Richard Read > Burges Salmon LLP > Bristol, England > Lawyer Profile

Counting occupiers, local authorities, landowners, investors and institutional landlords, developers and construction companies among its key roster of clients, Burges Salmon LLP continues to showcase its capability in handling high-profile projects, with demonstrable experience in real estate mandates relating to nuclear and renewable energy. Richard Read leads the ‘excellent’ team and Philip Beer advises on regeneration and redevelopment projects, in addition to the real estate aspects of energy and infrastructure transactions. Richard Clark spearheads the firm’s tenant and corporate occupier team, and handles long-term, mixed-use development projects, while Ross Polkinghorne advises on sustainable regeneration projects. Amy Simpson is another key contact in the group.

Burges Salmon LLP is active across the full spectrum of commercial property issues, serving institutional landlords, developers, commercial tenants, and investors. The firm is particularly noted for its expertise in the renewable energy sector and is regularly engaged in the hospitality and leisure industry. Richard Read leads the firm’s real estate department from Bristol, while Edinburgh-based Robert Forman heads the Scottish practice, with extensive experience in commercial property transactions, leasing, development, and secured lending. The team was strengthened by the promotion of Claire MacLean to partner in May 2023. She specialises in development transactions, landlord and tenant agreements, and property investments. Senior associate Fay Lamb contributes her expertise primarily in investment acquisitions and disposals.

Reputed for their ‘expertise and commerciality’, and with bases in Bristol and London, the practice at Burges Salmon LLP advises an array of top global and UK-based corporations. The firm’s scope of work includes the negotiation and termination of leases, high value rent reviews, and headquarters relocations. The group routinely works in tandem with its general real estate practice, which handles development and construction, and property finance. Richard Clark draws from his ample transactional real estate experience to assist clients with large scale development projects, whereas James Sutherland covers landlord and tenant disputes, in addition to business tenancy renewals. Richard Read regularly acts for domestic and foreign investors on various real estate matters, Matthew Sims concentrates on complex portfolio management work for retail and office sector clients, and Will Hall handles corporate occupier work in the industrial and logistics industries.

Burges Salmon LLP provides support to a range of investors, with strength in assisting private pension funds in their transactions and portfolio management. The firm is also strong in the industrial and logistics space. Robert Forman, who is experienced in hotel investments, and Matthew Sims, an office expert, lead the team. Richard Read is a key name within the team.

The team at Burges Salmon LLP routinely advises large luxury hotel portfolios, restaurants, nationwide retailers, banks and sovereign wealth funds. The team is spearheaded by Robert Forman, Rupert Weston  and Richard Read. Noted for his Scottish law expertise, Edinburgh-based Forman’s practice covers acquisitions, disposals, leasing, development, and secured lending. Bristol-based Weston advises on corporate finance, focusing on M&A and joint ventures as well as company law, regulatory issues and corporate governance, while the ‘outstanding’ Read spearheads the firm’s real estate investment offering. Other key figures include Katie Allen, who heads up the hotel finance practice.