The Legal 500

United Kingdom > West Midlands > Real estate > Commercial property: Birmingham

Editorial sections

Other

All countries

Eversheds LLP’s ‘proactive team offers real solutions and drives things forward’. It is regularly involved in large strategic deals and developments locally and beyond. It acted for Birmingham City Council in the development of the Pallasades at New Street station and the negotiation of the anchor deal with John Lewis. It also acted for Birmingham Mailbox in its sale of the Mailbox. Practice head David Jones has ‘swathes of experience’, and Iftkhar Ahmed is ‘very technically competent’.

Pinsent Masons LLP’s ‘excellent team’ has sectoral expertise in diverse areas including healthcare and retail, and counts Avery Healthcare, Waitrose/John Lewis and Herefordshire Council as clients. It is regularly involved in major urban regeneration projects, and continues to act for IM Properties on large investment development transactions. It also advised Craegmoor Healthcare on the property aspects of a high yield bond issue worth £206m. Head of the group Tom Johnson is ‘very knowledgeable and responsive’, and Lisa Middleton is ‘commercial and technically excellent’.

Squire Sanders LLP has niche expertise in property tax structuring and energy work. It continues to advise Aldi on store acquisitions, and advised a syndicate of investors on its acquisition and development of a Holiday Inn Express Hotel with an approximate fund value of £22m. Other clients include Cancer Research, Signet Group and the National Grid. Practice head Nick Green is recommended for his healthcare expertise, while Anne O’Meara is recommended for her regeneration work.

Wragge & Co LLP’s team is ‘tenacious and sees things right through to the end’. The ‘very proactive’ Emma Pioli led the advice to Young & Co’s Brewery on its £60m acquisition of 26 properties, and the team also advised on the creation of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership. The practice has sectoral specialisms in areas such as retail and data centres, and its residential development team remains active. Other clients include Vodafone, British Airways and Marks & Spencer. Mike Trainer ‘pays close attention to detail’.

The ‘knowledgeable ‘Fiona Thomson heads the team at DLA Piper UK LLP, following David Hayes’ retirement. The team has an impressive roster of clients that includes Compass and Dignity, and acted for Centro in the comprehensive redevelopment of Wolverhampton bus station and the underletting of part of the station to National Express. Roger Collier leads the corporate occupier practice, and is highly rated for his work on mineral property transactions.

Gateley has a strong residential development team that advises Barratt and Persimmon, among others. It advised Wolverhampton City Council on the regeneration of Wolverhampton City Centre, and is advising Compendium Group as the developer of Castlewood Urban Village in Derby. Callum Nuttall is ‘very calm and bright’, and Ray Simpson is also recommended. Alex Jones has joined the team, and specialises in mixed-use developments and funding structures.

SGH Martineau LLP acts for property investors such as West Midlands Metropolitan Authorities Pension Fund; property developers such as Persimmon; and retail outlets such as Claire’s Accessories. The team has considerable expertise in the education sector, where clients include the University of Cumbria. It is advising ExtraCare Charitable Trust on the development of a landmark new retirement village on the old Bournville College site. John Rice and Clive Read are recommended. Ian Lennox joined the team from Wragge & Co LLP.

Shakespeares has joined forces with specialist housebuilding firm Wood Glaister Solicitors. It was instructed by the Trustees of Calthorpe Estate on the transfer of its substantial Birmingham property portfolio, and advised a developer in the defence of a judicial review claim concerning planning permission for the development of a new crematorium. Rob Adey ‘goes that extra mile for clients’, and practice head Kevin Nagle is also recommended.

Shoosmiths advises household names such as Poundland, Marston’s and Jaguar Land Rover, and has an excellent reputation for handling complex deals. It acted in the formation of a joint venture between Hinton and Paul Johnson Associates relating to the development of a new Travelodge. Simon Boss is recommended for his retail and leisure sector expertise, and Jason Jackson is ‘strong’ on commercial and residential development. Four associates in the group were recently promoted to partner.

Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP has the ‘responsive’ Jonathan Cox, who specialises in regeneration, stock transfers and stock rationalisations. The practice is also strong in the health and education sectors. It was instructed by Methodist Homes on the purchase of four separate leasehold care home portfolios from Southern Cross.

The ‘very experienced’ Victoria Camfield heads the department at Browne Jacobson LLP, which has recently completed a significant number of store acquisitions for new client Cash Generator. Other significant clients include UK Mail, Poundland and Inspired Gaming. Thomas Howard is rated for his healthcare expertise. The group attracts a steady flow of instructions from privately funded property developers and investors.

The ‘very thorough and diligent’ Jonathan Morton heads the ‘responsive’ team at Clarke Willmott LLP, which is particularly strong in the retail sector, and acts for Clydesdale Bank, Pochin Homes, Wentworth Kitchens and Calthorpe Estate, among others.

Cobbetts LLP continues to act for major plcs in the hotel and leisure sector, and retains a strong reputation for its public sector work. It acted for Whitbread in the acquisition of numerous sites throughout the UK for its Premier Inn Hotels portfolio. Other clients include De Vere Hotels and Jaguar Land Rover. The ‘very knowledgeable’ Paul Inman and ‘pragmatic’ Adrian Watson are well regarded.

Hill Hofstetter LLP assists in the management of the property portfolios of major international companies such as Akzo Nobel, Sungard and Bosch, and it recently advised Cambridge Medipark on the development of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Sue Simpson is ‘pragmatic’, Nigel Watkins is ‘knowledgeable’, and Jonathan Wright is also recommended.

Mills & Reeve LLP has considerable expertise in the health and education sectors. The team acted for Walsall Teaching PCT on the development and leaseback of a new health centre from Walsall MBC. Other clients include Town & Country Inns and new gain Birmingham City University. Michael Whatley is recommended.

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 West Midlands for Commercial property: Birmingham

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
© 2013 www.legal500.com