Listen to our Instant Insights – 2024 Autumn Budget

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Listen to our quick explainers for a straightforward breakdown of some of the finer details from the Chancellor’s 2024 Autumn Budget. Our lawyers deliver bite-sized insights in under three minutes, covering the practical, need-to-know issues including:

SDLT surcharge for second homes

Tax Partner, Elizabeth Small explains the change to SDLT Tax rates for second homes and what happens if a contract was exchanged on or before 31 October 2024:

Barely a Budget ever goes by these days without there being a change to SDLT tax rates and the Autumn 2024 Budget saw no change there. This time the target was not the non-resident SDLT, which had been mentioned in the Labour Party manifesto, but instead the higher rates for additional dwellings, sometimes called the surcharge for second homes.

These rates, with effect from the 31st of October 2024 have now gone up by a further 2%, i.e. from 3% to 5%. This means that taking into account the NRSDLT rate of 2%, that one is now at a top SDLT rate on the most expensive properties of 19%, very close in my mind to the 20% current VAT rate.

If a contract was exchanged on or before the 31st of October 2024, it will be possible to argue that the contract is still only subject to the 3% rate and not the 5% increased rate, but in order to do that, it is absolutely vital that the contract must not be, to use a colloquialism, messed with. In other words, you mustn’t vary that contract, or assign the rights under that contract, and you mustn’t sub-sale the contract, or in any other way make it such that somebody other than the original purchaser becomes entitled to call for a conveyance.

As long as you stay outside those rules, it should be possible for your old contract to be grandfathered and protected from these new rates. Going forwards, whenever you’re looking at a pre 31st of October 2024 contract, it’s going to be very important to understand that this contract has not been altered, varied or subsold.

CGT and concerns over anti-avoidance provisions

Tax Partner, Elizabeth Small explains the changes to CGT rates and the uncertainty facing those that exchanged contracts on or close to Budget day.

The Autumn Budget 2024 was eagerly anticipated. There were great concerns that there’d be a number of very significant tax changes. One of the prevalent rumours was that CGT rates might be upped from their current 10% and 20% up to the income tax rates of potentially 45%.

Over the last few months there was an increasing rumour that in fact, a CGT rate of 33% might be adopted. So in many ways, people were pleasantly surprised by the Autumn Statement in which the Chancellor announced that the rates for assets, other than residential property and carried interest, moved from 10% basic rate to 18%, and 20% higher rate to 24%, and that is obviously far better rates than the feared 33%, let alone the 45%.

One area for concern, however, is that of an anti-avoidance provision. The current rule had always been that if one had exchanged a contract which was an unconditional contract, that was the date of disposal, regardless of when completion takes place. The Autumn Statement, however, has thrown doubt on that by introducing an anti-forestalling rule, the principle of which is to say that if there was a motivation in exchanging the contract to get a tax advantage by reason of a timing issue, then the tax advantage will not be obtained. Therefore, that means there’s going to be uncertainty for many of the people who are racing to exchange contracts on or before Budget day.

The sale of shares to an Employee Ownership Trust

Tax Partner, Elizabeth Small explains the changes which will tighten up on the requirements for the sale of to shares to an Employee Ownership Trust to be exempt from CGT .

The Autumn 2024 Budget introduced a number of changes and one of those was in respect of the sale of shares to an Employee Ownership Trust.

A sale of shares to an EOT provides a full exemption from capital gains tax and has therefore become a relief that has been much used and perhaps to the mind of the Treasury, has been misused. Therefore, the Treasury has introduced changes which will tighten up on the requirements needed to be satisfied in order to obtain this relief.

One of the changes is to require that there is a current market value of the company in order to obtain the exemption. Many taxpayers who are properly advised would have already been undertaking such a valuation, so this should not provide to be too onerous. Similarly, the requirement that the trustees are UK tax resident will not be surprising to many, who will already have chosen to have UK trustees, but is going to be important to take into account these changes, because they took effect for disposals on or after the 30th of October 2024, and there may be as a result of these changes, limitations on the way that a tax payer will want to manage their relationship between themselves and the trustee going forward.

Close company loans

Tax Partner, Elizabeth Small explains the anti-avoidance measures introduced on close company loans to stop so called “bed and breakfasting”.

Companies that are typically owned by five or fewer people often make loans to their shareholders, and those loans can attract a tax charge for the company if the company does not repay the amount of the loan by nine months after the end of the accounting period in which the loan was made by the company.

It’s become apparent that what some people were doing was “bed and breakfasting”. In other words, if the loan was not going to be repaid within nine months of the year end that the loan would be, for argument’s sake, repaid in eight months and 13 days, and then a new loan for the same amount was given by the company that very afternoon, and, as a result, the company was able to say “there wasn’t a loan outstanding at nine months, because it had been repaid.” The fact that a matching loan had been given was neither here nor there. Unsurprisingly, the Chancellor has now stamped upon this.

Changes to carried interest

Tax Partner, Elizabeth Small explains the changes to how carried interest will be taxed.

One of the most eagerly anticipated parts of the Budget speech from the chancellor was in respect of carried interest. A vexed topic of conversation for chancellors over many, many years, perhaps even decades. Famously a beneficiary of carried interest in the private equity market, had said that he paid an effective tax rate of less than his cleaner. That had been changed over the years and current rate of taxation of carried interest is 28%.

Currently, carried interest is subject to the capital gains tax regime and with the concerns regarding the taxation and change of rate of CGT, there was a concern that carried interest would have moved up to an income tax rate of say 45%, which would have been at variance with other jurisdictions which treat carried interest as capital and at a rate of around 30%.

What the Chancellor has announced is that with effect, for carry being cashed in on or after the 6th of April 2025 that the rate will increase from 28% to 32%, but for carry that is cashed in after the 6th of April 2026 that there will have been a whole scale alteration of the carried interest regime, with the potential that carried interest will be treated as trading profits, subject to income tax and Class 4 NICs.

This will apply to qualifying carried interest. What that term means will be debated and explored between now and April 2026, although there are some indications in the press releases that came out with the Autumn Statement as to the initial view of the meaning of a qualified carried interest, but even though the profits will be treated as trading profits post 2026, that doesn’t mean a 45% actual tax rate will apply, because the initial indication is that tax will be subject to an adjustment by applying a 72.5% multiplier to the amount of tax.

This will be a significant increase and change the taxation of carried interest and so it’s going to be very interesting to see how private equity funds and the like adjust their incentivisation of managers between now and April 2026.

Understanding Biodiversity Net Gain: part two – landowners

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With many environmental factors and new green legislation for the real estate industry to consider, we continue to focus on Biodiversity Net Gain in the second of our two-part special.

In part one, we discussed Biodiversity Net Gain obligations imposed by the Environment Act 2021 through the lens of developers; today in part two, we focus on landowners. Alongside Polly Montoneri, Partner in our Rural Land and Business team, and Planning Associate, Sophie Smith, we talk about the impacts of Biodiversity Net Gain obligations and the challenges landowners are faced with.

Read more about Real Estate Sustainability here.


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Understanding Biodiversity Net Gain: part one – developers

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As we progress towards a greener future, the real estate industry faces many changes and new challenges.

Today, we dive into the first of a two-part special that looks closely at wildlife and its new place in the planning system.

Hosted by Senior Knowledge Development Lawyer, Louise Irvine, we take a look at Biodiversity Net Gain with Charlie Croft, Senior Associate in Forsters’ Commercial Real Estate team, and Sophie Smith, Associate in our Planning team. Together, we look at the Biodiversity Net Gain requirements outlined in the planning process, and how these obligations will impact developers.

Listen to Understanding Biodiversity Net Gain: part two – landowners

Read more about Real Estate Sustainability here.


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The Sector Race to Net Zero – a fund level perspective

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We all recognise the real estate industry is shifting towards net zero, but where are the different sectors at on their journey?

In the second of our Race to Net Zero podcast series we set out to explore this question, taking a fund level perspective with Ben Lonsdale, Director of ESG at Patrizia, and Edward Glass, Senior Associate in Forsters’ Commercial Real Estate team. Together, we delve into the different decarbonisation pathways parties are considering, discuss whether green regulation can help drive change, and understand the importance of the S in ESG.

Read more about Real Estate Sustainability here.

In this episode:

  • Louise Irvine – Senior Knowledge Development Lawyer, Commercial Real Estate
  • Edward Glass – Senior Associate, Commercial Real Estate
  • Ben Lonsdale – Director of ESG, Patrizia

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Outside the Box: An Occupier Perspective

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In the fourth episode of our Outside the Box podcast, we focus on the occupational requirements within the industrial and logistics sector. How has occupier demand changed during 2023 and, with an increasingly diverse occupier mix, is the industrial and logistics sector addressing the needs of occupiers? Paul Grayson, Senior Associate at Fosters chats to Tom Shaw, Director in the industrial and logistics occupier advisory team at Savills.

Read more about the industrial and logistics sector in Forsters’ report Outside the Box – Supporting an Industrial Evolution.

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In this episode

  • Paul Grayson, Senior Associate
  • Tom Shaw, Director SE Industrial, Savills

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Film Studios: Peering Through the Letterbox

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Podcast host Louise Irvine, and Owen Spencer, Counsel in Forsters’ Studios Group, were joined by Simon Calvert of CBRE to discuss film studio real estate.

The trio peer through the letterbox on the sector and give insights into the latest trends and likely developments in the film studio sector.

In this episode we were joined by:

  • Simon Calvert, Senior Director at CBRE
  • Owen Spencer, Counsel in Forsters’ Studios Group
  • Louise Irvine, Senior Knowledge Development Lawyer in our Commercial Real Estate team

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Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Energy Efficiency Regulations in Real Estate

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Listen in as we uncover the intricacies of global real estate decisions impacted by changing regulations with Edward Glass.

