With a particularly active real estate practice, Watson Farley & Williams LLP draws on the firm’s wider international presence to advise clients on cross-border asset management, acquisitions, disposals, financing, and sale and leaseback transactions. Leading the practice, Cyrille Gogny-Goubert specialises in the financial structuring of development projects in the hotel industry. Catherine Masquelet and Kodou Diouf are other key names to note on the team.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘A high-quality team with diverse profiles. The team possesses broad expertise and covers all aspects of real estate law: development, leases, and transfers through share deals or direct sales. It notably assists clients with direct property acquisitions.'
- ‘In addition to Cyrille Gogny-Goubertt, I was in contact with Catherine Masquelet and Kodou Diouf, who can answer clients' questions effectively and quickly. They communicate very well with other members of the client's team.'
Key clients
- AXA IM Alts
- Colony Capital
- Edgar Suites
- Freshfields
- Groupe Maisons de Famille
- Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT)
- Norma Capital
- Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
- Otoktone 3i
- Phoenix Towers International
Work highlights
Advising AXA IM Alts on the opening of the capital of the Boost Society student housing group, managing circa 8,300 residential units in 32 real estate complexes, to Norges Bank Investment Management.
Advised Groupe Maisons de Famille on the establishment of its partnership with Ceetrus and Nhood, both owned by the Mulliez family (Association Familiale Mulliez), conducting the real estate due diligence and drafting the leaseback agreements.
Advising US-headquartered towerco Phoenix Tower International (PTI), a subsidiary of Blackstone, in relation to the due diligence of over 200 telecommunication sites located in France.
Practice head
Cyrille Gogny-Goubert
Other key lawyers
Catherine Masquelet; Kodou Diouf