Real Estate services for US law firms

Specialist advice for property investment and developments in the UK

With more than 100 lawyers specialising in all aspects of commercial property, our Real Estate team is one of the largest in the UK. We work with a number of prestigious US law firms to provide UK property legal services to their clients.

Our specialisms include asset management, construction and procurement, development (including complex landlord and tenant, acquisition and disposal issues), regeneration, property litigation, planning, environment and tax.

Commercial support for real estate clients

Our work with US law firms extends beyond advising clients on their UK property investments and development. We take a full-service approach and can also advise on the commercial side of their UK operations, including UK employment law, corporate transactions, commercial contracts and intellectual property.

Working with you

We understand that choosing the right partner to assist you and your clients on their UK real estate investments and developments is a decision that needs to be made carefully.

Our approach to working with you will be tailormade to you and the client. We will take time to understand your methods of working and communication, ensuring consistency and seamless communication between all parties. Our most experienced partners will be your main point of contact and lead the work we do with you. Whether we are working jointly on a project or where we are acting solely for your client on a matter, we will take a partnership approach and provide regular updates, subject to any confidentiality requirements.

We welcome the opportunity to reciprocate arrangements where possible and if our clients are seeking US representation, we will refer to you as appropriate.

Our experience of working with US law firms

We work with a number of well-known prestigious US law firms, who for confidentiality reasons cannot be named. Here are some examples of the matters on which we work:

• Advising in respect of an £80 million acquisition of a shopping centre in the West Midlands that involved a multi-disciplinary approach, which included teams in planning and environment, real estate, construction, IP, employment and commercial. We are currently advising on asset management work streams in relation to several refurbishment and reconfiguration projects.
• Advising real estate investors in respect of a 470,000 square foot £1 billion commercial scheme. The scheme will be operationally net-zero and will be the UK’s largest all-electrical office, powered from renewable sources. We provided advice on the planning and construction due diligence, which involved the interrogation of complex procurement structures. We reported to the investors on the planning and construction aspects of the project and gave strategic advice around protections for the investors against the backdrop of a complicated funding and investment structure.
• Acting in respect of the acquisition of a student accommodation business in relation to a circa £90m share sale business acquisition. We undertook construction due diligence on a student accommodation property portfolio, which involved advising and reporting on risks arising from sites still under development. We were also involved in negotiating the construction-related elements of the SPA, working closely with the client’s corporate team. This portfolio included properties in Scotland, so our scope also involved co-ordinating with our Scottish firm counterparts.
• Advising an investment client on the sale of a business portfolio which included construction and development operations.
• We advised a multi-disciplinary team on a significant vendor due diligence exercise, involving the due diligence of a group of companies in preparation for sale. Our scope included reviewing and “perfecting” a significant number of construction contract packages relating to many UK-based construction projects. The due diligence exercise involved the preparation of an overview report/commentary of the group’s construction strategy, with cross-over with environmental specialists.
• Acting on the purchase of a vaccine plant by a pharmaceuticals company with a deal value of approximately £160million.
• Acting for a real estate investment firm in respect of the construction due diligence as part of a forward funded £150 million purchase and development of a property in central Manchester.

Why choose Clarke Willmott for real estate advice in the UK?

• We have a dedicated, established team who can offer you specialised support so you will not be passed from pillar to post.
• We are partner heavy, so we put an experienced team on the job.
• We have great experience of working side by side with other legal providers and work in a collaborative and partnership manner.
• All work will be given the same level of importance and priority.
• We pride ourselves on our transparent and competitive fees.

Contact a real estate lawyer

If you would like to find out more about how we can work together support your clients with their UK real estate interests, please contact the head of our Real Estate team, Graham McIntyre, call us on 0800 652 8205 or get in touch online.