The team at Bedell Cristin advises a string of notable clients, including major property developers and financial institutions, on the gamut of real estate matters, from project financing and high-value sales, to the negotiation of lease agreements. Jeff O’Boyle leads the practice, maintaining a broad practice which incorporates property development, investment, secured financing and commercial leasing arrangements, while also advising on acquisitions and disposals. Working alongside him is senior associate Hannah Robinson, who focuses on landlord and tenant matters, secured lending, portfolio management and residential property development.
Commercial property in Jersey
Bedell Cristin
Practice head(s):
Jeff O’Boyle
Other key lawyers:
Hannah Robinson
Testimonials
‘Hannah Robinson and Jeff O’Boyle are exceptional individuals, tuned in to our business needs and extremely commercially focused.’
‘Bedell Cristin represent us in the Channel Islands. As this is not a market we operate in on a regular basis we are reliant on their experience and advice on the law prevailing. They are able to take the lead for us and drive transactions along.’
‘Hannah Robinson is our principle point of contact with the firm and is able to provide advice on the different procedures and prevailing law in the different Channel Islands.’
‘The litigation knowledge and understanding of Jersey law is second to none. Their fee scale is extremely competitive. Always willing to help with advice and are always thinking outside the box.’
‘Technically competent and with an ability to design products that fit our needs.’
‘Jeff O’Boyle and Hannah Robinson have been particularly responsive.’
‘An exceptionally personal service delivered by a highly skilled team.’
‘Hannah Robinson is the star of the team, always exceptionally pleasant and has outstanding interpersonal skills with an ability to demystify legal jargon.’
Key clients
The Government of Jersey
Le Masurier
Andium Homes Limited
Santander Bank Plc
Royal Bank of Scotland International
JT (Jersey) Limited
Produce Investments Plc
St Saviours Realty
OneSavings Bank
Reto Finance
Easton Property Holdings Limited
Sancus Lending (Jersey) Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Le Masurier on a £120m regeneration project in St Helier which will include approximately 240 residential apartments, a 100 room premium hotel and a number of commercial units.
- Assisted Andium Homes with all of its 2022 sales of affordable housing, worth approximately £29m, and advised on its strategic plan to develop 3,000 new homes by 2030.
- Advised The Royal Bank of Scotland International on a series of multimillion pound loans which were secured over a broad range of commercial property, including a loan of approximatley £10m which was secured over warehouse, industrial and retail premises.
Carey Olsen
Carey Olsen supports clients engaged in a variety of commercial property matters, advising on the development, acquisition and disposal of major projects in Jersey and also providing assistance with existing property portfolios, including lease agreements with new and existing lessees. Property transactions expert Chris Philpott leads the practice, advising on sales and lettings in addition to real estate financing. Newly promoted partner Will Whitehead is both a transactional and regulatory property specialist, advising on commercial property deals and advising developers on the regulatory aspects of infrastructure and other projects. Lyndsay Houlette is noted for her work in regard to mixed-use and infrastructure developments.
Practice head(s):
Chris Philpott
Other key lawyers:
Alex Ohlsson; John Kelleher; Will Whitehead; Lyndsay Houlette
Testimonials
‘The team are very knowledgeable and responsive, meeting any deadline given to them. At the same time their fees are reasonable and within the agreed parameters.’
‘Working with Chris Philpott and Will Whitehead is always a pleasure, such a smooth process with updates provided at all stages. They are both very knowledgeable individuals.’
‘The approachability of the staff and especially the partner and their ability to articulate complex legal technicalities into easily understood layman’s terms is impressive. They also demonstrate a keen desire to understand your needs and offer solutions to issues.’
‘Chris Philpott is extremely accommodating and approachable and together with his wider team they make us feel important and in safe hands. You can pick up the phone to Chris, drop him a message or send an email and you always know he will respond at his earliest opportunity, no matter how busy he is. Chris and his team provide an exceptional service and have the ability to put you at ease.’
