Leading regional law firm, Gardner Leader, appoints new Partner, Lynsey Smith to further strengthen and expand its Dispute Resolution team in Maidenhead.
Lynsey’s appointment follows Lauren Blackman’s, who joined the Maidenhead office last year as a Partner in the Residential Property team, and marks a busy period for the firm, which has welcomed 8 new starters since the beginning of April across its seven office locations.
Gardner Leader now employs more than 200 people across the south of England, with its Maidenhead team consisting of 22 specialist legal professionals and team members across nine practice areas.
Listed in the 2025 Legal 500 for both Commercial Litigation and Franchising, Lynsey joins from IBB Law and brings two decades of experience to her role. As a specialist in franchise disputes, Lynsey has acted for a broad range of clients, including well-known brands in the franchising industry. Her commercial dispute resolution work also includes breaches of contract, injunctions, fraud and misrepresentation claims.
Lynsey Smith, Partner at Gardner Leader, said: “I’m extremely excited to have joined Gardner Leader. Having spent much of my career in Berkshire, it’s a name I’ve long been familiar with. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming; I’m looking forward to bringing my commercial litigation and franchising expertise to the team, helping us to continue to deliver extraordinary outcomes for our clients.”
Gardner Leader has been at the heart of the Thames Valley community for over 130 years. With offices in Newbury, Maidenhead, Thatcham, Oxford, Swindon, Windsor and London, the firm has more than tripled in size over the last 10 years, expanding across the South of England. Its highly experienced team of legal professionals work across six specialist teams each dedicated to providing specific services to businesses and to individuals.
Derek Rodgers, Managing Partner at Gardner Leader, added: “With a wealth of knowledge in commercial litigation and franchising, having someone of Lynsey’s expertise join our Maidenhead office and the wider Dispute Resolution and Gardner Leader teams is hugely valuable.
“Our goal is always to build on the extraordinary work our teams are doing, delivering the best legal advice, support, and peace of mind to all our clients. Lynsey will be a fantastic addition in helping us to achieve this.”
