The Legal 500

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Index of tables

  1. Commercial property
  2. Commercial property: development
  3. Commercial property: hotels and leisure
  4. Commercial property: investment
  5. Commercial property: retail
  6. Leading individuals

Leading individuals

2010 saw a tentative start to new developments but a continued upswing in investment deals, with private equity driving the market. Large, complex transactions typically have been led by overseas clients.

Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP is a dominant practice, a ‘deep’ team with ‘outstanding experience in all major areas of commercial property’. The firm acted on 25% of all £50m-plus UK investment deals during 2010, including advising Rockspring Property Investment Managers on its acquisition of a 51% stake in the O’Parinor shopping mall in France. On the development side, the firm advised Canary Wharf Group on its joint venture with Land Securities to develop the Walkie Talkie building (20 Fenchurch Street). Robert MacGregor leads the practice which has continued to grow, notably recruiting James Knox from Linklaters LLP. Chris de Pury, John Kelsey (who is ‘knowledgeable and maintains a sense of humour’) and Simon Kenley (‘exceptional’) are recommended, as is senior associate Ayesha Hasan (‘one for the future’).

Clients use Clifford Chance for ‘large, complicated transactions with the knowledge that there is a depth of talent and quality of service you can rely on’. The firm advised longstanding client Canary Wharf Group on the £495m sale of 25 Bank Street. With far-reaching financial expertise, the firm has strong links with clients such as Barclays Capital, Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley, and advised the latter’s Special Situations Fund III in taking a minority stake in the 20 Fenchurch Street development. Jonathan Solomon now heads the team following Cliff McAuley’s retirement. Mark Payne, Catherine Cook, Franc Peña (‘very efficient and commercially minded’) and Michael Edwards (a ‘good logical thinker’) are recommended, as is ‘very hardworking’ assistant Marcus Wright.

Linklaters LLP provides ‘big-firm technical excellence’, and handles complex transactions ‘with great assurance, providing the practical experience and industry knowledge found in specialist firms’. A standout transaction was advising Capital Shopping Centres Group on its acquisition of The Trafford Centre in Manchester. The firm also advised on Qatari real estate company Barwa’s acquisition and development of Park House, Oxford Street, and continues to advise Lend Lease on the agreement to redevelop Elephant & Castle. Anne Byrne heads the UK team, with Patrick Plant, Andrew Bruce, Huw Baker, Matt Elliott and the ‘user-friendly and technically very capable’ Joe Conder all recommended. James Knox joined Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP.

Nabarro LLP’s ‘service is very seamless and well co-ordinated’. The firm advised longstanding client Land Securities on the sale of 20 Fenchurch Street to a newly formed joint venture partnership with Canary Wharf Group; and acted for Great Portland Estates on creating the Great Star Partnership and acquiring two multi-let City buildings. Other highlights included advising Hammerson and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board on acquiring 10 Gresham Street. Kevin Stimpson heads the team, and is recommended along with Ciaran Carvalho, Deborah Parry, Justin Cornelius (who ‘brings great clarity to a complicated subject’), Martin Grabiner (a ‘good leader’), James Trundle (‘hardworking and commercial’) and Amanda Howard.

Ashurst LLP is ‘very successful at balancing between faultless legal interpretation and pragmatic, commercial advice’. Adrian Dear, the ‘experienced’ Anthony Burnett-Scott, Simon Cookson (who is ‘hard to beat for technical knowledge, negotiating skills and commercialism’), David Jones, Gerald Kelly (‘great to work with’), and practice head Richard Vernon are recommended. The firm is lead counsel for Westfield, including advising on the Stratford City development, and advised British Land on redeveloping 10 Portman Square.

Herbert Smith LLP has ‘unrivalled industry knowledge’ with a ‘very commercial, efficient and knowledgeable team’ that is ‘excellent at managing transactions’. New clients include Norges Bank Investment Management, which the firm advised on acquiring a 25% interest in the Crown Estate’s £1.8bn Regent Street portfolio; and Oxford Properties Group, which was advised on the £600m joint venture development of the 47-storey Leadenhall Building (the Cheesegrater). Practice head Ian Cox is ‘very focused’, and Richard Forsdyke has ‘strong business acumen combined with market knowledge’. James Barnes and Donald Rowlands are also recommended.

Hogan Lovells International LLP provides ‘absolutely first-rate service’, and the recent merger has particularly benefited the hotels and leisure element of the practice, where clients include Starwood and Le Meridien. The group acted on over 2,000 deals in 2010, totalling over £2bn in value. It won its first instruction from Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan: to negotiate a complex real estate development joint venture with the Crown Estate to redevelop the West End’s Gateway site. ‘Consummate networker’ Michael Stancombe, John Condliffe, Jackie Newstead, Victoria Sutcliffe, and Christopher Berry – who is ‘not fazed by dealing with counterparts at the highest level’ – are all recommended. Additionally, Dion Panambalana and associate Graham Cutts are ‘very responsive and knowledgeable’, and Daniel Norris is ‘right at the top of his game’.

