John Kelsey > Simmons & Simmons > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Simmons & Simmons Offices
CITYPOINT
ONE ROPEMAKER STREET
LONDON
EC2Y 9SS
England
John Kelsey
Position
John specialises in real estate and has wide ranging experience of advising on investment and development transactions in relation to both the commercial and large-scale residential markets. John has a wealth of experience in relation to the structured acquisitions and disposals of investment properties, joint ventures, sales and leaseback arrangements, and the more general aspects of landlord and tenant law. John has particular experience in dealing with real estate finance transactions, working closely with our finance team. John also specialises in dealing with real estate transactions within the hotel and leisure, student accommodation and the build-to-rent/private rented sectors.
John represents a broad spectrum of fund and financial institution clients which include major investors, banks, property funds and private capital and he acts for a range of developers, landlords and tenants.
Career
Qualified 1997; worked at a leading City practice for 16 years; joined Simmons & Simmons 2012.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Real estate > Commercial property: development
Simmons & Simmons covers the spectrum of real estate asset developments, but with particular strength in the life sciences, office and logistics spaces. In addition, the firm regularly advises clients on pre-letting and financing aspects of development projects. The team is led by John Kelsey and includes Ali Crosthwaite, a specialist in residential and retail schemes. Matthew Hooton advises on site assemblies, options, pre-lets and forward funding. Jonathon Wilkes focuses on development management and joint ventures. In February 2024, Barry Gross joined the team from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.
London > Real estate > Commercial property: investment
Simmons & Simmons specialises in real estate funds work, advising clients on corporate wrapper deals and joint ventures. The firm’s asset class experience is broad, with experience in office, warehouse, logistics, life science, residential, and mixed-use related matters. John Kelsey leads the practice, and is knowledgeable in structured acquisitions and disposals of investment properties. Ali Crosthwaite contributes to the team’s strength in central London investment work. Matthew Hooton and Jonathon Wilkes focus on corporate wrapper deals. In February 2024, Barry Gross and Oliver s’Jacob joined from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and Morrison Foerster respectively.
Lawyer Rankings
- Commercial property: investment London > Real estate
- Commercial property: development London > Real estate
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Artificial intelligence
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Investment fund formation and management > Hedge funds
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Investment fund formation and management > Retail funds
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Finance > Derivatives and structured products
- Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Employment > Employers
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech: corporate and commercial
- Investment fund formation and management > Fund finance
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Lower Mid-Market Deals, £100m-£750m
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity and nuclear)
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Renewables
- Finance > Securitisation
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Industry focus > TMT
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Dispute resolution > Competition litigation
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- Finance > Debt capital markets
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > PATMA: Patent attorneys
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Real estate > Property finance
- Dispute resolution > Public international law
- Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Employment > Employee share schemes
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – mid-large cap
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: M&A and acquisition financing
- Corporate and commercial > Partnership
- Insurance > Product liability: defendant
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Real estate > Property litigation