News archive
2010Forsters acts on £52.2m purchase for Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust
Forsters has acted for longstanding client Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust on its purchase of Fox Court, 14-22 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1 for £52.2m for the freehold.
The landmark midtown building situated at the junction of Gra... Forsters acts on super-prime Lancasters pre-sales of £230m
Forsters is acting for longstanding joint venture clients, Minerva and Northacre, on the sale of their super-prime development, The Lancasters, Hyde Park.
Pre-sales totalling approximately £230m have now been achieved. This represents jus... 20 Forsters lawyers selected as leaders in their field for Chambers UK Directory 2011 edition
A total of 20 Forsters lawyers have been selected by Chambers to appear in the next, 2011, edition of Chambers UK - A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession as leaders in their respective fields. They are:
Shona Alexander - Family / Matri... Forsters acts for LXB Retail on further Greenwich purchase
Forsters has acted for LXB Retail on its purchase of two further retail sites in Greenwich, SE10.
LXB has paid in excess of £21m for the sites which are adjacent to the Bugsby's Way Retail Park which LXB bought earlier this year. Forsters a... Forsters recruits five new lawyers to property team
Forsters has completed the recruitment of five new lawyers to its market leading property team.
Peter Selwyn and Ben Brayford, who both qualified in 2007 join Forsters after working at Mayer Brown and Denton Wilde Sapte respectively. Both have ... Emergency Budget 2010
Billed as "tough but fair", the Coalition’s first Budget sets out the first steps towards balancing the UK’s enormous structural deficit by 2016. The measures announced by the Chancellor were not as hard on private individuals as might have ... Forsters supports Bush Theatre
Forsters is delighted to announce its sponsorship of London's Bush Theatre at its Art Antiques London First Night Party today.
For nearly forty years, The Bush Theatre has pursued its vision of "risk,discovery and entertainme... Forsters supports Centrepoint's award winning garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Forsters-sponsored garden presented by the homeless charity Centrepoint won a Bronze Lindley award last week for exhibits of special scientific or educational interest. The garden demonstrated how superfoo... Forsters' leasehold enfranchisement team highly commended in News on the Block awards
Forsters has been highly commended in the category London Solicitors of the Year in the News on the Block awards.
The News on the Block awards highlight excellence and professionalism amongst enfranchisement and right to manage pro... Forsters supports Centrepoint's garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Forsters is sponsoring the garden presented by the leading homeless charity Centrepoint at RHS Chelsea Flower Show from 25-29 May 2010. The garden demonstrates how superfoods are vital for healing and health, and will showcase the work c... Forsters acts on sale of 98 Kensington High Street
Forsters has acted for longstanding client, The Trustees of The Phillimore Kensington Estate, on the sale of 98 Kensington High Street for £3.65m reflecting a net initial yield of 3.99%. This followed the acquisition of an int... Forsters succeeds in landmark Court of Appeal ruling
Forsters' Natasha Rees has succeeded in winning a landmark decision relating to the assessment of rent under the Housing Act 1988.
On 27 April 2010 the Court of Appeal gave judgment in an appeal brought by a tenant against a d... Forsters acts on Next letting
Forsters has acted for longstanding client Moorfield on its letting of 22,000 sq ft of shop space to fashion retailer Next.
Next is to open a store in Moorfield’s Cornmill Shopping Centre in Darlington at 12-16 Northgate. The Northgate space was ... Forsters acts on Mirabaud relocation to Grosvenor Place
Howard Gill, Head of Commercial Property at Forsters LLP, acted for longstanding client, stockbroker Mirabaud Pereire Holdings Limited, which has taken an assignment of a lease from Capital International Limited of 29,350 sq ft at 33 Grosvenor Pla... Four new partners for Forsters
Forsters today announces the appointment of four new partners with effect from 1 April. This brings the total number of partners at Forsters to 41.
