The Legal 500

United Kingdom > South East > Real estate > Commercial property: Hampshire

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

Blake Lapthorn’s team is ‘extremely professional’ and ‘cares down to the smallest detail’. It has substantial residential development expertise, advising the likes of Devine Homes and Bloor Homes, and provides ‘credible advice based on a depth of past experience’. Led by Sean Palka, the team advised Harlequins RFC on the relocation of its training facilities. John Steel and Oliver Sowton are ‘technically strong and respond quickly and effectively’. John Russell and a team of eight other lawyers from Clarke Willmott LLP joined the practice in May 2011.

One of the pre-eminent firms in the area, Bond Pearce LLP impresses with its ‘high level of support’ and ‘practical understanding’. The team added investment fund Rockspring as a client in 2010, subsequently advising on the £136m acquisition of four shopping centres. Retail expert Alistair Walton, Anna Robbins and Tim Burbidge are all recommended. The team is praised for its ‘awareness of issues in the wider property professional community’.

Moore Blatch LLP’s senior partner Michael Caton and Julian Parkes, who has ‘excellent communication skills’, regularly advise Southampton City Council and Bournemouth Borough Council. Charles Cantoni leads on the housebuilder and land development side, and acts for Bellway, Barratt and Bloor Homes. Martin Duck advises Linden Homes. Clients praise the team’s ‘exemplary service’.

Paris Smith LLP fields an 11-partner real estate team. It includes Mark Howarth, who is advising Rose Bowl (Hampshire County Cricket) on its planned development, including £30m hotel, conference and club house facilities; Stuart Allen, who handles property finance matters for the likes of Clydesdale and Co-operative Bank; and Nick Vaughan, who recently advised Eastpoint Centre on a £10m redevelopment scheme.

With ‘invaluable industry knowledge’ and ‘exceptional customer service’, Shoosmiths provides ‘accurate and appropriate specialist advice’. New clients include Aberdeen Asset Management and Selex Galileo. The ‘extremely professional, knowledgeable, efficient and friendly’ Graham Bennett advised Southampton City on its estate regeneration programme. The team is ‘comparable with any City law firm’.

‘Quick and concise’, Coffin Mew LLP is the ‘first port of call’ for many clients, and has superb social housing expertise. Peter Fellows is ‘very good technically’, and assisted in the creation of an offshore vehicle relating to a sale of residential development land to Barratt and David Wilson Homes. Victoria Walker advised NatWest Bank regarding an industrial warehouse unit in Portsmouth.

Lamport Bassitt’s John Newton has ‘technical expertise’ and ‘great attention to detail’. The ‘very competent’ team advised a major high street bank regarding a £5m facility to finance social and residential housing by Foreman Homes.

Trethowans LLP recruited the ‘very commercial’ Jennifer Rogerson from Shoosmiths, and Paul Longman from Coffin Mew LLP in 2010. The growing team, led by Chris Twaits, has ‘fantastic industry knowledge’ and counts 4Com and HSBC as clients.

Search News and Articles

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

Press Releases in the UK

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to
© 2012 www.legal500.com