Commercial property in Jersey

Bedell Cristin

Bedell Cristin has an impressive client roster of financial institutions and major Jersey developers. serviced by a team of property law veterans. The group is active across the real estate space, with particular focuses on development, acquisitions and disposals, secured lending, construction and commercial leasing. Heading the department is Jeff O’Boyle, praised by one client as ‘great technically, commercially focused and excellent with clients‘. O’Boyle often works alongside associate Hannah Robinson, who is increasingly active for medium-sized residential and mixed-use projects, as well as landlord-tenant work and portfolio management issues. Tim Pearce  is the name to note for property finance.

Responsables de la pratique:

Jeff O’Boyle

Autres avocats clés:

Tim Pearce; Hannah Robinson

Les références

‘A professional team that explained the process and costings throughout to make the transaction as seamless as possible’

‘Jeff O’Boyle is highly recommended. Great technically, commercially focused and excellent with clients. Hannah Robinson also stands out as being very efficient and client focused.’

‘Good knowledge of the Jersey property market, very quick and efficient, the team gets the deals done with the minimum of stress.’

Principaux clients

C Le Masurier

Andium Homes Limited

Santander Bank Plc

Royal Bank of Scotland International

JT (Jersey) Limited

Produce Investments Plc

St Saviours Realty

OneSavings Bank

Reto Finance

Principaux dossiers

  • Advised Le Masurier on a major regeneration project in St Helier which will include c.240 residential apartments, a 100 room premium hotel and a number of commercial units.
  • Adviser to Andium Homes, acting on all Andium’s sales of affordable housing.

Carey Olsen

Carey Olsen combines lawyers with expertise in corporate real estate, where Alex Ohlsson takes the lead, and with John Kelleher, contentious planning issues. It also benefits from in-house conveyancing expertise. The group has extensive experience in property portfolio management, as well as development projects and leasing issues. Counsel Will Whitehead  is increasingly active in the team, with commercial property transactional expertise, in addition to experience in construction and development work. Associate Lyndsay Houlette is an expert in mixed-use commercial developments and infrastructure projects.

Responsables de la pratique:

Chris Philpott

Autres avocats clés:

Alex Ohlsson; John Kelleher; Will Whitehead; Lyndsay Houlette

Les références

‘Chris Philpott has been a great support to our family property business. He has the ability to understand local issues at many levels, and simplify complex legal matters into answers that clients can understand.’

‘The team is very cohesive and provide a comprehensive service, if one member is unavailable, someone else is always ready and available to step in.’

‘The entire property team excel as a combined unit.’

Principaux clients

Ports of Jersey Limited

The States of Jersey Development Company Limited

Jersey Electricity plc

Alex Picot Trust Company Limited

Santander Financial Services Plc, Jersey Branch (t/a Santander International)

Normans Limited

Hadley Steel

Dunells Limited

Affinity Private Wealth/ Affinity Trust Limited

Lloyds Bank Plc

HSBC Bank Plc

The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited t/a Natwest International

Skipton International Limited

Handpicked Hotels / Hotel L’Horizon Limited

Shore Developments Limited

Island Padel Limited

Team Athlete Holdings (Jersey) Limited

International House Limited

Schuh Limited

Stratagem Properties Limited

MND Construction Limited

Principaux dossiers

  • Advising Ports of Jersey Limited on its management and restructuring of its unique and extensive property portfolio.
  • Advising the States of Jersey Development Company in connection with the mixed-use property portfolio and residential development, having previously acted in 2020 on £67.7 mn of Horizon development project (one of the largest local real estate financing transactions undertaken during that year).
  • Advising Jersey Electricity plc on the lease agreements for the utility company’s solar arrays at both Woodside Farm and Jersey Dairy – the first solar photo-voltaic arrays to be installed by JE on sites in Jersey outside its own property portfolio.

Collas Crill

Collas Crill has an active Jersey property team that advises on high-profile residential and commercial property transactions on the island, with a strong commercial property practice, as well as development project work. Martin Le Boutillier  takes the lead, advising property lenders and developers. Pamela Doherty is a key member of the team, coordinating work for the firm’s marquee clients. Senior associate Carol Doherty joined from Mourant in November 2021, and is adept at commercial lending and borrowing work, as well as leasehold matters and developments.

Responsables de la pratique:

Martin Le Boutillier

Autres avocats clés:

Pamela Doherty; Carol Doherty

Les références

‘A very strong property team.’

‘Martin Le Boutillier and Pamela Doherty are extremely strong with excellent technical knowledge and client focus. Both have been involved on a number of high profile recent transactions. Carol Doherty is a very good addition to the team.’