‘The strength and depth of the Carey Olsen commercial property team allowed for three property lease transactions to be agreed and passed through court seamlessly, within the required time frames. Due to the variety and complexity of parties involved this could have ended up being a long, drawn out process, but at no point did the team relent in obtaining third party agreement/consent to achieve a successful outcome for us. At all points during the negotiations we were kept up-to-date with progress and anticipated fees.’
‘It was very clear from the outset how well knitted the Carey Olsen commercial property team are, with Chris Philpott leading the team. Will Whitehead was our main point of contact throughout, and both Chris and Will worked in tandem.’
‘Market knowledge, experience and speed of response.’
‘Chris Philpott and Will Whitehead are in the premier league of commercial property lawyers in Jersey.’
Key clients
Ports of Jersey Limited
Jersey Electricity plc
The States of Jersey Development Company Limited
Langham Hall Fund Management (Jersey) Limited
LV Care Group
MDB Holdings Limited
Sealyham Investments Limited
C5 Alliance Group Limited
Jersey Cricket
Sandpiper CI Limited
Symmetry
Abrdn
Brelade Bay Limited
Autonomy Capital
Cofra Jersey Limited
MND Construction
Work highlights
- Advised Ports of Jersey on the management and restructuring of its property portfolio.
- Advising Jersey Electricity on its current and future solar array projects, including Moulin à Vent, Sorel, Parish of St Helier airspace lease, Ronez airspace lease and Albert Bartlett airspace lease.
- Advised the States of Jersey Development Company on its residential redevelopments at the flagship mixed-use Horizon project.
Collas Crill
Collas Crill assists clients – including developers and investment funds – with major projects, sales and lettings, advising on both commercial and high-value residential property. Martin Le Boutillier heads the team, focusing his practice on real estate finance and corporate acquisitions and disposals, acting on instructions from both developers and finance providers. Pamela Doherty counts a number of major developers among her clients, and advises them on Jersey’s biggest commercial and residential real estate projects, as well as assisting with funding, sales, leases and broader corporate issues.
Practice head(s):
Martin Le Boutillier
Other key lawyers:
Pamela Doherty
Testimonials
‘Pamela Doherty: extremely conscientious and aware and preempts the client’s needs.’
‘Excellent service. Response times are always appropriate to the situation, and industry knowledge and commercial awareness are excellent. Charge out rates are extremely competitive for the service given.’
‘Pamela Doherty is personable, flexible in her drafting approach and knowledgeable both in the fields of residential and commercial property. Martin Le Boutillier is an experienced member of the team, complementing the service offering and providing a depth of experience.’
‘They have a strong understanding of the company and were able to act rapidly and efficiently on recent instructions.’
‘Collas Crill have a good breadth of in-house expertise. In addition to commercial property they have been able to advise on probate, planning, trust and private property matters over the last 12 months.’
‘We find that the overall service at Collas Crill is first class. They display very strong knowledge of Jersey property law and are very responsive, producing quality work.’
‘We tend to use Martin Le Boutillier the most – he is our primary contact. He is very knowledgeable, professional and commercial – quick to understand problems and able to provide practical solutions that work for the borrower whilst affording requisite protection for the bank.’
‘Pamela Doherty and Martin Le Boutillier are both dynamic lawyers specialising in commercial property matters.’
Key clients
Castle Properties
Dandara
Le Masurier
Investec
Liberation Group
Owners/landlords of Gaspé House
Owners/landlords of JTC House/27 Esplanade
Owner/landlord of IFC5
Ravenscroft Funds – Channel Islands Property Fund, DIPF, Red Fund
SG Kleinwort Hambros
Work highlights
- Advised Le Masurier on its development of Merchant Square, a £70m mixed-use redevelopment.
- Advised Dandara on its residential developments at Westview and Plat Douet.
- Advised Diverse Property Fund on its acquisition of two Marks & Spencer’s stores, including the main King Street branch.
