Acquisitions & Disposal

Our Real Estate team advises domestic and international clients on all aspects of buying and selling commercial and residential real estate. These clients include buyers, sellers, investors, developers, family offices, offshore trustees, financial institutions and property funds of all kinds.

Each year, we advise on some of the most newsworthy property acquisitions and disposals in the London market – as well as more modest investments and disposals. Our clients trust our experienced real estate lawyers to deliver results with the care, attention to detail and discretion they have become accustomed to receiving.

The Real Estate team is supported closely by our Banking & Finance team which is acknowledged by independent commentators (including the Legal 500) as one of the leading real estate finance practices in London. The team regularly advises on the financing of a broad selection of real estate assets including offices, shopping centres, retail units, hotels, leisure centres and residential properties.

For corporate real estate transactions, many of which have cross border elements, our real estate lawyers work closely with lawyers from our Corporate team. Our corporate real estate lawyers understand that the key to completing a successful deal is understanding and addressing the technicalities of a corporate transaction, whilst at the same time bearing in mind the client’s principal objective of buying or selling the underlying real estate asset.

Our team is further supported by our Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners ranked Real Estate Tax Team, which has significant experience in advising clients on real estate matters across a variety of real estate sectors. Our Tax lawyers offer real estate clients expert tax advice in respect of VAT, SDLT, capital allowances, construction industry scheme, non-resident landlord registration, contaminated land tax relief and ATED.

The combined knowledge and expertise of our Real Estate, Banking & Finance, Corporate and Tax teams enables us to provide a complete acquisitions and disposal service to our real estate clients. Together, we’re here to guide you, problem solve and make your deal happen.

Representative Acquisitions & Disposals Work

Examples of our acquisitions & disposals work include:

  • Advised an offshore developer in the acquisition of a brownfield site for redevelopment as over 500 student flats with an anticipated gross developed value of in excess of £50m.
  • Advised a private investor in relation to the property aspects of the acquisition of an insolvent franchisor’s business which included over 120 franchise outlets nationally.
  • Advised on the £212.5m sale of Holborn Links to the Triangle Group.
  • Advised on the acquisition and disposal of various shopping centres across the UK; including the sale of two high value malls situated at London Underground stations for a combined value of £270m.
  • Advised on the sale of an investment property in London for a price in excess of £90m

Key contacts:

Photo of Oliver Azzuri

Oliver Azzuri

Partner Real Estate
Work 37 – 41 Bedford Row London WC1R 4JH United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 20 7611 2375

Biography

The Legal 500 - The Clients Guide to Law FirmsInvolved in all sectors of property development and investment, Oliver has broad experience in dealing with high-value investment purchases and sales, often by way
of complex tax and funding structures.

He has significant expertise in complex pre-letting transactions, site assembly (both commercial and residential) developments, and establishing limited partnerships
and unit trusts.

Oliver also advises major retailers on store acquisitions and disposal programmes
and administrators on the sale of property assets on insolvency.

Year qualified

Solicitor, 1999

Significant transactions include:

  • Purchase of Victoria Place Shopping Centre in London for £92.5 million which included a £257 million portfolio refinance
  • £145 million acquisition of a landmark London office building, by way of a Shariah-compliant corporate and funding structure
  • Acquired a London shopping centre for £119 million, by way of a sub-sale into a Jersey Unit Trust
  • Advised developer in relation to construction of a shopping centre above a London Underground station, dealing with substantial pre-lets and disposal for c.£100 million by way of partnership interest disposal
  • Purchase of a London landmark listed building for a residential developer to convert to 100 luxury flats
  • Engineered the smooth entry into the UK of a major French retailer
  • Advised a major developer on a mixed-use retail and residential scheme in Cardiff
  • Advised healthcare company in taking a substantial lease of a hospital