We explore critical topics such as minimum energy efficiency standards, energy performance certificates, and the rise of green lease clauses. Edward has been tracking the E in ESG closely since 2013-14, and his expertise shines as he discusses the change in the industry that EPC regulations have instigated and how Forsters is dedicated to sustainability.

We venture further into the financial implications of current and future regulations on real estate investments, emphasising the potential costs and risks for asset owners. We tackle the important question of how landlords should approach energy performance certificates, particularly with the looming necessity of capital expenditure to upgrade buildings to comply with future regulations. Listen in as we analyse the proposed uplift in minimum energy standards, its potential impact on the UK real estate, and strategies for budgeting for OPEX costs.

The episode concludes with an insightful look into the changing landscape of green lease clauses, data sharing, and its enforceability. Edward shares his observations on the evolving narrative for both landlords and tenants and key considerations when drafting leases. We discuss innovative approaches like the Chancery Lane Project, the challenges of enforcing sustainability clauses in the commercial sector, and the importance of a strong landlord-tenant relationship in the residential sector. So, tune in and equip yourself with knowledge about the changing regulations in real estate, whether you are a landlord, tenant, or investor.

  • Energy Efficiency Standards and Green Lease
  • Implications of Energy Performance Certificates
  • Changing Green Lease Clauses Landscape
  • Green Lease Clauses and Data Sharing


This podcast was recorded and first published by LifeProven. Read more here.

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The Sector Race to Net Zero – a cross-sector regulatory perspective

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As the real estate industry transitions towards a net zero world, where are the different sectors on that journey?

As we move into 2024 and an Olympic year, Forsters are set to explore that question, looking at how the sectors are embracing the net zero challenge. In our first podcast, we take a cross-sector approach in conversation with Rob Wall, Assistant Director of Sustainability and Tax Policy at the British Property Federation. What is the state of play in terms of regulation?

Read more about Real Estate Sustainability here.


In this episode:

  • Louise Irvine – Commercial Real Estate Senior Knowledge Development Lawyer
  • Rob Wall – Assistant Director of Sustainability and Tax Policy at the British Property Federation

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Outside the Box – Episode 3 – ESG-volution

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In the third episode of our Outside the Box podcast, we look at sustainability in the Industrial and Logistics sector.  Miri Stickland, Forsters’ Head of Knowledge is joined by Victoria Towers, Partner at Forsters and Co-Head of Industrial and Logistics, and Jessica Pilz, Head of Sustainable Investing, Private Markets at Fiera Capital.  

With the sector committed to meeting net zero targets by 2050, UK investors and developers have highlighted the need for further assistance from Government. We discuss how recent announcements from Rishi Sunak weakening net zero policies will impact the sector, how pressure is mounting and where meaningful gains can be made. 

Read more about ESG and the I&L sector in Forsters’ report from Spring 2023:  Outside the Box – Supporting an Industrial Evolution.

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In this episode

  • Victoria Towers, Partner and Co-Head of Industrial and Logistics
  • Jessica Pilz, Head of Sustainable Investing, Private Markets at Fiera Capital

 

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Outside the Box – Episode 2 – Market Challenges

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In the second episode of our Outside the Box podcast, we look at market challenges and opportunities in the industrial and logistics sector.  Miri Stickland, Forsters’ Head of Knowledge, is joined by Magnus Hassett, Partner and Head of Industrial and Logistics at Forsters, and Ben Sleath, Equity partner at DTRE

In early 2023 businesses were recovering from a turbulent political period and much uncertainty remained.  Had inflation really peaked?  How much would interest rates rise by?  Our research report from Spring 2023 (Outside the Box – Supporting an Industrial Evolution) revealed the general sentiment seemed to be that the warehouse bubble had burst, but the jury was out as to whether the industrial real estate sector faced a sustained downturn.  The report also identified a range of opportunities across the UK market, and as we know, sometimes the greatest opportunities arise from facing the greatest challenges.  In this podcast we discuss how has the industrial and logistics market has progressed in 2023 and Ben Sleath shares his views on occupier demand and rental growth and where the opportunities might be in 2024.

Read more about the challenges and opportunities facing the industrial and logistics sector in Forsters’ report from Spring 2023:  Outside the Box – Supporting an Industrial Evolution.  

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In this episode

  • Magnus Hassett, Partner and Co-Head of Industrial and Logistics
  • Ben Sleath, Equity Partner at DTRE

Previous episode The Future of Freight

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Dispute resolution – graduate recruitment – meet the teams – episode 3

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Counsel Bryan Shacklady, senior associate Ashleigh Carr and trainee Joe May join podcast host Miri Stickland to give insight into the Dispute Resolution team at Forsters. They explain how no two days are the same and highlight the personal and professional skills needed to be part of this collaborative department. The team also stress the importance of attention to detail within their work, and provide examples of the unexpected topics they have had to become experts on.

Commercial real estate – graduate recruitment – meet the teams – episode 2

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Construction – graduate recruitment – meet the teams – episode 1

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Outside the Box – Episode 1 – The Future of Freight

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In Q1 2023 we quizzed investors and developers on the key issues affecting the industrial and logistics sector and the resulting research report, Outside the Box, set out what we characterised as an ‘industrial evolution’.
In this series of podcasts, we explore the sector’s key issues in more detail and discuss with some well-informed guests. 

Episode 1
In our first episode, Magnus Hassett, Partner at Forsters and Co-Head of Industrial and Logistics, is joined by David Elvy, Head of Future Freight Strategy at the Department for Transport, and Matthew Evans, counsel in Forsters’ Planning team.  Together, they take a closer look at the Department for Transport’s Future of Freight plan, with a particular focus on the role and impact of the planning system. 

The scale of the UK’s freight and logistics sector is enormous with 1.6 billion tonnes of goods transported in and around Britain each year.  Recognising the importance to the country of moving goods efficiently, in 2022 the Department for Transport published its Future of Freight plan.  Developed in partnership with the UK’s freight and logistics industry, the plan sets out the Government’s long-term vision for UK freight, identifying some key challenges and objectives for the sector. 

If this discussion gets you thinking about your own experience of the planning system, then do share your thoughts and respond to the ‘Freight, logistics and the planning system call for evidence’ which closes on 6 October 2023.

For Forsters’ own manifesto for the logistics industry take a look at our report from Spring 2023:  Outside the Box – Supporting an Industrial Evolution.

In this episode

  • Magnus Hassett, Partner and Co-Head of Industrial and Logistics
  • Matthew Evans, Counsel
  • David Elvy, Head of Future Freight Strategy at the Department for Transport

 

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Cutting to the chase on the revised Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regime

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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.

In this episode we were joined by:

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Navigating the art market as a private buyer

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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.

In this episode we were joined by:

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An appetite for Electric Vehicle Charging Points

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Chris Armstrong of McDonald’s Restaurants and Commercial Real Estate partner Vicki Towers join podcast host Miri Stickland to talk through Chris’s experiences managing the roll out of rapid EVCPs across McDonald’s UK drive-through restaurant portfolio.

In this episode we were joined by:

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Historic Buildings

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Historic England’s General Counsel, Andrew Wiseman and Commercial Real Estate partner Victoria Towers join host Miri Stickland to unpick what a historic building is and how can they be developed and adapted for future generations, with a particular eye on the challenges around introducing energy efficiency measures into historic buildings.

In this episode we were joined by:

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Graduate Recruitment – Meet the Teams

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More Than Law Podcast host, Miri Stickland, is joined by various guests as they discuss the goings on in their departments, and what their days normally look like.

Episode 1 – Construction

Senior associates Daniel Burr and Dan Cudlipp and associate Lauren Hepburn join podcast host Miri Stickland to shed some light on the Construction team at Forsters. They discuss the best and worst parts of being a construction lawyer, exciting clients, and an average day in the life. The team also highlight the differences between contentious and non-contentious work and the key skills needed for success in each side of the team.

Non-contentious Tagline: The paperwork for the brickwork.

Contentious Tagline: Building your case when your building falls down.


Episode 2 – Commercial Real Estate

Partner Anthony Goodmaker, associate Anna Penn and trainee Cameron Turnbull join podcast host Miri Stickland to explain why Forsters’ Commercial Real Estate department is more than just easements and covenants. The team run through an average day, give insight into the firm’s culture and identify key skills. They also share their own motivations for qualifying into CRE, and highlight the importance of keeping an open mind throughout your training contract as you may be surprised by the seat you enjoy the most.


Episode 3 – Dispute Resolution

Counsel Bryan Shacklady, senior associate Ashleigh Carr and trainee Joe May join podcast host Miri Stickland to give insight into the Dispute Resolution team at Forsters. They explain how no two days are the same and highlight the personal and professional skills needed to be part of this collaborative department. The team also stress the importance of attention to detail within their work, and provide examples of the unexpected topics they have had to become experts on.

Tagline: The firm’s guardian angels.

Fusion energy: bottling a star

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This episode of the More Than Law Podcast was recorded at the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) headquarters with Dr Alexander Pearce, the modelling lead in the UKAEA Power Plant Technology Group, and senior associate Laura Haworth. Alex and Laura joined podcast host Robert Linden Laird Craig to talk about fusion energy; what it is and how it might one day be used to put power on the grid.

You can take a look at the MASCOT robots at UKAEA playing Jenga here.

For an insight into how humans thousands of years from now will be warned against uncovering nuclear waste, you can visit this Wikipedia page.

In this episode we were joined by:

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Graduate recruitment – equality, diversity and inclusion | Smita Edwards, Emily Holdstock, Emma Cooper

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Senior Partner Smita Edwards, Graduate Recruitment partner Emily Holdstock and Graduate Recruitment officer Emma Cooper join Miri Stickland to discuss why diversity and inclusion is so important to Forsters, the preconceptions that applicants may have about the firm and why they should look past them, our ED&I strategy and initiatives the Graduate Recruitment team are taking to promote diversity.

