The Legal 500 UK 2019 > West Midlands > Real estate > Social housing recommended Law firms, Lawyers

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Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP ‘offers a level of service that is second to none; the property and housing teams boast a real strength in depth’. The firm handles work ranging from restructuring exercises to stock management litigation. Victoria Jardine advised B3 Living on its restructuring, which involved increasing the size of its non-subsidised portfolio, setting up a development company and a separate trading company. Gemma Bell also advised The Community Housing Group on a restructuring exercise. In the planning space, Ranjit Bassey advised another housing association on purchasing a number of homes for affordable housing use as part of a section 106 agreement. Jonathan Cox also handles major stock transfers. Helen Tucker’s ‘no-nonsense approach to litigation also gives her real gravitas in the sector’ – she represented a housing association in a forfeiture case following repeated refusals by a leaseholder to allow access to his flat to carry out electrical works, delaying the upgrades to the entire building. Baljit Basra has a ‘deservedly loyal client following’ and is noted for her expertise in disrepair and health and safety matters. Associate Robert Whitehouse is ‘known for his user-friendly approach and experience of anti-social behaviour litigation in particular’.

Trowers & Hamlins LLP , which is noted for providing ‘advice in a clear manner that is appropriate to the clients’, handles both work around stock transfers and social housing construction deals as well as landlord and tenant housing law litigation for social housing providers. Newly promoted partner Digby Morgan advised Accord Housing Association on the purchase of a site to construct affordable homes and a dementia care facility, and also assisted Bournville Village Trust with selling the homes in the Bordesley Court housing estate to Nehemiah UCHA while retaining the commercial units underneath. The firm is also noted for its ‘good depth of expertise’ in housing management litigation; Yetunde Dania, who offers ‘in-depth sector knowledge and valuable expertise, which enables her to serve the needs of her clients in the region and beyond’, represented Red Kite Community Housing in litigation utilising the Ground 7A right to evict a tenant for breaching an anti-social behaviour injunction after repeated threats of violence towards his neighbours. Senior associate Dorota Pawlowski is another key contact.

Wright Hassall LLP which handles stock management litigation and heavyweight transactional work and is singled out for ‘displaying an extensive knowledge of stock rationalisation projects and offering sound advice’. Andrew Dudley headed a team advising Fortis Living on purchasing 75 affordable homes from Bloor Homes, and the same client on a site for the construction of 22 homes in Stroud. Clare Waring also handles property transactions. In the litigation space, Mary Rouse ‘has excellent knowledge, and her client care is exemplary’; she represented Heart of England Housing Association, securing a no-notice injunction within 48 hours of being instructed against a tenant who threatened contractors with a metal bar, despite disability discrimination allegations. Carol Matthews, who ‘can be relied upon to make good judgement calls and provide good sound advice in difficult and challenging circumstances’, is now a consultant; Natalie Owen, who is ‘both thorough and well organised and has a sound knowledge of stock rationalisation projects’, is a key senior associate. Other clients include Walterton & Elgin Community Housing, which the firm advised on a £9m club finance facility borrowed from Charity Bank and Unity Trust Bank.

Gowling WLG handles a range of transactional real estate and corporate finance work for housing clients. Jacqueline Knox, who heads the practice, advised Sanctuary Housing Association on land acquisitions for three new care homes and subsequent development work. Richard Beckingsale, who divides his time between London and Birmingham, advised Home Group Limited on the regeneration plan for the South Oxhey housing estate. In the financing space, Chris Brierley advised Sanctuary Housing Association on a £75m revolving credit facility and note purchase agreement with MUFG – other clients include banks lending to housing associations. ‘Outstanding’ director Sally Farrall also handles key development work.

Shakespeare Martineau LLP handles a range of work concerning housing association management. Louise Drew advised Bromford Housing Association on the conditional purchase of 107 affordable housing plots on a strategic redevelopment site, and in a separate deal, on the purchase of 59 plots in the redevelopment of a former Ministry of Defence site, structured with a “golden brick” provision. Rachel Gwynne, who joined the firm’s Stratford upon Avon office in April 2017 from Wright Hassall LLP, has expertise in charity law matters as applied to housing associations – in the same office, Paul Huggins advised Rooftop Housing Association on purchasing farmland for social development, and Emma Gamble has experience in dealing with head leases of sublet retirement schemes. Geraldine Haden retired.

Shoosmiths LLP ’s Bhavesh Amlani advises Walsall Housing Group, a key client, on a residential development in partnership with Keepmoat Homes, securing 74 affordable rent properties – Amlani also advised it on purchasing 60 affordable homes in a development in Droitwich. David Perry also advised Midland Heart on divesting itself of a number of existing and not-yet-constructed properties. Senior associate Bukola Obadun-Craigs heads the team handling housing management litigation.

Pinsent Masons LLP handles a range of work including construction and procurement work for housing association and local authorities. David Meecham advises St Mungo Community Housing Association on procuring a development partner to redevelop 60 residential units and a hostel, and separately advises the London Borough of Brent on finding a partner to regenerate the Peel Precinct of the South Kilburn estate. Stephen Brown advised Lloyds Bank on the security aspects of a £65m loan to B3 Living. Homes England, formerly known as the Homes and Communities Agency, is another key client – the practice advises it on a number of proposed developments.

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