Stephen Laud > Stephenson Harwood > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Stephenson Harwood
1 FINSBURY CIRCUS
LONDON
EC2M 7SH
England

Work Department

Real Estate and Projects.

Position

Stephen specialises in commercial real estate, principally advising on investment acquisitions and disposals, development and landlord and tenant matters. He also has particular expertise in the hotels and leisure sector. Stephen acts for a wide range of clients, including institutional investors, one of London’s main estate landlords, entrepreneurs, corporate owner/occupiers, hotel/restaurant/bar owners/occupiers, banks and charities. Clients value Stephen’s highly commercial and pragmatic approach and his drive to achieve a successful outcome for them.

Stephen has broad experience acting for commercial real estate investors, often involving offshore holding structures. He advises on acquisitions and disposals, ranging from large town centre multi-let mixed use properties, office blocks, shopping centres, regional industrial estates and development sites. His work often involves dealing with the real estate aspects of financing acquisitions. Following acquisition, Stephen advises on the asset management required to increase the property value.

Stephen has a strong track record acting for corporate occupiers with their office headquarters requirements, including FTSE 100 companies, London-based law firms, hedge funds, hotel groups, insurers and overseas companies setting up in England for the first time. This often includes advising on the strategy for exiting existing premises in the most cost effective way.

In the hotels and leisure sector, Stephen has significant experience gained over many years acting for recognised hotel and bar/restaurant chains. He acts for hotel owners/operators on sales and purchases of hotels as going concerns, redevelopment and refurbishment projects and also asset management, including leases/licences/concessions granted to third party operators. He acts for a number of restaurant and bar owners and his work for them includes new site acquisitions, disposals and financings.

Lawyer Rankings

London > Real estate > Commercial property: development

With demonstrable experience across the hospitality, industrial and office sectors, the team at Stephenson Harwood advises developers, private equity funds and REITS on development projects. In the investment arena, the practice handles debt and equity-led investment projects, holding structures and strategic land management issues. Head of the department Simon Brading is knowledgeable of the data centre sector, and has overseen industrial, office and shopping centre transactions. Catriona Berman advises clients on regeneration projects, while Stephen Laud is knowledgeable of the hotel and leisure sectors and Archie Campbell is adept in green loan documents, as well as term sheet amendments. Alexander Chadwick has been engaged in acquisitions and disposals for institutional and private investors, and David Sinclair, who joined from Norton Rose Fulbright in January 2023, is knowledgeable of building and infrastructure projects.

London > Real estate > Commercial property: investment

With demonstrable experience across the hospitality, industrial and office sectors, the team at Stephenson Harwood advises developers, private equity funds and REITS on development projects. In the investment arena, the practice handles debt and equity-led investment projects, holding structures and strategic land management issues. Head of the department Simon Brading is knowledgeable of the data centre sector, and has overseen industrial, office and shopping centre transactions. Catriona Berman advises clients on regeneration projects, while Stephen Laud is knowledgeable of the hotel and leisure sectors and Archie Campbell is adept in green loan documents, as well as term sheet amendments. Alexander Chadwick has been engaged in acquisitions and disposals for institutional and private investors, and David Sinclair, who joined from Norton Rose Fulbright in January 2023, is knowledgeable of building and infrastructure projects.