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Graduate recruitment – mythbusters – episode 5

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Is there a ‘right’ answer to the questions you are asked at interview? Partner, Katherine Ekers, and trainees, Tatiana Kinsky and Oliver James, join podcast host, Miri Stickland, to give their insights.

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Graduate recruitment – mythbusters – episode 4

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Is only work experience in law firms relevant to a training contract application?

Graduate Recruitment partner Emily Holdstock and trainees Ellen Jones, Candice Johnson and Joe May join podcast host Miri Stickland to discuss how work and volunteering experience in other sectors can also be a huge asset.

Graduate recruitment – mythbusters – episode 3

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Does showing commercial awareness really mean faithfully memorising the contents of the Economist each week?

Podcast host Miri Stickland is joined by partner Katherine Ekers and trainees Phoebe Jackson and Annalisa Gardner to discuss the tricky issue of how to show commercial awareness.

Graduate recruitment – mythbusters – episode 2

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Are there unwritten rules you need to follow in training contract interviews?

Partner Katherine Ekers and trainees Ellen Jones and Cameron Turnbull join podcast host Miri Stickland to discuss what to wear and whether to eat the biscuits offered!

Graduate recruitment – mythbusters – episode 1

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Do you need to start off knowing exactly which practice area you want to qualify into?

Graduate Recruitment partner Emily Holdstock, newly qualified solicitor Tamsin Collingridge and trainee Molly Haynes join podcast host Miri Stickland to discuss whether it is OK to be undecided.

Space Junk: the new frontier for sustainability?

Vertical garden flourishing on a building facade, with lush green plants covering multiple levels, set against a backdrop of tall glass skyscrapers.

Dr Hannah Wakeford, lecturer in Astrophysics in the School of Physics at the University of Bristol, and senior associate Laura Haworth join podcast host Miri Stickland to talk about the issue of space junk in Earth’s increasingly crowded orbit, its potential impact on planetary environments and shared lessons for sustainability in space and in our built environment.

In this episode we were joined by:

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To continue the conversation on social media, use #MoreThanLawPodcast.

Caring for our aging population

Modern apartment buildings stand in a row, featuring large windows and balconies. The setting includes landscaped paths, benches, and greenery under a partly cloudy sky.

Marking the start of World Alzheimer’s Month, an annual event raising awareness and challenging stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s and dementia, podcast hosts Miri Stickland and Robert Linden Laird Craig are joined by partner Amy France and counsel Mike Armstrong to talk about the advantages of forward planning for later life, the importance of having difficult conversations at the right time and the evolution of later living homes in the UK.

In this episode we were joined by:

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You can listen to more episodes of the More Than Law podcast here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including SoundCloud, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and YouTube.

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Generation Now – Episode Four: Ridgeview owners Tamara and Simon Roberts on pioneering English Sparkling Wine

White grapes in a vineyard

Katherine talks to brother and sister team Tamara and Simon Roberts from Ridgeview – one of the leading brands of English sparkling wine.

They’re joined by Idina Glyn, Senior Associate in the Rural Land & Business team at Forsters.

To continue the conversation on social media, use #ForstersGenNow.

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Take 5 with Idina Glyn

In this five minute interview Idina provides an honest review of talking to Tamara and Simon Roberts, as well as sharing her own career journey. What surprised her the most, how does she work with next-gen clients and what is the biggest challenge for Gen Y?

What is your key takeaway from the episode?

How important it is for family businesses to work as a commercial team, with clear business and succession plans. Often, family business are driven by a single person, and that one person attempts to take on responsibility for every role. Ridgeview is unusual in that it is now run by four of the current generation, each with their own roles and responsibilities and obvious respect for the others’ spheres expertise. It struck me that Tamara is really primus inter pares as CEO and is happy to defer completely to Simon on the viticulture. This seems to have been reflected in how their decision making processes have evolved over time, and how Simon feels that the business retains the agility and responsiveness of a small family business, despite its size, success and four family members at management level.

It will be interesting to see how the board and decision making changes over the coming decades, particularly in light of the pertinent point Tamara made about the gaps between generations increasing as people have children older. They have clearly prioritised building a trusted team around them and are giving thought to succession plans at the right time – now – rather than leaving it until they decide to retire. Tamara’s five year plan is a classic example of something that many businesses have, but not many families with businesses have. It can be easy to overlook these commercial tools when running a family business. I find it rare that families running businesses – often farms and estates – can step back to say “well done, look what we have achieved; here’s what’s next” by reference to a clear plan, as the Roberts family can for Ridgeview, but to me, that seems integral to their success.

What surprised you the most?

The ability to retain a strong brand and culture while using a range of growing versus production models. It is easy to think of English wine as grown on a single vineyard and produced on site. While that may be the case for some, many brands use grapes from their own vineyards, other vineyards, or a mix of both. Equally, producers don’t always bottle under their own label; many act as contract producers for vineyards looking to produce under their own brand name. What surprised me was not only the flexibility the Ridgeview team has in their model, using grapes from a variety of sources and bottling for their own and other brands, but the way they were able to tie this together – Simon and Tamara talked about “the Ridgeview family” and “partner growers”. I felt that there was a strong sense of a family business even though Ridgeview are one of the larger and more commercial wineries in the UK.

How do you work with next-gen clients?

My clients are a mixture of old and new money, cash rich and cash poor, but they all share one thing: significant UK property portfolios, usually with a rural or central London estate. Most of my clients have children, often my age, that they wish to take on their estates and businesses. The partners here are often of the parents’ generation. My role is often to act as a point of contact for the next generation and help them understand the business and trust structures.

What advice would you provide to next-gen clients?

  • Try to build your own career before getting more involved in the family business. It can be difficult to view family business matters with commercial objectivity. The more experience you have pursuing your own career, the more objectivity you can bring to the table.
  • Building long term plans with your parents is incredibly valuable for those lucky enough to have the opportunity to do so. Listening to them, it was clear to see that the Ridgeview team’s five year plan helped Tamara and Simon Roberts when their father Mike passed away.
  • When you do get involved in the business, develop a core team of advisers that you trust over time. Both continuity and trust are important – there’s a balance to be struck between building your own team and not changing everything overnight.

Tell us a bit about your career journey

I always planned to go to the Bar, perhaps via time as a solicitor in the City first. It took me all of two hours at a US law firm open day to realise I wasn’t going to be a City lawyer. A friend suggested I speak to a West End law firm before I wrote off law completely, and I managed to get a place on the Forsters open day. On a tour of the Mayfair office, someone apologised for wellies and a border terrier in one of the rooms – apparently the team had been on a site visit. I instantly felt at home, and it helped hugely that I managed to win a bottle of champagne on the day – I’m easily won over by champagne, dogs and wellies! I joined the vacation scheme the following summer, then luckily got a training contract.

When I was training at Forsters, it made so much sense to me that the Landed Estates team sat within Private Client. I loved the mix of “old school” land law and transactional work alongside trusts, tax and succession planning, and not to mention working on some of the most beautiful houses, farms and estates in the country. It struck me that the clients needed lawyers who could give both property and trust and tax advice, so I asked Forsters for the opportunity to work in both disciplines – in essence, to grow up bilingual in property and private client work. The partners were incredibly supportive and flexible, and today, as a Senior Associate, I am able to focus on complex property transactions and advisory work for estates and clients with large property portfolios as a result. Fortunately, our Rural Land and Business team has gone from strength to strength, and I hope to be a part of it for many years to come.

What is the biggest challenge for gen y?

Keeping up with the new technology. The legal industry is already being shaped enormously by AI and we are using more and more technology in landlord and tenant work. I can only see this expanding, and I think our generation will see a fundamental shift in a solicitor’s role in conveyancing and leasehold work. The generation below us will be able to learn this from the start, whereas we will have to adapt. It is exciting and a real opportunity to shape our profession, but it’s going to be a challenge!

What is your millennial stereotype pet peeve?

That we expect everything to be handed to us on a plate and give up or swap jobs when we don’t get our own way!


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Episode Five: Freddie’s Flowers founder Freddie Garland on revolutionising flower deliveries

Katherine talks to Freddie Garland, founder of the subscription service, Freddie’s Flowers.

Generation Now - Disrupting Perceptions: Episode 5


Vineyards & Wineries

Forsters are delighted to be launching our Vineyards & Wineries practice. The cross-departmental team draws upon our strengths from across the firm, a combination of expertise that is rare if not unique in the market. The increasing number of vineyards we look after complements our exceptional book of landed estates, and is testament to our ability to look after landowning clients, whatever their business and whatever challenges they face.

An image of a vineyard

Generation Now – Episode Five: Freddie’s Flowers founder Freddie Garland on revolutionising flower deliveries

Skyscrapers stand prominently against a blue sky with scattered clouds, surrounded by lower buildings. The tall structures feature modern glass facades, creating a skyline in an urban setting.

Katherine talks to Freddie Garland, founder of the subscription service, Freddie’s Flowers.

They’re joined by Alfred Liu, Senior Associate in the Private Client team at Forsters.

To continue the conversation on social media, use #ForstersGenNow.

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You can listen to more episodes of Generation Now – Disrupting Perceptions here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including:


Take 5 with Alfred Liu

In this five minute interview Alfred provides an honest review of talking to Freddie Garland, as well as sharing his own career journey. What were his key takeaways, what surprised him the most, and what kind of advice does he provide to next-gen clients?

What is your key takeaway from the episode?

