At Bishop & Sewell LLP, the group covers all aspects of residential real estate, including the acquisition of prime and super-prime central London properties, and country homes. The team regularly acts for lenders in a broad spectrum of property transactions, and has considerable strength in advising on high-value leasehold purchases. Thom Wilkinson primarily assists national and international high-net-worth individuals, and Ossie Swaine specialises in residential sales and purchases of high-value freehold and leasehold interests in central London. Mark Chick co-leads the landlord and tenant team, Chris Macartney specialises in diverse matters including enfranchisement cases, and Charles Davidson is a key name within the practice.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Mark Chick and Chris Macartney are at the top of their game.’
‘Charlie Davidson is an excellent young lawyer, and stands out. ’
‘The team are one of the most knowledgeable in the leasehold reform sector. They are responsive and co-operative. Mark Chick is approachable, an expert and wise. ’
‘We have worked with the Leasehold Reform Team at Bishop & Sewell LLP over the last 15 years. Mark, Chris and Thom provide a well-recognised centre of excellence in Leasehold reform and are among the few Central London specialist teams that we refer work to.'
‘I would like to mention Mark Chick and Chris Macartney. They have always gone further and beyond our clients expectations. They will regularly discuss matters with our clients, explaining different scenarios before even being instructed. I know I can pick up the phone to them at anytime.’
‘Two members I can recommend without hesitation are Ossie Swaine and Nicole Couzens. They consistently demonstrate excellent communication skills, promptly responding to calls and messages. Ossie, in particular, has gone above and beyond, working late into the night to secure a sale for a client.’
‘Charles Davidson has a formidable combination of intelligence and pragmatism; he is knowledgeable and delivers for his clients. Approachable, enthusiastic and a pleasure to deal with.'
- 'The team are one of the most knowledgeable in the leasehold reform sector. They are responsive and co-operative.'
Key clients
- Jordan International Bank
- Waverley Borough Council
- Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners Ltd
- Guaranty Trust Bank
Work highlights
- Acted in the purchase of a freehold property for £10,000,000 from receivers with exchange taking place within 9 days of receipt of papers.
- Advised Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners Ltd in a high-profile case in the UK Supreme Court in the matter of A1 Properties (Sunderland) Ltd v Tudor Studios RTM Company Ltd UKSC 2023/0047.
- Assisted a client with a property purchase, utilising the provisions of the Prescription Act 1832, the team successfully negotiated with a London Borough for necessary easements over land in order to facilitate the substantial property purchase.
Lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Ossie Swaine, Mark Chick, Thom Wilkinson, Chris Macartney