SJ Berwin LLP remains a ‘first-class firm full of intelligent lawyers whose business acumen and industry knowledge is very good’, notwithstanding the departure of Jon Vivian and three other partners to Irwin Mitchell LLP in November 2010. Bryan Pickup and Simon Ricketts head the team, which continues to act for British Land on numerous major lettings; and for the Crown Estate, notably on the Regent Street regeneration. New partner Steven Cowins is ‘intelligent, commercial and personable’, and Pat Jones and William Boss are ‘solid and always available’.

Addleshaw Goddard LLP fields ‘a very strong team with real client focus’. It acts for every active major lender in the UK real estate market, and its funds practice is thriving. Asset management and restructuring are busy areas, and the firm advised Anglo Irish Bank on enforcement options regarding a £100m portfolio. Adrian Collins heads the team, and the ‘very bright and technically excellent’ Jane Hollinshead is highly regarded. Alan Duncan and Lucy Sturrock are also recommended, as are managing associates Andrew Martin and Tony Norris.

Allen & Overy LLP ‘produces good lawyers but also good deal-makers’. It is ‘excellent’ for ‘more complex corporate real estate transactions’, recently advising APG and CPPIB on acquiring a 50% stake in the £1.75bn Westfield Stratford shopping centre. Imogen Moss is ‘technically excellent and very dedicated’, and Adam Cleal and Daniel McKimm are also recommended, as is ‘extremely commercial and very clever’ senior associate Chris Woolf.

‘The quality of work is outstanding’ at CMS Cameron McKenna LLP, which has clients including investors such as PRUPIM and Rockspring; high street lenders including RBS, Barclays, HSBC; household name occupiers; leading developers; and many hotel and leisure chains. The firm has been advising the Department for Transport on agreements relating to the sale of High Speed 1, a major project requiring expertise in infrastructure and real estate. Mark Heighton has a ‘no-nonsense approach’; Edward Benzecry is ‘brilliant’; Pranai Karia is ‘thorough and calm under pressure’; Thomas Page and Louise Wallace are ‘highly capable and personable’; Nick Hadley is ‘professional’; Chris Harvey is ‘hardworking and reliable’; and Victoria Peckett is noted for her ‘quick responses’.

DLA Piper UK LLP is ‘excellent and provides a quick response without a drop in quality’. Highlights included the sale of 100 Middlesex Street for the Blackstone Group and the letting of 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, for MF Global. The practice’s strength in retail work attracts clients such as Burberry and LK Bennett. David Taylor’s move to Pinsent Masons LLP was a loss, but team head Catherine Usher and Richard Wilkinson are ‘both impressive’, and Paul Jayson has the ‘ability to think commercially but retain an awareness of contractual risks and commitments’.

Eversheds LLP is ‘unquestionably the best bread-and-butter real estate firm in the UK’. The group assisted on the purchase and sale of £1bn of real estate assets for key client Legal & General, and manages a £6bn-plus portion of its portfolio. The practice also advised LBQ on the financing and development of The Shard and London Bridge Place. Bruce Dear is ‘always attentive’, William Naunton is ‘astonishingly commercial’, Clive Jones is ‘adept at finding creative solutions’, and Stephen Sorrell and Stephen Felstead are also recommended.

Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP ‘produces high-quality work’, and saw a significant increase in large development and regeneration projects, such as acting for Peel Holdings on the Liverpool Waters development, as well as a growing number of instructions for major corporate occupiers. The hotels and leisure group advises Luminar and Manhattan Loft Corporation, and the public sector practice remains strong. Antony Phillips, Jayne Elkins and Paul Houston are ‘very knowledgeable’.

Forsters LLP has ‘a commercial approach and a good understanding of business needs’. It has a strong institutional investor client base, and advised Invista on selling Exchequer Court, 33 St Mary Axe. On the development side, it acted for Warner Bros on a £100m-plus investment in the Leavesden Studio site. Hotel clients include Rocco Forte Collection. Clients appreciate the ‘continuity of individuals throughout projects’, and praise Sophie Hamilton, Guy Jordan, Howard Gill, Smita Edwards (noted for her ‘strong negotiation skills’) and Eugene McMahon (‘smart, streetwise, realistic’).

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP’s ‘property team is very strong and resilient with excellent commercial acumen’. It represents four of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds and the two largest UK property companies (Land Securities and British Land). Longstanding client Scottish Widow instructed it in relation to a complex mixed-use West End development. Emma Kendall is ‘very commercial and helpful, and drives for results’, and John Fordham and Mark Wheelhouse are also recommended.

Macfarlanes LLP has a formidable institutional client base which includes Legal & General and Royal London Mutual Insurance Society. Among a number of high-end residential schemes it is advising Brookfield on Strata, the 43-storey tower in Elephant & Castle. Arora International Hotels is a significant client, for which recent work includes advising on four Premier Inn hotel developments near major airports. Charles Horsfield, David Sanders and the ‘very thorough and pleasant’ Dominic Cunliffe are recommended.

Norton Rose LLP is ‘a go-to firm – quite simply the most client friendly’. Its ‘excellent’ team advised on over £1.2bn of investment transactions during 2010, and acted for Employees Provident Fund of Malaysia on the £150m acquisition of Whitefriars. On the development side, the London Gateway project keeps the team busy. David Sinclair is recommended for his ‘commercialism and minimalism’, Wasim Khan is ‘reassuringly confident and capable’, and Lindsay Morgan is also well regarded.