Ogier
Ogier offers clients a broad property service, assisting with property financing and development, sales and acquisitions, and planning and construction matters, while also supporting HNWIs with the purchase of property in Jersey. Jonathan Hughes leads the team and the firm’s global practice, advising financial institutions and investors from Jersey and abroad, in addition to corporate occupiers, as well as assisting HNWIs seeking to relocate offshore. Katharine Marshall supports developers engaged in both commercial and residential projects, assisting with conditional contracts, joint ventures and collaboration agreements. Managing associate Sarah Parish specialises in advising HNWIs and their investment vehicles on the purchase of both residential and commercial property, while Laura Shirreffs assists with a range of matters, including property financing and property-heavy M&A.
Other key lawyers:
Katharine Marshall; Sarah Parish; Laura Shirreffs
Testimonials
‘They are professional and attentive and look to help and find creative solutions, they have experienced knowledgeable staff who specialise in their given fields.’
‘I work with Jonathan Hughes and find him very approachable, knowledgeable and he provides a professional quality service that stands out over his peer group.’
‘Ogier’s department are very efficient and always pleasant. When they say they are going to revert to you, they do so. Their knowledge of property law is second to none. They also have a wonderful knack of explaining difficult issues. They always adhere to time frames given to their clients, also to fee structures given in advance even if this entails more work than previously envisaged.’
‘When working with Sarah Parish we have the feeling that she really enjoys what she is doing. She treats our properties as if they were her own. She gives excellent advice and has good knowledge of our market. She is always pleasant and has a lovely sense of humour. Sarah has also the knack of getting on well with her opposite number during difficult transactions.’
‘Ogier’s team are our go-to practice on the island for property matters. Their depth of knowledge and experience is in our view unrivalled locally, but what really makes them stand out is their proactive, responsive and commercially aware approach.’
‘Jonathan Hughes puts commercial considerations at the forefront of his advice, provides an experienced and practical approach to problem-solving and demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the industry.’
‘Exceptional knowledge of the Jersey property market and availability and access to partners.’
‘Katharine Marshall is widely acknowledged as the ‘go-to’ Jersey property expert for conveyancing and legal matters, her availability and direct accessability is highly valued.’
Key clients
Howden Joinery Group Plc
Edyn Leasing Limited
CPA Global
HSBC Bank plc
TMF Group
Sandpiper (including M&S, Morrison’s, Costa Coffee, Apple, George, Iceland and Hotel Chocolat)
Investec
Jersey Homes Trust
LV Group Care Home Group
Parish of St Helier
Whitbread Plc/Premier Inn
Parish of St Martin
Guiton Group
Gamma Aviation Limited
Government of Jersey – States of Jersey Hospital Project, Airport, Treasury and Property holdings
John Lewis Partnership/Waitrose Limited
Fuel Supplies CI Limited
SG Hambros Bank
Close Finance
Metlife Investment Company Limited
BDO Group
Standard Chartered Bank
Ashbe Construction
Arcadia Group
Grange Developments
Appleby
Appleby advises developers on their commercial and residential projects from the early stages of development to disposal, in addition to providing support with financing arrangements. Practice head John Bisson has a wealth of experience assisting developers in Jersey, focusing primarily on commercial property matters. Property finance, estate planning and probate specialist Kate Westwater joined the firm as a counsel in June 2022 from BoisBois Lawyers.
Practice head(s):
John Bisson
Other key lawyers:
Kate Westwater
Testimonials
‘The wider team at Appleby are very efficient and diligent. Whenever we have dealt with assistants, conveyancers, associates and other members of the practice, I have always been impressed by their commitment to complete tasks to often tight deadlines.’
‘John Bisson has been incredibly supportive and loyal in what has been a difficult period for the company – something which has not gone unnoticed. John is experienced, highly respected in the industry, and commercially-minded – always offering very clear, concise advice and opinions. It has been incredibly reassuring to have him representing us since we engaged with Appleby.’
