B P Collins LLP houses a ‘responsive, attentive and experienced’ team of commercial property experts that boasts an impressive client roster, including companies in the environmental, investment, creative, retail, leisure, development, and mining industries. The Gerrards Cross-based team is headed by Alison Taylor, who handles a prolific portfolio of acquisitions, transactions, and development work. Maria Mowberry brings expertise in high-value transactions, particularly under time sensitive deadlines, in freehold and leasehold acquisitions, development matters, and commercial lease transactions. The team was strengthened in October 2024 by the arrival of Nisha Shukla, a real estate expert who acts for financial institutions and property investors.

The ‘prompt, professional and communicative’ commercial property team at Debenhams Ottaway is particularly well-versed in supporting both local and national clients within the charity, council, investment, and corporate industries with property development, investment property, lending, and landlord and tenant work. The team is jointly chaired by Radlett based-Ruth Boulton, a seasoned specialist in transactional work, including high-value disposals and purchases and residential matters, and Neil Mercer in St Albans, who is lauded for advising on the occupation, development, and buying and selling of commercial property.

Leveraging its extensive national and global reach, the real estate team at Dentons maintains a reputation for its work in the commercial property field, supporting multi-national clients active in the retail, development, house-building, infrastructure, regeneration, portfolios, real estate finance, and investment industries. Robert Wyatt heads the team, leveraging extensive experience in the field to support both public and private sector clients with property investment and lending. Recognised as a premier choice for clients in the retail, rail, and public sector is Daniel Lowen; his recent workload includes development acquisitions, sale and leaseback programmes, and financing work.

Fielding a reputation as an authority in the social housing sector is Freeths LLP's real estate team, which regularly handles a wide range of house building and development matters for an expansive client roster that covers retail, hospitality, and leisure-based clients. Praised as ‘approachable, professional and commercially astute’ is head of the practice Lucy Bradban, a thoroughly experienced real estate lawyer recognised for her complex transactional work, secured lending projects, and corporate banking transactions. Shashi Chambers handles a prolific flow of complex, high-value transactions, development works and secured finance matters, with noted specialisms in supporting global logistics and transport clients with their projects. Adept in handling the full lifecycle of development land transactions, from acquisition and site assembly to disposal, is Darren Debock.

Shoosmiths LLP houses a team that is well-regarded for its specialism in the living sector, with an offering that encompasses support with house building, strategic land, mobile home parks, retirement and care-related matters. Highly recommended for her ‘consummate professionalism’ is practice head Lisa Williams, who specialises in complex land and property transactions, with a focus on mobile home park developments, strategic land sales, and negotiating development agreements, such as options and planning promotions. Brian West brings substantial experience in residential, commercial, and mixed-use development projects, handling matters ranging from strategic land deals to site acquisitions. Sarah Evans is noted for her strong capabilities in a broad range of commercial property matters, including acquisitions, disposals, corporate real estate support, and securing lending against commercial assets.

Housing a ‘proactive and responsive’ commercial property team, Howes Percival LLP specialises in the auto-retail sector, advising clients on acquisitions, transactions, disposals, and leases. Marcus Carter oversees the department in Milton Keynes, offering deep expertise across a range of commercial property matters, including acquisitions, disposals, lease negotiations, and investment transactions for landlords and tenants. Charlotte Harrison is well-versed in advising on residential development projects, from site acquisition through to disposal and property management matters, including lease renewals and tenant consents. She also boasts particular expertise in social housing transactions.

SA Law LLP‘s real estate group advises both local clients and ones extending beyond the Thames Valley reach on the entire gamut of complex and high-value commercial property matters, spanning development, leasehold enfranchisement, lease extensions, property financing, and sustainability work. Gary Dunger, a notable advisor in leasehold enfranchisement, overage structuring, and property transactions involving insolvency or receivership, heads the team alongside Catherine Banks, who took over as practice head after Steve Kenneford's retirement. Adept at assisting with large transactions for developers, Jacqueline Button handles all stages of a project, from strategic land acquisition and planning negotiations to site disposals, with standout expertise in promotion agreements, development structuring, and sustainability-driven legal solutions.

Taylor Walton LLP has a comprehensive commercial property offering, fielding particular capabilities in leasehold extension and enfranchisement work. Its client roster includes FTSE2050 and FTSE350 companies, property developers, public and private sector organisations, local authorities, and charities. Regarded as ‘knowledgeable and professional’, Luton-based head James Cottrell brings considerable expertise in development, site acquisitions, financing, property investment, and managing complex agreements, including option, promotion, and overage agreements. Dermot Carey leverages decades of experience in the field to advise on all aspects of commercial property law, while James Khakpour-Smith is a key port of call for landlord and tenant clients in property investment matters, ranging from financing to acquisitions, management, and sales.

Fielding a team in Bishop’s Stortford and Royston, the Tees Law commercial property team maintains a strong regional presence, extending from local landowning clients and larger local developers to international companies. The team regularly handles disposals, acquisitions, financing, infrastructure agreements, portfolio work, and enfranchisement, with a noted specialism in renewable energy developments projects. Kay Piper and Victoria Sandberg jointly head the team, boasting a comprehensive offering in complex commercial property matters.