Recommended for its ‘good commercial approach’, Olswang ‘brings business acumen and a wider experience to property matters’. The real estate group acted on investment transactions worth over £4bn in 2010, and advised a Swedish life insurance fund on the lease surrender and simultaneous grant of a new lease of a flagship New Bond Street store. Tim Westhead is ‘commercial as well as providing sound legal advice’; Jonathan Lewis demonstrates ‘good attention to detail, experience in development matters’; and Alan Karsberg, Stephen Slater, practice head Gary Watson and senior associate Andrew Harding are also recommended.

SNR Denton’s team ‘combines technical excellence with a refreshingly commercial approach to complex transactions’. It advised key client Sainsbury’s on the real estate aspects of the transaction with its own pension fund culminating in the £750m transfer and leaseback of trading stores. Large schemes and projects remain a focus for the ‘down-to-earth’ team. Richard Budge, Andrew Bedford, Virginia Glastonbury and Nichola West are recommended, and ‘understand the pinch points on a deal’.

Slaughter and May’s ‘erudite and commercial’ team acts on a steady flow of high-end mandates, providing ‘incredibly responsive, consistent and robust advice’. Clients include Derwent London, Lend Lease, and Marks and Spencer plc. Work on the Olympic Village and delivery of infrastructure for the entire Olympic Park continues. Practice head David Waterfield, the ‘charming’ Dermot Rice and the ‘clever and extremely diligent’ Jane Edwarde are recommended.

Taylor Wessing LLP ‘consistently demonstrates commercial understanding and appreciation of market trends, and clearly values client relationships’. The group continues to represent key client Canada Life on its investment portfolio, and acted for HSBC European Active Real Estate Fund on £150m of new acquisitions. Hotel sector clients include Hotel du Vin, Malmaison, and Global Hotels & Resorts/Tiara. Department head Keith Barnett ‘ensures that advice is brought together in a way most appropriate and beneficial for clients’. Richard Grosse and Adam Marks are also recommended.

Wragge & Co LLP maintains ‘superb service levels’. It acted for longstanding client St Modwen on a joint venture with Persimmon to develop 2,000 new homes. The strong retail practice advised new client HMV on selling its landmark Oxford Street store. ‘All team members are very experienced’, with Richard Bate, Sally Pinkerton and Huw Roberts particularly recommended.

Baker & McKenzie LLP provides ‘a first-class, commercially astute service from a very determined team’. The hotels and leisure team represents Hilton Hotels Group and Radisson Edwardian Hotels Group. Stephen Turner is particularly knowledgeable for loan documentation, and Justin Salkeld is ‘very knowledgeable and practical’. ‘Tenacious’ associate Claire Harries is also recommended.

Boodle Hatfield fields a number of ‘highly responsive and commercial partners’: Richard Maughan and Caroline King have ‘excellent knowledge and are very professional’, and Helen Streeton adopts a ‘sensible, practical approach, and is on top of issues, and easy to work with’. Tim Manning, James Black and consultant Graham Lust are also recommended. The firm has a particularly good reputation for London property work, and advised on multiple investment projects for Grosvenor, England’s largest private landlord.

The ‘overall level of service is excellent’ at Burges Salmon LLP. Clients include St Modwen Developments, Aviva Investors and the Crown Estate, which the firm advised on investment acquisitions exceeding £300m during 2010, including that of Racecourse Retail Park. Practice head Richard Clark is ‘great to work with’. The ‘very responsive, very practical, very knowledgeable’ David Gidney, Richard Read, Colin Ligman, Paul Browne and Ross Polkinghorne are also recommended.

Clyde & Co LLP is ‘very good at negotiating complicated deals even when the property is small’. The practice focuses on development, investment, and work for large occupiers including retailers. Clients include Grosvenor, Tesco Express and Frogmore. Martin Quicke is ‘able to delegate and still be firmly in touch with what’s going on’. Graeme Taylor, David Wyatt and Adam Taylor-Smith are also recommended.

Cripps Harries Hall LLP’s team has ‘wide knowledge and is always available to help’. The Mexican Wave initiative with Hogan Lovells International LLP ensures close ties with the City, and is the source of the majority of its investment and asset management instructions. Michael Stevens’s team includes Kate Robinson (‘incredibly committed’), Bill Mackie (‘a developer’s solicitor who knows the business from both sides’), Carol Wakeford (valued for her ‘great pragmatic advice’) and Sarah Ferguson (‘very knowledgeable’).

Dundas & Wilson LLP’s advice is ‘always relevant to business needs and provided in a concise and timely manner’. The group advised Glebe Holdings on the £146m sale of a central London office building. It assists in the running of all Scottish Widows’ funds in Scotland and four UK-wide funds. Iain Lindsay, Alistair Kennedy – who has a ‘very positive, problem-solving attitude’ – and Richard Lampert are recommended.

Fladgate LLP’s ‘excellent’ team advised longstanding client Tritax on various transactions, including forming a new property fund. On the development side, clients include Bondcare Group (one of the UK’s largest nursing home operators), Cathedral Group and Ipro. The hotels team acts for Henzada BV. Allen Cohen, Philip Turner and Anthony Vaughan are recommended, as is Richard Kaufman, whose ‘expertise is tremendous, with above-average know-how and contacts’.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP’s small, partner-led team demonstrates ‘business sense’. It advised Development Securities on a joint venture with Patron Capital to acquire the MEN Arena. Alan Samson is ‘very smart, productive, and reliable’, Wayne McArdle is ‘very knowledgeable’, and Tom Budd is also recommended.