How fundamental it is for any business to avoid complacency and keep critically evaluating ways to improve how they operate. It’s a big reason behind the success of Freddie’s Flowers and their drive for innovative practices is exemplified by the new idea Freddie mentioned of collecting customers’ old flowers to recycle them and avoid wastage. That type of progressive thinking really resonates with people and I think is why so many are drawn to using the business’ subscription service.

What surprised you the most?

I had no idea or concept of how far in advance and meticulously Freddie has to plan with flower growers! Hearing him talk about the experimental methods involved with finding new varieties of flowers, getting growers to commit to planting them and how it can all take 5-7 years was enlightening.

What kind of advice/ legal services do you provide to next-gen clients?

At the core of my work for Next Gen Private Clients is estate and succession planning. This can take many forms, ranging from the quintessential Wills drafting (usually prompted by the birth of their first child) and personal tax advice, to the more sophisticated Family Governance work which is triggered by a recognition by those clients (often with their parents) that their family needs to have proper processes and structures to ensure the smooth transfer of wealth between multiple generations. This work is multi-faceted and can involve crafting family charters, setting up family councils and trusts structures as well as corporate considerations such as preparing bespoke shareholders’ agreements covering a family’s trading business.

What piece of advice would you provide to next-gen clients?

Don’t be afraid to have your own advisers independent from your parents when it comes to your family’s wealth succession and business transition planning. Next Gen Private Clients frequently struggle with this especially those coming from Confucian cultures where filial piety is ingrained. Having independent advisers and being respectful of older generations are not mutually exclusive, and can often help to maintain harmony for larger families with several branches each with their own unique and sometimes diverging set of circumstances, mentalities and objectives.

Tell us a bit about your career journey

Leaving school I had an inkling that a career in law was for me but I studied English at the University of Nottingham first as I loved the subject at A-Level and knew I could always do a law conversion course afterwards. I went on to do my GDL and LPC at Nottingham Law School with the help of a bank loan; I was quite lucky to get this as few banks were offering such loans in the wake of the 2007/2008 credit crunch. I felt even luckier that during my LPC year I was offered a training contract at Lawrence Graham LLP. Before starting it in September 2012, I took a gap year working as a runner and location assistant for a TV production company (which was a fun experience and where I learnt how to make a good cuppa!) and travelled around the US and China. During the first few years of being a qualified solicitor I experienced not only one but two law firm mergers and also a whole team move when Gowling WLG (UK) LLP’s private client team joined Forsters LLP in May 2017.

What is the biggest difference between gen x (baby boomers) and gen y (millennials)?

Gen Y clients tend to be more willing to talk and be open about things than their parents who are more guarded and take a ‘need-to-know’ approach. This intergenerational communication gap is one of, if not the, biggest issue we help families deal with when developing their governance arrangements. If left unresolved, it can lead to relationship breakdowns between both generations and create feuds that jeopardise family assets and businesses. Our philosophy and approach with Family Governance work is to really understand these sorts of psychological issues and differences between Generations X and Y within a family and how to bridge the divide, otherwise the legal documents and frameworks put in place for them are superficial.

What is your millennial stereotype pet peeve?

That we’re “lazy” and like to have everything handed to us on a plate! I’m sure this is a stereotype predecessor generations always ascribe to their successors.


Related links


Episode One: Appear Here founder, Ross Bailey on trailblazing flexible retail spaces

Katherine talks to entrepreneur and wunderkind Ross Bailey – the founder and CEO of Appear Here – an online marketplace for short term retail space.

Generation Now - Disrupting Perceptions: Episode 1

Alfred Liu
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Alfred Liu

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Generation Now – Episode One: Appear Here founder, Ross Bailey on trailblazing flexible retail spaces

Skyscrapers stand prominently against a blue sky with scattered clouds, surrounded by lower buildings. The tall structures feature modern glass facades, creating a skyline in an urban setting.

In episode one of our latest podcast series, Generation Now – Disrupting Perceptions, host Katherine Ekers talks to entrepreneur and wunderkind Ross Bailey – the founder and CEO of Appear Here – an online marketplace for short term retail space.

They’re joined by Rowena Marshall, Partner in Forsters’ Banking & Finance team.

To continue the conversation on social media, use #ForstersGenNow.

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You can listen to more episodes of Generation Now – Disrupting Perceptions here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including:


Take 5 with Rowena Marshall

In this five minute interview Rowena provides an honest review of talking to Ross Bailey, as well as sharing her own career journey. What did she learn, what surprised her the most and what is her millennial stereotype pet peeve?

What did you enjoy the most about interviewing Ross Bailey?

It was definitely hearing Ross’ story of how his business came to be. Ross is clearly someone who is passionate about his sector and it seemed his success comes from a desire to improve the communities we are all part of. To have such an entrepreneurial drive at a young age is inspiring, Ross never sits back and accepts the status quo. Something we could all learn from – even risk adverse lawyers like me!

What kind of advice/ legal services do you provide to next-gen clients?

As a banking and finance lawyer I advise next gen-clients who are using finance as a means to expand their operations, whether that is in the real estate or corporate space. My next gen-clients include developers, property investors, family offices and business owners. Many of my clients are getting finance for the first time, and as that injection of funds enables them to accelerate their growth it is a really exciting time for me to be part of their journey by providing strategic advice and guidance to them.

What piece of advice would you provide to next-gen clients?

I think we can all learn from Ross and not accept the status quo.

Tell us a bit about your career journey

I am approaching my eight year anniversary at Forsters. I moved at a time when I was thinking about my career progression and Forsters always struck me as a progressive firm which appealed to an ambitious young and female lawyer like me. Having been made partner 2 years ago, I think I am an example of the firm’s commitment to the next-gen (albeit as I get older I am close to no longer being part of this category!).

What is your millennial stereotype pet peeve?

That there is even a stereotype at all! Millennials are people born across a 20 year period so I cannot imagine that we all share the same traits!


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Episode Two: Auction Collective founder Tom Best on reinventing the art auction

Katherine talks to Tom Best, the founder of The Auction Collective which aims to simplify the auction process, making art accessible for more people.

Generation Now - Disrupting Perceptions: Episode 2

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair looks at the camera with a neutral expression, wearing a blue blouse and black jacket. The background is softly blurred, focusing attention on her.
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Generation Now – Episode Three: By Rotation founder Eshita Kabra on transforming fashion rental

Skyscrapers stand prominently against a blue sky with scattered clouds, surrounded by lower buildings. The tall structures feature modern glass facades, creating a skyline in an urban setting.

Katherine talks to Eshita Kabra Davies, the founder of By Rotation – the world’s first fashion rental social app. Dubbed as the ‘Instagram of fashion rental’ it’s where people can lend and rent contemporary designer fashion from each other.

They’re joined by Georgina Haddon, Senior Associate in the Residential Property team at Forsters.

To continue the conversation on social media, use #ForstersGenNow.

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You can listen to more episodes of Generation Now – Disrupting Perceptions here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including:


Take 5 with Georgina Haddon

In this five minute interview Georgina provides an honest review of talking to Eshita Kabra, as well as sharing her own career journey. What did she learn, how does she work with next-gen clients and what is the biggest difference between gen x and gen y?

What did you learn from the episode?

That creating a loyal and engaged customer base (or community) is far more valuable than a huge number of customers. It is incredible this has been at the forefront of ByRotation’s development, to the extent that the business not only survived but thrived during a global pandemic and national lockdown!

What surprised you the most?

Quite how young Eshita was when she began her entrepreneurial journey – it’s so impressive that a child of that age would have the motivation and creativity to start generating their own business.

How do you work with next-gen clients?

I act on a range of residential property transactions. I work with individual buyers and investors looking to build their property portfolios, entrepreneurs purchasing their home, and developers looking to attract innovative and entrepreneurial communities to their schemes. It’s such a diverse and interesting generation to work with, no two clients are the same!

Tell us a bit about your career journey

I studied English and Music at university, and found myself researching law conversions after an elective on Music in Business where I wrote an essay on music copyright case law. I’ve never looked back! Between additional years studying I also worked in marketing and hospitality which I always say have been pivotal in building client management skills. At the outset of my law conversion, I was attracted to Land Law and that paired with the keen interest in customer relations meant that Residential Property was a perfect fit.

What is the biggest difference between gen x (baby boomers) and gen y (millennials)?

I think we (millennials) have a tendency to overstretch ourselves in terms of communication options. Social media, instant messaging, emails, video calls, voice notes, texts/whatsapp – we have benefitted hugely from the introduction of so many relatively new forms of correspondence and often rely on all of them day to day in some shape or form. Gen X tends to be more concise in their approach favouring text/whatsapp and email – and ultimately if they are expecting an immediate response, a phone call will probably be the predominant method of communication.

What is your millennial stereotype pet peeve?

That we are all “snowflakes”! Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of entitled Gen Ys out there but no more so than other generations- I think this is probably an automatic assumption when millennials display unexpected confidence for their years. And it is important to consider that the “oversensitivity” we’re often accused of is actually likely to be intrinsically linked with the huge increase in mental health awareness over recent years.


Related links


Episode Four: Ridgeview owners Tamara and Simon Roberts on pioneering English Sparkling Wine

Katherine talks to brother and sister team Tamara and Simon Roberts from Ridgeview – one of the leading brands of English sparkling wine.

Generation Now - Disrupting Perceptions: Episode 4

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Generation Now – Episode Two: Auction Collective founder Tom Best on reinventing the art auction

Skyscrapers stand prominently against a blue sky with scattered clouds, surrounded by lower buildings. The tall structures feature modern glass facades, creating a skyline in an urban setting.

Katherine talks to Tom Best, the founder of The Auction Collective which aims to simplify the auction process, making art accessible for more people.

They’re joined by Laura Neal, Senior Associate in the Private Client team and Art specialist at Forsters.

To continue the conversation on social media, use #ForstersGenNow.

