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Rachel Francis-Lang

Rachel Francis-Lang

More information
Lewis Silkin

Lewis Silkin

England - London • Real estate

1

Commercial property: corporate occupiers

Significant headquarter relocations remain a core component of the versatile corporate occupier team at Lewis Silkin, as well as remaining a first port of call for global corporates and investors on the acquisition, disposal, and management of their real estate portfolio and for the luxury brands, lifestyle, and retail industries. Rachel Francis-Lang has extensive corporate occupier experience, advising on the acquisition and disposal of properties and the acquisition of headquarters premises. Out of the Cardiff office, Tom Merrick works with large corporate occupiers and institutional investors on asset management, commercial acquisitions, and disposals, while London-based Patrick Brown is another versatile commercial real estate lawyer who is sought after for his headquarters relocation experience. Julia Poulter departed from the team in 2024.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Phone
020 7074 8183
Email
[email protected]
Profile
lewissilkin.com

Profile

Work Department
Real Estate
Position

I provide real estate services to corporate occupiers, investors, financiers and developers. I have a particular insight into clients' needs and expectations on service delivery having worked in-house on secondment as legal counsel to a listed projects and construction company.

I have particular expertise in advising on headquarter moves and in handling large global real estate portfolios dealing with multiple moves from multiple locations, working in partnership with clients' real estate consultants.

I act for a wide variety of corporate occupiers from a range of different sectors and in relation to a wide variety of assets - most notably offices, hotels, retail, leisure, restaurants, telecoms, data centres but also specialist facilities for hospitals, science parks and manufacturing sites.

Many of my clients are based outside of the UK and I am used to explaining transactions in a clear and commercial way. I am also able to provide advice in a user friendly way to senior executives so that this can be used for reporting purposes internally

I am also a member of CoreNET.

Career

Trained Slaughter and May; qualified 1991. Slaughter and May 1989-2000; Eversheds LLP 2000-08; Simmons & Simmons 2008-09; Lewis Silkin 2009 to date.

Memberships
CORENET.
Education

Portsmouth High School; University of Liverpool (1984-87 LLB Hons 2:1); College of Law (1987-88).

Content supplied by Lewis Silkin

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘We have used Lewis Silken for the past 15 years. They offer the best advice that you can get and are always keeping us updated if there are any changes in the property law that we may need to know. And they always deliver projects on time and budget.’

    ‘Rachel Francis-Lang is our main contact and, as before, always delivers on time and budget and gives us the best advice possible. She also always keeps updated on the project by chasing updates.’

    ‘An exceptional, partner-led service with great anticipation of the issues to be faced during negotiations.'

    'The Lewis Silkin team made sure that the deal happened and that we were very well advised on the implications of issues and decisions.’

    ‘The human factor and the ability to see through my eyes as the client, and what would concern me. Also proactively thinking about who in the Lewis Silkin team could optimise the legal advice quality vs fee cost.’

    ‘Tom Merrick was our secondee. Tom was extremely diligent, professional and thorough in everything he worked on. He consulted with the business closely to drive the right outcomes and ensure negotiations were carried out robustly and speedily.’

    'We love the Partner level service, speed of response, and no-nonsense approach.'

    'Rachel Francis-Lang is always available and always gets things done by required deadlines. She offers advice and takes initiative with her counterparts.'

    'We very much valued the flexibility that Lewis Silkin offered.'

Key clients

  • Pizza Express Havas SA Jones Knowles Ritchie Limited Daniel J. Edelman Limited The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc Mccann Erickson Mediabrands IPG Dxtra Jack Morton Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton Uncommon IG Group TCC Global Davis Polk & Wardwell

Work highlights

Advised advertising agency, Havas, and all of its subsidiaries on its UK property portfolio, including advising newly acquired Uncommon on its acquisition of newly refurbished headquarters premises in Clerkenwell.