Howard Kennedy’s team was boosted by the arrival of Paul Groobey, formerly head of the London office of Hammonds. The group advised Frogmore Real Estate Partners in relation to Foundation Park, Maidenhead. The hotels and leisure practice is growing and the residential practice acts for private individuals as well as corporates; Paul Springall is ‘an excellent conveyancing solicitor’.

Jones Day’s approachable team is ‘always first rate’, and represents clients such as British Land, CIT and Delancey. It acted for London & Stamford on the £208m acquisition of the Radial portfolio. David Roberts and David Smith are ‘commercial and always eager to help’, Stephen Walter is ‘very knowledgeable and experienced’, and Alistair Grant is ‘an excellent transactional lawyer’. Associates Alice Conway and Iain Hindhaugh are also recommended.

At K&L Gates, ‘there is willingness to think around the problem, and strong commercial sense’. The firm advised Henderson Central London Office Fund and Alberta Investment Management Corporation on acquiring distressed, special-purpose companies relating to Smithfield Market. Other clients include CB Richard Ellis Realty Trust, Leisure Parcs and RREEF. Piers Coleman is an ‘excellent relationship manager and strategic thinker’, and Wayne Smith is also recommended.

Lawrence Graham LLP fields a ‘very commercial team with excellent response times’. It acted for Development Securities on the £62.2m purchase of the MEN Arena, and is advising on the Bicester town centre regeneration. Other clients include Hermes, Sainsbury’s and LaSalle Investment Management. Jon Lloyd ‘balances commercial objectives with legal detail’. He and Rabinder Chaggar are recommended.

Maples Teesdale LLP is ‘absolutely first rate: provides expert, pertinent advice, and is enjoyable to work with’. It is strong for investment work, and also continues to be instructed by the US government regarding its ongoing embassy relocation. Declan Power, Chris Wilkinson and Katherine Watts are ‘all very good and commercially aware’, and the ‘responsive’ Roger Thornton is also recommended.

Maxwell Winward LLP has ‘pleasant people who simplify rather than complicate matters’. Investment work is flourishing; it continues to act for LaSalle Investment Management on managing the Royal Mail Pension Plan property portfolio. Orla O’Sullivan, Michael Giess and Sally Ashworth are ‘all excellent’, and Neil Stafford is ‘very thorough’.

Mayer Brown International LLP is appreciated for its ‘really good service and good people’ who give ‘pragmatic and sensible advice with an ability to get things done quickly and without fuss’. It advised JPMorgan on acquiring a new 999-year lease of 25 Bank Street, Canary Wharf. Key focuses for the practice are data centres, and the hotel and leisure sector. Peter Sugden is ‘a first-class act with wide-reaching knowledge and experience’, Jeremy Clay and James Dodsworth are ‘excellent in all aspects’, Anita Jones is ‘very responsive and knowledgeable’, and Caroline Humble is ‘a rising star’.

Mishcon de Reya is ‘a very commercial firm’, and has made excellent progress through recruitment and client gains. The team, which has a mix of entrepreneurial and investment clients, recently represented the Pears family and LaSalle Investment Management on the £131m acquisition of the Notting Hill Estate. Ian Paul ‘can structure property deals better than most people who work at property companies’. Nick Doffman, Susan Freeman, Daniel Lipman, and Philip Freedman CBE QC are also recommended.

Osborne Clarke ‘provides concise, accurate advice even on a very tight timescale’. The group acted for longstanding client Eurostar on various transactions, while the top-quality retail team advised Polo Ralph Lauren Group on a new-concept flagship store in Central London. Nick Simpson, Colin Kearney and Nadine Strahl are ‘all excellent – showing very strong attention to detail with great client service’, and Dolf Darnton is ‘commercial and switched on’. Associates Hannah Bambury, William Gay and Stuart Cleak are ‘personable and efficient’.

Pinsent Masons LLP’s team delivers ‘prompt and high-quality advice in understandable terms’, and is ‘able to throw the necessary resources at a job’. Major regeneration work is one of its strengths, and it is advising on developing Earls Court and Olympia into a new mixed-use community. Hotels and leisure clients include Accor UK and Whitbread. Claire Hughes (a ‘great personality, good networker’), Adrian Barlow and William Oliver (‘very knowledgeable, decisive’) are recommended. David Taylor joined from DLA Piper UK LLP.

Reed Smith provides ‘top-level service’. It advised key client Telereal Trillium on managing the Royal Mail portfolio, investigating and certifying titles to some 180 properties, restructuring the ownership and negotiating all loan and security documents with Barclays. Duncan Edwards is ‘exacting and highly qualified’; and Andrew Jenkinson and Lawrence Radley are also recommended.

Simmons & Simmons’ real estate practice adopts a ‘highly professional and commercial approach’, and focuses on financial institutions, energy and infrastructure, TMT and life sciences. It advised Deka Immobilien Investment, one of Germany’s largest property funds, on transactions totalling over £190m during 2010. Nick Jones is ‘a complete pleasure to work with’, and Tim Barnard, John Sirs and Carol Hewson are also recommended.

