The Legal 500

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP sits at the vanguard of the market, and few would dispute its pre-eminence. The firm boasts a comprehensive real estate offering, including expertise in corporate and finance issues, and the recruitment of Andrew Yates from Pinsent Masons LLP increases the firm’s public sector focus. Highlights included representing Canary Wharf in the forward sale to JPMorgan of its new headquarters at Canary Wharf, one of the largest such sales to a single occupier in Europe. Chris de Pury is ‘an exceptionally well-connected and quick thinker’, while head of department Robert MacGregor is renowned throughout the market. The team ‘acts professionally and diligently’, and clients ‘would have no hesitation in recommending them’.

Described simply as ‘the best’, Clifford Chance’s team includes Mark Payne, who has ‘a very good mind and lots of relevant experience, and is an well-organised and good negotiator’; Jonathan Solomon, who is ‘very experienced, pragmatic, thorough and very smart’; and Catherine Cook, who is ‘tenacious, client-focused and development-savvy’. ‘The firm employs high-quality people who understand the real world as well as the legal niceties’, say clients, who describe Iain Morpeth as ‘a pleasure to work with’. Cliff McAuley leads the team, which has vast international scope. Recent highlights include advising Canary Wharf on the development of the Isle of Dogs Crossrail station at Canary Wharf. Other clients include Qatari Diar, Aerium Finance and PCP Capital Partners.

Linklaters LLP enjoyed a successful year advising on top-quality matters, including acting for JPMorgan on the high-profile acquisition of its new headquarters at Canary Wharf. The team possesses ‘excellent knowledge’, is highly rated for its funds advice, and has a particularly strong track record advising German funds, including acting for HansInvest on its acquisition of One London Wall. The real estate practice neatly leverages off the firm’s excellence in corporate law; examples include advising PwC on the administration of Lehman Bros, when the team handled its property investment portfolio. Patrick Plant is the global head of a team that includes the highly rated Huw Baker, James Knox and Christopher Coombe.

Ashurst LLP is popular in the market, and it attracts top-class mandates. Its impressively wide-ranging experience includes advising on international deals, thanks largely to its European network. Key deals include advising a consortium of investors, including Aviva Global Investors and Axa, on the £360m sale of three UK designer outlet centres. The team handled all stages of the Westfield Shopping Centre project, which opened in 2009. Clients ‘really rate’ the practice, singling out Simon Cookson and Gerald Kelly for their ‘brains and experience’. The highly experienced Adrian Dear leads the practice.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP has succeeded in picking up a number of the big property mandates that have arisen during the downturn, with clients declaring that they ‘trust the firm for mega-deals’. It advised Northern Rock on a review of its real estate assets and liabilities, and acted for Nomura on its premises requirements at Canary Wharf following the acquisition of certain Lehman Brothers businesses. Other highlights included instructions from Land Securities on a number of retail lettings at One New Change, and a major land acquisition and development in central London for another client. Alongside practice leader John Fordham, the team includes the impressive Chris Morris, Geoff Le Pard and Mark Wheelhouse.

The ‘superb’ Herbert Smith LLP team provides a ‘consistently high level of service with excellent response times and a very high level of client care’. The practice is capable of handling a very broad range of property issues, and highlights include advising London & Continental Railways on the long-term development vehicle for the King’s Cross regeneration project. Other key deals included acting for BAA Airports on the real estate aspects of its refinancing. Head of department Ian Cox ‘has expansive industry knowledge and strong commercial awareness’, while Nick Turner is singled out as ‘deserving of credit for his consistently high level of service, strong commercial awareness and skilful negotiation’. Clients also commend Don Rowlands and James Barnes.

Lovells LLP fields an impressive 13-partner team led by the inimitable Robert Kidby. The practice is ‘extremely responsive, proactive and knowledgeable, and its application of the strict legal knowledge to the commercial context of the deal is admirable’. Among its top-end work, it advised Henderson Global Investors on the establishment of a new fund, coupled with the acquisition of several factory outlet centres, in one of the largest retail deals of the year.

Nabarro LLP delivers ‘very high levels of service with very good response times, good acumen and industry knowledge’. The firm has a market presence that few firms can match, and a team of 38 pure real estate lawyers with excellent credentials; it is a strong contender for the top tier. The group attracted several important new clients, such as London & Stamford Property, which it advised on the £1.2bn acquisition of the Meadowhall shopping centre from British Land. James Trundle ‘is one of the most commercially minded lawyers I have ever worked with, incredibly responsive and diligent’, says one client, while Nicholas Vergette offers ‘very sound general and technical knowledge and is an effective negotiator’. Kevin Stimpson leads the practice, which also includes the highly rated Amanda Howard, Simon Staite and Christopher Luck. Ciaran Carvalho joined from Dechert LLP.

