Cutting to the chase on the revised Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regime
31 March 2023
Podcasts and videos
Returning to the familiar ground of sustainability in commercial real estate, podcast host Miri Stickland chats with Senior Associate Ed Glass and Senior Knowledge Development Lawyer Louise Irvine about forthcoming energy efficiency regulatory changes taking effect on 1 April 2023.
We discuss the impact of the changes to the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regime, the key issues landlords, buyers and sellers need to be aware of to avoid acting unlawfully and how landlords can best future-proof their leases.
Forsters records biggest promotion round with 13 new Partner and Counsel appointments
31 March 2023
News
Forsters, the leading real estate and private wealth law firm, has announced its most significant promotion round since the firm was established in 1998, promoting seven Senior Associates and Counsel to Partner and six Senior Associates to Counsel.
The firm continues to go from strength to strength, including being top ranked in both the leading legal directories for its key practice areas. The firm is building an enviable reputation as the go-to advisors for both international and domestic high net worth and ultra high net worth clients.
Forsters is well known for its collaborative and supportive culture and its commitment to embedding ESG as a core feature of its business. The firm is also noted for its dual female leadership team, demonstrating its long-term approach to inclusivity. The partnership is now 52% female, putting the firm in the top sphere of the UK legal market for gender balance.
Emily Exton, Managing Partner at Forsters, commented: “In our 25th anniversary year, I am incredibly proud to welcome seven new partners to the firm and to see a further six people added to our Counsel cohort.”
“These promotions are part of the creation of a next generation at Forsters and a new phase for the firm. All are talented individuals who bring their individual strengths to our business which provides them with a strong and supportive platform from which they can continue to flourish in their careers. This is an exciting time for the business as we head towards our move to Marylebone at the end of the year.”
The firm now boasts 69 partners and over 450 members of staff.
Joe Beeston (Employment)“I am thrilled with my elevation to the partnership at Forsters. Having joined the firm just over four years’ ago, I knew this was the place I wanted to call home and develop my career. As the lead Partner heading up our Employment and HR practice, I look forward to continuing to grow our all-service offering and advising clients as they navigate the ever-changing challenges that they may face as an employer, business owner or UHNW individual.”
Dickon Ceadel (Family)“I am delighted to have been promoted to Partner at Forsters. Since I joined the firm just over six years ago, the Family team has grown significantly and has won numerous accolades, including Family Law team of the Year – London (twice). I look forward to continuing to support and provide strategic advice to high net worth clients as a Partner across a range of issues, including divorce and separation, financial claims, pre – and post – nuptial agreements, cohabitation disputes, and arrangements for children.”
Charlotte Evans-Tipping (Private Wealth)“I am delighted to join the partnership at Forsters. My promotion within our top ranked Private Client team reflects the market leading offering we have for international private clients. My focus will continue to be the development of our Middle East practice and I am excited to be part of our ongoing success.”
Hannah Mantle (Contentious Trusts and Estates)“I am proud to join the partnership within Forster’s highly regarded Contentious Trusts and Estates team. The CTE practice and the wider Private Wealth group continue to flourish, and I look forward to working with new and existing clients to resolve disputes across the areas of trusts, probate and capacity. As a Partner, I am excited to work with Roberta Harvey to further develop the team’s practice, and to continue to provide the high-level service and experience for which we are known.”
Polly Montoneri (Rural Land and Business)“I am incredibly proud to be moving to this next phase of my career with the support of such an excellent team around me. Our top ranked Rural Property practice provides a strong platform for this to happen. This promotion reflects the growth of the Forsters Rural Land and Business team in a demanding and fast moving area of law. My focus will be to continue to build our expertise on complex areas of law such as renewable energy and high value estate transactions.”
Peter Selwyn (Commercia Real Estate)“My promotion to Partner is a significant moment in my career having spent 12 years at Forsters working with our key real estate fund clients as well as supporting the development of our leading Central London estates and Livery companies practice. With the support of the team and our specialist experts in Planning, Property Litigation and Construction I look forward to continuing to build our reputation in both sectors so that we can advise clients as they seek to enhance the value of their real estate assets.”
Counsel
Helen Bravery (Banking and Finance)“I am delighted to have been promoted to Counsel, despite having only been at Forsters for a relatively short period of time. I’m proud to continue my development with a firm that encourages and champions women and provides so many role models at senior levels. I am excited to further contribute to my excellent team and the firm as a whole and to promote the Banking and Finance team’s profile more widely. I look forward to continuing advising our clients on complex and high value finance transactions, with a particular focus on real estate finance across a variety of sectors and asset classes including hotels, warehouses, offices and residential developments.”
Daniel Bryan (Corporate)“I am excited to be taking the next step in my career as the first Counsel in Forsters’ corporate team. As Counsel, while I will continue working across the wide range of sectors that our clients operate in, I will be further growing the technology related work that Forsters carries out with entrepreneurs and investors, advising businesses and their owners through the full life cycle of a business.”