Speechly Bircham LLP ‘provides an excellent service’, and is ‘commercial in its approach and able to see the larger picture’. Commercial investment and development are areas of expertise, and clients include Aberdeen Asset Management and Howard de Walden Estates. Charles Palmer and Mark Smith ‘have very sound legal knowledge mixed with commercial practicality’, and Harbans Chohan (‘efficient’), Jeremy Hudson (a ‘solid performer’), Robin Grove (‘diligent and commercial’), Lee Medlock (‘very competent’) and David Leedham (‘well connected’) are also recommended.

Mike Shaw heads Squire Sanders Hammonds’ team, which recently recruited Patrick Ryan; both lawyers are recommended along with Chris Brigstocke. Quintain is a key client for development work, while the investment team represents various Aviva Investors funds on transactions and restructuring.

Hotels work is a mainstay of Stephenson Harwood’s practice, and the team recently advised Macdonald Hotels and Resorts on acquiring a four-star hotel in Manchester. Department head Marcel Haniff is ‘calm under pressure, and sensitive to clients’ needs’; Jonathon Wilkes is ‘very clear in all advice, cutting through legal complexities’; and Richard Light and Chris Seel are also recommended. The talented Stephen Sumpton joined from McGrigors LLP in June 2011.

‘Innovative but underrated’, Travers Smith LLP acts on high-quality, high-value transactions, such as representing the Peel Group on its £1.6bn sale of the Trafford Centre to Capital Shopping Centres. Julian Bass, Anthony Judge, Simon Rutman and James Styles are recommended. Robin Holmes joined Farrer & Co.

At Trowers & Hamlins LLP, ‘the quality and commitment of the practice remains consistent regardless of transaction value’. The team advised Gatehouse Bank on the £40m acquisition of BT’s Leeds headquarters. Jeremy Joiner, Michael Higginson and Philip Peters are recommended.

Beachcroft provides ‘no-nonsense, practical service, and has a good record of pushing the transactions or issues to a satisfactory conclusion’. The firm acts for Balfour Beatty on all of its property work, including taking 40,000sq ft of new office accommodation at Quorum Business Park. It also handles retail work for clients such as Waitrose. Andrew Chesser and Monica Blake are recommended.

‘Uniformly excellent’, Bevan Brittan LLP has expertise advising local authority and health sector clients. It is acting for Rotherham MBC on the development of its new 172,000sq ft civic offices building. The firm is now on the NYSE panel for UK real estate work. Ian Caplan is recommended, as is ‘very knowledgeable and approachable’ senior associate Jonathan Northey.

Bircham Dyson Bell LLP’s ‘outstanding’ team is ‘expert in the industry’, with recent mandates including advising TfL on acquiring land for the London Cable Car project. Andrew Smith ‘advises in a very clear way without losing time on unimportant things’.

Bristows has ‘comprehensive’ expertise in funds and investment, and is particularly good for life sciences and TMT work. Clients include Abingdon Health and Kodak. It represents many corporate occupiers, and advised new client Browns Food Group on acquiring cold-storage facilities. Alexandra Lethbridge and Teresa Edmund are recommended.

Charles Russell LLP advised GM Investment Trustees on acquiring a £30m retail portfolio, and continues to advise Eton College regarding development and venue use agreements for the 2012 Olympics rowing events. Lynn Povey, Simon Davies and Simon Ewing are recommended.

Davies Arnold Cooper LLP is ‘very good – thorough and professional – and there is always a prompt turnaround, which is invaluable from a transactional perspective’. It represents the UK’s leading homebuilders, including Persimmon, Barratt Homes and Taylor Wimpey, and advises BAE Pension Funds on its property portfolios. Robert Lee and Lucy Walsh are recommended, as are Andrew Boulton (‘a joy to work with’) and Reena Patel (noted for her ‘first-rate industry knowledge’).

Dechert LLP acts for property companies, funders and investors, and advised Aviva Life & Pensions UK on its mixed-use development at Trinity Square, Nottingham. It advises Bhs and Marks and Spencer plc on store acquisitions. Steven Fogel, Bill Fryzer, Andrew Hutchinson and Barry Thorne are ‘highly recommended’.

Farrer & Co provides ‘a high degree of personal service, better than some of the larger practices’, and demonstrates ‘good industry knowledge’. The team advised London Underground on an NCP car park development in Hammersmith. Charlie Anderson, Gavin Acheson, Simon Kingston and Carrie Faller (‘very measured, pragmatic and helpful’) are recommended. The practice recruited Andrew Bailey from Addleshaw Goddard LLP, and Robin Holmes – who has ‘very wide knowledge of all aspects of law affecting property’ – from Travers Smith LLP.

Retail and leisure are key features of the ‘very good’ practice at Finers Stephens Innocent LLP, and the team advised X-Leisure on selling two leisure parks, Grant’s of Croydon (£32.5m) and Five Ways Birmingham (£27m). The group continues to advise longstanding clients Pizza Hut and Tragus on acquisitions. Martin Smith, Stephen Lewis and Julian Hindmarsh (‘very approachable, knowledgeable’) are recommended.

