Utilising a multidisciplinary approach to provide services to clients in the energy, infrastructure, and transport sectors, Watson Farley & Williams LLP remains an active advisor on building safety issues and work arising from development projects. Helming the practice, Dev Desai has developed a broad practice encompassing landlord and tenant work and developments. Alexander Mulroney assists on property-related insolvency matters, while Rupi Chandla handles commercial and residential property disputes. Rachel Belinfante handles landlord and tenant disputes, forfeiture disputes, and possession claims.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Dev Desai stands out. He is available, commercially minded, and affable. He is also transparent and upfront about fees. I have enjoyed working with him.’
- ‘Alexander Mulroney is a litigator whose confidence is well-placed, given he has a keen eye for the issues.’
- ‘Rupi Chandla is a star; she is the future powerhouse of this team and one to watch. She knows all the details in every case and is always ahead of everyone else in terms of how to solve problems and in what direction to take the litigation. Underestimate her at your peril.’
- ‘Dev Desai is an astute team leader. His technical legal ability is only second to his unparalleled commercial foresight and tactical nous.’
- ‘Hands-on partner and senior associate level involvement in all instructions. Strong support from more junior members of the team. The team is very accessible, reactive, and commercially minded, addressing cases from the client's perspective to achieve the optimum outcome for the client.’
- ‘Amazing practice providing a brilliant all-round service for our property portfolio. The main difference from other firms has been their expertise, their personnel continuity and availability and a complete understanding of our requirements, bearing in mind the costs involved and what is with pursuing.’
Key clients
- Buchanan House Limited
- Vigo York Way Limited
- DCCM Fashion Limited
- Ropemaker Properties
- Eastern Pyramid Group Corporation
- Dukes Hotel Limited
Work highlights
Representing Ropemaker, the property arm of BP’s Pension Fund, on an urgent High Court injunction against severe lease breaches involving unauthorised alterations to safeguard the building’s structural integrity and preserve its civic heritage.
Acting for Eastern Pyramid in landmark Tribunal proceedings encompassing dispensation orders and a rare lease variation application under the 1987 Act.
Secured an interim possession order within a week for haute couture brand DCCM Fashion, expelling professionalised trespassers who had infiltrated its listed Bloomsbury townhouse premises and illegally hosted ticketed events, ensuring the client could proceed confidently with redevelopment while safeguarding against future incursions.
Practice head
Dev Desai
Other key lawyers
Alexander Mulroney; Rupi Chandla; Rachel Belinfante