Robert Keylock (Private Wealth)“With its pre-eminent Private Wealth and Landed Estates practices I am excited to begin this new phase of my career at Forsters. As Counsel in the Private Wealth team, I will continue to advise on UK-focused tax, trust and probate matters, and in particular to act for families and trustees with agricultural interests and the owners of traditional landed estates. Forsters has always been, and continues to be, steadfastly committed to these sectors, and I look forward to contributing to the team’s success.”
Owen Spencer (Commercial Real Estate)“I am excited to be promoted to Counsel within Forsters’ highly regarded Occupiers team where I will work alongside Glenn Dunn to build on our continued success. I’m passionate about helping corporate occupiers secure their new premises and look forward to working with our clients on making their space work for their business.”
Richard Spring (Construction)“My promotion to Counsel is in recognition of the ongoing success of our outstanding Construction practice, and I am proud to be part of this formidable team. I will be using my new platform to continue to build and develop our expert construction offering and supporting our top ranked Commercial Real Estate team. My focus is on the delivery of non-contentious and strategic advice, which will include guiding clients through a number of key upcoming legislative changes. Working with the Partners, we will ensure our team continues to deliver a first-class service.”
Lucy Zaremba (Property Litigation)“I am delighted to have been promoted to Counsel in our award-winning Property Litigation team. This promotion reflects the strength and growth of our residential property litigation offering and I look forward to working with the Partners to develop the team further. My expertise in all areas of residential property litigation, including enfranchisement, are key areas for the firm and my promotion shows the firm’s commitment to providing our clients a first-class service in these areas.”
In this episode, Charles Cochrane of Cochrane Adams Fine Art Agents and Jo Thompson, part of the Art & Cultural Property team at Forsters, joined host Robert Linden Laird Craig to talk about the, often very subjective, features of the art market. In particular, the discussion covered how buyers can approach becoming successful collectors in the face of pressure from the many people and organisations, all with very different objectives, vying for attention.
You can get in touch with Charles for help starting your journey as an art collector by visiting the Cochrane Adams website. To read Jo’s comprehensive guide to owning art that she put together with Sotheby’s, follow the link here.
Industry warns of development delays for Infrastructure Levy – Victoria Du Croz speaks to Property Week
27 March 2023
Views
Partner and Head of Planning, Victoria Du Croz, has spoken to Property Week about the government’s proposed new Infrastructure Levy, the consultation for which launched last week, and the likelihood of it causing delays to future developments.
Designed to replace section 106 contributions and obligate developers to pay a fairer share towards local infrastructure, the levy will give local councils the power to dictate what proportion of it is delivered through affordable housing developments and how much is put toward local infrastructure.
The proposed changes would be introduced through a 10-year ‘test and learn’ period, regarding which Du Croz said that “[it] doesn’t give developers certainty on how the new Levy will work in practice”.
“This could lead to delays in sites coming forward while any teething problems are fixed – It would be better if government spent time getting the new regulations right, rather than rushing them through and looking to address any issues during the transition period.”
The consultation is due to conclude on 9 June 2023.
This article was first published in Property Week on 24 March 2023 and is available to read in full here, behind their paywall.
As the largest specialist team dedicated to Residential Property in London, our lawyers can provide an unrivalled level of service to clients. To learn more about our lawyers, and the services they can provide for you, please visit our luxury property hub.
Forsters was named ‘Best Law Firm for Peer Support’ by Legal Cheek at their award ceremony last night.
The Legal Cheek Awards are held annually to celebrate the law firms providing the best training opportunities and experiences and are based on the Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior lawyers Survey 2022-2023 of over 2,000 trainees and junior lawyers at nearly 100 of the leading UK-based law firms.
Second year trainees Sonny Stewart and Zoe Oliver represented the firm at the event.
Zoe said “Sonny and I were delighted to attend the Legal Cheek awards on behalf of the firm. It was a great evening and we are incredibly proud that Forsters were recognised for its excellent peer support.”
Emily Holdstock, Construction Partner and Forsters’ Graduate Recruitment Partner, said “We are delighted to have won the Legal Cheek Award for Peer Support, which is a reflection of our core values of supporting everyone to achieve, collaborating for excellence and taking the happiness of our people seriously.”
It is a challenging time for hotels, research from CGA and AlixPartners, notes that in the UK there were 197 less hotels in December 2022 than in December 2021. Across all of hospitality, there were 1,611 less outlets by year end.
This had been noted in a letter from UKHospitality, a representative group for the hospitality industry, which counts 740 members and speaks on behalf 125 hotels and accommodation offerings, to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. This letter was jointly written with the British Institute of Innkeeping, the British Beer & Pub Association and Hospitality Ulster. The letter highlighted that 1 in 3 of these group’s members were at risk of business failure in the next 12 months and chief amongst their concerns were energy costs. They asked for increased OFGEM enforcement and to allow renegotiation of energy contracts agreed during 2022.