In November 2010 Jon Vivian, formerly head of property at SJ Berwin LLP, and three other partners joined Irwin Mitchell LLP to establish a London presence for the firm, which has 14 real estate partners nationally. Clients of the new team include Honda, Gazeley UK and CBRE Investors.

Lewis Silkin LLP represents a diverse range of occupier clients from the medical and dental, restaurant and leisure sectors. It advised Rio Tinto on the under-letting of its headquarters. Leonard Goodrich, Neil Toner, Rachel Francis-Lang and Jonathan Reuben are recommended.

Louis Manches at Manches LLP advised Marylebone Warwick Balfour on establishing Liberty property company, and acted on the creation of shopping centre partnerships for Anglo Irish Private Equity and Vale Retail.

Development work forms integral part of McGrigors LLP’s practice, which continues to advise Fairview New Homes on regenerating the former Colindale Hospital site. The renewables team completed various wind farm option and lease agreements. Alex O’Connor is recommended. Stephen Sumpton left for Stephenson Harwood in June 2011.

Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (Europe) LLP has a strong emphasis on joint ventures, financings and restructurings, often in a cross-border context. Recent highlights include representing AREA Property Partners on its joint venture with Sovereign Land and Shepherd Construction for the acquisition of Wakefield’s Trinity Walk shopping centre. Mark Eagan and Emma Bucknall are recommended.

Karen Mayne heads RadcliffesLeBrasseur’s team, whose clients include The Church Commissioners of England, Royal Mail, and leisure sector clients such as Matchbar Group and Carluccio’s. The firm’s large healthcare practice represents the NHS and private sector healthcare bodies.

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP’s ‘service is very good and responsive’. Highlights included acting for AstraZeneca on moving its head office to 2 Kingdom St, and advising Veolia on disposing of its former headquarters. The hotels and leisure team advised Soneva Properties on a 20-storey development in the City. Martin Barrett and Stephen Malley show ‘excellent depth of experience and knowledge’; and David Johnston recently joined from Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP.

Shearman & Sterling LLP advised Stanhope on its partnership with Threadneedle Asset Management Finance and The Carbon Trust to launch the Threadneedle Low-Carbon Workplace Trust. Clare Breeze and practice head Ian Nisse are recommended.

The ‘excellent’ Shepherd and Wedderburn won several new clients including Ocado, which it advised on acquiring new distribution sites. Westcourt Real Estate was advised on potential site acquisitions for a luxury hotel in Covent Garden. Stephen Hubner is ‘committed to clients and committed to a project, no matter what’, and Andrew Bond is also recommended.

Clients speak highly of Steptoe & Johnson, where Brendan Patterson has ‘created an exceptional team’ which includes Sam Kelly, who is ‘hardworking with a grasp of detail’, and ‘excellent commercial lawyer’ Matthew Farmer. The practice completed 50 real estate transactions totalling £3.5bn in 2010.

Thomas Eggar LLP handles property management for clients such as AXA Sun Life, and represents major retailers including Asda Stores and Maplin Electronics. Roger Hickman has ‘a proper understanding of the need for commercial sensibility when dealing with retailers’, and Balbit Thandi’s ‘ability to pre-empt problems is excellent’.

Wedlake Bell LLP’s ‘knowledge of all aspects of the real estate sector is excellent’, and its clients include Warburg-Henderson KAG and Athos/Carlyle. Justin Lewis-Vivas heads a strong team; David Earl has ‘in-depth knowledge – to find such expertise in a medium-sized firm is rare’; Malcolm Macfarlane provides ‘a good balance of commercial understanding versus legal detail’; Philip Matthews’ ‘breadth of knowledge is among the very best’; and John Fluker is ‘a good man to have in your corner’.

White & Case LLP’s key strength lies in cross-border, multi-jurisdictional deals. David Cox’s team continues to advise longstanding client Starwood Capital globally, including on a multi-asset joint venture fund with Great Portland Estates relating to London office towers City Place and City Tower.

Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP’s clients range from multinationals to public authorities, and include British Waterways, QBE and Liberty Mutual. The team also advises on UPS’ substantial property portfolio. ‘Always responsive, the team is a joy to work with, and its advice is spot on’, with Malcolm Rogerson being particularly recommended.

Bates Wells & Braithwaite London LLP’s ‘knowledge and experience of the property world is excellent’. Alongside its long-established charity client base, the team’s numerous occupier clients include Amtrust Management Services and GDF Suez. Nick Ivey and Jamie Huard are ‘excellent: always available when needed’.

Bird & Bird undertakes a broad range of real estate transactions for major domestic and international businesses, banks, funds, developers and public sector organisations, and is on the panels of BT, Philips Electronics and Yahoo! Inc. Jonathan Baker, Linda Fletcher and Andrew Stobbart are recommended.

Blake Lapthorn advises on commercial asset management and transactions, including investment sales and purchases, and on high-value residential property transactions. Philip Diamond and Jeremy Taylor are recommended.

Browne Jacobson LLP’s national retail practice represents luxury brands including Christian Dior, Fendi and De Beers. Caroline Green’s team advised on the 15,000sq ft Louis Vuitton Maison on New Bond Street.

