Leveraging effective use of IT applications and benefitting from tremendous strength-in-depth, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP provides ‘cost-effective and commercial advice’, on both “bulk” style work as well as complex transactions, ‘always ensuring that the right people with the appropriate level of skills are allocated’. James Trafford provides ‘very knowledgeable and reliable’ advice to a plethora of large-scale employers on their corporate real estate needs, including as it relates to strategic structuring advice and large-scale acquisition, disposal and relocation programmes. Trafford is also one of many in the team with deep knowledge of renewables-related property matters, another being Geraint Pullin Thomas , who provides ‘clear, concise and commercial legal advice’, particularly in the context of solar matters. Gareth Ashfield  is a key contact for developer work, including for SEGRO on the development of several “brown field” sites for logistics parks. As part of his broad investor-side practice, David Emberson  oversees the firm’s advice to SEGRO, one of many core institutional clients which require advice in relation to  acquisitions and disposals and general property management work. Andrew Burns  has a core focus on transport infrastructure matters, and now heads up the team following Kathryn Roberts ‘ transitioning to a role as chair of the firm’s international offering. Legal director Jonathan Woodward provides ‘excellent, considered advice and support’ across a broad range of work, including for corporate pension funds on property matters.

Acuity Law provides ‘flexible and commercially driven’ advice to a range of stakeholders, both out of its Cardiff headquarters as well as its increasingly well-established London office and its nascent Bristol location. Developer work remains a core driver for the team, with longstanding client, Rightacres, continuing to provide a slew of instructions in relation to major development projects in Cardiff. Gareth Baker is pivotal to this work and has been the lead lawyer for Rightacres on its flagship Central Square regeneration scheme since 2014. Damien Cann has also been at the core of this work, particularly as it pertains to the developer’s funding arrangements – work which he combines with significant expertise within the healthcare sector. Steve Morris , who is ‘always supportive and knowledgeable’, co-heads the team alongside Baker, while at a more junior level Ben Honour, who was promoted to partner in June 2022, provides ‘client-focused’ advice on the acquisition and disposal of commercial property and development projects.

Leveraging complementary expertise across the firm's banking, construction and planning practices, as well as being able to resource matters utilising its own in-house quantity surveyors, Blake Morgan LLP's commercial property team can provide a holistic service throughout the life-cycle of projects, particularly as it relates to high value and complex development sites, infrastructure and energy transactions. Mirroring the firm's cross-practice public sector prowess, team head James Egan  has considerable experience advising both local authorities and central government across a range of matters, including on large-scale development projects. The 'exceptionally gifted' Louise Howells has a focus on social housing real estate work and provides a 'solutions-focused' service to Wales and England-based housing associations across a range of acquisition/disposal and financing work. On the private sector front, Nigel Griffiths maintains a market-leading retail leasing practice as a result of his longstanding representation of Canary Wharf Group Plc. Geoff Reed  is also recommended and has vast experience advising both private developers and commercial lenders on property matters.

Led by Susanne Bradley, Geldards LLP provides ‘a high level of expertise’ for a balanced mix of private, public and third sector clients across the panoply of their commercial property requirements. Always seeking ‘to find solutions to problems as well as anticipating issues that might arise’, Adam Thomas continues to grow his reputation in the market for investors and end-users on the private sector front, and alongside Ioan Owen is at the forefront of the firm’s impressive retail portfolio offering. Harriet Morgan is ‘extremely knowledgeable’ about the property concerns of charitable organisations and housing associations, as is the ‘extremely capable’ Liz Ganderton.

Acting on its own, as well as being able to effectively leverage resources from other firmwide complementary practice areas, Hugh James is well-equipped to provide 'a good service' for a varied mix of public, private and third sector clients. 'Excellent' team head Peter Hurn has nurtured a particularly acclaimed development-side offering, both in relation to commercial property as well as for numerous high-profile housebuilders on large-scale residential developments, including on land acquisitions and disposals. The social housing space also remains a fertile source of instructions for the team, with Caroline O’Flaherty regularly advising a myriad housing associations on their property needs, including an increasing number of mandates involving sustainable goals. 'Knowledgeable and diligent' senior associate Shelley Ikram is a 'very calm and shrewd negotiator' and is effectively able to bring her broader planning expertise to bear for large scale consortiums on major developments.

The 'very professional and knowledgeable' team at Berry Smith provides a 'fantastic personal service' to lenders, developers and public sector clients across a broad spectrum of their real estate needs. The 'very business-oriented' Martin Pursall leads the firm's secured lending team and has, over his many years' in practice, amassed considerable experience advising lenders on the provision of finance to facilitate development and investment sites throughout the UK. Chris Jones co-heads the overarching property team alongside Pursall, and is particularly adept at advising on development work, both from a commercial as well as residential perspective.