Some of these concerns have now been carried through in a submission, made by UKHospitality, to the government in advance of the 2023 Budget on 15 March.
Their submission calls for:
A new lower business rates multiplier,
Minor, short term immigration reforms, to counter labour shortage,
Introduce a temporary, reduced rate of VAT,
Reform the Apprenticeship Levy, and
Directing OFGEM to intervene in the non-domestic energy market and instruct suppliers to
renegotiate inflated contracts.
Currently, if an apprentice earns less than £50,270 a year and is under 25 years old, then their employer may not need to pay National Insurance contributions. The submission calls for reductions to National Insurance contributions to be extended to those over the age of 25, which, it is hoped, would lessen the cost of employment in the industry.
The Chief Executive of UKHospitality, Kate Nicholls, has stated,
“It’s a red-letter day for hospitality and one that we hope will begin to tackle the three root causes of price inflation in our industry: energy, recruitment and taxes.”
Additionally, UKHospitality has coordinated an open letter to the government, signed by 155 hospitality businesses. Signatories include; Hilton UK & Ireland, Hyatt International, JD Wetherspoon, Edinburgh Hotel Association and the Savoy.
The letter, which echoes much of the content of the submission, posits that the hospitality industry “can deliver growth, drive down inflation and contribute towards deficit reduction by delivering investment and economic activity”.
The letter asks for government facilitation of investment in people, places and growth. It notes that regeneration across the country can be achieved by licensing and planning reform and that unnecessary red tape which hinders the industry should be removed. In preventing business failure and boosting employment investment in the industry is a potential counteraction to current inflation.
In April, corporation tax will rise from 19% to 25%. Additionally, the super deduction, which allows companies to claim 130% capital allowance on plant and machinery, will finish in March after 2 years of operation. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) which represents 190,000 businesses, has described these two events as a double whammy for businesses.
The CBI notes that with the super-deduction, the UK has the 5th most competitive capital investment incentives in the OECD. Without it, the UK falls to 30th, out of 38. The CBI have advocated for an offset to this rise in corporation tax with the implementation of a permanent investment deduction of 100%.
The CBI President, Brian McBride stating:
“With all eyes on the Spring Budget, my sense is that pragmatic business leaders will only wear that hike in Corporation Tax rise if the other sums add up. Without an incentive alongside, then April will just see a damaging hit to UK competitiveness.”
Though opinion is that this Budget may be a placeholder with little reform, the hotel industry is most probably hopeful but concerned.
To celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023, Forsters is delighted to be releasing a series of Q&As with some of our partners and employees who go above and beyond to champion equity across our business.
We hope they will provide an insight into what drives those individuals who are really pushing the equity agenda forward.
Emily Exton is the Managing Partner here at Forsters. Emily was Head of the firm’s Dispute Resolution group between 2015-2020, before being appointed to Managing Partner in February 2020. Read more about Emily here:
1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a 54 year old woman lucky enough to be in good health and the Managing Partner of a fantastic law firm. I am married to Eugene and have two children, Olivia (24) and Tessa (21), young women I am extremely proud of.
2. How does this year’s theme of Embrace Equity resonate with you?
That equity is important seems obvious to me – we are all human beings and should be respected as such. That said, I think it is also important to embrace our diversity as humans – our differences are what makes life interesting and we have much to learn from each other.
3. Tell us about your most inspiring female role models (whether at Forsters, clients, or beyond).
I am fortunate to have two great role models in my personal life – my mother and a close family friend of her generation. Both are clever, strong and independent women as well as being great mothers (and now grandmothers). They have both been inspirational for me in their different ways.
4. What has been the highlight of your career?
I have two. The Forsters CTE team winning Contentious Trusts and Estates Team of the Year at the STEP Awards in 2019 and becoming Managing Partner in February 2020.
5. What has been your biggest career challenge(s)?
Helping to guide Forsters through the Covid-19 pandemic while a very new Managing Partner!
6. What is the best advice you have been given?
If you don’t look after yourself then you can’t look after anyone else.
7. What message would you send to young women today?
Work out who you are and what suits you in terms of career and then be prepared to commit time and energy to it in order to get the most out of it. While appreciating that having children is not something which is available to or desired by all, my message to those who do have children is that investing in a fulfilling career is worthwhile because one day the children will be adults living their own lives and you will still have plenty to give!
8. Have you seen progress in the area of gender equity, and equity generally, over the course of your career?
Yes. Whatever one thinks about the state of the world today, some things are definitely better!
9. What did you dream of doing when you were a child?
Occasionally Architecture but I didn’t really have a grand plan – I mostly just wanted to go to university. I am definitely not someone who always wanted to be a lawyer and I read PPE rather than Law. But as soon as I worked out that being a solicitor was what I wanted to do it felt so obvious – I enjoy people and problems!
