Guide To The Best UK Legal Firms Once Again Recognises Boys & Maughan For Their Expertise in Family Law and Litigation

14th October 2025
Ian Priston

Boys & Maughan’s Solicitors’ family and property litigation teams have again been recognised in The Legal 500, featuring in the 2026 edition of this leading guide to the UK’s top lawyers and law firms.

In family law, Jonathan da Costa continues to be named as a Recommended Lawyer, with the guide praising the “highly experienced, capable” team operating across Margate and Canterbury. The editors highlighted Jonathan’s leadership and extensive experience in collaborative law and the innovative Resolution Together one lawyer two clients model. The team regularly advises on international financial disputes, complex asset divisions, and Children Act proceedings.

One referee described the family lawyers as “highly experienced, capable and very well led by Jon da Costa who is a top-drawer family lawyer of the higher calibre.” Another commented that “Jonathan da Costa is very experienced, energetic and has excellent judgment.”

The property litigation team also achieved fresh recognition in this year’s edition. Andrew Baker and Richard Giles remain Recommended Lawyers, joined by Joana Daraskeviciute, who is singled out for her expertise in disrepair claims and Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act (TOLATA) cases. The team is praised for being “extremely hardworking, very knowledgeable and a pleasure to deal with” as well as “friendly, approachable and highly professional.”

The editors draw particular attention to the breadth of the practice, noting Andrew Baker’s specialism in property damage and ownership disputes, Richard Giles’ work on possession proceedings and professional negligence claims, and Joana’s growing authority in disrepair cases.

The team’s work highlights include representing a client in a complex £1m wills and property dispute involving a house and adjoining industrial estate in East Kent.

Andrew Baker, Senior Partner at Boys & Maughan, said, “The recognition our teams have received in The Legal 500 is a reflection of the skill and dedication they bring to each case. What pleases our firm most is that the guide shines a light not just on the outcomes, but on the approachability, care, and professionalism that our clients experience when they come to us.”

This marks the 11th year that Boys & Maughan’s family team has featured in The Legal 500, while the property litigation team has now been recommended for six consecutive years.

The Legal 500 submission process involves rigorous independent research, incorporating feedback from clients, referees, and peer firms to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of legal services across the country.

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