Andy leads the firm’s Global Real Estate practice. He has extensive experience in the acquisition, financing, development, letting and disposal of all types of commercial real estate both in the UK and Continental Europe. Work highlights Ranked in the Hall of Fame for Real Estate in Legal 500, Andy has led on many major real estate transactions. Highlights include advising: Development transactions: Lendlease on: its joint venture with Starwood Capital to acquire the £3.5bn Silvertown Quays, London urban renewal project; the £1.9bn Birmingham Smithfield City Centre development covering 17 hectares; and the £2bn ongoing redevelopment of Elephant & Castle, London, comprising 300,000 sqm of new build and mixed use development. Shuaa Group on several projects including its £370m acquisition and subsequent development of New Scotland Yard, London. Investment deals: Ho Bee Land on their £718m acquisition of The Scalpel landmark office building in the City of London. A major pan-European core fund as it expands across Europe. a consortium member on its investment in a €6.4 billion global portfolio of approximately 900 hotels. Lettings: Glencore on the pre-let of their HQ premises in Hanover Square. Sale and leasebacks: several clients on sale and leaseback transactions (including leasehold liability transfers and virtual assignments), including a major financial institution on a large multi-jurisdictional structured sale and leaseback.
England - London • Real estate
Linklaters LLP
Offering ‘a one-stop shop in getting large-scale transactions over the line with exceptional results’, Linklaters LLP acts for domestic and international developers, investors and occupiers on distressed real estate and regeneration, as well as real estate M&A transactions. Global head of real estate Andy Bruce is geared to handle disposals, development, financing and letting mandates, while Patrick Plant acts for clients on an array of international real estate projects. Siobhan Burton’s practice encompasses acquisition, financing, development, letting and disposal of offices, retail, student accommodation, logistics and mixed-use schemes. Martin Elliott excels in transactions pertaining to mixed-use development, offices, shopping centres and retail, while Matthew Plaskow and Tom Watkins are primarily engaged in real estate M&A. Kathryn Griffiths is another key contact in the group.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Jack Shand is able to cut through complexity quickly and effectively. Excellent client service and top quality advice. Recognised by all parties on transaction as top quality.'
- ‘Linklaters brings all the disciplines together to offer a one-stop shop in getting complex transactions over the line with exceptional results.'
- ‘Kathryn Griffiths hit the ground running.’
- 'Matthew Plaskow is very reachable, provides great advice and has undoubted mastery of the industry.’
- 'Efficient coordination.’
‘Martin Elliott is extremely knowledgeable.'
‘They are all extremely bright, personable and hard working. They are always going the extra mile.'
‘Andy Bruce is a consummate professional. He is practical, knowledgeable, insightful and thoughtful.'
Key clients
- BDW Limited
- Cale Street
- Cory Group
- Home Builders Federation
- Lendlease Europe
- RCL Partners
Work highlights
- Advised Lendlease as a shareholder under the joint venture with Starwood for the regeneration of Silvertown Quays.
- Advising the Home Builders Federation on its negotiations with the UK Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) regarding building safety matters in light of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
- Advising Cory Group in relation to the development and financing of the Riverside 2 energy-from-waste (EfW) facility.
Lawyers
Leading individuals
As a senior partner in the firm’s Real Estate Department, Patrick has considerable experience in real estate transactions, advising investors, developers, lenders and tenants on all aspects of commercial real estate in the UK. Patrick has advised on numerous international real estate projects on behalf of listed real estate companies, sovereign wealth funds and investment banks in Asia, the Middle East and Continental Europe. Patrick also has specialist expertise in hotel and leisure properties, including management and franchise agreements. Patrick was seconded to the firm’s Hong Kong and Frankfurt offices, and has worked in Australia as a corporate lawyer for a major Australian law firm. Work highlights Throughout his career, Patrick has led on many of the market’s major commercial real estate transactions. Highlights include advising: a major US corporate on the acquisition and the development of an iconic new European HQ in London Ramsbury on the acquisition of the Debenhams store, Oxford Street, and the former Dickins & Jones building on Regent Street, London a major European bank on the development of its new London HQ a major US investment bank on the development of its new European HQ InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) on the sale and manage back of a portfolio of Holiday Inn hotels in the UK, the market’s first major sale and manage back transaction HSBC on its sale and leaseback at Canary Wharf the Safra family on its acquisition of Plantation Place, London Allied London on the development, leasing and subsequent investment sales at Spinningfields, Manchester Linklaters on its own UK and global premises strategy
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Andy Bruce