10. What benefits do you feel working at a firm with a gender balanced partnership?
I feel that our culture has benefited enormously from its gender balance. Having a number of great female lawyers as founding partners really set the tone from the beginning and I think has been a big part of our commitment to inclusion – it has always been OK at Forsters to be juggling other commitments and interests with the working part of life as so many women do.
International Women’s Day 2023 – Anthony Goodmaker
7 March 2023
News
To celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023, Forsters is delighted to be releasing a series of Q&As with some of our partners and employees who go above and beyond to champion equity across our business.We hope they will provide an insight into what drives those individuals who are really pushing the equity agenda forward.
Anthony Goodmaker is a Partner in our Commercial Real Estate team and member of our Working Parents & Carers network. Anthony was the first male employee at Forsters to take shared parental leave in 2017, and did this again in 2019. Read more about Anthony below:
1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a partner in Forsters Commercial Real Estate team, having trained at the firm and have now been here for over 10 years. I am a member of our Working Parents and Carers group, and I am particularly passionate about the role that men play in supporting gender equality through taking on a bigger share of parental or caring responsibilities.
2. Tell us about your most inspiring female role models (whether at Forsters, clients, or beyond).
My wife. She has to deal with the all too common conundrum facing working parents with young kids (and particularly mothers) – how to be an engaged parent while meeting the demands of a busy job. Is it possible to do both without making huge sacrifices? Do financial considerations (such as the cost of childcare and living) mean that parents even have a choice about the direction of their careers, one way or the other? How can society better help women to have a family and a successful career (if that is what the individual wants)?
3. What do you think are the most effective steps men can take to help achieve gender equity in the workplace?
Embrace childcare and push employers for greater entitlement to paid parental leave for dads.
4. In what areas do you feel there is work to be done?I think there is a danger that mothers can feel pressure to both be a great parent and also achieve real, professional success (i.e. parent like they don’t have a job or work like they don’t have kids), or put their career first because of the idea that this is what being a progressive woman is all about. Society shouldn’t stigmatise people who drop out of professional services because they don’t want to have to balance a high-profile job with being a parent. Separately, too many men still see childcare as the mum’s main responsibility, which puts huge pressure on women. Time for men to grow up and share the role!
5. What benefits do you feel working at a firm with a gender balanced partnership?
Gender equality is not just about having an equal number of male and female partners, although this is a big step. What I find particularly inspiring at Forsters is that we promoted two female senior associates to partner in 2022 who have young children already, rather than following the more typical route of delaying having a family to make Partner first. That helps model an alternative pathway to promotion that might have previously been lacking.
6. Do you think of embracing equity at work, and pushing forward the equity agenda, falls equally on both genders? If not, what impact do you think this has on women?
My thoughts on this mainly concern equitable treatment around parenting. It’s so important that men support women having kids whenever they choose to do it. Don’t belittle the impact on someone’s career, and support people through this (as managers, and partners!). People must also be free to make these decisions without ridicule that has sometimes been part of workplaces – those snide jokes about having a second or third child etc. The impact of these comments should be understood and not minimised. 7. Are we doing enough to support women in the workplace?
I don’t see many, if any, female (or male!) lawyers at Forsters working a 3-day week or doing a job share arrangement. Perhaps just having a 50% female partnership and a low gender pay gap isn’t enough anymore, and we need to look at other inclusive and progressive ways to support our most talented female lawyers to juggle work and life after having children.
To celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023, Forsters is delighted to be releasing a series of Q&As with some of our partners and employees who go above and beyond to champion equity across our business.
We hope they will provide an insight into what drives those individuals who are really pushing the equity agenda forward.
Charles Miéville is a Partner in our Residential Property team and Joint Head of EDI at Forsters. Charles shares how his experience as a gay man led to his desire to be more involved in EDI efforts at Forsters, including supporting gender equality. Read more from Charles below:
1. How does this year’s theme of Embrace Equity resonate with you?
As a gay man, I can relate to the need for equality across all minority groups. That led to my desire to be more involved in the firm’s EDI efforts and I now head up EDI with my colleague Amy France.
People sometimes say that we don’t need any such initiatives, or that they on a personal level have “no issues” with minority groups. This misses the fact that they are often speaking from a position of privilege and are unaware of the prejudice and differing treatment minority groups often still experience. I recently attended a talk from a male transgender lawyer. It was fascinating to hear his experience of meetings as a man, compared to as a woman, and how even in the UK today he suddenly found he had a voice as a man in a professional environment where previously as a woman no one listened to his opinions. As there is severe injustice in the world at large in this regard, our need to campaign and support minority groups is not over and is ever more important.
2. Have you ever experienced being treated inequitably in your career? If so, how did you move forward from it?
I am lucky that I have not experienced inequitable treatment myself, but my experience of those who have has made me even more grateful and determined to work to eradicate inequality.