Commenting on these appointments, Forsters’ Managing Partner Paul Roberts said:
“These appoin... Budget 2010
On Wednesday 24th March Alistair Darling made his Budget speech to the House. Despite incorporating an amusing reference to Belize, it was a low-impact event with core tax rates changing very little. Contrary to some of the more pessimistic predic... Charities - Budget News
In his Budget on 24 March, the Chancellor announced important extensions to charity tax relief. Following the European Court of Justice decision in the case of Persche –v- Finanzamt Lüdenscheid, a change in UK law regarding the tax treatment... Real Estate - Budget News
The Spring Budget 2010 was perhaps not as revolutionary as some people had anticipated. The Budget Deficit has not been plugged by either a 3% income tax hike or a dramatic increase in VAT up to either 21% or 25% or other politically damaging meas... Forsters Real Estate Group at MIPIM 2010
Forsters will be fielding a team of five Real Estate partners at MIPIM 2010 who can be contacted on the following numbers:
Tuesday 16 March - Friday 19 March
Matthew Swainston +44 (0) 7901 940579
Andrew Crabbie +... Forsters acts for LXB Retail on debut purchase
Forsters has acted for AIM listed LXB Retail on its first acquisition.
The group, which floated in October last year with an initial offering of £110m, has purchased the long leasehold interest of two existing retail assets and a develo... Forsters acts on relocation for major world financial group
The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities International plc have completed leases for 20.5 years under their pre-letting agreement signed in April 2009 comprising in total 181,360 sq ft of accommodation across nine ... Forsters completes sale of 25 Hanover Square
Forsters has completed the sale of landmark building 25 Hanover Square, London W1 on behalf of a longstanding private investor client via a share sale. The sale was to a foreign investment company.The prestigious 25 Hanover Square property compris... Forsters acts on £275m shopping centre development for Realis Estates
Realis Estates signs development agreement with Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Forsters has achieved a milestone for its longstanding client Realis Estates with the negotiation and signature of a development agreement paving the way for the regenera... Forsters acts on redevelopment and restoration of central London's landmark Hippodrome
Forsters has acted for the freeholder of London's historic Hippodrome in relation to a development agreement for the £20m plus refurbishment of the Grade II listed building. One of the West End's most popular landm... 2009Season's Greetings from all at Forsters
Christmas and New Year office opening
The offices will be closed on Thursday 24 December (Christmas Eve) and will reopen after the Christmas holiday on Tuesday 29 December.
The office will be closed on New Year's Day. The Pre-Budget Report 2009
Personal Taxation
Overview
Despite widespread speculation about an increased capital gains tax rate and the abolition of inheritance tax reliefs, the main change that will immediately affect some private clients, albeit indirectly, is the... Forsters achieves Carbon Neutral status
Forsters is delighted to announce that it has just achieved carbon neutral status. This was done with the help of the Carbon Neutral Company, who helped us measure our carbon footprint and source a project in the developing world to offset em... Forsters' lawyers honoured in Citywealth awards
Citywealth Magazine has ranked seven Forsters' lawyers as leaders in their field.