‘Extremely personable. Client friendly in the terminology they use especially with clients unfamiliar in dealing with lawyers. Always happy to pick up the phone and answer any queries or explain contracts. Offer advice and always use best practice. A very good firm to work with.’

Principaux clients

Castle Properties

Channel Islands Property Fund

Dandara

Investec

Le Masurier

Liberation Group

Modern Hotels Group

Owner / landlord of the largest commercial properties in Jersey – Gaspe House (valued at c £90M) and JTC House/27 Esplanade (valued at c £41M)

Owner / landlord of IFC5 (International Finance Centre) (valued at c £47.6M)

SG Kleinwort Hambros

Principaux dossiers

  • Advising Dandara with regard to their  “16 Hilary Street” town centre residential development, their new Hotel de France development of 125 apartments and car parking, and their proposed dementia care village, nursing home and apartments at Plat Douet.
  • Advising Castle Properties on the complex structuring for the proposed development of 200 residential units.
  • Advising hotel owner and operator Modern Hotels on their sale of the Mayfair Hotel in St Helier to Andium Homes Limited.

Ogier

Ogier fields a property, planning and construction group that handles property transactions, finance, developments and leasing issues, as well as planning and construction mandates. Coordinating the global practice is Jonathan Hughes who advises global financial institutions, in addition to corporate occupiers and investors. Katharine Marshall  is an expert in residential and commercial developments, including conditional contracts, joint ventures and collaboration agreements. Managing associate Sarah Parish is noted for commercial property portfolio management. Senior associate Laura Shirreffs is known for corporate occupier and landlord work.

Responsables de la pratique:

Jonathan Hughes; Helen Ruelle

Autres avocats clés:

Katharine Marshall; Chris Renouf; Michael Clapham; Sarah Parish; Laura Shirreffs

Les références

‘Key contacts available at all times An excellent team ethos where clients are well looked after by the team so no key person dependence.’

‘Excellent at what they do. Not afraid to bring in colleagues when additional skills are needed.’

‘Probably the strongest commercial property team on the island.’

Principaux clients

HSBC

TMF Group

Sandpiper

Investec

Jersey Homes Trust

LV Group Care Home Group

Parish of St Helier

Whitbread Plc / Premier Inn

Parish of St Martin

Guiton Group

Gamma Aviation Limited

Government of Jersey

John Lewis Partnership / Waitrose Limited

Fuel Supplies CI Limited

SG Hambros Bank

Close Finance

Metlife Investment Company Limited

BDO Group

Standard Chartered

Ashbe Construction

Arcadia Group (In administration)

Principaux dossiers

  • Acted on a large quantity of complex commercial and residential development projects across all sectors.
  • Acted for numerous institutional real estate finance clients in relation to complex multi-million pound real estate finance transactions.
  • Acted for numerous corporate occupier clients in relation to new build office headquarter relocation projects.

Appleby

Appleby is most known for its Jersey development work, advising on the acquisition of sites for commercial and residential projects, as well as assisting with finance, lettings and sales of developments. Following the retirement of Jonathan Anderson in 2021, the key name is John Bisson, a veteran of the Jersey property scene.

Responsables de la pratique:

John Bisson

Les références

‘Small personal team. Strong in commercial property for 20 years.’

‘John Bisson  is simply one of if not the best property lawyer in Jersey. Very high attention to detail, but practical as well.’

‘The keep the clients needs front of mind.’

Principaux clients

Barclays Bank PLC

HSBC Bank PLC

The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited

Lloyds Bank plc

Santander Financial Services plc

Dandara Group

Seymour Hotel Group

Rosscot Group Limited

AMP Golf Limited

Equipe Property Holdings Limited

Pizza Express (Jersey) Limited

Hettich Jewellers Limited

Principaux dossiers

  • Advised the Dandara Group on the 99-year lease and underlease valued at approximately GBP£90mil in relation to the redevelopment of the principle offices of the Government of Jersey.
  • Advised the Dandara Group on the £6.5mil acquisition of a large former commercial site in St. Helier.

Mourant

Led by the ‘extremely knowledgeable, commercially focused and efficientJulie Melia, the property team at Mourant has a varied clientele that includes local corporate, banking, retail, development and funds clients. The group has vast experience in the acquisition and disposal of local and non-local businesses with an interest in Jersey property, as well as lessors. Lawyers are also active in the construction and development space. Georgina Cook, an English solicitor and Jersey advocate, has a broad practice, with particular expertise in complex and novel development structuring. Joining the firm from MacRoberts LLP in March 2022, associate Kamila Kaminska brings with her experience in a variety of property deals.

