Craig Burton > Cripps > West Sussex, England > Lawyer Profile

Cripps Offices

Cripps
Premier House
36-48 Queen Street
Horsham
RH13 5AD
England
Visit website +44 (0)1403 262 333

Craig Burton

Craig Burton photo
+44 (0)1403 831259 Craig.Burton@cripps.co.uk View profile

Work Department

Real Estate

Position

Partner

Career

Partner in our Real Estate department, Craig advises on all aspects of commercial property matters including freehold acquisitions and disposals, investment portfolio work and acting for both landlords and tenants on commercial leasehold work across all sectors.  Having joined the firm as a trainee in 2006, Craig has overseen the development and expansion of, and now heads up, the commercial landlord and tenant team.

A trusted advisor with a portfolio of repeat clients, Craig has a relaxed and transparent working style, with clients benefitting from being involving through every stage of the process with guidance both on legal and commercial considerations.  By involving the clients throughout, Craig is able to gain a better understanding of the clients business and their specific needs and concerns to ensure the clients commercial objectives are achieved.  This, in turn, helps to ensure that he can build lasting relationships with clients with a view to working collaboratively as their business operations expand and develop.

Craig also regularly advises Administrators and Liquidators on property related insolvency matters.

Key Recent Work Highlights: 

  • Acting for Contract Management firm  n connection with lease renewal of HQ offices for a term of 10 years at a commencing rent of £303k
  • Acting for national outdoor garden and homeware company in connection with new warehouse lease as part of reorganisation with a commencing  annual rent of £300k and landlord capital contribution of works for £500k+
  • Acting for existing international client in their acquisition of UK HQ premises for £1.95m
  • Acting for large construction plant hire company in securing HQ site for £4.85m
  • Acting on sale of prominent sale of office building for residential conversion for £1.85m
  • Acting on sale of multi-let industrial estate for a £2.1m
  • Acquisition of leasehold HQ office and development premises for multi-national US backed food production and distribution company and subsequent reorganisation exercise including intergroup property transfer at value of £21m and various high value lease renewals and dilapidation considerations.
  • Advising client on relocation of London HQ offices including initial negotiations on the lease renewal and following impact of Covid 19 advising on exit strategy and negotiation and completion of new lease to alternative premises.
  • Acting for client in continuing expansion of their property investment portfolio, in particular the sale of off-plan industrial unit and multiple new leases of existing properties
  • Acting for client in their acquisition of development site for future nursery proposal and relocation of existing premises
  • Acting for client on portfolio acquisition of residential flats across Brighton & Hove
  • Acquisition of business premises advising on impact with Sharia law
  • Acting for a partnership on the sale of a portfolio of properties
  • Acting on the sale of a large, high value industrial unit for a company in administration
  • Sale of entire issued share capital in Sussex based care home and care in the community company
  • Acquisition of strategic development site for new HQ premises for Higgidy Limited

Lawyer Rankings

South East > Real estate > Commercial property: Kent, Surrey, Sussex

With strong expertise in commercial and residential properties, the ‘very well run team’ at Cripps in Tunbridge Wells includes ‘hardworking, intelligent problem solvers’ and regularly advises property investment companies, housing associations, corporates, retail parks and warehouse owners. Practice head Stephen Hedley provides ‘excellent advice’ and has recently handled the acquisition of logistics sites and disposals of retail assets. Sarah Ferguson is particularly experienced in the affordable housing sector, while Ed Fowler has a specialism in acting for luxury UK and international retailers and restaurateurs. Another key lawyer is Ben Johnston, who specialises in landlord and tenant matters, retail property and asset management work, and shopping centre investments. In early 2024, the firm merged with Horsham-based firm PDT Solicitors, which added the expertise of James Clewlow, Jane Bowden and Craig Burton.

South East > Real estate > Property litigation

Counting major property investors, HNWIs, and local authorities amongst its key clients, Cripps’ property dispute resolution team has extensive expertise in property insolvency and residential leasehold enfranchisement. Operating out of Tunbridge Wells, Miles Paffard leads the team, deploying his ‘encyclopaedic knowledge’ to work on opposed business lease renewals, service charge disputes, and dilapidations. Mike Scott is a ‘first-rate litigator’, regularly handling contract disputes and development agreement issues, while Nitej Davda concentrates on residential and commercial landlord and tenant disputes. Having been promoted to partner in May 2022, Richard Housley focuses on issues concerning easements and covenants. In early 2024, the firm merged with Horsham-based firm PDT Solicitors, which added the expertise of Gail Morris, Craig Burton, James Clewlow and James Clewlow.

South East > Finance > Insolvency and corporate recovery

In Tunbridge Wells, Cripps houses a ‘highly technical‘ team, which regularly assists clients with pre-insolvency matters in addition to pre-sale restructurings, solvent schemes of arrangements, and voluntary arrangements of companies. The practice advises a diverse client roster, which includes waste management, fintech, and manufacturing companies. Praised for her ‘attention to detail‘, Joanna Ford leads the team, often acting in claims of misfeasance and wrongful trading against directors, in addition to assisting companies in financial difficulty. With ‘considerable experience and knowledge‘, John Kirkwood focuses on the corporate elements of the insolvency process, and has a great deal of knowledge surrounding the selling and acquisition of insolvent businesses, while senior associate Hannah Proctor primarily focuses on contentious insolvency matters, often appearing before the High Court. In early 2024, the firm merged with Horsham-based firm PDT Solicitors, which added the expertise of William Angas, Dawn Shadwell, Ian Lindley and Craig Burton.

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