Jessica Church > Bevan Brittan LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Bevan Brittan LLP‘s wide-ranging practice encompasses strategic land acquisitions, housing finance, building safety and litigation advice for major housing associations. The South West social housing team is led by Alison Buckingham, a key contact for various housing associations and private developers. Testament to his expertise in the area, Jonathan Turner‘s recent work has seen him advising large metropolitan housing associations on joint ventures to deliver residential-led developments. Contentious housing specialist Steve Eccles handles a growing number of matters related to the Building Safety Act 2022, while Jessica Church – strong in housing finance work – frequently advises registered providers on funding issues. Disputes lawyer Kate Hicks and developments specialist Miriam Bishop are further key contacts.

Helmed by national department head Mark Calverley, Bevan Brittan LLP‘s ‘excellent sector knowledge‘ makes them a strong choice for a range of public and private sector clients, including government panels and health trusts. David Hobbs spearheads the firm’s estate management offering, working with leading non-profits and public sector bodies on regeneration projects and investment acquisitions. Beyond his health sector expertise, David Wardle is routinely turned to by local authorities and registered providers for assistance with housing and regeneration schemes, particularly in London and the South East. Rob Harrison spearheads the team’s relationship with NHS Property Services Limited, as well as a number of independent health sector operators, while Alison Buckingham runs the social housing offering in the region. Other names to note include Jessica Church, who heads up the housing finance practice.

The social housing team at Bevan Brittan LLP handles the full range of housing finance work, from private placements to public bond issues. The group advises a number of social housing associations on loans to joint ventures and on development finance for a variety of schemes, as well as advising on the funding of local authorities investing and lending into housing. In 2022, the team was reappointed to a number of legal panels, such as Network Homes. Practice head Louise Leaver has a strong background assisting both borrowers and lenders with secured and unsecured loans, as well as capital market transactions and innovative funding initiatives. Wendy Wilks leads the social housing team in London and, alongside Jessica Church, further supports the practice through the security taking practice, which acts for funders on security charging projects regarding loan agreements and security reorganisations and releases.