Regarded as ‘second to none’ by its stellar client base of investors and major property companies, Forsters LLP acts on landmark cases relating to commercial, enfranchisement, and residential disputes. The ’stand out’ Ben Barrison oversees the offering and demonstrates expertise in rights of light and development disputes. ‘Brilliant’ Natasha Rees concentrates on complex residential disputes, often before the Court of Appeal, while ’excellent communicator’ Julia Tobbell is a go-to for investment disputes concerning valuable portfolios, and the ‘bright’ Anna Mullins handles commercial landlord and tenant issues.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Second to none in high-profile property litigation cases in recent years. Wide-range of top quality expertise throughout the firm.’

  • ‘Natasha Rees - a pleasure to work with and industry leading in leasehold enfranchisement and residential property litigation.'

  • 'Ben Barrison - no nonsense, highly experienced litigator, able to navigate complex matters at ease with best result for clients always at the forefront of his objectives.'

  • ‘Forsters is fundamentally what you want from a firm of solicitors: a concentration of superbly talented individuals (seriously, seriously smart) with massive experience in their field. They apply mature judgment and mature intelligence to the problems they encounter.’

  • ‘I would particularly single out Natasha Rees, Julia Tobbell, Ben Barrison and Anna Mullins as the very embodiment of the excellence of the firm.’

  • ‘Excellent team - one of the best.'

  • ‘Forsters is a boutique property law firm, with particular strength in litigation and alternative dispute resolution. It is more flexible and responsive than larger city law firms.’

  • ‘Julia Tobbell deserves particular mention. She took over a particularly complex case from another partner about 5 months before trial and got up to speed super quickly, bringing a new angle on various points - she really drove the case forward and made progress. Excellent lawyer, very good at delivering difficult news / advice to clients whilst maintaining their confidence.'

Key clients

  • Fearn and Others (leaseholders of Neo Bankside)
  • The Ministry of Defence
  • The Crown Estate
  • The Phillimore Estate
  • Netflix
  • Curzon Bar and Restaurant Limited
  • Knight Dragon
  • LaSalle Investment Management
  • Schroders
  • Berkeley Homes

Work highlights

  • Advised various leaseholders at the Neo Bankside Development in their six-year nuisance case against the Tate Gallery, concerning its use of the public viewing platform in the Blavatnik Building at the Tate Modern, and secured a Supreme Court win in the leaseholders’ favour.
  • Acted for the Ministry of Defence in defending proceedings in the High Court which ruled that the client has, in principle, the right to enfranchise military family homes which are leased from Annington.
  • Acting for the tenant of the restaurant premises at the Curzon Street in Mayfair in relation to High Court 1954 Act lease termination proceedings pursued by the client’s landlord.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Ben Barrison

Other key lawyers

Natasha Rees, Julia Tobbell, Anna Mullins