Experience

I have over 14 years’ experience acting for a cross section of commercial and charity clients, dealing with a wide range of commercial property transactions.  I regularly help clients with acquisitions and disposals, all aspects of landlord and tenant work (granting and taking new leases, assignments of existing leases, underlettings, lease renewals and licences), portfolio management and re-financings.

Highlights
  • Office headquarter pre-let for a financial services client. Our client wanted to remain within the EC3 postcode and had found a building with approximately 140,000 sq ft available which catered for its growing needs. Together with my Bates Wells colleagues, we worked on the real estate, tax and construction aspects. Our client is currently undertaking building works and is on course to move in at the end of 2019.
  • Sale of part of a parochial church council client’s land to another church council who was simultaneously sub selling part of it to a developer. The part retained by our client had a school on it which was leased on a long lease to the local council. There were a number of issues connected with the sale e.g. liaising with the council as it had rights over the land which was to be sold, dealing with the fact that our client’s land was also an Asset of Community Value, discharging our client’s lender’s charge over the whole property and Charities Act requirements. The sale was long and complicated and it was thoroughly rewarding when it went through successfully to the delight of our client. Our client can now use the money raised from the sale to further its charitable objectives.
  • Sale of two portfolios of student accommodation for over £50 million to a private equity fund. There were three of us who worked with the client team to project manage the portfolio transfer and the due diligence process (which focused on compliance), which cumulated in the successful exchange and subsequent completion of the sale.
  • Transfer of a developer client’s off shore property holdings (over 80 freehold and leasehold properties) to new UK subsidiaries. In addition, we also dealt with the simultaneous refinancing involving four banks.
  • I’ve worked on the financing of a property holding charity client’s vast real estate portfolio in south west England. I was part of a team who prepared reports, certificates of title and provided advice on a range of issues within a tight deadline to secure the financing needed.
  • I undertake property management work for Westway Trust involving granting new leases, lease renewals and licences.
  • I have advised on the headquarter moves for various charity clients that involved taking either a new lease or a lease assignment. I also advised on the associated disposal of their current office spaces.
  • I deal with lease renewals for commercial clients, some of which involved obtaining licences to underlet and licences to alter.
  • I carry our property due diligence and security aspects of lending for the commercial arm of a nationwide bank.