Collyer Bristow LLP’s ‘absolutely excellent’ group acted for Crest Nicholson on a £100m development for a mixed-use town centre development in Camberley. Roger Woolfe is ‘efficient and proactive’, and Dominic Giacon is ‘very professional and commercial’.

Davenport Lyons, which ‘has a wide skills set for a firm its size’, acted for the Royal College of GPs on the multimillion-pound sale of its existing headquarters and the acquisition of Euston Exchange. Janet Ayres has ‘a professional approach and good strategic view’, Stuart Darlington pays ‘attention to detail and is very competent’, and Andrew Li is ‘extremely knowledgeable’.

Druces LLP advised Hugo Boss on acquiring part of Moss Bros including 15 UK retail premises. Henderson Global Investors is another client. Nicholas Brent is ‘efficient and helpful’, Derek Collinson takes a ‘keen interest in the client’s business requirements’, Suzanne Middleton Lindsley is ‘open, available and accurate’, and Simon Manuel is also recommended.

Fox Williams LLP advised Restaurants Etc (Soho) in relation to a concession in Selfridges, Oxford Street. Other clients include Westbrook Partners, Urban Space Holdings and FM Global, and retailers and restaurateurs. Simon Smith and Elizabeth Ruff are recommended.

GSC Solicitors LLP advises large corporate occupiers regarding leasing or acquiring headquarters across the UK, and has strength in the hotels, leisure and healthcare industries. Harvey Posener is recommended.

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP ‘maintains an English sensibility while providing New York response levels and turnaround’. Tim Webb, who shows ‘boundless enthusiasm and is highly innovative’, acts for Bourne Capital and Quintain Estates & Development. Associate Emma Maher is ‘a fantastic operator’.

Hamlins LLP has ‘a clear understanding of the sector and is good at keeping to the issues’. The team is recommended for hotels, leisure and retail work, and in 2010 acted on the £60m sale of Geronimo Inns Ltd to Young & Co’s Brewery. Mark Hurst, Alban Gordon and Joseph Holder (‘particularly diligent, not afraid to tackle complex issues’) are recommended.

Boutique firm Hilmi + Partners LLP ‘punches above its weight, with knowledge and acumen way above many larger competitors’. It represents property funds, developers, investors, and retail and leisure clients, and recently obtained new space in Selfridges for American Apparel Inc. Merter Hilmi is ‘a tough but pragmatic adviser and negotiator’, and Prashant Dave has ‘a wealth of specialist knowledge’.

Ince & Co’s client base ranges from institutional investors to core shipping and insurance clients, as well as companies in energy, retail, and transport and logistics. The team acted on acquisitions and sales of office and investment properties for institutional investors, up to £70m. Trevor Garrood and Richard Morris are recommended.

Kingsley Napley LLP acted for Amsprop Group on the £68m sale of Dolce and Gabanna’s headquarters at 6-8 Old Bond Street, and the sales of 10-10a New Bond Street and 24 Albemarle Street. The team also acted for the von Essen Group regarding a new terminal building for London Heliport. Paul Harbour, Liam MacDonnell and Francis Weaver are recommended.

At Mills & Reeve LLP, ‘the level of service matches, if not exceeds, that received from large London firms’. The team advised the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham on acquiring land pursuant to two major compulsory purchase orders. Charles Staveley is ‘attentive, commercial and personable’, and Nick Finlayson-Brown is an ‘excellent all-rounder’.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (Europe) LLP advised Notting Hill Housing Group on acquiring a £56m portfolio of over 400 properties from Transport for London, and advised Capital Shopping Centres on the £525m refinancing of Lakeside Shopping Centre. Anne O’Neill is recommended.

Penningtons Solicitors LLP advised Aviva Investors on a £100m property portfolio sale, and Bank Santander on commercial loans. The ‘excellent’ team includes Peter McElligott and Richard Hunter, who is ‘experienced, pragmatic and commercial’.

PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal LLP’s property team works with investment fund and tax colleagues to advise on acquisitions and disposals by real estate funds, and to structure investments. It advised Wainbridge Global Opportunity Fund on a £31m purchase. Simon Hardwick is ‘pragmatic, but hard as nails if the need arises’, and Tim Hart provides ‘excellent all-round service’.

Specialist property boutique RLS Solicitors provides ‘a very personal, dedicated service and is very commercially focused’. It acted for TCN UK on leasing an office block from the BBC at Centre House in Wood Lane. Other clients include Soho Housing Association and RBS. Julien Rutler is ‘highly professional, reliable, and easy to work with’. Craig Themis is also recommended.

Russell-Cooke LLP ‘provides a first-class, professional service’. The team advised Sirosa Liberty on the £41.5m freehold purchase and leaseback of the Liberty building for an overseas investor. Other clients include Pret A Manager (Europe) and Handelsbanken. Helen Edwards is ‘a strong negotiator’, and Arnold Isaacson is also recommended.

Salans is ‘able to deploy a fairly large team so responses are quick, and the depth in the team is very good’. It was instructed by BDO, as administrators for Allied Carpets Properties on the transfer of 53 stores to Allied Carpets Retail, a new company. Daniel Polden shows ‘breath of knowledge and the ability to solve issues’.

Commercial property boutique Stepien Lake has five partners and acts for property developers on large-scale city centre, mixed and residential developments, out-of-town commercial property developments and joint ventures. Other clients include banks, investment funds, corporate and retail occupiers, and private investors.