SJ Berwin LLP’s ‘first-class’ practice is highly recommended for its development and regeneration work. The group advised the Crown Estate, a key client, on the regeneration of Regent Street and also acts for other quality names such as Quintain, British Land, and Gazeley on town-centre redevelopment schemes. Other high-value work included acting for British Land on several major transactions, such as the £400m sale of the Willis Building. Clients say that ‘the culture at the firm is to take a challenge. They are much braver than others, hungrier and unconventional, which leads to innovative deal-making’. Practice head Jon Vivian is immensely well respected, and Rob Thompson and Bryan Pickup are also excellent.

Addleshaw Goddard LLP is ‘an excellent law firm with excellent lawyers’, one that ‘is special and distinguishes itself from other law firms because it is so entrepreneurial’. The real estate team won the mandate to advise the Co-operative Group on its £1.57bn acquisition of Somerfield and its huge portfolio of properties. Other deals included advising Kish Holdings on the £650m acquisition of assets from Allied Irish. Jane Hollinshead, who co-heads the group along with Adrian Collins, ‘has real strength of character. She is reliable and highly intelligent, a tough cookie but, at the same time, the consummate professional’. Leona Ahmed, Andrew Bailey, Andrew Shufflebotham and Lucy Sturrock are also recommended.

Allen & Overy LLP’s team has ‘detailed knowledge of relevant legal matters but also has a very commercial solutions-based approach’. Its typical mandate is high-end, high-value work. For example, the practice acted for HSBC in the £838m acquisition from Metrovacesa of its global headquarters office building at Canary Wharf. New clients include DBZ, Westbrook and General Electric. Adam Cleal, who heads the practice, Daniel McKimm, Imogen Moss and Robert Porter are all market leaders.

CMS Cameron McKenna LLP has ‘an extremely capable team who take a commercial view. The strength and geographical spread of the team is impressive’. The firm has developed an admirable European network, and continues to focus on its real estate offering, boosting the practice by recruiting Melville Rodrigues from Mayer Brown International LLP. Edward Benzecry leads the group, which notably represented IVG Immoblien on the £120m sale of the former Lloyds Bank City headquarters to the Libyan Investment Authority. Mark Heighton and Pranai Karia are also recommended.

DLA Piper UK LLP’s commercial property lawyers are ‘all highly professional in their approach and provide excellent customer care’. Led by the well-respected Richard Crossfield, and featuring the exemplary David Taylor, the team has been making the most of its enviable international network, winning new mandates from significant Middle East sovereign wealth funds. Domestically, it advised Swindon Borough Council on its £200m regeneration project. Paul Jayson is highly recommended.

Denton Wilde Sapte LLP enjoys a very strong client base, featuring the likes of The Ascott Group, Reuben Brothers and Aviva Investor Funds. The practice has impressive strength in development, and an enviable track record in retail work. It benefited from its relationship with J Sainsbury this year when the client instructed the team on its high-profile joint venture with British Land to invest and redevelop a securitised portfolio of properties valued at £1.2bn. Richard Budge leads the group, and Nichola West and Andrew Bedford are also recommended.

Eversheds LLP had a successful year, and continues to demonstrate its expertise across the board. Achievements included advising the London Development Agency (LDA) on its £450m joint venture with Laing - the UK’s first local asset-backed vehicle for regeneration - and acting for Qatar Bank on the £1.5bn equity restructuring of the Shard. The group is also vastly experienced in private sector regeneration, representing clients such as Hammerson, Land Securities and Thornfield. The team notably won a leading position on Legal & General’s panel. Bruce Dear ‘a first-rate technical lawyer with pragmatic, commercial sense’, group head William Naunton, Stephen Sorrell and Tim Webb are all recommended. Clients say the firm is ‘at the front of the innovative service provision league’.

The very capable and highly rated David Roberts is Jones Day’s global commercial property head, attracting leading names such as Goodman, Ashtenne and Metro. The group is nicely balanced, and both investment and development are traditionally strong areas for the firm. Recent highlights include advising British Land on the £588m sale of a 50% stake in Meadowhall Shopping Centre to London & Stamford.

LG’s joint department head Jon Lloyd ‘always provides a first-class service’, while the team as a whole offers a ‘very high standard - it retains the feel of an older-style practice in terms of its client relationships whilst providing up-to-date legal advice’. The group’s weighty client list includes Legal & General, while recent highlights include advising the Universities Superannuation Scheme in purchasing a 50% share in an investment portfolio joint venture with Tesco. The team was boosted by the arrival of corporate real estate partner Malcolm Headley from Faegre & Benson LLP at the end of 2008. Rabinder Chagger, who co-heads the practice, is an experienced practitioner.

