Real Estate
Teacher Stern is a leading real estate law firm in London. With more than 30 specialist real estate lawyers, we are active in all areas of the residential and commercial real estate sectors.
Our practice includes acquisitions, disposals, real estate finance, equity investment, leasing, asset management, construction, development, joint ventures, cross-border investment and every aspect of landlord and tenant work.
The size and experience of our real estate team means that we have the resources and in-depth knowledge necessary to provide our clients with cost-effective real estate solutions. The transactions we advise on range from complex high value real estate transactions (including office buildings, retail units and shopping centres) to volume property management work where our experience in the management of multi-tenanted assets has helped our clients to preserve and enhance value.
Our real estate clients include leading UK and international property developers, landowners, entrepreneurial investors, institutional investors, private equity firms, retailers, hotel and hospitality companies, as well as major financial institutions. In fact, the property portfolios of some of our largest real estate clients exceed £1billion and cover a range of sectors and asset classes.
Where transactions involve complex tax structures or have an international dimension, our real estate lawyers work closely with lawyers from our Tax team to ensure that tax opportunities are maximised and tax leakage is limited at every stage of the property’s life cycle. Equally, we work in tandem with clients’ external tax advisors or Counsel as appropriate.
Our real estate lawyers also work closely with lawyers in our Banking & Finance, Corporate and Dispute Resolution practices to provide a seamless and comprehensive solution to our clients.
We have long-standing relationships with our clients, several spanning decades. We maintain these relationships by taking the time to know and understand our clients’ businesses, their objectives and aspirations; and of course by consistently adding real and measurable value to our clients’ real estate projects.
What We Do
The areas covered by our real estate practice include:
Representative Real Estate Work
Examples of our team’s real estate work include:
- Advised on the £212.5m sale of Holborn Links to the Triangle Group.
- Advised on the acquisition and disposal of various shopping centres across the UK; including the sale of two high value malls situated at London Underground stations for a combined value of £270m.
- Advised on the sale of a shopping centre at Victoria Station.
- Advised on the sale of a shopping centre in Reading.
- Advised numerous restaurant chains, coffee houses and juice bars in relation to the letting of commercial properties in the UK.
- Advised the Yoo Group on its joint venture with Frasers Property Group relating to the financing and building of a £131m mixed-use development in Vauxhall.
- Advised on the £29m sale of a landmark London hotel held by an offshore trust.
- Advised on the £30m acquisition of a residential property in Knightsbridge.
Testimonials
“I want to express my gratitude to the team at Teacher Stern for their astounding work on getting this high value important deal over the line at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The firm, at very short notice, and at the most intense stages of a highly complex transaction, implemented their business continuity plan seamlessly and the transaction exchanged and completed within the 7 day timetable. Their Corporate and Real Estate Departments worked tirelessly to ensure obstacles were overcome (including the last minute commercial negotiations, the legal technicalities and the practical issues of signing, executing and delivering documents) and that deadlines were met. Whenever any problems arose, the team were on hand and available and quickly offered pragmatic and workable solutions.
This was a remarkable achievement and they deserve full credit.”
On behalf of an overseas investor client‘The real estate finance team is a pleasure to deal with. They are professional, efficient, practical and always available to their clients.’
‘Phil Berry has years of experience, making him the type of lawyer you always want in your corner. Claire Gibson is pragmatic, commercial and a pleasure to deal with.
Legal 500 testimonials
Contact our team:
Biography
David joined Teacher Stern as a trainee in 1990 and is the Head of our Real Estate department. He has many years’ experience in dealing with all aspects of commercial and residential property, with particular expertise in structuring complex real estate acquisitions and sales, as well as development and property finance related matters. He also regularly acts on corporate real estate matters for his clients.
David is listed in the Legal 500 2024 as a recommended lawyer.
Year qualified
Solicitor, 1992
Representative Experience
David has:
- Advised a private client in relation to the purchase of a £18m hotel in Central London.
- Advised a Bank on a loan of £18m to a residential developer.
- Advised clients on the £28m sale of an apart- hotel in London W2.
- Advised clients on a series of purchases of student accommodation properties from UNITE.
- Advised on the acquisition development and sale of a part residential part commercial development in London
Career History
Partner, Teacher Stern
Solicitor, Teacher Stern