Listen to more episodes and subscribe

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You can listen to more episodes of Generation Now – Disrupting Perceptions here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including:


Take 5 with Laura Neal

In this five minute interview Laura provides an honest review of talking to Tom Best, as well as sharing her own career journey. What did she learn, what surprised her the most and what advice does she provide to next-gen clients?

What did you enjoy the most about interviewing Tom Best?

Hearing about Tom’s passions for auctions. Sometimes founders of businesses lose their love for the initial concept when they get bogged down in the administrative burdens and financial pressures which are inescapable parts of running a business. However, it was clear that Tom still has a real love for being an auctioneer and sees auctions as the best type of retail experience.

What is your key takeaway from the episode?

Businesses need to pivot to survive. During the pandemic, when live auctions could no longer take place, The Auction Collective created a platform for online auctions which any type of business could use. This is now a major part of The Auction Collective’s revenue stream and may not have developed, or at least developed as quickly, if the business model had remained static in a rapidly changing market.

What kind of advice/ legal services do you provide to next-gen clients?

I advise on succession planning for next-gen clients. This includes preparing wills and lasting powers of attorney and advising on structures which hold personal wealth, such as trusts, companies or partnerships. Often the need for advice is prompted by inheriting wealth (which could be a landed estate or family business), buying a house, getting married or starting a family.

What piece of advice would you provide to next-gen clients?

I act for a number of next-gen clients who feel a strong sense of obligation to live the lives or follow the careers their parents expect of them. My advice would be: there is nothing wrong with not wanting to follow in your parents’ footsteps but you should let your parents know that sooner, rather than later!

Tell us a bit about your career journey

Whilst reading History at the University of Edinburgh, I did a number of vacation schemes at various different law firms in London, thinking that it could be the career for me. After attending (and thoroughly enjoying) the vacation scheme at Forsters, I was offered a training contract. After completing the GDL and LPC in London, I joined Forsters as a trainee in 2013 and qualified as a member of the Private Client team in 2015. I am very lucky to be part of a fantastic team of people which has grown exponentially over the last seven years.

What is the biggest difference between gen x (baby boomers) and gen y (millennials)?

Gen Y are more willing to see the benefits of new technology, rather than become irritated or frightened of it.

What is your millennial stereotype pet peeve?

That we all hide behind our phones and don’t like meaningful face-to-face conversations!


Related links


Episode Three: By Rotation founder Eshita Kabra on transforming fashion rental

Katherine talks to Eshita Kabra Davies, the founder of By Rotation – the world’s first fashion rental social app. Dubbed as the ‘Instagram of fashion rental’ it’s where people can lend and rent contemporary designer fashion from each other.

Generation Now - Disrupting Perceptions: Episode 3

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Sustainability: Strategic planning for real estate projects

Skyscrapers stand prominently against a blue sky with scattered clouds, surrounded by lower buildings. The tall structures feature modern glass facades, creating a skyline in an urban setting.

Managing Director of sustainability consultants Element Four, Georgia Elliott-Smith, and Commercial Real Estate Partner, Vicki Towers, join podcast host, Miri Stickland, to discuss the advantages of strategic sustainability planning within the real estate sector, the concept of Net Zero, why you shouldn’t assume that a BREEAM excellent rating necessarily means a high EPC rating and the direction of travel for the energy rating of buildings.

In this episode we were joined by:

Acronyms, certifications and standards explained

Georgia talks us through some of the most commonly used acronyms, certifications and standards in the world of sustainability and real estate:

BREEAM

“So BREEAM is the Building Research Establishments Environmental Assessment Method and it is a really widely used method for assessing how environmentally friendly a building is it can be used in a number of different ways for different types of projects so you have new construction, refurbishment and fit-out standard, you’ve got an infrastructure standard and one for communities which you use for master planning projects. There is also a BREAAM in use standard as well which you can use for operation buildings to work on things like energy efficiency, water efficiency and so on. So it is split into ten categories – ten different ways in which you can focus on your building and looks at things like pollution, waste, energy, ecology and so on and in each of those different sections you are able to achieve points and the more points you get – credits they call them within the Scheme – the higher your score and your overall rating. So, the ratings are broken down into a grading system so you have a simple pass – you then go into good, very good, excellent and the highest rating is outstanding.

The good things about BREEAM is that it holds your design team’s toes to the fire and given that certain performance standards are required it means that some of those things cannot be value engineered out, so it is really good for making sure that design intent is followed through. Some of the negative and some of its critics say that actually it is simply an environmental assessment method and nothing more. It isn’t really an indicator of true sustainable development and actually the design team don’t require a great deal of client or investor engagement in order to deliver a BREEAM high level of standard and so it doesn’t take into account a lot of fundamental sustainability considerations but overall you know it is very well recognised, very popular and a good standard.”

GRESB

“GRESB is the standard for the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark and it is a globally applicable benchmark for Environmental Social and Governance issues (ESG). It is, as the name suggests, specifically for the real estate sector and it is aligned by the GRI Initiative which is the Global Reporting Initiative which is a global sustainability reporting standard. What it does is you self report to GRESB so there are tools online that you can access for free where you go in you answer many questions. There are hundreds of questions – as I say you don’t enter GRESB lightly but you go in, you answer questions and you provide data on the environmental, social and governance issues for your business so that will be things like disclosing information about your carbon emissions, your water consumption, the sorts of impact that you have on communities and employees, data to do with things like gender balance and the living wage provision and so on so it is a very broad very wide ranging question set and that is a way of getting a benchmark score for your approach to ESG and it is a way of communicating and reporting with your stakeholders on how you are doing as an organisation.

You can then see as well how you have scored in different sections of the GRESB rating so you can see whether maybe you are acing it on environmental issues but you are not doing so much on social and community issues so it is a way of prioritising your investment moving forward and it is also aligned with lots of other certifications so if you achieve BREEAM, Well Building or perhaps Fit Well Certifications on your real estate they will add points in different sections of the GRESB standard so it seeks to align a lot of different moving parts across the sector and give you good quality information to share with the market.”

NABERS

“It actually stands for the National Australian Built Environment Rating System. It came over to the UK a couple of years ago back in 2020/2021 and the Better Buildings Partnership took stewardship of trialling the scheme in the UK. It had been incredibly successful in Australia as a mechanism for designing and operating buildings in line with true energy efficiency. So, what it seeks to do is close what we call the design gap so the design performance gap is that when you intend the energy performance of a building to be often doesn’t play out in operation of the building. That is what we call the compliance gap there, so you design a building in order to get a certain EPC rating in the UK what we then find is that the building is not operating in line with its predicted energy efficiency in practice so there is this big gap between design intent and actual performance. NABERS closes that gap and what it requires that you do is that instead of designing the building for compliance with a particular EPC rating you add in other bits of the energy jigsaw that you wouldn’t normally have to assess for compliance so things like small power, looking at what is likely to be the small power draw in a building, you add in things like data servers which again are not part of a standard building compliance model for energy, you look at actual hours of operation of the building based on the local demographic or the type of industry in that area rather than just falling down on a compliance assumption so you use much more accurate modelling of what the energy performance is likely to be of the building and then you design the building according to a target energy performance. It means that NABERS is much much more accurate when it comes to predicting the actual energy performance of a building – much more accurate than EPCs and it is really the new kid on the block but I think it is going to take off very very quickly.

It was originally launched in September 2021 it is now managed by the BRE as a certification scheme – there are two stages to it so one is the design for performance stage (DFP) that is the design stage so where you design team actually do the building modelling and they design the building to achieve a certain energy performance. The second stage of the certification where you get final certification is after 12 months of building operation you then take a look how it has performed during that 12 months you will have monitored its performance, you will have done some fine tuning and tweaking of the energy systems in the building and if your building is operating as per the design intent after 12 months then you can get your final certification so it is a really good robust scheme that means that our buildings are likely to perform in a much more efficient way.”

WELL Standard Building

“The WELL Building Standard came to the UK in 2014. It was developed in the USA. It’s a standard and the first standard internationally that focusses entirely on the occupant experience and the health and wellbeing of the occupants of the building and the neighbouring community.

So, when we look at other standards that are much older, BREEAM for example has been around since 1990, but BREEAM is an environmental assessment method and there are parts of that standard that do look at local community but they are only incidental really and very small parts of that assessment. Well is entirely about human experience and it was really revolutionary when it came to the UK when it was released because we are looking at buildings. As we had been looking at lot of the environmental impact of buildings for many years but although we were trying to design buildings that were healthy and good for people there wasn’t really a yard stick for measuring that and there wasn’t really an agreed design standard for how you go about assessing and improving buildings for human health. So WELL came on to the scene in 2014. Since then it’s been revised a couple of times and now we have Well version 2. It’s applicable for both whole buildings and also core and shell so landlord demise. You can also do a commercial interior project if you are just doing one or two floors for example as a tenant of a building. It is made up of what we call pre-conditions which are basic requirements that every single project must achieve and then other credits that are called optimisations and the way that the scoring works is that all buildings have to achieve the pre-conditions and then you build up your optimisations and the more points you get through optimisations the higher your final rating and the ratings are silver, gold and platinum. So, there’s three that are available. Very similar to BREEAM you work through it with your design team from the very beginning of the project so what we do as consultants we create a pre-assessment where we will look at all of the various bits of the standard, work with the design team and what are the achievable levels and then try and challenge them to go further and do more and the things that they focus on. There are ten, what we call concepts which are essentially the chapters, but they are things like air, water, light, movement, nutrition and so on and it goes on through ten of those different factors. It’s really striving to achieve clean air, lots of good available drinking water, movement through the building is really important so trying to drive people into using the stairs rather than lifts for example. And making sure that our indoor environment is healthy so making sure we are not bringing products into that space whether it’s cleaning products or furniture that are bringing pollutants into the space and our understanding, the science of human health and how it’s impacted by our buildings has just gone off the scale recently and I think particularly with COVID there’s this new appreciation of the stuff that we are breathing in, you know, what we surround ourselves with. And the importance of things like daylight, of exercise, of improving our mental health through socialising, communicating you know, the effect of good sleep and good nutrition. And we know that our buildings can really impact on our quality of life. So Well seeks to distil all of that science into some design features that can be implemented.