‘With the property team headed by the island’s most experienced property lawyer, Appleby offers the strongest and most reliable commercial and residential property legal advice you could obtain in Jersey. Appleby has always provided an excellent service with appropriate response times.’
‘John Bisson would be considered as the Island’s strongest and most experienced property lawyer, able to advise on and devise unique property transaction structures where required.’
‘The Appleby team have been one of the top commercial and residential property teams for many years. I have personally dealt with Appleby on multiple commercial property matters, the majority of which have reached a successful conclusion.’
‘John Bisson is recognised as one of the top property lawyers currently and has certainly been so for many years. John has the capabilities of understanding and unravelling complex transactions and bringing matters to a sensible conclusion within a short timeframe.’
‘Depth of local knowledge spanning many decades of transactions.’
‘John Bisson gives commercially astute advice on property matters.’
Key clients
Barclays Bank Plc
HSBC Bank Plc
The Royal Bank of Scotland International Ltd
Lloyds Bank Plc
Butterfield Bank (Jersey) Limited
Oaknorth Bank Plc
Santander Financial Services Plc
Dandara Group
Palladium Group
Aedifica UK Limited
Hettich Jewellers Limited
Collinson Wood
Stonehage Fleming
Work highlights
- Advised Aedifica Group on the acquisition and letting of a portfolio covering Jersey and Isle of Man care home properties valued at over £40m, in conjunction with the acquisition by a third party of the care home business itself.
- Advised Dandara Group on a funding facility with NatWest in respect of the office development being carried out in Jersey by Dandara for the Government of Jersey to create the government’s new headquarters, which will have a value in the region of £100m.
- Advised the Palladium Group on the acquisition of a fully let commercial property in Jersey valued at over £4m, with a view to its investment value and potential redevelopment to create multiple residential units.
Mourant
Mourant‘s property team provides a broad range of services, assisting clients with development, planning and construction matters, in addition to handling transactions. Banks frequently instruct the firm in relation to the restructuring or refinancing of existing property deals. Practice head Julie Melia specialises in commercial acquisitions and leases in addition to supporting clients with property financing. Counsel Georgina Cook focuses her practice on the structuring of commercial property deals and portfolios, while Kamila Kaminska handles acquisitions, disposals of, and lease arrangements for commercial properties.
Practice head(s):
Julie Melia
Other key lawyers:
Georgina Cook; Kamila Kaminska
Testimonials
‘Extremely knowledgeable and quick acting.’
‘We have been involved with commercial property transactions for over 50 years in Jersey. We are very happy and satisfied with the excellent service we receive from Mourant. We receive very prompt responses, full information on developing matters, expert and helpful advice, and fair and reasonable charging.’
‘We have the highest regard for Julie Melia and her team. Julie is very responsive, always available, totally professional, calm and reassuring and enjoys the highest reputation in conveyancing and property-related matters in Jersey.’
Key clients
Royal Bank of Canada
The Channel Islands Co-Operative Society
Jersey Electricity Plc
Ferryspeed (CI) Limited
William Hill (as owner of BJ O’ Connor Limited)
Castle Properties Limited (Rougemont Investment Syndicate)
Jersey Homes Trust
Aztec Group
G R Langlois (1991) Limited
Butterfield Bank Jersey Limited
Cranham Investments Limited and Whiteley Chambers Limited
Parish of St Helier
The National Trust for Jersey
Modern Hotels Group
Wolseley UK
Work highlights
- Advised on the sub-lease of 28,700s square feet at Gaspe House, St Helier.
- Advised on the restructuring of elements of the Co-op’s flagship Grand Marche, St Helier store.
- Advising Jersey Electricity on a range of matters including acquisitions, leases, service of notices and updating a suite of standard property documentation.
Viberts
Viberts‘ team advises local clients, including commercial landlords and tenants, on a variety of matters, including commercial leases, planning issues and acquisition of sites for development. Co-heading the practice are James Lawrence, who handles residential and commercial development work and planning matters, and Paul Harben, whose practice includes commercial developments, leases and lending. Emily Paris-Hunter assists clients with commercial property matters.
