Dev Desai > Watson Farley & Williams LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Watson Farley & Williams LLP Offices
15 APPOLD STREET
LONDON
EC2A 2HB
England
- Firm Profile
- Go to...
Dev Desai
Work Department
Dispute Resolution
Position
Dev leads a team of dedicated property dispute resolution experts, serving institutional investors, landowners, lenders, family offices, developers and occupiers.
Clients turn to Dev on cutting-edge market developments and regulation. Collaborating closely with our other experts across disciplines, Dev has spearheaded innovative ESG projects for institutional landlords to meet sustainability goals. In the same vein, Dev maintains a keen interest in prop-tech towards the smart buildings of the future.
Dev’s experience extends across all asset classes into operational property such as hotels, student accommodation and serviced apartments.
Outside of the real estate market, Dev often works in multidisciplinary teams to bring property perspectives to challenges faced by clients in sectors such as renewable energy, transport and infrastructure. Several years in management at Network Rail in the UK, and a six-month secondment as inhouse counsel at a telecommunications infrastructure company, give Dev ready and real-world insight into these industries. In terms of social infrastructure, Dev advises on educational institutions, retail complexes, student accommodation and co-living and other residential developments.
He is a regular legal commentator across media, and editor and contributing author of Butterworth’s Property Insolvency.
Testimonials to the Legal 500 legal directory over the years have said that Dev’s “commercial acumen and experience are second-to-none.” He is commended for his “quick thinking” yet he “looks at a case from every angle.” A “great tactician,” he has a “very hands-on” approach, making him an “excellent man to have on your side.” His team of property disputes lawyers “is particularly strong when it comes to development support, ESG, property-related insolvency and high-class residential matters.” Its “responsiveness marks it out as exceptional” and they “collaborate with all, providing sensible, commercial advice.”
Memberships
- Law Society of England and Wales
- Property Litigation Association
Education
- 2002 – 2003 · College of Law (London), LPC
- 2001 – 2002 · Nottingham Trent University, Management Diploma
- 1999 · MCSE (Systems Engineer, Microsoft-Certified)
- 1996 – 1999 · University of London: Queen Mary College, LLB Honours
Lawyer Rankings
London > Real estate > Property litigation
Active across the full-range of contentious real estate services, Watson Farley & Williams LLP is particularly experienced in regard to development and infrastructure disputes. Other focus areas include cladding and fire safety, residential disputes and property insolvency. The ‘excellent��� Dev Desai leads the group and specialises in landlord and tenant disputes, while also representing developers and financial institutions.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution > Commodities disputes
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity and nuclear)
- Transport > Aviation
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Industry focus > Hospitality and leisure
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: M&A and acquisition financing
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Lower Mid-Market Deals, £100m-£750m
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Transport > Shipping
- Finance > Trade finance
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Employment > Immigration
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
- Transport > Rail
- Real estate > Environment
- Real estate > Planning
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £500m)
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Employment > Employers
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- Real estate > Property finance
- Real estate > Commercial property: development