The other thing about WELL which is new and really quite revolutionary is that it’s not just a design standard, it’s about the operation of the building. So, you cannot achieve Well certification until after occupants have moved into the building and have been working in that space for at least three months. At that point you will have what’s called a performance verification visit where an auditor will come to the site and will check that people are using that space in the way it was designed and intended to be used and that the space is performing. So, they will come and take air quality readings, they will come and do sampling of the drinking water quality, they will check light levels and they will check that everything you have said at design stage was happening actually is happening in the building. The certification once you get it is valid for three years so it really is a living standard that you then have to maintain through operations so one of the big changes between this and I think BREAM is that your facilities managers, all of the building occupants, people like the cleaning contractors, the caterers all need to understand how the Well Standard works and what bits of their job are really important to maintain this healthy indoor environment and what has to be done. But what that means as a result is that when you walk into a Well certified building you can tell it’s different, it feels different, it looks different, the way you interact with it is different and there is a lot more awareness as well amongst the people inside of what a great space they are in and the communication of that is really powerful I think for people particularly post-COVID.”

RESET Standard

“The Reset Standard is an international quality standard for indoor air. So, it came from China where it was originally developed where municipal air quality is notoriously poor particularly in urban areas and they wanted to develop a standard that would demonstrate that the indoor air quality in buildings was good, so the reset standard was developed by the organisation GIGA which is a Chinese organisation.

It has become really popular now in the era of Covid and post Covid in order to demonstrate that the equipment that we are using and the way in which are monitoring indoor air quality is of a good standard so at the moment indoor air quality monitoring kit is a real world test you can go onto the internet and for a few pounds you can buy a little plug in air sensor that just plugs into your computer and gives you readings of the air quality. You can also spend £10,000 on a piece of air quality testing kit. You know, how are you supposed to know which one is good and which one is reliable and whether they are accurately calibrated and whether the componentry is good and all of that stuff. It is really difficult to be able to discern good kit. Reset has two parts to it really. One is that is creates a quality mark for the tech for the kit so it certifies the particular indoor air quality sensors are of a high standard and you can go onto their website and see which of those pass their test and so which are recommended and then the second part is that they provide a quality design standard that says where you put the sensors for exampled that they need to be within the breathing zone which is at between about 5/6ft high in your space. They need to be in certain areas so you know you don’t end up with your sensors just in corridors they need to be in the arears that are occupied by people regularly so what it does it sets out a design standard for where you put the sensors and the quality of the sensors. What you then do is that there are two versions of the standard that you can certify to. One is the base building standard for landlords and what that does is that you put a sensor on the outside of your air handling kit to monitor the external air quality and then you put sensors the other side of the air handling kit so the air intake post filtration and what that then does is it verifies the quality of the air that is actually being delivered to the floor plates so that all of your tenants know that they are getting good quality air coming through into their floors.

The other standard is the commercial interiors standard and that is really where you put the sensors in the floor plate and you will then see changes depending on how many people are in the space, whether the cleaners are in and spraying chemicals everywhere, you know you will see differences in temperature, humidity and so on and that is really the exciting bit that you can see live what is going on in your space and how your activities are impacting on the air quality. The requirements of both standards is that data is consistently monitored and uploaded so for both the landlord’s standard and the interiors standard you need to have a live display showing the air quality at that time that any occupant or visitor to the building can access so it really does keep people alert to the conditions in that space and it means that you can then look back at that data and you can see what happened aligned with different events so if you have a big town hall meeting in your space you can see how that impacts on the quality of the space. If you have got, like I say, cleaners coming in and the idea is that they are supposed to be using low toxin chemicals, low toxin products in order to maintain good air quality you can see whether that is happening and you can directly see the impact so it actually develops this ownership over the air in the space and a lot of education and you get people getting quite geeky about it and quite excited it is really cool when you do it I mean it is definitely not something to be entered into lightly because you cannot just plug it in and forget about it you do need to constantly be checking, be aware, you need alerts in the system to tell you when something is going on but because of that people within the space can be assured that their facilities managers, the people that run the building, are really on top of it and are aware of the air quality in the building.”

TCFD

“TCFD stands for the Taskforce for Climate related Financial Disclosures. This was established in 2015 and it was established by Mark Carney and Michael Bloomberg as an initiative and it started out as a voluntary initiative and really what it was about was getting major fund managers, asset managers, the financial institutions to start examining and disclosing information about how their investments impacted on the climate and how the climate changing then impacted on their investments so it was this two way street looking at how much carbon are we emitting, what are our liabilities and also looking at changing where the patterns with moving populations and so on related to climate how is that going to impact our funds. So that is how it started as a voluntary initiative but it has been really successful and has been picked up by the UK government now in October 2021 to coincide with COP the Government announced that as of April 2022 the TCFD rules are going to become mandatory for large UK companies so that is for companies that are listed in the London Stock Exchange, any company that is required to produce a non-financial statement and it is going to be for private companies as well and limited liability partnerships that have more than 500 staff members and the turnover of more than £500m. So that is basically who is going to be included in the scheme – the way that the TCFD’s rules are set up is they have four what they call pillars and the pillars are governance, strategy, risk management and then metrics and targets and within those four pillars they have got 11 recommendations and those are things like describe the risks to your organisation of in the short, medium and long term of climate change. Describe your carbon emissions related to your investments and things like that. Now, at the moment, we are not exactly clear on the wording of the mandatory requirement for Government but what we do know is that from April this year those largest companies are going to have to start reporting in line with the TCFD rules.”


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Our Sustainability Hub

We are committed to running a business that is environmentally sustainable. Not only do we continually strive to minimise our impact on the environment, but we have years of experience of incorporating sustainability considerations into the legal advice that we provide to our clients.

Our sustainability hub brings together the team’s insights and legal expertise on a broad range of environmental matters that affect our clients’ business and personal affairs. This is a rapidly evolving and wide-ranging area of law and we will continue to share our insights about related legal developments on this hub.

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Graduate Recruitment – Mythbusters

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Graduate Recruitment Partner, Emily Holdstock, and More Than Law Podcast host, Miri Stickland, are joined by various guests as they discuss some of the common myths and frequently asked questions surrounding training contracts and the application process. With more content released weekly make sure you bust all of the myths with our Graduate Recruitment team as we close in on our 2022 Summer Vacation Scheme deadline at the end of January 2022.

Episode 1

Do you need to start off knowing exactly which practice area you want to qualify into? Graduate Recruitment partner Emily Holdstock, newly qualified solicitor Tamsin Collingridge and trainee Molly Haynes join podcast host Miri Stickland to discuss whether it is OK to be undecided.


Episode 2

Are there unwritten rules you need to follow in training contract interviews? Partner Katherine Ekers and trainees Ellen Jones and Cameron Turnbull join podcast host Miri Stickland to discuss what to wear and whether to eat the biscuits offered!


Episode 3

Does showing commercial awareness really mean faithfully memorising the contents of the Economist each week? Podcast host Miri Stickland is joined by Partner Katherine Ekers and trainees Phoebe Jackson and Annalisa Gardner to discuss the tricky issue of how to show commercial awareness.


Diversity & Inclusion

Senior Partner Smita Edwards, Graduate Recruitment Partner Emily Holdstock and Graduate Recruitment officer Emma Cooper join Miri Stickland to discuss why diversity and inclusion is so important to Forsters, the preconceptions that applicants may have about the firm and why they should look past them, our D&I strategy and initiatives the Graduate Recruitment team are taking to promote diversity.


Episode 4

Is only work experience in law firms relevant to a training contract application? Graduate Recruitment partner Emily Holdstock and trainees Ellen Jones, Candice Johnson and Joe May join podcast host Miri Stickland to discuss how work and volunteering experience in other sectors can also be a huge asset.


Episode 5

Is there a ‘right’ answer to the questions you are asked at interview? Partner Katherine Ekers and trainees Tatiana Kinsky and Oliver James join podcast host Miri Stickland to give their insights.


Learn more about Graduate Recruitment here at Forsters

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Weathering the storm: the future for hotels – podcast

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The Covid-19 pandemic created a perfect storm for the hotels sector and, despite ever improving signs of recovery, the resulting devastation will take time and innovation to repair. Unprecedented economic life-support provided by the UK government over the last two years has kept the gathering clouds at bay, but there could well be casualties in 2022 and beyond. This was the conclusion of a roundtable discussion hosted by Forsters on 10 November 2021.

Listen to the conversation in full here or head over to our blog to watch a video or download our whitepaper.

Learn more about our Hotels & Leisure team here at Forsters

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Andrew Parker

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Graduate Recruitment 2022

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Graduate Recruitment partner, Emily Holdstock, and Graduate Recruitment officer, Emma Cooper, join podcast host Miri Stickland to talk about the key dates and events coming up in the graduate recruitment calendar, key points for candidates to note and some top tips for navigating the application process.

Learn more about Graduate Recruitment here at Forsters

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Nayana Punnoose

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US Purchasers of UK Residential Property

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Private Wealth partners Charles Miéville, Emma Gillies and Rosie Schumm join podcast host, Miri Stickland, to talk about the tax and legal implications for US connected persons considering acquiring a residential property in the UK.

Charles shares his thoughts on the outlook for the residential market in the UK, as well as recent changes to the property tax regime, Emma explains some of the key cross-border issues at play and the estate planning options available, and Rosie gives her insights on what to consider in terms of protecting assets for the future in light of the changing shape of relationships.