Practice head(s):
James Lawrence; Paul Harben
Other key lawyers:
Emily Paris-Hunter
Testimonials
‘Paul Harben has proved an exceptional property partner, he seamlessly drives client value without the need for intervention and can be trusted to secure excellent outcomes in every transaction.’
‘The team at Viberts are extremely responsive and proactive. They are continually strengthening their team in this area.’
‘Each person we dealt with was professional, approachable and friendly. We appreciated that although it was for them just another client, they took an interest in ensuring all of our questions were promptly addressed.’
‘Market knowledge, experience and approachability.’
‘Paul Harben and Emily Paris-Hunter: experience, market knowledge and friendly.’
‘James Lawrence and Paul Harben have an excellent and well-deserved reputation for their knowledge, experience and quality of service. They are supported by an excellent team.’
‘Paul Harben has carried out various transactions for us. He is incredibly thorough, committed and works to the deadlines given in the best interests of his clients.’
Key clients
Andium Homes Limited
Byron & Claire Khawaja
Brightly (Brig-y-don Children’s Convalescent and Holiday Home)
Malorey Investments Limited
Falles Holdings Limited
Merchants’ Square purchasers’ panel
Claremont L4 Holdings Limited (Nathan Robson)
Osmium Holdings Limited (Alexander Hatton-Edge)
Stingray Limited (Verdun Bell)
Red Heather Limited
JMEC
Le Petite Ecole Limited
ANHP Limited (Daniel Noding)
Work highlights
- Advised Andium Homes on the acquisition of the Northern Quarter for construction of 169 residential units and 3 commercial units.
- Advised Andium Homes on the acquisition of an existing residential development, Spencer Close, comprising 33 units most of which had sitting tenants in place, for £16m.
- Advised Osmium Holdings on the acquisition of mixed-use premises in the centre of St Helier and associated financing, including extensive title checks and property due diligence as well as analysis of four existing commercial leases and six residential leases.
BCR Law
BCR Law assists clients with the development of both commercial and residential property, advising on sales and purchases in addition to landlord and tenant matters. Following the retirement of Wendy Lambert in January 2023, Michelle Leverington has taken over as practice head, advising on all aspects of commercial and residential property law, including handling complex estate matters and associated disputes. Anna Field joined the team in May 2022 from BoisBois Lawyers, acting for borrowers and lenders in a variety of property transactions.
Practice head(s):
Michelle Leverington
Other key lawyers:
Anna Field
Key clients
Giman Limited and Camino PG Limited
La Porte Developments Limited
Jersey Water
Sandpiper CI Retail Limited
Ian Le Vesconte
BG Romeril and Company Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Jersey Water on the acquisition of its new head office at 4-6 La Rue Sinnatt, Rue du Pres Trading Estate, St Saviour, Jersey, for a consideration of £7.35m.
- Advised Giman and Camino PG on the financing of several Jersey developments with private lending.
- Advised La Porte Developments on its purchase of a development site for a consideration of £3.4m.
Lexstone Lawyers
The team at Lexstone Lawyers supports clients seeking to acquire both residential and commercial properties, and has further expertise in matters of property development. Marcus Stone heads the team, leading on large commercial and residential transactions, while Lucy Egerton-Vernon specialises in handling property matters in the context of her role leading the private client practice, advising family offices and lenders in respect of their property investments.
Practice head(s):
Marcus Stone
Other key lawyers:
Lucy Egerton-Vernon
Key clients
Vignette Holdings Limited
Emera
Underwood Solicitors LLP
Oakbridge
Hawk Family Office
Hawk Lending Limited
One St Brelade
Siena Group
Union Property Holdings
Work highlights
- Advised international care home operator Emera, in partnership with Aedifica, on its acquisition of the Jersey care home operator LV Group for £58m.
- Advised the Hawk Family Office on its financing of the One St. Brelade project.