Responsables de la pratique:

Julie Melia

Autres avocats clés:

Georgina Cook; Kamila Kaminska

Les références

‘The bespoke legal service required to navigate Jersey property/land law made Mourants the right choice for our recent land sale. Prompt responses and chasing of the purchasers solicitor, ensured that the HoT’s, contract and sale proceeded quickly and efficiently, always with accompanying sound legal advice.’

‘Julie Melia from Mourants dealt with sale process for us and was a model of efficiency and good advice. Bringing in specialist legal colleagues as needed, Julie managed the process and directed, to push purchasing solicitors to a quick conclusion, whilst ensuring that the due diligence required, informed our decisions on the sale.

‘Communication is key, the people that work for Mourant are knowledgeable and helpful providing sound advice in an easy to understand manner, no problem, query, question is too big or small to allow for great engagement from the firm.’

Principaux clients

Aztec Group

Butterfield Bank (Jersey) Limited

The Channel Islands Co-Operative Society Limited

Royal Bank of Canada

G R Langlois (1991) Limited

Legal & General

Jersey Electricity Plc

Jersey Homes Trust

KPMG

Lloyds Bank

Parish of St. Helier

Triton Investment Management Limited

Arioso Jersey Properties Limited (part of the Redevco and COFRA Holdings AG group).

Tunit Limited, part of B V Handel-en Exploitatiemaatschappij Ruyjgrok group

The National Trust for Jersey

Principaux dossiers

  • Advised Aztec Financial Services (Jersey) Limited on its commitment to lease off-plan c50,000 square feet of premier office space at IFC6, in the heart of Jersey’s new financial district.
  • Acted as primary legal adviser to The Channel Islands Co-operative Society Limited, a retailer and an active property investor and developer with a multi-million pound portfolio.
  • Acted in the sale of a Jersey property holding SPV for its Swiss incorporated owner, on a deal negotiated for the seller by Knight Frank LLP, and managed by Redevco UK Limited.

Parslows

Clients appreciate the ‘practical advice and support‘ on offer at Parslows, which focuses predominantly on commercial lease work for lessors. The group, under the stewardship of managing partner Carl Parslow , caters to a client base of SMEs, making use of in-house conveyancing specialists.

Responsables de la pratique:

Carl Parslow

Les références

‘Very helpful offering, practical advice and support’

‘Carl Parslow provides an excellent level of advice and support to our organisation.’

Principaux clients

Prosperity Group Investments Limited

First Choice Groceries Limited

The Harmony Hub Limited

Ransom

Sakura Limited

Jersey Post Limited

Sun Works (CI) Limited

Parish of St John

Principaux dossiers

  • Assisted First Choice Groceries with lease advice as to headquartering new premises for their online supermarket in partnership with Sainsbury.
  • Assisted Prosperity Group Investments with the purchase of new landmark headquarters for business at Castle Quay Jersey waterfront.
  • Advised Parish of St John on lease negotiations/ HoTs and thereafter advice on the lease and drafting through to completion in relation to a community allotment area for the parish of St John.

Viberts

Viberts is a mainstay of the local Jersey property market, advising commercial landlords, tenants, private individuals, property investors and developers on a the spectrum of real estate matters. Co-leading are James Lawrence and Paul Harben , both of whom are experienced hands in property transactions. Scottish-qualified associate Emily Paris-Hunter has a growing profile in commercial property deals in St Helier.

Responsables de la pratique:

James Lawrence; Paul Harben

Autres avocats clés:

Emily Paris-Hunter

Les références

‘I have been a property developer for the past 25 years involved in both large and smaller scale developments, in that time I have had the opportunity to deal with many commercial lawyers firms, whilst I am very satisfied with Viberts fees it is without doubt the level of service I receive on both a professional level and also that they are always contactable to deal with any issues that invariably arise.’

‘James Lawrence is a partner at Viberts and my first point of contact, whilst James is surrounded by an extremely competent team he is by far one of the most competent and knowledgeable commercial lawyers I have had the pleasure of dealing with and at the same time he is both friendly and approachable.’

‘Unparalleled knowledge of commercial and residential market. Always approachable and they deal with instructions in a very timely manner.’

Principaux clients

Andium Homes Limited

Optic Holdings Limited (Kevin & Heidi McGinty)

Falles Holdings Limited

CIS Properties Limited

Red Heather Limited

Mark Gonsalves

Merchants Square purchaser’s panel solicitors

Principaux dossiers

  • Advised Andium on the acquisition of development site (2 hotels) for social housing at a combined price of circa £15,000,000 including a development agreement for the build out of circa 300 residential units.
  • Advised two private individuals on a number of property holding company purchases/subsequent disposals, including lodging houses, former office space, a restaurant, a city centre gym and multiple units of residential accommodation.
  • Appointed to act as one of two purchasers’ panel lawyers for Merchants Square in respect of a large new residential/commercial development.