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A Guide for US Purchasers of UK Residential Property

When acquiring UK property, US purchasers should seek advice on the broader tax and legal implications. In this report, Forsters’ partners along with specialists in the industry, share their insights on the current UK market for US buyers and how best to navigate the specific risks for US-connected clients.

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Buying and selling luxury residential property in a competitive market

The purchase or sale of a high value home requires expert legal advice to manage the complexities involved. Our lawyers are dedicated to sharing their knowledge to enable you to navigate the legal practicalities of buying and selling high value assets. We will support you through every stage of the process, and with the largest dedicated Residential Property team in London, we have the strength to do this. Visit our Hub to learn more.

Forsters' Luxury Residential Property Hub

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Charles Miéville

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Strategic Land Podcast

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Our latest More Than Law podcast features our cross-departmental strategic land team, with host Miri Stickland talking to Partners Christopher Findley and Henry Cecil from the Rural Property team, Commercial Real Estate partner Ben Brayford and Planning partner Victoria Du Croz. Discussion points include what we mean by “strategic land“, who are the key parties and their particular drivers and concerns, and the key components needed for a successful strategic land development.

“Strategic land is basically land identified for the opportunity of new development, usually as a major extension of an existing urban settlement or a brand new residential-based development on a greenfield site. With it come the requirements for allocation in a local plan by the Local Authority, master planning to work out how much land you need to accommodate the number of residential units you are aiming to build, as well as the land assembly.”

“From the master developer point of view, they will be very invested in the success of the early phases of the development because the value of future plots will depend to some extent on how those early phases progress. You also need to consider the legacy and control aspects, which will be particularly pertinent to larger estates who will have a keen eye on the design and architecture of a development. Having discussions early on and understanding where the various parties’ pressure points are is going to be extremely important.”

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Insights into Build to Rent

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On our latest More Than Law podcast, host Miri Stickland is joined by three members of our Build to Rent group who provide their insights into the sector.

Commercial Real Estate Partner Helen Streeton talks through the types of sites being acquired for BTR schemes, who the key players are as the project progresses and how the funding risk profile differs on a BTR development scheme. Partner Elizabeth Small from our Tax team discusses the importance of focusing on tax structuring at the outset of a BTR development and the potential longer term tax implications when the scheme is operational and Matt Evans, Counsel in our Planning team, walks us through the planning complexities of BTR schemes, including delivery of affordable housing.

“The market for BTR is ever-expanding and not a day goes by in the property press without hearing about further entrants into the market to forward fund a development or acquire a stabilised scheme. When we are looking at site assembly right at the beginning of the process, the key question is what scheme is the developer looking to build, which will often involve tall towers. The developer will be looking at various issues including the footprint of the site, potential rights to lights issues and the extent of the existing infrastructure in place, with the end users likely to be young professionals to whom transport connections are going to be important.”

“With a BTR scheme there are often tight margins which means it is very important to manage the cashflow. This involves making certain that one considers the amount of VAT payable upfront, if any, and the SDLT cost as well. A BTR development can start off with, for example, either a bare site or an existing office block needing redeveloping or perhaps demolishing. It’s going to be critical to understand the different VAT and SDLT costs which attract to those different sites.”

“Private rentals have always provided a significant part of housing in this country but it is only more recently that it has been given a definition and designation within the planning regime and started contributing significantly not only to housing delivery but also capturing affordable housing as part of that provision. Planning authorities will seek to secure that private rental use for an extended period to prevent those units being sold outright, usually via section 106 obligations.”

Learn more about our Build to Rent services

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Breaking Good – Episode Six: Putting the children first – top tips for separated parents navigating the Covid-19 pandemic

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Co-hosts Marcus Brigstocke and Head of Family, Jo Edwards are joined by preeminent family Barrister Matthew Brunsdon-Tully to discuss the challenges facing separated parents during the pandemic and tips on how best to resolve the issues, drawing on experience of the common questions that have arisen.

They share advice for separated parents who are dealing with issues relating to childcare arrangements, home schooling and school holidays, as well as the impact of anticipated longer term trends such one separated parent wanting to move out of the city with the children in search of outside space and how changing work habits may also change/influence child arrangements moving forward.

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Resources mentioned in the episode

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Leading divorce and family law experts – How can we help?

Known for the highest quality service and achieving the best results for our clients, our focus is always on the needs of each individual. Our top ranked Family team will take the time to understand each client’s unique personal situations – and we work with them to develop the course of action which best suits them.

We cover the full range of family law matters including pre and post nuptial agreements, separation arrangements, matters involving children, financial issues and divorce for clients both in the UK and overseas. In addition, we are experts in mediation and collaborative law.

Contact us


Forward-Thinking Approaches to Divorce and Separation

Coming to a decision to separate or divorce is difficult and often distressing. For many, the process that lies ahead is a mystery and it is assumed that it will be confrontational and drawn-out. However, there is in fact a wide range of forward-thinking, constructive approaches to resolving the issues flowing from your divorce or separation.

Forward Thinking Approaches to Divorce and Separation

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Breaking Good – Episode Five: Splitigation – going to court to sort out finances on divorce

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Co-hosts Marcus Brigstocke and Head of Family, Jo Edwards are joined once again by Rosie Schumm to talk about going to court to sort out money issues on divorce. They explore when involving the court is the right thing to do, the process, what powers the court has and why it’s usually not as melodramatic as movies would have us believe…

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In this episode we were joined by:

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You can listen to more episodes of Breaking Good and the More Than Law podcast here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including:

To continue the conversation on social media, use #ForstersBreakingGood.

Leading divorce and family law experts – How can we help?

Known for the highest quality service and achieving the best results for our clients, our focus is always on the needs of each individual. Our top ranked Family team will take the time to understand each client’s unique personal situations – and we work with them to develop the course of action which best suits them.

We cover the full range of family law matters including pre and post nuptial agreements, separation arrangements, matters involving children, financial issues and divorce for clients both in the UK and overseas. In addition, we are experts in mediation and collaborative law.

Contact us


Forward-Thinking Approaches to Divorce and Separation

Coming to a decision to separate or divorce is difficult and often distressing. For many, the process that lies ahead is a mystery and it is assumed that it will be confrontational and drawn-out. However, there is in fact a wide range of forward-thinking, constructive approaches to resolving the issues flowing from your divorce or separation.

Forward Thinking Approaches to Divorce and Separation

Breaking Good: Love Nuptially – a definitive guide to pre-nups and post-nups

Magnolia flowers

Co-hosts Marcus Brigstocke and Head of Family, Jo Edwards are re-joined by family lawyer Rosie Schumm to talk all things nuptial agreement-related. From debunking some common myths, to sharing tips on how to broach the subject with your other half, and discussing why they aren’t as unromantic or as new a concept as you might think – it’s all here.

In this episode we were joined by:

Leading divorce and family law experts – How can we help?

Known for the highest quality service and achieving the best results for our clients, our focus is always on the needs of each individual. Our top ranked Family team will take the time to understand each client’s unique personal situations – and we work with them to develop the course of action which best suits them.

We cover the full range of family law matters including pre and post nuptial agreements, separation arrangements, matters involving children, financial issues and divorce for clients both in the UK and overseas. In addition, we are experts in mediation and collaborative law.

Contact us


Nuptial agreements

Is a nuptial agreement right for you and your family? The Forsters Family team want to open up the conversation about nuptial agreements, to dispel myths and to inform people about the benefits of having one and the practical process.

Nuptial agreements


Breaking Good – Episode Three: Children & separation – all you need to know

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Co-hosts Marcus Brigstocke and Head of Family, Jo Edwards are joined by preeminent family lawyer Simon Blain to talk about how to prioritise children’s needs during separation and divorce. They explore how parents can best work together to protect children from any fall-out, the different and creative child arrangements they have seen, how to take account of a child’s wishes and the kindness of surrogate mothers.

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In this episode we were joined by:

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You can listen to more episodes of Breaking Good and the More Than Law podcast here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including:

To continue the conversation on social media, use #ForstersBreakingGood.

Leading divorce and family law experts – How can we help?

Known for the highest quality service and achieving the best results for our clients, our focus is always on the needs of each individual. Our top ranked Family team will take the time to understand each client’s unique personal situations – and we work with them to develop the course of action which best suits them.

We cover the full range of family law matters including pre and post nuptial agreements, separation arrangements, matters involving children, financial issues and divorce for clients both in the UK and overseas. In addition, we are experts in mediation and collaborative law.

Contact us


Forward-Thinking Approaches to Divorce and Separation

Coming to a decision to separate or divorce is difficult and often distressing. For many, the process that lies ahead is a mystery and it is assumed that it will be confrontational and drawn-out. However, there is in fact a wide range of forward-thinking, constructive approaches to resolving the issues flowing from your divorce or separation.

Forward Thinking Approaches to Divorce and Separation

Breaking Good – Episode Two: No Fault Divorce – ending the blame game

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Co-hosts Marcus Brigstocke and Head of Family, Jo Edwards are joined by up-and-coming family lawyer Jamie Gaw to talk all things no fault divorce, set to take effect in 2021. They dissect all that’s wrong with the current divorce system, the arguments that led to change, how the new law will operate in practice and some rather unusual behaviour particulars (one spouse cooking another spouse tuna casserole every night being one)…

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In this episode we were joined by:

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You can listen to more episodes of Breaking Good and the More Than Law podcast here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including:

To continue the conversation on social media, use #ForstersBreakingGood.

Leading divorce and family law experts – How can we help?

Known for the highest quality service and achieving the best results for our clients, our focus is always on the needs of each individual. Our top ranked Family team will take the time to understand each client’s unique personal situations – and we work with them to develop the course of action which best suits them.

