Stephenson Harwood

Real estates and projects

Stephen specialises in commercial real estate, principally advising on investment acquisitions and disposals, development and landlord and tenant matters. He also has particular expertise in the hotels and leisure sector. Stephen acts for a wide range of clients, including institutional investors, one of London's main estate landlords, entrepreneurs, corporate owner/occupiers, hotel/restaurant/bar owners/occupiers, banks and charities. Clients value Stephen's highly commercial and pragmatic approach and his drive to achieve a successful outcome for them.

Stephen has broad experience acting for commercial real estate investors, often involving offshore holding structures. He advises on acquisitions and disposals, ranging from large town centre multi-let mixed use properties, office blocks, shopping centres, regional industrial estates and development sites. His work often involves dealing with the real estate aspects of financing acquisitions. Following acquisition, Stephen advises on the asset management required to increase the property value.

Stephen has a strong track record acting for corporate occupiers with their office headquarters requirements, including FTSE 100 companies, London-based law firms, hedge funds, hotel groups, insurers and overseas companies setting up in England for the first time. This often includes advising on the strategy for exiting existing premises in the most cost effective way.

In the hotels and leisure sector, Stephen has significant experience gained over many years acting for recognised hotel and bar/restaurant chains. He acts for hotel owners/operators on sales and purchases of hotels as going concerns, redevelopment and refurbishment projects and also asset management, including leases/licences/concessions granted to third party operators. He acts for a number of restaurant and bar owners and his work for them includes new site acquisitions, disposals and financings.