Ian Smith > Addleshaw Goddard > Leeds, England > Lawyer Profile
Addleshaw Goddard Offices
3 SOVEREIGN SQUARE
SOVEREIGN STREET
LEEDS
LS1 4ER
England
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Ian Smith
Work Department
Real estate.
Position
Ian leads the Sainsbury’s real estate team nationally and is the lead real estate partner for Threadneedle and Skanska in the Leeds office. General: involved in all aspects of commercial property work including sales and purchases (especially for institutional investors such as Threadneedle and VALAD), complex development projects (including acting for regional developers such as GMI Property Group and Horncastle Group Plc), acting for public bodies (such as The HCA and Leeds City Council) and landlord and tenant work (particularly in the retail sector acting for household names such Sainsbury’s, HOBBS and LEGO). Particular expertise in the food store investment market. Specialism: retail/Sainsbury’s/food store investment/high-value sale and leasebacks – recognised expert. Has developed an outstanding practice acting for Sainsbury’s where he has twice been nominated for their panel lawyer of the year and has recently been recognised as ‘exceptional amongst our panel lawyers’. Sainsbury’s have told Addleshaw Goddard that they routinely instruct Ian on more complex, higher value transactions and that they regard him as the ‘go to’ man for these projects. This is best demonstrated by the way Ian has developed the firm’s role acting for Sainsbury’s Property Investments (SPI). SPI recognise Ian as their principal advisor for sale and leasebacks and one of the leading experts in this niche field. These transactions are strategically important in raising capital for reinvestment and need to be turned around quickly whilst balancing investment value against operational flexibility. Ian’s work in shaping their lease has earned him a reputation for innovation (with one senior SPI executive describing Ian as ‘the most innovative lawyer I have worked with’). Credited by SPI as helping them ‘move forward the industry standard lease, not just for Sainsbury’s, but for the food store industry as a whole’. Other retail clients include HOBBS and LEGO and he is a key member of the firm’s national retail and consumer team.
Career
Trained Clifford Chance; qualified 2001; partner Addleshaw Goddard 2012.
Education
Ehenside, Cleator Moor, Cumbria (GCSEs); St Benedict’s, Whitehaven, Cumbria (A-Levels); College of Law, York (1998-99 LPC (Distinction)); Durham University (1995-98 Law (LLB 2:1 Hons)).
Leisure
Reading, gardening.
Lawyer Rankings
Yorkshire and the Humber > Public sector > Local government
Addleshaw Goddard‘s local government team ‘meets every challenge put in its way‘ and leverages the firm’s extensive UK network to act for local and combined authorities at a regional and national level. The team is particularly sought out for its transactional expertise with experience across the energy, transport, infrastructure and public services sectors. Other noteworthy areas of expertise span state aid work, development option appraisals, procurement processes and contentious work. Anna Heaton and Ian Smith lead the group in Leeds and specialise in commercial property work and development projects respectively, while Paul Hirst is recommended for his transport sector knowledge.
Yorkshire and the Humber > Real estate > Commercial property: Leeds and West Yorkshire; North Yorkshire
(Leading individuals)Addleshaw Goddard’s Leeds-based commercial property practice continues to excel at handling a wide range of work, including portfolio management and development projects. Nancy McGuire leads the team nationally, while the regional leadership of real estate transactions expert Lucy Sturrock sees the team advising major property holding entities, such as Columbia Threadneedle Investments, on standout purchases and disposals. Clients in the student accommodation space frequently instruct Peter Mason to assist with large development schemes, while Anna Heaton is a key contact for her ability to advise on urban regeneration projects. Logistics expert Andrew Williamson and investments expert Ian Smith are also highly recommended, and the team underwent further expansion with the arrivals of directors Jennifer Patterson from Ward Hadaway LLP and Ian Barker from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP. Bruce Lightbody retired from the firm in April 2023.
Lawyer Rankings
- Commercial property: Leeds and West Yorkshire; North Yorkshire Yorkshire and the Humber > Real estate
- Leading individuals Yorkshire and the Humber > Real estate > Commercial property: Leeds and West Yorkshire; North Yorkshire
- Local government Yorkshire and the Humber > Public sector
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Finance > Banking and finance
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: Leeds and West Yorkshire; North Yorkshire
- Real estate > Commercial property: Leeds and West Yorkshire; North Yorkshire
- Real estate > Construction
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Leeds, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire
- Employment > Employment: Leeds and West Yorkshire; North Yorkshire
- Projects, energy and natural resources (including PFI) > Infrastructure and energy
- Finance > Insolvency and corporate recovery
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Employment > Pensions
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Transport
Firm Rankings
- Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- Public sector > Health
- Employment > Health and safety
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property
- Public sector > Local government
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Real estate > Planning