We cover the full range of family law matters including pre and post nuptial agreements, separation arrangements, matters involving children, financial issues and divorce for clients both in the UK and overseas. In addition, we are experts in mediation and collaborative law.

Contact us



Forward-Thinking Approaches to Divorce and Separation

Coming to a decision to separate or divorce is difficult and often distressing. For many, the process that lies ahead is a mystery and it is assumed that it will be confrontational and drawn-out. However, there is in fact a wide range of forward-thinking, constructive approaches to resolving the issues flowing from your divorce or separation.

Forward Thinking Approaches to Divorce and Separation

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Joanne Edwards

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Breaking Good – Episode One: Demystifying separation and divorce, present and future

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Comedian Marcus Brigstocke teams up with leading family lawyer Jo Edwards and members of Forsters’ Family team to demystify the divorce and separation process. An informative and entertaining guide to modern family law.

In the first episode of our new podcast series, Marcus and Jo are joined by top family lawyer Rosie Schumm to talk about common misconceptions about family law, divorce during COVID and the lure of Ally McBeal…

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In this episode we were joined by:

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You can listen to more episodes of Breaking Good and the More Than Law podcast here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including:

To continue the conversation on social media, use #ForstersBreakingGood.

Leading divorce and family law experts – How can we help?

Known for the highest quality service and achieving the best results for our clients, our focus is always on the needs of each individual. Our top ranked Family team will take the time to understand each client’s unique personal situations – and we work with them to develop the course of action which best suits them.

We cover the full range of family law matters including pre and post nuptial agreements, separation arrangements, matters involving children, financial issues and divorce for clients both in the UK and overseas. In addition, we are experts in mediation and collaborative law.

Contact us


Forward-Thinking Approaches to Divorce and Separation

Coming to a decision to separate or divorce is difficult and often distressing. For many, the process that lies ahead is a mystery and it is assumed that it will be confrontational and drawn-out. However, there is in fact a wide range of forward-thinking, constructive approaches to resolving the issues flowing from your divorce or separation.

Forward Thinking Approaches to Divorce and Separation

Fire Safety and Cladding Podcast

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Podcast host, Miri Stickland, talks to Construction partner Andrew Parker, associate Dan Cudlipp and Property Litigation associate Sarah Heatley about the findings and recommendations so far from the ongoing Grenfell inquiry, new legislation coming forward in the form of the Building Safety Bill, practical issues being encountered on sales and refinancings of high-rise residential units and what options may be available to cover the costs of any remediation works required.

“Phase 2 of the Grenfell Inquiry is going to be particularly important for the construction industry by shining a light on how materials are tested, what design choices should be made and identifying where there are flaws in the current regulations.”

“The Building Safety Bill will be a significant piece of statutory reform, with the current legislation no longer fit for purpose, especially in respect of residential occupants. Leaseholders and occupants of residential blocks are the primary focus of the Bill, which introduces the new role of an Accountable Person, clarifies that cladding and wall systems do form part of the common parts of the building and introduces a new category of service charge with the concept of building safety charges. Overall, the Bill makes it much clearer as to what owners need to do to keep residents safe and easier for occupiers to compel owners to investigate and fix cladding.”

“Sometimes there is no obvious recourse for cost recovery from third parties and there are areas which the Government funding doesn’t cover, for example, where a waking watch is required to be put in place to ensure residents’ safety. Building owners will need to think carefully about whether these costs are recoverable from leaseholders and be mindful of the residential service charge consultation requirements.”

In this episode we were joined by:

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Planning Reforms: True revolution or plus ça change…?

Podcast host, Miri Stickland, is joined by Head of Planning, Partner Victoria Du Croz, and senior associate, Laura Parrish, to discuss the impact of recent changes to the Use Classes Order and Permitted Development Rights as well as further planning reforms which are still to come.

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Andrew Parker

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Planning Reforms: True revolution or plus ça change…?

Skyscrapers stand prominently against a blue sky with scattered clouds, surrounded by lower buildings. The tall structures feature modern glass facades, creating a skyline in an urban setting.

Podcast host, Miri Stickland, is joined by Head of Planning, Partner Victoria Du Croz, and senior associate, Laura Parrish, to discuss the impact of recent changes to the Use Classes Order and Permitted Development Rights as well as further planning reforms which are still to come.

“Some clients are really happy with the increased flexibility the new Use Class E offers in terms of how they can use their space. Other landlord clients have been concerned that tenants are able to change the use of their properties without the need for formal planning permission or prior approval from the planning authority. For example, there is now far less control over change of use from retail to restaurant use, which we anticipate could lead to a rise in nuisance claims.”

“One of the key industry concerns in respect of the new Permitted Development Rights is that it will allow housing to be brought forward without mitigation of the impact of the change of use of those buildings. Local Authorities will be very limited in respect of the conditions that they can require, in particular in terms of not being able to impose affordable housing quotas, section 106 or CIL payments.”

In this episode we were joined by:

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You can listen to more episodes of the More Than Law podcast here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including SoundCloud, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and YouTube.

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Changes to the Use Classes Order in England

The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020 No.757) were introduced by the government on 20 July, and take effect on 1 September 2020. The new Regulations make radical changes to the 1987 Use Classes Order. These changes sit alongside the recent additions to permitted development rights, forming part of the government’s “Project Speed”, with the aim being to support the high street revival and allow greater flexibility to change uses within town centres without the need for express planning permission.

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Victoria Du Croz

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Graduate Recruitment Applications

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With applications for 2020 vacation schemes and 2022 training contracts now open, Graduate Recruitment partner Victoria Towers and Graduate Recruitment co-ordinator Holly Meldrum join podcast host Miri Stickland to talk through some of the questions they get asked most frequently by potential candidates.

“We like to see a wide range of candidates with a variety of things to offer. Having the intellectual ability to solve complex problems is the starting point and we also really like to see a genuine interest in Forsters. We are known for being a friendly, collaborative firm so we do look for people who are personable, alongside which we like to see candidates with drive, ambition and a strong work ethic.”

“It’s really important that candidates get a feel for whether the firm is right for them. Every firm is different so take the opportunity to go to open days, graduate recruitment dinners and law fairs to get that insider’s viewpoint and ask as many questions as possible. It can prove invaluable. If you can apply for a vacation scheme, we recommend that you do, as it is the best insight into the firm that you can get, although there is always space for direct applications for training contracts as well.”

“The most common mistake in application forms is spelling the firm’s name wrong or putting another firm’s name in accidentally! Make sure you get someone else to proof read your application.”

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Victoria Towers

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Trainees and their Supervisors

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Senior Associate, Emily Holdstock, and first year Trainee, Tamsin Collingridge, talk to Miri Stickland about the “special relationship” between trainees and their supervisors, including the value that supervisors can bring in mentoring trainees, the feedback and review process and the attributes that are highly valued in Forsters’ trainees.

“At Forsters, the trainee supervisors act as the first point of call within the department for any questions from their trainee, ranging from legal questions to queries about how you might go about carrying out a particular task to the sort of practical questions we know trainees might get nervous about asking, like where to hang your coat!”

“There is nothing I wouldn’t delegate to a trainee, from the first drafts of letters to notices to research tasks, but I wouldn’t delegate anything I don’t know how to do myself. It’s always important to put some context around the task the trainee is being asked to do. Ultimately the idea behind being a trainee is to develop into a qualified lawyer so, if you haven’t been taught the context, how can you develop the skills that you need when you are running the matter yourself?”

“For a supervisor, what you want is a trainee who listens, who is willing to get stuck in, asks questions and is interested and enjoying themselves. Trainees with an open mind set tend to be the ones who fly.”

“There is a definite expectation at Forsters that as a trainee you should try and get involved in as many things as you can. That’s not a particularly daunting prospect as there are so many things to do, from the charity and green committees to book club and choir and the list goes on! The type of people Forsters attracts are those who don’t want to just sit at their desk every day and have no outside experience.”

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In this episode we were joined by:

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You can listen to more episodes of the More Than Law podcast here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including SoundCloud, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and YouTube.

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Life as a Trainee at Forsters

Skyscrapers stand prominently against a blue sky with scattered clouds, surrounded by lower buildings. The tall structures feature modern glass facades, creating a skyline in an urban setting.

Partner and training principal, Helen Marsh, and second year trainee Anastasia Pejacsevich join Miri Stickland to talk about life as a trainee at Forsters, including the type of support and training our trainees can expect to receive throughout their training contracts, adapting to life as a trainee and the process on qualification.

Helen discusses the importance of trainees here at Forsters: “We value our trainees highly here at Forsters, and as part of our business, so we try to give them the best training and we spend a lot of time and resource on them.”

“The formal induction programme at the start of the training contract is quite intensive, covering all the internal processes of the firm. Both during the initial induction and throughout the training contract we focus on providing technical legal training including research, writing and drafting skills alongside pastoral training on building resilience, dealing with stress and how to deal with difficult conversations.”

Anastasia provides her perspective as a current trainee: “As a trainee every day is different. You can’t always plan your day, which makes you learn to be a lot more flexible and not to panic if something unexpected crops up. I’ve really developed how to manage my time and adapt to different situations.”

“One of the things I really like about being in an open-plan environment is that you hear more senior people asking each other questions to get the benefit of each other’s expertise, which makes it feel more normal when I have to ask questions about a piece of work I’ve been given on something I haven’t dealt with before.”

You can learn more about training at Forsters by viewing our Graduate Recruitment pages.

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Listen to more episodes and subscribe

You can listen to more episodes of the More Than Law podcast here on our website, as well as subscribe on your favourite podcast services, including SoundCloud, iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and YouTube.

To continue the conversation on social media, use #MoreThanLawPodcast.

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Miri Stickland

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