 

In lockstep with the firm's general entrepreneurial approach, Capital Law Limited's partner-led commercial property team provides an 'innovative and pragmatic' service (which frequently partners up with external consultancy firms) to public and private sector clients on large-scale mandates, including complex development/regeneration projects. Team head Leanne O’Brien has been central to the firm's success in the area, and frequently drawing upon the expertise across the firm's wider construction and environmental teams, has been particularly successful in advising on large-scale property projects involving sustainability and ESG goals. Jon Ely  joined RPC in December 2022.

The ‘very professional and accessible’ team at Darwin Gray LLP provides ‘a cost-effective and highly personal service’ to private, public and third sector clients across a range of commercial property work. ‘Very commercially minded’ team head Catherine Burke has ‘excellent technical knowledge’ and is particularly effective advising on complex development and site assembly work. Gareth Wedge is the other partner in the team and has a particular focus on landlord and tenant work.

 

Swansea-based firm Morgan LaRoche provides a ‘professional, prompt and cost-effective service’ to an eclectic mix of stakeholders on local and UK-wide transactions. Team head Kevin Thomas has a varied practice that seems him regularly acting on high-profile local mandates, including his ongoing work for a developer in its acquisition of a mixed use development site in Swansea’s city centre (as part of the city centre’s regeneration programme), as well as work outside of Wales, including in the context of student accommodation development. Thomas also has expertise in handling renewable energy-related property work, as does the ‘proactive and responsive’ Alun Price, who leads the firm’s Carmarthen-based property efforts. Deploying a ‘can-do and commercial attitude’, David Palmer is a popular choice among investors and developers in the retail, office, industrial, logistics, care and energy sectors, and is noted for his ‘very strong work ethic and a very broad property experience’. Consultant Rosemary Morgan also remains active and is able to call upon a deep reservoir of knowledge gleaned through her many years’ expertise handling commercial property mandates within the retail, leisure and transport sectors, in particular.

While it remains best-known for its financing prowess in the social housing sector, Clarke Willmott LLP also handles a considerable volume of more conventional commercial property mandates and was recently strengthened, particularly for developer work, by the arrival of Julia Morris  from Le Gros Solicitors Limited in November 2022. Clare Gregory  is one of the principal contacts for work in the space, including as it relates to acquisition and disposals (including exclusivity agreements, promotion agreements and option agreements), joint venture and collaboration agreements.

Under the leadership of Michael Price, Swansea-based firm Douglas-Jones Mercer continues to gain traction in the local market on property development mandates, including for landowners, developers, lenders and housing associations. The team also has niche expertise advising on pensions-related property matters.

Drawing upon 'a good understanding of the local community', Newport-based firm Harding Evans LLP provides an 'excellent personal service’ to local developers, SMEs, building contractors and high-net-worth individuals across a wide range of commercial property transactions. Team head Mike Jenkins has a varied practice, including work for the firm's core agricultural client base.

Led by Justin Mason , the 'very pragmatic and proactive' team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys has a core focus on development work, both in the public and private sector. In this regard, the Cardiff team continues to grow its offering since the department was formally established in June 2022, with a number of recent associate hires providing more resources with which to handle an expanding workload. Mason also has niche expertise advising on property work in the funeral sector. Lisa Gibbs  heads up the residential property group.

In addition to the firm's bulk conveyancing work, Howells Solicitors handles a significant amount of commercial property matters, including as it relates to development, finance and estate management. Rhidian Hobbs heads up the commercial property team and 'is a font of information' across a range of issues, including on development matters.

Acting on its own, as well as frequently alongside practitioners from its well-resourced London headquarters, Lewis Silkin‘s ‘hardworking and diligent’ Cardiff office punches above its weight and provides ‘a first-class service’ on corporate real estate matters, as well as an increasing volume of work for local developers, primarily for residential use. With ‘the ability to take a 360 degree view on a deal’, both on the buy and sell side, team head Emily Meredith Hardy has an excellent perspective of commercial property transactions and has been central to the firm’s growing stature in the locality. Managing associate  Tom Merrick is ‘incredibly responsive and organised’, and is also a key member of the team.

Development work is central to many of the matters handled by Newport-based firm RDP Law, particularly for the firm’s core roster of local agricultural landowners, including as it relates to strategic development schemes. ‘Knowledgeable’ team head James Davies is at the forefront of this work, as well as in relation to landowner-based renewable energy matters, an area of continued growth. Associate Amber Ellis-Martin is also recommended and has been pivotal to the firm’s strategy to grow its roster of developer clients.