3. Tell us about your most inspiring female role models (whether at Forsters, clients, or beyond).
Any of the female partners who have risen to the top of their careers, whilst managing to raise a family. Historically (and not at Forsters) I have heard mention of women “stepping off the career ladder” to raise a family – this must always have been a concern for women raising families, the attitudes of fellow workers, and the often-heard sentiment that women returning to work would not necessarily be “as committed” to their jobs. I am pleased that the tide is turning (and in many organisations has turned) in this regard – you only have to look at all the wonderful women we have who are running our firm (and my department) – I would struggle to pick anyone in particular out for this!
4. What has been the highlight of your career?
Being taken on as a partner at Forsters (I wasn’t paid to say that!). I think that it can take time to find one’s natural calling, I have had a journey through commercial property into residential, and slowly and surely have found my footing.
5. What is the best advice you have been given?
This wasn’t advice, more of my own approach to life, which is follow your heart. Although I spent many happy years at a Magic Circle firm and worked on some amazing transactions with incredible people, my heart was not in it. I took a gamble on switching to the residential world (as well as an initial large pay cut!). I now really love coming into work, and the division between work/home life is more blurred, which I take as a sign that I love what I do. Without being big headed, that has led to my success in what I do now (and a little more money has followed). Health, family and happiness are the most important things we have. We only have one chance at life, so live it, don’t endure it!
6. What did you dream of doing when you were a child?
Being a lawyer – be careful what you wish for!
7. Do you think of embracing equity at work, and pushing forward the equity agenda, falls equally on both genders? If not, what impact do you think this has on women?
Definitely both – like any minority group, it is important to feel support from those not part of it, as much as needing to push the agenda themselves.
Bisnow UK Life Sciences Real Estate Annual Conference – 6 Key Takeaways
6 March 2023
News
On Thursday 2 March 2023 Construction Partner, Emily Holdstock, and Commercial Real Estate Partner, Anthony Goodmaker, attended the Bisnow UK Life Sciences Real Estate Annual Conference at the White City Innovation District.
The overwhelming message from the many industry-leading speakers was one of optimism and growth – here are their 6 takeaways from the event:
1. Exponential Growth
Whilst some predicted the boom of this sector a decade ago, the pandemic has no doubt accelerated the growth of Life Sciences as a key real estate asset class. 5 years ago there was next to no lab space in London. Now it is really starting to rival Oxford and Cambridge for dominance in the market. In truth, all three will prevail together as ageing populations and increased Government investment in healthcare drive the continued demand for Life Sciences real estate in the UK. And the shortage of current space remains chronic in spite of a significantly increased development pipeline for the coming years.
2. Know Your Occupiers
Whilst most startups and university research spin-offs just require a simple lab and small adjacent office space as a starter for 10, their needs can quickly change as investment funds pour in. The need for a more specialised and bespoke workspace can arise overnight and so being nimble and being in a position to provide a variety of facilities for a variety of tenants on the same campus is key to building long term relationships with occupiers.
3. Co-Location is Key
The life sciences ecosystem is crucial for companies in sharing infrastructure, facilities and knowledge. A single life sciences building without a surrounding cluster of chemists, biologists, biochemists, engineers, researchers, universities and hospitals may be less attractive to smaller start-ups who rely on the collaborative benefits that clustering brings. Innovation districts are not just a buzzword, but an operational need.
4. ESG Concerns
Life sciences buildings are intensive users of energy – up to 5 times more than a standard office. But unsurprisingly for a sector whose users lead the way in innovation and technology, things are starting to change as the push for increased digitisation and reduced reliance on gas will help keep the sector on track to meet Government sustainability requirements.
5. Live Work Play
The development of new Life Sciences clusters in the UK, particularly new facilities in the outskirts of Oxford and Cambridge, must be accompanied by sufficient provision of adequate housing, transport, healthcare, schools and nurseries. Young people are the main workforce for this sector and suitable 24/7 infrastructure is needed to ensure that key Life Sciences locations are attractive to them as a place to live, work and play.
6. Institutionalisation
Real estate must not become the blocker that restricts the output of this fast-paced sector. All the new space required to meet the growing demand must be high tech and complex, and the real estate sector needs to get its head round it quickly. Site and sector specific knowledge for owning and operating such highly complex assets means that while institutional capital wants to be in the sector, there are still real barriers to entry. Unlocking the full potential of institutional investment will be key to ensuring that that demand can be met sooner rather than later.
To celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023, Forsters is delighted to be releasing a series of Q&As with some of our partners and employees who go above and beyond to champion equity across our business.
We hope they will provide an insight into what drives those individuals who are really pushing the equity agenda forward.
Kelly Noel Smith is a Partner in one of our Private Wealth practices and Head of CSR. Read more about Kelly’s journey as a lawyer and reflections on gender equality below:
1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m an international private client lawyer and Head of CSR at Forsters.