The team at Macfarlanes LLP provides a service ‘characterised by consistency, accuracy and timeliness - they have a strong work ethic that is second to none’. The impressively broad real estate practice acted for various Arora Family trusts on the acquisition of property valued at £300m around the UK’s major airports. The very able Simon Hillson leads the team, in which Patrick Holmes is recommended for his experience in the hotel and leisure field. Charles Horsfield is ‘especially knowledgeable, commercial and pragmatic’, Dominic Cunliffe ‘does a first-rate job’, and John Hornby is also recommended.

Norton Rose LLP had a highly successful year in the face of market turbulence. New client wins include Royal London Mutual Insurance Society and The Crown Estate. Its recent activities include acting for key client HSBC on the US$2.5bn financing of the Chelsea Barracks redevelopment, and for Commerz Real on the completion of the Westfield Shopping Centre. Regeneration is also a growing strength for the team, which advises the LDA, the Homes and Communities Agency and English Partnerships. The level of service is ‘very high’, and the team is ‘always keen to understand our business’. David Sinclair is ‘tenacious and organised’, and Lindsay Morgan is also highly rated.

Olswang offers ‘very good knowledge of the market and employs a number of highly intelligent individuals with a wealth of in-depth knowledge of the real estate market’. These include the immensely popular David Saunders, Martyn Needham and team head Tim Westhead. The group attracted some of the market’s top-end deals, notably advising REIT Asset Management on its £8.5bn merger with the property arm of F&C Asset Management.

Taylor Wessing LLP’s team offers ‘outstanding responsiveness and excellent industry knowledge’ and ‘both breadth and depth’. Keith Barnett’s group is well placed to advise European funds coming into the UK market, with the firm’s international strategy serving it well in attracting new clients such as Aerium, AXA Reim and Heron International. Highlights included representing a number of large Chinese banks, and advising Canada Life on the purchase of a £164m investment portfolio from Legal & General. Richard Bursby has ‘excellent technical knowledge, outstanding project management skills and is flexible in dealing with international jurisdictions’. Clients also praise Adam Marks and Richard Grosse.

Slaughter and May has ‘a strong team with high levels of service, excellent legal knowledge and the pragmatism to get the deal done’. High-end work remains the remit of this modest-sized practice, and it continues to attract strong mandates. Highlights for David Waterfield’s group included advising Lend Lease on the development of the Olympic Village for the 2012 Games. Clients pick out Dermot Rice and James Featherby for their ‘helpfulness and mixture of commercial acumen and legal advice’, and the ‘intelligent, forthright and considered’ Jane Edwarde.

Baker & McKenzie LLP benefits from its excellent network of offices, and promotes a very global outlook. Its clients include numerous corporate occupiers and several leading hotel chains, and the practice has particular experience in acting for management consultancies and international embassies. The ‘calm and approachable’ team advised Canada Life as lender on a number of financing deals. The practice was bolstered by the arrival of Justin Salkeld (‘experienced, swift, with good business acumen’) from K&L Gates in 2008. Group head Stephen Turner is ‘very commercial, and is able to explain the appropriate solutions and legal issues quickly and simply’.

Development work is a key area for Boodle Hatfield, under the leadership of Richard Maughan. Caroline King’s team notably advised on the £1bn Liverpool One development project. On the investment side, the group continues to advise on Grosvenor’s property portfolio. ‘The level of service is of the highest quality’, say clients, who single out Simon Williams for his clear and easy-to-understand advice. Caroline King offers ‘a pragmatic view, exceptional detail, knowledge and commerciality’.

The cornerstones of Clyde & Co LLP’s real estate practice are advising property companies on investment and development, and acting for retailers, large occupiers and local authorities. The firm recently advised on several London developments, including acting for Cathedral Group on a public-private partnership with Lambeth Council. Robert Pilcher is recommended for ‘practical and straightforward advice’, while head of department Martin Quicke is an ‘extremely commercial lawyer who has an understanding of complex deal structures’. David Wyatt leads a strong retail offering.

Dechert LLP’s solid practice is rated for its international expertise, and it advised Capmark on a series of acquisitions across Europe. The practice also represented Apollo Real Estate Advisors (UK) Ltd on its joint venture with Brack Capital. Bill Fryzer and Andrew Hutchinson are leading names, with Steven Fogel also recommended for real estate investment. The firm lost the well-respected Ciaran Carvalho to Nabarro LLP in 2009.

Dundas & Wilson LLP is rated particularly for its relationships with energy clients, including representing National Grid in the £800m disposal of its property business. Clients describe the team as ‘simply excellent - it strives to achieve this excellence in everything it does’. The practice fields some ‘powerhouses’, including group head Iain Lindsay, Richard Lampert and Andrew Lewry.