In the category of private wealth lawyers, Carole Cook, Patrick Harney, Charles Pike and David Robinson were all awarded "honours". Whilst Ann North... Forsters rings up three retail sales worth £56m
Forsters has completed three significant retail sales for long-term client Invista Real Estate Investment Management, and funds under its management owned by Clerical Medical. The properties in Nottingham, Tonbridge and Leicester were sold f... Team Forsters at Centrepoint Sleep Out
On the evening of Thursday 12 November, Team Forsters (Glenn Dunn, Martin Halling, Simon Ralphs and Vicki Towers) took part in the Centrepoint Sleep Out at Spitalfields Old Market.Recounting the experience, commercial property partn... What the directories say
Chambers UK - A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession 2010 Edition
Forsters has once again been very highly rated by Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession in its 2010 edition, with 15 of its lawyers ranked as leading individuals.&nbs... Forsters completes double acquisition for ICL Pension Trust
Forsters has completed two acquisitions on behalf of new client ICL Pension Trust Limited; a retail warehouse park in Bicester and several light industrial and wholesale warehouses in Harlow with a total value of circa £18m. These are the first pr... Soho House appoints Forsters for property work on expanding porfolio of hotels and restaurants
Soho House, the high profile group of upmarket members clubs, hotels and restaurants, has appointed Forsters to act on a number of matters relating to its growing property portfolio. The Soho House group is expanding rapidly in the UK, Europe and ... Forsters acts on record retail letting to Barclays on Kensington High Street
Forsters has acted for its long-standing client, the Trustees of the Phillimore Kensington Estate, on the grant of a new lease to Barclays Bank PLC at Hornton Court on Kensington High Street. The rent of £560,000 per year – an equivalent to £252... Forsters acts on sale of Centrum Park Cheltenham
Forsters has advised longstanding client Invista on the sale of Centrum Park, Cheltenham to Threadneedle Property Investments Limited for £26.7m. The retail park is anchored by Homebase and several other occupiers including Kentucky Fr... Forsters completes £50m of retail purchases for British Airways Pension Fund
Forsters has completed two retail park acquisitions in Oxford and Guildford for the British Airways Pension Fund, with a total value of more than £50 million.
In the first deal BA Pensions purchased the Seacourt Retail Park in Oxford from Hammers... Forsters acts for Canmoor on £103.75m joint venture with Harbert
Forsters has acted for Canmoor Asset Management on its joint venture with US fund manager Harbert that resulted in the acquisition of four industrial estates from Segro for £103.75m.
Under the terms of the joint venture Canmoor will hand... Sarah Rushton shortlisted for British Legal Awards assistant solicitor of the year award
Forsters' Head of Employment Sarah Rushton has been shortlisted for The British Legal Awards prestigious assistant solicitor of the year award, to be announced at a ceremony on 3 December 2009 at Old Billingsgate Market.
The judg... Forsters scoops three Private Client Practitioner awards
Forsters' Harriet Atkinson, Rupert Mead and Carol Teale have all been named as leading private client professionals in Private Client Practitioner's "Top 35 under 35" survey. The aim of Private Client Practitioner's inaugural Top 35... Forsters strengthens tax group with partner appointment.
New partner will head Corporate and Property Tax Team
Elizabeth Small joins Forsters today as a partner specialising in real estate and corporate tax. Elizabeth, previously a tax partner at Halliwells, becomes Forsters’ 37th partner. She joins th... Forsters' trainee scoops five awards!
Forsters' trainee Katherine Elkers, who joined the firm this month, is celebrating a record number of five prizes awarded by The College of Law, York for the Legal Practice Course this year. This is the first time that one trainee has won so... What the directories say - The Legal 500 - The Clients' Guide to the UK Legal Profession 2009
Forsters has once again been highly rated by the Legal 500, with several partners mentioned as "leading individuals" in their specialist areas.
Commenting on the firm's overall performance, the Legal 500 says that:
"With 33 partners based in its... Forsters continues growth of private client group with appointment of new partner
Appointment strengthens Forsters’ offshore tax and trust team
Kelly Noel-Smith joins Forsters today as a partner in the offshore tax and trust team, which has seen rapid growth in the last two years under partners Carole Cook and Patrick Harney... Forsters partner leaves to join client
Corporate lawyer Craig Eadie joins Forsters' client PCP Capital Partners on a full time basis from 1 September 2009, retiring as a partner from Forsters.