2. How does this year’s theme of Embrace Equity resonate with you?
I love it. Differentiating ‘equity’ from ‘equality’ is a nuanced and brilliant way to acknowledge difference and to emphasise that each person should be seen as an individual with unique needs and abilities. There are echoes of Marx here, which take me back to political philosophy at university. And trust law is, of course, built on equity. Trusts was my favourite subject at law school and, thirty years later, trusts still form a large part of my practice area. So the ’embrace equity’ theme resonates with me in lots of positive ways.
3. Have you ever experienced being treated inequitably in your career? If so, how did you move forward from it?
In common with many others of my generation, I experienced blatant sexism early on in my career when it was much more difficult to take a stand. I suppose I moved forward positively by pledging to myself never to let people be treated in the same way when I reached a position of more power.
4. Tell us about your most inspiring female role models (whether at Forsters, clients, or beyond).
I was told in my show-round at Slaughter and May in the late 1980s not to expect partnership as Ruth Fox, the recently appointed first female partner, was an exception to the rule that women weren’t made partners. Rather than being put off (and I have to say that it was a second year articled clerk who told me this, not a partner), I was inspired: I thought that, if she can be exceptional enough to do it, so can I. Outside law, I think Camila Batmanghelidjh, the founder of Kids Company (for which I volunteered for 5 years in the 2000’s), is wonderful. The work the charity did with marginalised children in inner London was outstanding and, despite claims of her mismanagement of the charity itself, she was inspirational in her work to help extremely disadvantaged young people.
5. What has been the highlight of your career?
The work I’ve done as CSR partner, in particular, setting up Forsters’ Sustainability Board in 2020. I couldn’t have done any of it without the support of so many people at Forsters who give so much of their time to CSR and the positive engagement of our leadership team.
6. What has been your biggest career challenge(s)?
Trying (and often failing) to balance being a mother with work.
7. Tell us a bit about your journey to Forsters?
A legal career really wasn’t on the cards for me. I was expelled from school at 16 and obtained dismal A level results. I went to Paris, retook 2 A levels, came back to read philosophy at the University of York, worked in the Alps and then spent a year travelling in Asia. When I came back to the UK, I worked in a restaurant where someone asked me if I was going to be a waitress for the rest of my life. That comment pushed me to go to the York Careers Office who said that philosophy graduates weren’t really in demand and suggested law or accountancy. Law looked to be the least worst option so I applied to Guildford College of Law to do the CPE and then Solicitors Finals. I did articles at Slaughter and May and qualified into their trust department. That department closed in 1992 and I moved to Lawrence Graham. I joined Forsters as a partner in 2008.
8. What is the best advice you have been given?
I’m not very good at taking advice. I like taking soundings and learning through experience.
9. What message would you send to young women today?
Two messages (not advice!): you only get one go so try to be true to yourself; and, if it’s impossible for you to do alone what it takes to make it work for you, do reach out.
10. What do you think are the most effective steps men can take to help achieve gender equity in the workplace?
I think effective steps are those all of us should take, men and women, at whatever point of the career ladder we happen to be on. If we listen, reflect, support and value each other, we’ll create a workplace where equity can flourish and people will feel safe to either call out or report inequitable behaviour.
11. Have you seen progress in the area of gender equity, and equity generally, over the course of your career?
There’s been huge improvements in some areas but it’s important never to become complacent. Our EDI partners are working hard to ensure that our people represent all sections of society. This extends to our active involvement with the innovative Pathways to Law programme, a widening participation scheme which is equitably supporting state school students from backgrounds currently under-represented at university who are interested in a legal career.
12. What benefits do you feel working at a firm with a gender balanced partnership?
I’ve just thought this through and, in addition to our female senior partner and managing partner, the heads of more than half our practice areas are female, as are the heads of Human Resources, Business Development, Learning & Development and Operations. The benefits are difficult to define because I’m so used to the balanced environment. The key benefit for me, and I’m sure it’s shared, is something I think is an emergent quality of the gender balance: the sense of Forsters being driven by values, of things that matter. I like to think that we really do our best to embrace equity.
To celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023, Forsters is delighted to be releasing a series of Q&As with some of our partners and employees who go above and beyond to champion equity across our business.
We hope they will provide an insight into what drives those individuals who are really pushing the equity agenda forward.
Amy France is a Partner in our Commercial Real Estate team and Joint Head of EDI at Forsters. Amy shares her journey into law, balancing working and parenting and her thoughts on steps we can take to achieve greater equity in the workplace. Read more about Amy below:
1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a Partner in the Commercial Real Estate team at Forsters. I began my career at Forsters as a trainee back in 2008 and was promoted to Partner last year. Since then, I have been co-lead on EDI matters at the firm, alongside Charlie Mieville.
2. How does this year’s theme of Embrace Equity resonate with you?
Being a lawyer, I have a keen sense of justice and the concepts of fairness and impartiality are integral to this. There’s more that we can all do, though, to ensure that we are promoting equity in all areas of our lives, and particularly in the workplace. Which is why I think Embrace Equity is a great theme for this year’s IWD.