Clients are ‘extremely impressed’ with Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP, particularly for its ‘deeply caring attitude’ and ‘terrific team spirit’. The group’s broad-based practice has particular strength in public sector work, which should serve it well during the lull in private sector work. Highlights included advising Southwark Borough Council on the redevelopment of Potters Field at London Bridge. The team, led by Paul Houston, is regarded as ‘pragmatic, calm and fair’, with Edward Bannister also recommended. Former lead partner Martin Barrett left the firm to head up Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s property team in 2008.

The property department is a cornerstone practice at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP. Clients say the group is ‘responsive and highly competent, very strong and certainly led from the top’. Michael Kutner is recommended for advising higher education institutions on development projects, while Chris Allan leads on compulsory purchase work. Martin Smith, who leads the team, is ‘commercial with on-tap, in-depth knowledge’.

Fladgate LLP is recommended for development work. Recent engagements include advising on urban regeneration schemes such as HDG Mansur’s development in Bristol, and on numerous projects for Cathedral, Mount Anvil, and new client, the Zog Group. The group recently attracted a number of property mandates in the nursing home sector. Allen Cohen leads the practice. Anthony Vaughan is rated for hotel and leisure advice.

Forsters LLP has an ‘impressive’ team, offering a level of service that is ‘consistently excellent’. The team is capable of handling high-value work, notably advising on a £500m mixed-use regeneration scheme in Croydon. New clients include Realis Estates and The Percassi Group. Practice leader Howard Gill ‘provides first-class property advice, with outstanding professional knowledge and business acumen’. Sophie Hamilton is another popular practitioner.

Paul Springall leads Howard Kennedy’s real estate group, which is particularly recommended for hotel and leisure work. Key deals over the past year include acting for Stein Group International on KOP Capital’s multimillion-dollar acquisition of a 50% stake in the business. Clients recommend Alan Banes and Paul Springall, describing them as ‘highly experienced, and robust without being antagonistic’. Overall, the ‘highly empathetic’ team is ‘very responsive, very flexible, and accessible’.

K&L Gates has expanded its capacity recently, bringing in regeneration expert Neil Logan Green from Eversheds LLP, and John Hussey, who focuses on institutional investment work, from Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP. The practice’s recent activities include work on a number of acquisitions and disposals, such as acting for Henderson UK Retail Warehouse Fund and Aviva in the £91.5m sale of Cambridge Retail Park to Deka Immobilien Investment. New client wins include City & Capital.

Niche property practice Maples Teesdale continues to prove itself a very worthy rival to some of the bigger property players. Mark Bryan is well known in the property market, and his group includes respected practitioners Declan Power, Roger Thornton, and Chris Wilkinson. Clients say that the team is ‘excellent, there are no other words. They’re great lawyers, and immensely commercial’. The group has been appointed to the Legal & General property panel, and recently advised the US Government on the relocation to Wandsworth of its embassy. Neil Sagoo joined from Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP in October 2008.

Mayer Brown International LLP is ‘completely professional, front-ended and solution-focused’. Many of its mandates are international, with highlights including acting for AT&T on the opening of its first data centre in India. Other clients included DekaBank, CBRE and Digital Realty Trust. Iain Thomas is ‘a very diligent project manager’, while Peter Sugden is ‘an extremely capable guy, personable, and very much a deal-doer’. James Dodsworth offers ‘legal advice that is second to none’, and team leader Jeremy Clay is ‘an excellent negotiator and transaction manager’.

Mishcon de Reya attracts some top-end clients, and has earned a reputation for excellent property advice. Highlights on the investment side included advising Capital & Counties on the £108m purchase of the Empress State Building from Land Securities, while on the development side the team was kept busy acting for Vinyl on a central London regeneration. Nick Doffman leads the team, in which Susan Freeman, Daniel Levy, Daniel Lipman and Ian Paul are all respected practitioners. Clients say the whole team has ‘excellent technical skills and use these together with commerciality’.

Osborne Clarke is strong on the development side, representing top-notch clients such as Gazeley, Terrace Hill and Parkridge. The team advised RWE NPower on its first UK nuclear power station site. Nadine Strahl leads the team, which is ‘highly responsive with a personal touch, which makes clients feel as if they matter’.

Pinsent Masons LLP had a successful year that included appointment as sole external advisers to the Aviva property panel. Key work included acting for Wal-Mart Stores Inc on the sale of ASDA’s development subsidiary, Gazeley Limited Group, to Economic Zones World. Clients say ‘the level of service is excellent on all fronts’, and describe Claire Hughes, who is particularly experienced in hotel work, as ‘responsive and positive’.