VWV‘s real estate team leverages its multifaceted capabilities in property development, investment, and financing matters to work alongside landowners and developers, as well as universities, charities, schools, government bodies, and house builders, in complex commercial property disputes. Leading the firm’s Watford office is David Power, who brings deep experience across a range of property matters including commercial land, mixed-use developments, joint venture agreements, high-value acquisitions, disposals, financing, and lettings. Adept in financing matters is Joe Kwok; his workload focuses on advising lenders and borrowers on property lending and investment work. Elsewhere in the group is Laura Seaman who handles the litigation side of the practice.

Praised for their ‘approachability, professionalism, and responsiveness’, the real estate and development team at Blaser Mills Law are regularly called upon by individuals, developers, companies, financing institutions and charities for a range of commercial property matters. High Wycombe-based Louise Benning heads the team, leveraging her extensive experience in real estate and residential development to assist with agreements, site acquisitions, investments, and financing.

Credited for ‘top-quality people and expertise in a regional firm’, Longmores Solicitors LLP‘s real estate team is dedicated to commercial matters and is made up of individual specialists who are equipped to instruct a range of clients, including owner managed businesses, landlords, tenants, management companies, farmers, schools, and charities. Co-head Rachael Spalton is lauded for her work in promotion agreements, option agreements, and renewables, the latter of which has also been a recent focus of the firm. Co-head John Wagstaffe handles complex management matters, mandates for commercial landlords and tenants, and covenant and easement disputes.

Machins Solicitors LLP fields a ‘professional, knowledgeable, precise and efficient’ commercial property team which is headed by Simeon Clipstone in Luton. Clipstone has over 30 years of experience across a broad range of real estate matters, bringing notable expertise in freehold and leasehold acquisitions and disposals, lease negotiations, property asset-based business transactions, refinancing, and agreements, such as conditional contracts, options, promotions, and overage. Santokh Singh has drawn on his deep experience in property-related work to recently become a go-to for advising clients on the acquisition of sites, particularly those matters with a development side.

Nockolds Solicitors‘s commercial property department acts for key clients across a broad spectrum of industry sectors on the full suite of real estate matters, housing a team with particular expertise in leasehold enfranchisement and the Building Safety Act. James Griffiths heads the team and is lauded for acting in property development, investment management of property portfolios, and property finance, boasting significant expertise in joint ventures, landlord and tenant matters, and institutional lending.

Maintaining a reputation as healthcare, education, and energy sector specialists, Shakespeare Martineau LLP’s commercial property and development team also handles an ample influx of work across the real estate sector, particularly in leasehold transactions and investment work. Milton Keynes-based Joseph Soul leads the practice, leveraging his extensive experience in the healthcare sector to support clients in the funding, ownership, and development of healthcare real estate sites. David Wells is a recognised authority in leasehold transactions and Hayley Payton is a key contact for clients in the drinks, hospitality, and leisure industry.

Sherrards Solicitors LLP is well-placed to offer sector-specific advice, with practitioners having extensive knowledge of industries such as retail, hospitality, and leisure. The commercial property team is well-equipped to advise on the full spectrum of property development work, from site acquisitions and planning to construction, sales, lettings, and ongoing property management. Terry Fendt heads the practice and draws on decades of real estate experience to represent investment and retail clients. Shane Knight has boosted the firm’s charity and construction sector offering and Guy Morgan is a key contact for health and social care clients. Stephanie Kierans is another notable name.

Woodfines LLP is adept at handling a wide range of commercial matters and has particular strength in the agricultural, transport, and logistics sectors. In Milton Keynes, Suzanna Stephenson heads the team; she is skilled at advising on financing, acquisitions, disposals, and development projects, while bringing significant expertise in pension purchases, development funding, and tailored commercial lending solutions. Charlotte Benjamin is a key port of call for the sale and purchasing of agricultural land, particularly dealing with landlords of shopping centres and industrial estates.

With particular strengths in the healthcare sector, Carter Bond Solicitors fields a team that is highly equipped to act in a range of commercial property matters, spanning from comprehensive property due diligence and land acquisitions for development, to new lease transactions, lease renewals, assignments, and licences. The team is jointly headed by Lena Thakrar, Ifath Khan, and Nikesh Shah between Harrow and Middlesex. Gaurav Anarkat is well-versed in supporting landlords and tenants.

Housing an ‘exceptionally knowledgeable, proactive, and communicative’ property team, Crane & Staples LLP is notable for its multi-faceted offering that encompasses a range of commercial real estate matters and is a key contact for property developers, first-time developers, charities, landlords, and businesses. In Welwyn Garden City, Bonnie Twiggs, a seasoned specialist in leasehold enfranchisement work, heads the team in conjunction with Chris Brewis, an expert in complex residential matters. Manish Patel is noted for his work in care home transactions.

Praised for being ‘incredibly capable, very communicative and collaborative’, Moorcrofts LLP’s commercial property team is particularly well-versed in supporting landlords and tenants in lease negotiations, acquisitions, disposals, leasing matters, and portfolio management. The team is headed by Julia Ferguson, a seasoned expert in leasehold acquisitions and disposals for corporate occupiers, who has niche expertise in pre-let agreements, conditional contracts, and portfolio management for regional landlords. Elsewhere in the group, Sharan Uppal is noted for her capabilities in acting for both lenders and borrowers in secured lending, and also for developers acquiring property for development.