3. Have you ever experienced being treated inequitably in your career? If so, how did you move forward from it?
In all honesty, I can’t say that I’ve ever felt that I’ve been treated inequitably, however one part of my career which I found difficult was the period around going on maternity leave and then returning to work. Somewhat naively I hadn’t really thought about the impact that having a family would have on my career path. Inevitably, though, taking months away from the workplace on maternity leave and returning to my career on a part-time basis had an impact on my role and what I could achieve. I had to find my peace with the fact that career progression was just going to take me a little longer. I firmly believe, though, that life is a marathon and not a sprint.
4. Tell us about your most inspiring female role models (whether at Forsters, clients, or beyond).
At Forsters we are inundated with inspiring female role models – in fact there are too many to mention! Smita Edwards, our former senior partner, has always been an inspiration to me – we’ve worked together since I was a trainee and her support and belief in me has been invaluable. Natasha Rees and Emily Exton, our current Senior Partner and Managing Partner, are also wonderful examples of women being at the very top of the business and bringing their own personal styles to the role. And finally my mum is my most constant inspiring female role model – as a single parent she ploughed everything into ensuring her children had the best base on which to thrive in their adult lives, both personally and professionally.
5. What has been the highlight of your career?
Being made a Partner at Forsters last year has to be my career highlight. It was the culmination of many years of hard work and commitment, and I was incredibly proud to have achieved what had always been a dream when I started my career in law.
6. What has been your biggest career challenge(s)?
After I left university, I worked in politics for a few years and making the transition into law was my first career challenge. Applying for training contracts was the first time I’d experienced that kind of demanding and competitive recruitment process. I learned a lot from that and the various setbacks I had to overcome to secure a training contract. As I mentioned earlier, I think the other big career challenge for me has been having a family and how to juggle that with work.
7. What is the best advice you have been given?
“Be nice to everyone”- and “good enough is ok” – you don’t have to always strive for perfection.
8. What message would you send to young women today?
Believe in yourself and put yourself forward. I think women have a natural tendency to be self-deprecating, but we need to find our inner self-confidence and not hold ourselves back.
9. What do you think are the most effective steps men can take to help achieve gender equity in the workplace?
At Forsters we have lots of men who have taken or are in the process of taking parental leave, and we have lots of committed fathers who want to ensure that they take an active role in parenting their children. This is a brilliant way of achieving gender equity in the workplace – when men and women are seen as equal parents and the same societal expectations are placed on them, this breaks down the inequality which can arise between men and women where women traditionally have taken the larger share of this burden.
10. Have you seen progress in the area of gender equity, and equity generally, over the course of your career?
Possibly I’ve just ended up in very gender equal organisations and companies, but I feel like even back when I started out in my career the fact that I was a woman would never have held me back. In terms of equity generally, I think we are seeing some real progress but there’s still work to be done. In the legal profession I think we can find that certain groups are not so well represented. As co- lead on EDI I am trying to ensure that here at Forsters we work on ensuring that we are attracting as diverse a workforce as possible, and once here we work hard to retain that diversity by engendering an open, inclusive and respectful workplace.
11. In what areas do you feel there is work to be done?
I think there is work to be done in terms of racial diversity within our workforce and also social mobility. I also think there is work to be done in relation to ensuring those with disabilities have the same opportunities as those without disabilities. In general, I think we should all be working towards being more curious about others, and therefore more attuned to what makes us different but also what binds us together as members of the human race. Approaching everyone with kindness and respect also goes a long way.
How to avoid double taxation and UK inheritance tax? Xavier Nicholas answers reader question in the FT
1 March 2023
Views
Head of Private Client, Xavier Nicholas, answers a reader in the Financial Times who asked how, as US citizens moving to the UK, he and his family could avoid the traps of double taxation and manage exposure to UK inheritance tax.
In his reply, Xavier explains the importance of getting advice before moving, highlights the impact of US worldwide taxation, and draws attention to some of the potential mismatches between the US and UK tax regimes.
The question and answer are available to view here (behind a paywall).
James Brockhurst publication ‘Cryptoassets for Private Clients: A Practitioner’s Guide’ named Book of the Month at Wildy & Sons
1 March 2023
News
Private Wealth Partner, James Brockhurst, has published his book entitled ‘Cryptoassets for Private Clients: A Practitioner’s Guide’. Butterworths are the publisher.
This practical and authoritative text is aimed at legal practitioners in the UK and other common law jurisdictions and covers the issues of cryptoassets and blockchain technology.