Reed Smith is expert in the hotel, leisure and high-end retail sectors, but also leverages the firm’s corporate contacts. Recent highlights include acting for Land Securities Trillium on its sale to Telereal. The team is described as ‘sensible, pragmatic, with tremendous knowledge at their fingertips’. Group head Graham Reid, Andrew Jenkinson and Lawrence Radley are ‘accessible and knowledgeable’.

Simmons & Simmons showed its strength in the development sector when it advised Network Rail in the £1bn redevelopment of Euston Station. The team is also recommended for investment and fund work, and acted for Deka on the £550m acquisition of a series of central London properties. Alan Butler, John Sirs and Carol Hewson are all recommended.

Speechly Bircham LLP fields ‘excellent performers who are knowledgeable, experienced, hardworking and innovative’. Head of the practice Charles Palmer is ‘exceptional’, while David Leedham has ‘a pragmatic, problem-solving approach and an engaging style’, and Mark Hodgkinson is ‘extremely thorough’. In addition to handling some outstanding deals - such as advising RBS on the sale and leaseback of a portfolio of properties to Telereal and Prudential - the team has successfully attracted new clients including certain Gulf-based investors. The practice has longstanding experience on the development and investment side of the industry, and is highly recommended for headquarter work. It was strengthened significantly by the firm’s merger with Campbell Hooper, which brings historic strengths in regeneration and investment to the table. Impressive incoming names include Bill Bidder, Peter Stockdale, John Aynsley and Harbans Chohan.

Stephenson Harwood’s property team is of a ‘consistently high standard - the speed of response is always excellent and the knowledge of the sector is good’. Practice leader Richard Light has an excellent track record, while Marcel Haniff is ‘most efficient’, and Stephen Laud is ‘efficient, reliable, and proactively offers pragmatic advice’. Over recent months, the practice has benefited from its extensive public sector client base, which features the London Development Agency and Transport for London. Key mandates included advising St Martins Property Group on its £400m acquisition of the Willis Building from British Land.

Travers Smith LLP offers an ‘exceptional service - the team is extremely clear and structured, very patient and nothing is beyond them’. Key work included acting for Mountgrange Investment Management and Curzon Global Partners on their £140m portfolio acquisition from Prudential Investment managers. Clients value Andrew Barrow, James Styles and Julian Bass for their ‘intellectual capacity, experience and knowledge of the law as well as their vast network of contacts’. Additionally, Anthony Judge has ‘expertise across the board’, while Simon Rutman is ‘highly professional, offering quick and decisive responses’.

Trowers & Hamlins LLP enjoys an excellent public sector reputation, which has undoubtedly benefited it over the past year. Recent highlights include advising Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company on the property aspects of the £320m acquisition of London International Exhibition Centre, the operator of the ExCel centre. Jeremy Joiner’s group is recommended for its knowledge in setting up shari’ah-compliant funds, and also features Michael Higginson.

Adrian Bland leads Wragge & Co LLP’s real estate group, where Richard Bate is recommended for residential development, John Burns for corporate development, Sue Bennett for commercial investment, and Andrew Galla for public regeneration. In 2008, the practice advised longstanding client Ballymore on the US Embassy’s relocation to Wandsworth.

Beachcroft LLP enjoyed a successful year, with standout mandates including advising Westfield Shopping Towns on leasing issues following the opening of Westfield London. Andrew Chesser leads the London practice, which is recommended for its traditional strength in the health sector, where it advised on a number of strategic disposals and development issues for University College London Hospital Trust and several PCTs.

Bircham Dyson Bell LLP, which acts on a high number of publicly funded projects, has benefited over the past year from the firm’s wider relationship with public sector clients. The team, led by Michael Parker, is also recommended particularly for leasehold enfranchisement, and was appointed to a number of panels, including National Grid.

Burges Salmon LLP has impressive experience advising on the property aspects of energy deals, notably advising the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on the auction of land to build nuclear power stations. The practice is also recommended for investment work, with Richard Read acting for Falcon Property Trust on its multimillion-pound loan facility with HSBC, while Richard Clark advised The Crown Estate on its St James portfolio. Paul Browne leads the team, which comprises ‘top operators with commercial nous’ who are ‘extremely personable at the same time’. For insolvency matters, Colin Ligman is a ‘pragmatic, knowledgeable lawyer who is very easy to deal with’. Team head Paul Browne and development expert David Gidney are also recommended.

Charles Russell LLP’s real estate practice is led by the very popular Robert Highmore and includes the ‘outstanding’ Michael Bennett and Lynn Povey. The team advised key client Arqiva on a multimillion-pound transaction involving a national estate of telecoms transmission sites. The group is also recommended for its expertise in charity-related property work.

