Sarah Cardew > Stevens & Bolton LLP > Guildford, England > Lawyer Profile

Stevens & Bolton LLP’s commercial property team in Guildford is ‘capable’, ‘personable and flexible’, and is known for advising on the full spectrum of commercial property issues in the education, retail, hospitality, healthcare and industrial and logistics sectors. Instructed by various clients from private individuals to FTSE 100 companies, the team is led by the ‘very personable and capable’ Andrew Steele, who has experience in handling diverse assets including nurseries, car dealerships and warehouses. Alex Watt often handles development and regeneration work, complicated option, promotion and overage arrangements, and investment properties. Sarah Cardew, who was previously at Irwin Mitchell, joined the firm in October 2022, bringing expertise in real estate and construction tax matters.

Praised by clients for its ‘can-do attitude’ and ‘deep knowledge’, Stevens & Bolton LLP’s corporate tax team works closely with the firm’s wider corporate department, and specialises in tax advice in relation to complex and high-value transactions, including corporate tax issues, share schemes, and incentives. Kate Schmit heads up the team and is well versed in acting for a range of corporate clients, with her practice extending to equity incentive design and implementation mandates. The firm’s reach was bolstered with the arrival of Sarah Cardew, former head of the corporate tax team at Irwin Mitchell, in October 2022. Sarah Balchin’s broad practice includes growth capital and real estate matters, while Melanie Shone offers specialist expertise in off-payroll working rules.

Rated for its ‘practical and hands-on’ approach, the Guilford-based corporate team at Stevens & Bolton LLP provides guidance to public and private companies across all facets of their M&A work, acting on both the buy and sell sides. Praised as a strong alternative to City firms, the team has deepened its international footprint in the last year, advising on a number of complex cross-border deals. Newly appointed practice head Joe Bedford specialises in M&A, sponsor backed transactions, fundraisings and corporate restructurings. Keith Syson‘s broad experience spans M&A, corporate restructuring, fundraisings, private equity-backed transactions, joint ventures and corporate governance. Focused on the technology and insurance sectors, Jenny Robertson is described as an ‘outstanding’ and ‘really knowledgable’ lawyer. Partner Sarah Cardew joined the firm from Irwin Mitchell in October 2022.