James has channelled his years of practice in cryptoassets and both UK and international trusts and tax into the guide which includes, over the course of ten detailed chapters:
A primer on cryptoassets and blockchain technology
In-depth coverage of the primary structures and forms of cryptoassets and their legal status
Practical chapters on smart contracts, Non-Fungible Tokens and Decentralised Finance
Insights on the practice of cryptoassets as they relate to trusts, estate planning, probate, and wills
Analysis of complex legal issues around cryptoassets, including tax considerations and private client regulation
The book also includes contributions from Alex Tamosius, Rory Carter and Zahava Rosenthal. The forward is by the Rt Hon Lord Neuberger, former President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
Cryptoassets for Private Clients: A Practitioner’s Guide is currently listed as ‘Book of the Month’ on Wildy & Sons Ltd and can be ordered here.
Sharing the Load – Andrew Parker speaks to Construction News
1 March 2023
Views
Construction Partner, Andrew Parker, has been quoted heavily in Construction News‘ James Wilmore’s latest piece on the role of collaborative risk-sharing in preserving the resilience and capacity of the construction industry in times to come.
Risk-sharing, in the Construction Leadership Council’s (CLC) words, is vital due to a “sustained, high level of construction firm insolvencies, particularly among SME builders and specialist contractors.” Among the culprits for these collapses are “economic uncertainty and the difficulty of reconciling fixed-priced contracts with price inflation and reduced cashflow.”
This, along with expectations of recession and poor demand conditions, as well as inflationary pressures, means confidence in the sector is contracting.
In this context, then, risk-sharing could perhaps be under threat, and so Wilmore’s article explores the kinds of risk-sharing that are already happening and if they are sustainable.
Parker is consistently quoted throughout the piece on factors such as “fluctuation clauses” (enabling clients to take a “pragmatic approach” to their supply chain), a need for “more collaboration” in the face of inflationary and pricing issues, and how despite the various pressures, “if you’re a big strong contractor, you’re becoming bigger and stronger in this market.”
To celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2023, Forsters is delighted to be releasing a series of Q&As with some of our partners and employees who go above and beyond to champion equity across our business.
We hope they will provide an insight into what drives those individuals who are really pushing the equity agenda forward.
Our first Q&A in the series is with Maxine Hinds, our IT Service Desk Manager. Maxine shares her experience of working in a male dominated industry as a woman and how she has overcome inequity in the workplace:
1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a mother of three and grandmother of six. I love to cook and see people happy when eating the dishes I’ve made. I can be adventurous; I have abseiled off London buildings, climbed Mount Toubkal in Morocco, Nordic ice fishing and husky sledging. I have even been a contestant on a TV cooking show, needless to say I didn’t win as I’m answering this question. I’m a good listener. I love going to the theatre and to concerts; the London O2 is my spiritual home and I need private box now! I’m always smiling.
2. How does this year’s theme of Embrace Equity resonate with you?
It resonates because if we all work together, we can make a positive change, embrace each other and see each other as one. Out of many – One People
3. Have you ever experienced being treated inequitably in your career? If so, how did you move forward from it?
A male manager told me to listen to him, because practically he knew best, and my opinion and experience didn’t matter to him. I knew what I knew, and that the proof would be by showing him what I knew and how my experience has helped me to achieve where I am today. I decided not to shout and throw the toys out of the pram because that wasn’t going to change his view with words, and by retaliating I would be seen as the aggressor and not him.
4. Tell us about your most inspiring female role models (whether at Forsters, clients, or beyond).
Maya Angelou and my grandmother both faced a life of adversity, racism, and prejudice but they never gave up achieving their goals and taught others that they too can do it!
5. What has been the highlight of your career?
During my management career winning an industry award along with my team for the services we offered to the business. It is nice to be recognised for the work you do to support others.
6. What is the best advice you have been given?
Do the best you can until you know better, and then when you know better do better!
7. What message would you send to young women today?
To never give up, always look within, do better, be better. Treat everyone with respect and integrity. Many have come before you to pave the way so don’t waste the opportunities now given to you – you’ve got this.
8. What do you think are the most effective steps men can take to help achieve gender equity in the workplace?
Listen, understand, empathise and if something isn’t right call it out, speak up. Just because that’s how it has always been, if it is wrong break the cycle, be a leader.
9. Have you seen progress in gender equity, and equity generally, over the course of your career?
Yes, IT is a very male dominated environment. Heads of, or CIO are mainly men but of late, women are breaking through the glass ceiling and they too are now leaders and sometimes of teams consisting of only men, especially the Technical Manager roles in the industry. In my first management role, I had a team of 15 men and as people moved on within the team or left, we noticed more applications from females and the team dynamics started to change. More women are working within the IT industry across all roles.
10. What is your biggest hope for the future in the field of gender equity?
We all work together to make the change. Everyone can play their part and work together to embrace inclusion, unity, and harmony.
11. What benefits do you feel working at a firm with a gender balanced partnership?
That everyone can succeed. You have inspiration, you will see yourself in others, and can succeed.
12. Do you think of embracing equity at work, and pushing forward the equity agenda, falls equally on both genders? If not, what impact do you think this has on women?
Yes, it falls to both genders to make it work, to share and teach others. Be a leader. Everyone must be working together to achieve the same goal.