Davies Arnold Cooper LLP has made big strides over the past few years, and is described as ‘one of the best in the sector’. In a confident move, the practice added several lateral partners, including former Campbell Hooper head of department Helen Meyler, Nick Knight (formerly in-house at Persimmon Homes), and Oliver Emanuel from Eversheds LLP. Its high-quality list of instructions includes advising EDF Energy on a series of major site disposals. Robert Lee is ‘a strong team leader with excellent technical skills and a commercial approach’, while Lucy Walsh is ‘very experienced’.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is recommended for its increasing focus on debt restructuring work for property companies, and advised One Plantation Place Unit Trust on its £525m restructuring. Alan Samson leads the team, and Wayne McArdle and Tom Budd are also recommended. Clients include Apollo International Real Estate, GIC and Gulf International Bank.

Halliwells is ‘quick to act and has excellent market knowledge’, although it was hit by the departure of former head of property Simon Hardwick and a team, who left for PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal LLP in 2008. The firm redressed the losses by adding the ‘commercial, pragmatic and, above all, tenacious’ Caroline Taylor from Bride Hall Group; clients describe her as ‘definitely the kind of lawyer you want on your side’. Hugo Greer-Walker is ‘extremely thorough, with an ability to spot issues at an early stage’. The group is particularly recommended for representing restaurant sector clients, including Wagamama, Davy’s and Groupe Chez Gerard.

Hammonds LLP garnered some admirable acquisition and disposal mandates, such as advising Norwich Property Trust on the £145m sale of 10 Queen Street Place in London to Jaguar Capital. The ‘technically extremely knowledgeable’ Jonathan Morshead leads the team, while Mike Shaw is ‘very strong’.

Leonard Goodrich leads Lewis Silkin LLP’s varied property offering. The group, which includes Jonathan Reuben and Neil Toner, advised W4B Limited, a new-generation renewable energy company, on the lease of a new bio-fuelled electricity generating power station.

Manches LLP attracts some excellent clients, including Laing O’Rourke and Allied Irish, which the firm advised on funding arrangements with Ballymore in connection with the new US Embassy. The practice also has significant retail expertise, notably advising WHSmith on a longstanding basis. ‘The team is simply outstanding with respect to advice, business acumen, work ethic, innovation and on-time delivery’.

Maxwell Winward LLP ‘provides a high-quality commercial service’, and attracts some good clients, such as Argent Group, which it advised on the King’s Cross development. Head of the practice Nigel Wilson is recommended, along with Orla O’Sullivan, who ‘leads extremely well’. The practice was strengthened with the recruitment of Edward Meerloo from Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP in May 2009.

Alex O’Connor leads McGrigors LLP’s team, which continues to act for key clients ING Central London Fund and KPMG. It also advised Fairview New Homes on the £29m sale of land at Oaklands College. Stephen Sumpton is a ‘commercially astute individual who always works hard to deliver’. Clients say, ‘any queries raised are handled promptly and efficiently. The level of professionalism is high and, accordingly, the advice provided is consistent and reliable’.

Mark Eagan heads the group at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (Europe) LLP, which is particularly experienced in advising on multi-jurisdictional deals, especially for UK and US clients. Key clients include Apollo European Real Estate Fund. Emma Bucknall is highly rated for acquisitions and disposals with a pan-European element, while Jeremy Hilsman is also recommended.

The ‘accessible’ team at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP offers a level of service that is ‘extremely good across a broad range of areas’; its ‘strengths lie in commercial awareness, prompt response times, and good communication’. The practice notably handles all the letting work for the Cancer Research UK retail portfolio through the ‘technically competent’ and ‘very responsive’ Sarah Blunn The team was significantly augmented by the recruitment of Martin Barrett, who arrived from Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP in 2008 to head up the practice and brought with him several new clients, including AkzoNobel and AstraZeneca. Edward Meerloo departed for Maxwell Winward LLP in May 2009.

At Steptoe & Johnson, head of property Brendan Patterson is described as ‘a very strong lawyer with a high level of commercial acumen’, while Matthew Farmer is valued for his ‘calmness, accessibility and authority’. The group garnered some admirable mandates, and is recommended for the acquisition and development of large retail parks, hotels and retirement homes. ‘I find them to be excellent - they’re proactive and responsive, and I can’t speak highly enough of them’, says one client. Key clients include Rokeby and The Raven Group.

Wedlake Bell is ‘dedicated to providing an outstanding partner service and deliver 120% of themselves’. ‘There are not many lawyers who roll up their shirtsleeves and provide the right advice and deliver the necessary results so successfully.’ The group is recognised for adeptly handling sports and leisure and student accommodation mandates, and is increasingly experienced in airline and airport property issues. Simon Freeman heads the team, which ‘acts with competence and whose knowledge is immense’.

