Sam O'Doherty

Sam advises developers, investors and corporates on high-value real estate and energy projects, helping them structure, secure and deliver complex infrastructure assets.

Sam works across the Real Estate and Energy teams, specialising in commercial real estate, infrastructure and clean energy projects. He is UK-wide & MENA based.

He has previously worked at leading international firms, including a number of years based in the Middle East, been a Director at one of the ‘Big Four’, and brings strong experience of advising on high-value and cross-border matters.

Sam’s experience is rooted in commercial property and land concerns. His more niche sector experience includes acting on some of the UK’s most significant solar PV and battery storage transactions, from the acquisition of large-scale co-located portfolios to structuring phased option and lease arrangements for new developments, incorporating ancillary uses like BESS and data storage.

His practice also covers waste-to-energy projects, ports and different types of digital infrastructure, with work covering site assembly, utilities realignment, easements, utility arrangements and concession agreements.

Alongside project work, Sam maintains a keen awareness of the wider commercial, political and policy context in which clients operate, having advised on regeneration schemes, international investment strategies and infrastructure rollouts.

How Sam can help you

Key specialisms where Sam can offer guidance and solutions:

• Structuring and negotiating arrangements for renewable energy and infrastructure projects;
• Helping clients with conventional property asset management (including landlord & tenant concerns);
• Advising on portfolio acquisitions and disposals, including co-located solar and BESS sites;
• Delivering practical solutions on utilities realignment, easements, and access rights;
• Offering support to high net-worth individuals on luxury and niche asset concerns;
• Guiding clients through the wider commercial and policy context affecting large-scale investment; and
• Providing strategic insight on regeneration schemes.

Experience

• Acting on the purchase of the UK’s largest portfolio of co-located solar and battery storage across England. Responsible for full diligence on a third of the sites, reporting on title concerns, option and lease issues, indemnities and assisting with SPA warranties and other contract points from real estate perspective. Work also included addressing title concerns around cable routes, easements and points of connection;
• Leading on the real estate elements of a new solar park development in Wales, acting for the landowner, including drafting and negotiating a new option and lease incorporating provisions for ancillary BESS and data centre use, phased to comply with the planning position. Also assisted with land-related issues stemming from the group’s restructuring and trust adjustments, coordinating grid, lender and stakeholder interests;
• Leading real estate on a joint corporate mandate for the fire sale of a >£750mil mixed asset portfolio the UK, France, Luxembourg and Spain. Advised on property diligence and transactional structuring across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring sale documentation aligned with funder and purchaser requirements;
• Delivering comprehensive real estate assistance on the acquisition of a cutting-edge waste-to-energy plant in the south of England, covering a full reporting exercise, strategic contract negotiations to and varying the lease structure between freeholder, landlord and intervening leaseholder;
• Leading on the sale and leaseback of the UK’s largest paper mill, including the factory premises, servient land to industrial parts, a lagoon and other parcels across multiple titles. Negotiated leaseback terms and addressed complex land and operational interfaces to secure continuity of the business alongside the transaction; and
• Leading negotiations for an option to lease farmland and heathland for the development of a new battery storage facility for a prominent UK distillery. Engaged in strategic discussions to meet the distillery’s sustainability goals and operational requirements, whilst coordinating with landowners and stakeholders to advance the project.