Consistently acting on big ticket litigation relating to dilapidations, contested breaks and rent arrears, the Birmingham-based Shoosmiths LLP team is hailed for its ‘speed of work and coordination’. Representing a diverse array of clients from across the property investment, retail and automotive spheres, the Midlands offering is headed by Kate McCall, who specialises in claims arising in the Appeal Courts and Upper Tribunals. Nick Shepherd leads the national practice, concentrating predominantly on rent reviews and development disputes, whilst Paul Knight frequently advises commercial developers and investors. Elinor Sandbach is an expert on landlord and tenant disputes, and Natalie Aldread is also highlighted as key.
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Work Department

Real estate litigation

Position

Paul is a partner and head of the Birmingham property litigation team.

Paul acts for developers, investors, corporate occupiers and landlords of property in a whole range of contentious property issues. Paul advises in claims to possession of land, litigation concerning applications for landlord's consents, break notices, rent review and the renewal of business tenancies. Paul also regularly advises on issues effecting property which arise from insolvency and in relation to licensed premises.

Paul focuses on advising clients early in a transaction, with the aim of preventing a potential dispute from escalating to court. He has represented many clients at without prejudice meetings and mediations. Paul's approach is to work with a client to identify the issues early on and set a clear course for dealing with those issues.

His recent project experience includes:

  • arranging service of over 80 price notices under options which will form a substantial residential development;
  • representing a client in a multi-million pound dilapidations claim; and
  • advising in relation to a landlord’s rights to develop adjoining land of a large tenanted shopping centre.

Career

Paul has 30 years’ experience of property litigation having worked at Wragge & Co., Clarke Willmott and now at Shoosmiths since May 2012. Paul is a member of the Property Litigation Association.

Languages

French (working knowledge!).

Memberships

Property Litigation Association, Law Society, Birmingham; Birmingham Law Society (council member).

Education

Garth High School, Morden; Sussex University (BA Law 2:1 (Hons)), College of Law Chester

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Kate McCall is very knowledgeable, helpful, eloquent and able to articulate effectively. Laurence Matthews is also very friendly and helpful, and the communication is effective.’

  • ‘Elinor Sandbach and Amy Beaumont are an excellent team. They deliver sensible and timely commercial advice to property litigation problems.'

  • ‘Elinor Sandbach is an excellent property litigation partner. Elinor's strength is providing cost efficient sensible advice in a timely manner.’

  • ‘Very impressed with the speed of work and coordination with other departments.’

  • ‘Kate McCall and Amy Beaumont are very nice to deal with and provide well-thought-out advice in a prompt manner. They are calm and focused.’

Key clients

  • British Car Auctions
  • Calthorpe Estates
  • Central Midlands Co-op
  • Crown Paints Limited
  • Equation Properties Limited
  • GXO Logistics
  • INGKA Centres (Ikea)
  • Krispy Kreme
  • McArthurGlen Group / McArthurGlen UK Retail Limited
  • Mountain Warehouse
  • Next
  • Northwood Investors
  • Nurton Developments Limited
  • One Stop Stores
  • Persimmon Plc
  • Pizza Hut (UK) Limited
  • Poundland
  • Regional REIT plc
  • Safestore Properties Limited
  • SpaMedica
  • Telefonica / O2
  • TFG (Whistles, Phase Eight, Hobbs)
  • Third Space Gyms
  • Topps Tiles
  • Dignity Funerals
  • Feldberg Capital
  • SAV Group
  • Telereal Trillium
  • UKRO Property
  • Union Investments GmbH

Work highlights

Retained by McArthurGlen UK to formulate and implement tenant management and vacant possession strategies to pave the way for extensions to existing McArthurGlen centres in the West Midlands, East Midlands and Bridgend.
Managing Poundland Limited’s property portfolio (204 ongoing matters), ranging from contested matters, disputes regarding the rent to be paid on renewal of a lease and high value dilapidations claims to ensure that Poundland and group companies property portfolios are run efficiently, and disputes resolved in a cost-effective and timely way.
Providing cross-portfolio asset management and litigation support to UKRO Property Holdings and its fund and asset managers, ADAPT Real Estate, across UKRO’s entire UK office portfolio, including: representing UKRO in one of only a handful of arbitrations which progressed to conclusion under the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Act 2022, in relation to relief from pandemic rent payments.
L500 | Shoosmiths LLP > Property litigation > West Midlands | Legal 500 law firm profiles