White & Case LLP offers ‘a level of service that is excellent, with high-quality, commercial advice provided at all times’. The practice has an impressive client base including Doughty Hanson Real Estate and Land Securities, which the team advised on the financing of the Accor portfolio. David Cox and his team are ‘personable and professional’.

Bevan Brittan LLP is ‘excellent, with a particularly quick response time and good business knowledge’. Mark Calverley leads the team, which recruited Graham Atkins from Manches LLP in 2008. The practice is recommended primarily for advising a number of public bodies, such as representing Buckinghamshire County Council on the Aylesbury Vale Parkway railway station project.

Bird & Bird LLP enjoyed some significant property work for several major telecoms clients, including advising Ericsson on the real estate aspects of 3’s £3bn UK network outsourcing. Jonathan Baker’s team is also noted for advising Wolf Minerals on the property aspects of mining and mineral rights acquisitions. Andrew Stobbart and Linda Fletcher are recommended.

Philip Diamond leads Blake Lapthorn’s practice, which is recommended for representing banks, including Abbey, Allied Irish Bank, and Bank of Ireland, which it advised on the real estate aspects of a £50m loan facility. Jeremy Taylor and David Salt are also recommended.

Bristows’ practice is ‘professional, responsive, and clearly expert in the work that it’s doing’. The group is largely focused on two main areas: corporate occupiers, and investment and funds work. Team head Alexandra Lethbridge handles the latter, while Teresa Edmund specialises in advising corporations, such as Kodak. The practice has undertaken some impressive work recently, including acting for LaSalle Garden Centre Fund on the establishment of a new offshore fund. Clients have the ‘utmost confidence in them’.

Clients describe Davenport Lyons’ team as excellent, picking out Janet Ayres for praise. The group acted on several purchases, including advising on a multimillion-pound investment in London’s West End. The group is recommended particularly for its advice to an international client base, recently acting for clients from the Middle East, Russia and Australia on acquisitions across London.

Dewey & LeBoeuf fields a modestly sized yet quality team that features the very well-respected Graham Prentice. The group’s high-calibre client base includes BP, which it advised on a substantial brownfield regeneration project in Europe. Honda is also a longstanding client and the practice has picked up work from a number of Middle Eastern investors.

Farrer & Co is weathering the downturn nicely, thanks to niche capabilities in charity property work and work for high-net-worth offshore investors, including a number of Irish investors. Highlights for Charles Anderson’s team included advising the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on the development and disposal of Derwenthorpe Urban Village. Gavin Acheson is also recommended.

The exceptional Harvey Posener is the key figure at GSC Solicitors LLP. The practice is rated for its lease-related experience, including acting for Charles Russell LLP on the lease for its new London office space. Other clients include Channel 4, Pfizer and Universal Music.

Kingsley Napley’s real estate group is led by Paul Harbour, who is described as ‘diligent, thorough and proactive’. Francis Weaver is also recommended for his ‘wisdom and experience’. The practice handles a significant volume of national work, and recently acted for Von Essen Group on the acquisition of long leasehold interests for luxury hotel, heliport, restaurant and penthouse uses in a major London development.

Catriona Smith leads the team at Penningtons Solicitors LLP, which has attracted new clients such as Abbey National, Aegon Asset Management and Howard Holdings. The group, particularly Peter Massey, has experience in the property aspects of PFI work.

PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal LLP became a contender in this practice area with the recruitment of a property team from Halliwells, including Adam Perry, Tim Hart and Amanda Crowe. The group, led by former Halliwells head Simon Hardwick, benefits from its relationship with PwC. Particular strengths include advising on major property-related restructurings.

RLS Solicitors is a property boutique with a fast-developing name in the market, which offers personal service from 'a young, switched-on team'. Key clients include US law firm Winston & Strawn LLP, TCN Property, and new clients such as RBS and Handelsbanken. Craig Themis is a 'commercially minded problem-solver', while Julien Rutler 'basically doesn’t leave a stone unturned until all options are explored', and Nick Willetts is 'professional, responsive, and service oriented'.

At RadcliffesLeBrasseur, Karen Mayne is recommended for the sale and acquisition, letting, and asset management of residential property for both UK and offshore clients.

Salans’ practitioners are ‘prompt, timely and constructive’. The group, led by Daniel Polden, is recommended for its experience in the property aspects of retail industry insolvency, such as advising Kroll, as administrators of MFI. The group also possesses international expertise, recently acting for Amstar Global Partners on a joint venture with Renaissance Construction for retail developments in Turkey.

Ian Nisse is the well-known head of real estate at Shearman & Sterling LLP; he has a good track record in structuring issues, and is ably supported by Clare Breeze. The practice’s clients include AIG Global Real Estate Investment, Stanhope and Kazemir Aktau Development. Recent work includes a number of significant joint ventures.