Watson, Farley & Williams LLP is ‘prepared to go the extra mile’ for clients. Energy and hotels and leisure are areas of expertise. The team advised on the sale of a majority interest in Monaco’s Columbus Hotel, and advised DONG Energy on acquiring a 50% stake in an offshore wind farm project. Felicity Jones, Gary Ritter and the knowledgeable Mark Prevezer are recommended.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges has ‘a can-do attitude above and beyond the call of duty’, and typically acts on complex deals. A cross-practice team advised Advent International on its £925m acquisition of the Priory Group, with the real estate team advising on over 100 properties as part of the transaction.

Winckworth Sherwood’s ‘service is extremely good: it is very commercial and the expertise is strong’. The residential development practice is thriving and has been advising Barratt Homes on real estate in London. Bellway Homes and Redrow are also clients. Louis Robert is ‘exceptional’, Sam Dighton and Francesco Ferrari have ‘great general knowledge of the subject area’, and Roger Fitton is also recommended.

Brecher’s clients include Dunbar Bank and Invesco Real Estate. Jeremy Abram shows ‘excellent forward-thinking business acumen’, Nicky Richmond ‘articulates complex legal issues clearly’, Redmond Byrne is ‘excellent for all aspect of real estate work’, and Andrew Brecher is also recommended.

Capsticks provides ‘timely, sound advice’ to its mainly NHS healthcare client base. It advised City and Hackney Teaching Primary Care Trust on developing a GP health centre under LIFT, and associated property work. Philip Brown heads the team.

Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP’s Nicholas Shepherd demonstrates ‘long experience, gravitas and technical ability’. The firm advised BP on disposing of 14 UK sites.

Edwin Coe LLP’s ‘excellent’ property group regularly handles deals between £25m-£50m, and has growing expertise in the hotels and hospitality sector. Carolyn West is ‘incredibly knowledgeable, quick and diligent’.

Freemans Solicitors advises developers, investors and lenders. Howard Freeman is ‘very competent, with a detailed knowledge of all aspects of property law and practice’.

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (London) LLP’s clients include Investec Bank, Tishman Speyer and sovereign wealth funds, as well as luxury brand retailers Coach, Hackett and Hilfiger. Nigel Heilpern is ‘extremely reliable’, and Stephen John ‘provides a top-class service’.

Glovers Solicitors LLP’s ‘response times and general service are excellent’. The firm continues to handle most property work for Gondola Holdings (Pizza Express, Zizzi and ASK) and Nando’s, and is sole adviser to Prezzo.

Goodman Derrick LLP’s property practice, which is headed by Simon Catt and Michael Collins, includes a specialised retail property team.

Harbottle & Lewis LLP has particular experience in the media, leisure and entertainment sectors. Melanie Benson is ‘willing to go the extra mile to make a complicated transaction happen on time’.

Healys has a strong retail practice, which advised White Stuff on multiple acquisitions, while the hotels team acted for Lancaster London Hotel on its refurbishment. Service levels are ‘exceptional’.

Hill Dickinson LLP advises banks, corporates and investors on transactions and leasing. It continued to advise a multinational on matters after acquiring a 250,000sq ft Thames Valley headquarters campus. Richard Taylor heads the team.

Hugh Jones & Co’s service levels are ‘excellent’. Aliosman Halil is ‘attentive, creative, highly competent, efficient and always accessible’.

Kennedys handles prime and secondary investment property portfolios. Sally Morris-Smith is ‘passionate about what she does and makes connections among her clients for their benefit’.

Maclay Murray & Spens LLP’s team ‘responds quickly and deals with matters efficiently. Partners lead all teams and have strong backup’. Jennifer Johnson is recommended.

McGuireWoods London LLP’s Petar Orlic is ‘commercial and efficient’. The team undertakes plenty of deals in the £10m-£50m range, for clients including HSBC and Manolo Blahnik International.

Memery Crystal LLP’s Ruth Deehan is ‘a very strong negotiator’, and Alastair Moss is ‘extremely competent’.

Piper Smith Watton LLP’s Stephen Solomons is ‘proactive, with excellent understanding of commercial property’. The firm acted for new client Delph Properties on the sale of over 100 flats in Leicester.

Rochman Landau is ‘thorough and quick to respond, and has a good back-up team and great knowledge of all property matters’.

Russell Jones & Walker’s Peter Klim is ‘extremely knowledgeable, and efficient in turning work around’. Clients include the TUC and Police Federation.

Sprecher Grier Halberstam LLP earns a steady workflow from clients including JD Wetherspoon and 99p Stores, including acting for the latter on 62 store openings in 2010. Julian Joseph is ‘very diligent’. Mark Lavers ‘acts for property developers and landlords so helps find a position both parties can live with’.

Thrings LLP advises the Stadium Group of Companies on investment property acquisitions, planning and development projects and ongoing management issues. Ben Jones is highly rated.

Wallace LLP’s ‘impressive’ hospitality and leisure practice acted for Paramount Restaurants, one of the UK’s largest private restaurant companies, in selling over 30 sites.

Wiggin LLP represents media sector clients such as UKTV. Matt Bullock is recommended.

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