As one of its founding partners, Craig joined Forsters in 1998 and was head of ... 15 Forsters' lawyers selected as leaders in their field for Chambers UK Directory 2010 edition
A total of 15 Forsters' lawyers have been selected by Chambers to appear in the next, 2010, edition of Chambers UK - A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession as leaders in their respective fields. They are:
Sarah Cook - ConstructionMichael Cun... Forsters builds on sustainability policies
Forsters has launched its sustainability strategy designed to reduce the firm's "carbon footprint". The strategy, which acknowledges the firm's responsibilities to reduce its use of natural resources and promote sustainable working practices, defi... Forsters announces completion of team move from Withers
Forsters is pleased to announce that Andrew Lane and Craigie Pearson become partners on 30 June. Their arrival completes the move of four partners who left Withers in 2008. The other two, Penny Elliott and Catherine Hill joined in August 200... Media in the Family Courts
As of 27 April 2009 the rules relating to media attendance at family hearings in the County Court and High Court changed to allow accredited members of the press and other people permitted by the Court to attend these hearings. These new rules rel... Forsters' partners stand out in Citywealth Awards.
At the recent awards ceremony held by Citywealth Magazine five Forsters' partners were singled out as leading lawyers in their fields.
In the category of leading private wealth lawyers Carole Cook, Patrick Harney and Charles Pike were all ... Forsters wins National Theatre appointment
Forsters has been appointed as legal adviser to the National Theatre in relation to their master plan for the development of the NT site over the next four years. The appointment took effect on 18 May 2009. This is the first time that Forsters has... Forsters sells £37.5m retail parks for Invista
Portfolio sale to PHF Investments Limited
Forsters has acted for clients of Invista Real Estate Management on the sale of portfolio of retail parks to PHF Investments Limited for £37.5 million. Clerical Medical and Halifax Life sold the Flare Por... Natasha Rees shortlisted for "The Lawyer" partner of the year award
The Lawyer has shortlisted Leasehold Enfranchisement partner, Natasha Rees, for its prestigious Partner of the Year award, to be announced at a ceremony on Tuesday 23 June at The Grosvenor House Hotel.
The judging criteria f... Budget 2009
The Chancellor presented the 2009 Budget on Wednesday, 22 April. It contained several welcome measures, including a change to the "substantial donors" rules regarding gifts to charities and also an extension of the scope of agricultural prop... Catherine Hill becomes Private Client Partner at Forsters
Private Client and Landed Estates specialist Catherine Hill becomes a partner of Forsters on 31 March.
Catherine was formerly a partner at Withers. Catherine specialises in advising UK landowning families on succession and tax planni... Penny Elliott speaks at Landed Estates conference
Forsters' Landed Estates partner Penny Elliott is speaking at Lexis Nexis' /Tolley's conference on "Tax Planning for Landed Estates" to be held in London on 30 April and in Leeds on 7 May.
Penny, who is recognised as a leader in ... Forsters acts on landmark Freedom of Information Act case
The House of Lords has today handed down opinions in the latest stage of Steven Sugar’s action against the BBC for disclosure of the Balen Report on its Middle East coverage.
In the first case on the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the &nb... Forsters acts for Clerical Medical on £50m property transfer to new fund
Forsters has acted on the transfer of property owned by Clerical Medical as part of its initial injection of £50 million into a new fund to be established by HBOS and managed by Invista Real Estate Investment Management. Forsters will continue to ... Private Client lawyer wins STEP President's prize
Harriet Atkinson, a solicitor in Forsters’ private client team, has been awarded the ‘STEP President’s Prize, Qualified Practitioner Student of the Year’ for her Taxation Thesis paper taken in 2008. The award is a major achievement and is on... Forsters wins two new bank panel appointments
Forsters have recently been appointed to the panel of two banks, namely AIB Group (UK) plc and Lloyds TSB Bank plc (large corporate (property finance) panel).
This strengthens Forsters’ increasing lender practice with the firm acting for Ulster B... Forsters - Lancasters
Welcome to billionaires’ row
The Candy brothers’ One Hyde Park was London’s ultimate super-prime project — but now it has an equally swanky rival. We get a sneak preview
The Lancasters - a sneak preview
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