Andrew Bond leads Shepherd and Wedderburn’s solid property practice, which is highly rated for its hotels and leisure expertise. It advised Paradise Beach on the opening of the Four Seasons resorts in Barbados and Grenada in the West Indies. Other key deals included advising Capital 88 on the disposal of a high-profile building within The Crown Estate. Clients say the team has ‘excellent awareness of the commercial property market’.

Thomas Eggar LLP fields a ‘very competent team with strong knowledge’, led by Roger Hickman. The group is experienced in advising offshore clients, notably acting for The Glanmore Property Fund on the acquisition and disposal of a number of shopping centres, retail parks and high street banks. Clients praise Ruth Boulton.

Watson, Farley & Williams LLP has built a strong body of work in commercial property, construction and hotels recently. The experienced Mark Prevezer has a very strong track record advising tenants, having acted on a number of office moves. The team also has experience in the property aspects of renewables work, and benefits from a strong international network. The group is ‘strong in all areas and has the ability to tap into corporate knowledge founded on years of experience’. Gary Ritter, Maria Llewellyn, Martin Lucas and Felicity Jones are all recommended.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges’ vastly experienced Rupert Jones is a leading name in the market. The practice generally boasts good experience in property-related insolvency matters and restructuring, which is proving attractive to a number of clients in the current economic climate. The team advised Premier Foods on a number of acquisitions and financings, and a restructuring of its capital structure.

Andrew Harbourne leads Dawsons LLP’s property team, which also features Martin Codd. The practice acted on some significant regeneration projects, notably for a charity on a development in south London. The group is also increasingly experienced in advising large landed estates on acquisition and development work.

Nadeem Khan is the name to note at Dorsey & Whitney. Clients include United Healthcare Group and National Westminster Bank, which the team advised on a number of secured lending transactions.

Fox Williams LLP’s real estate offering was significantly boosted by the recruitment of a team from Faegre & Benson LLP. Simon Smith now leads the group, which includes Elizabeth Ruff. The team has particular experience in prime location lettings and asset management work. Clients include Fidessa Group and Westbrook Partners.

Nigel Heilpern’s group at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (London) LLP acted for a number of financial institutions, including Investec Bank and Goldman Sachs. The group’s high-end international credentials include having advised Tishman Speyer on a joint venture with Commerz Real on a tower development in Frankfurt. Stephen John is recommended.

Robert Reilly’s team at Harbottle & Lewis LLP is ‘quick to respond and provides sound legal advice with good commercial awareness’. It is recommended for its expertise advising on capital projects, and is also experienced in handling sale and leasebacks, notably advising IMO Car Wash Group on a series of purchases. Leo Marino provides good advice in a timely manner.

Laytons’ property team is led by John Beesley, who represented an offshore investor acquiring a West End property, as well as a number of residential property developers and retailers. The team, which also includes Charles Hodder and Duncan Williamson, is recommended for representing start-ups. ‘Response times are excellent’, and the lawyers ‘have very good industry knowledge; advice is nearly always spot-on and concise’.

Clients enjoy an ‘excellent level of service’ from Mills & Reeve LLP, which is said to be ‘knowledgeable in various fields, and timely, providing appropriate advice with efficiency and consistency’. The team, led by Keith Hamilton, is ‘very client friendly but utterly professional, and head-and-shoulders above others’. The firm has a thriving local authority practice, representing a large number of London boroughs. It was appointed to act for the Railpen Fund, and to advise Addenbrookes on the development of one of the largest hospital complexes in the country.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe offers ‘very wide knowledge of the sector’, and practice leader Anne O’Neill ‘provides in-depth knowledge and understanding which ensures we get the best and most appropriate advice’, say clients. The team represents Notting Hill Housing Group, one of the largest housing associations in London, and has been advising it on its expansion into the private sector. Other key clients include Capital Shopping Centres.

Peter Black’s team at Payne Hicks Beach is increasingly experienced in private equity and other investment funds and in restructuring loans for property development. The group offers a ‘very professional, experienced and high-quality service’.

Pemberton Greenish’s real estate practice focuses on residential estates, under Laura Blackwell, and commercial property, a team headed by Ian Gill. The firm had a strong year acting for a client base featuring London landed estates, companies and high-net-worth individuals. Damian Greenish is recommended.

At Russell Jones & Walker, Peter Klim is recommended for asset management work, advising clients such as Be At One, Homebase and Sports Direct. The group is also noted for its refinancing experience.

Shadbolt LLP has good experience in offshore property matters, enjoying a longstanding relationship with Pelham Associates, and is also noted for its excellent track record in LIFT work. Other recent highlights include advising Global Crossing on the restructuring of its entire UK portfolio. Matthew Newing and Sean Ryan are recommended. Former group head Philippa Aldrich left the firm in 2008.