Shelley is an Associate in the Residential Property team.
She acts for clients on a vast range of property matters including residential acquisitions and disposals, property refinancing and matters involving leases and licences.
Shelley’s clients include high profile individuals, developers, private companies and banks.
Ruth is a Paralegal in the Residential Property team.
She has experience in dealing in all aspects of freehold and leasehold property, in particular newbuilds, together with advising both clients and bank on lending.
She acts on behalf of banks, developers, high net worth individuals, companies, trusts and executors of estate, ensuring that the transactions are completed within the client’s prescribed timescales.
Jessica is a Senior Associate in the Residential Property team.
Jessica advises on a wide range of property matters including residential acquisitions and disposals, property securitisation (including Islamic financing), leasing and licencing.
Jessica’s practice offers both transactional and advisory services, with clients including high profile individuals, developers, private companies, offshore trusts and banks.
She adopts a proactive and tailored approach with clients to ensure matters are progressed diligently and efficiently. Jessica prides herself on offering practical solutions to clients’ issues.
Freddie is a Senior Associate in the Residential Property team.
Freddie acts for clients on a vast range of property matters including residential acquisitions and disposals, property refinancing and matters involving leases and licences. Freddie also has experience acting for both lenders and borrowers in property securitisation including Islamic Finance.
He adopts a proactive and tailored approach with clients to ensure matters are progressed diligently and efficiently. He prides himself on offering practical solutions to any issues that might present themselves.
A client has commented that Freddie’s “handling of the transaction at the coal-face was extremely efficient, whilst he is always a pleasure to deal with”, whilst another recognised that “without his persistence, the matters would never have completed”.
Bhavleen is a Paralegal in the Residential Property team.
She has extensive experience working residential property matters, and works closely with clients to ensure they are kept informed and aware of the process.
Bhavleen deals with a wide range of residential property matters such as both freehold and leasehold sales and purchases, new build purchases, complex refinancing and transfers of equity. Acting for a variety of clients from banks to high net worth individuals.
Bryan is a Paralegal in the Residential Property team.
He supports the residential property team on all stages of freehold and leasehold transactions including purchases, sales, and refinancing.
Bryan acts for both domestic and international clients, with a focus on advising high net worth individual investors from Asia. He has experience in advising buyers from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore on off-plan newbuild acquisitions.
Cecelia is a Paralegal in the Residential Property team.
She has extensive experience in supporting various residential property transactions including acting on behalf of developers and private individuals in new build plot sales, purchases, and refinances.
The Residential Property team’s passion is to guide and enable you to navigate the legal practicalities of buying, selling, financing, and managing your property.
At Forsters we strive to provide an integrated service, with a firmwide team who can act on the full range of matters experienced during a property’s lifecycle. Our focus is to ensure that you feel supported, and that the value of your asset is fully protected.
Your requirements will be placed front and centre, and we will ensure that you are provided with a client focused approach. Our understanding of the dynamics of the market and expertise in all residential property matters places us in the best position to navigate and resolve any problems which you may face, enabling you to move forward efficiently and achieve your objectives.
Key experience
The Whiteley
Following a competitive pitch process, we have been advising the developers in relation to the sale of the residential units and the letting of the commercial space at this £1 billion redevelopment of the Whiteleys shopping centre in London. The development is a joint venture between MARK and CC Land where Finchatton act as project manager.
Designed by Foster + Partners, the new Whiteleys will deliver: 139 world-class, modern residences; 20 new shops, cafes and restaurants; a central public courtyard; a cinema; and a gym. The site will also feature London’s flagship Six Senses hotel and spa with 110 rooms, as well as its social wellness club, all set behind a retained and restored Grade II-listed facade.
International refinancing loan
We advised a private bank in connection with the refinancing for an international high net worth individual of a £13 million loan for a super prime leasehold property in London. This matter was unusually complex as the lease for the property was not in the form required by the bank.
Using our knowledge of the development, we advised on possible solutions for variations to the lease. The client had bespoke tax structuring requirements due to their residency, therefore the bank’s standard documentation did not meet their needs. We drafted and heavily negotiated these documents, which included a revolving facility agreement, a first legal charge, a second legal charge, a guarantee, a share pledge and a cross pledge.
Prime Central London
We advised a high net worth couple on the purchase of their first property in the UK. This was an off-plan acquisition of a super prime property in Central London, with the transaction highly complex due to a number of reasons.
We carried out the property due diligence which included investigating the planning permission to ensure our clients had a detailed overview of the asset. Our team also negotiated the agreement for lease, which proved to be a lengthy negotiation with the vendors. Construction warranties were initially not offered to our clients but given the value of the property, we refused to accept this, and ensured our client received them. We supported the client with personal tax structuring elements.
Strategic sale
We recently advised a long-standing client of the firm in relation to the sale of their family home. Our clients had a specific requirement to sell the property as part of an international relocation strategy. As such they needed high level transactional advice to ensure the sale proceeded smoothly and in line with their wider plans.
The purchase price was paid by way of a deferred consideration, which was secured by a legal charge over the property in favour of our client. To enable this, the team advised on the legal charge aspects and the loan agreement for the deferred consideration. We also advised on the personal tax and structuring aspects.
Gethen is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Residential Property team where he acts for private individuals, companies and developers on all aspects of residential property matters including the sale and purchase of freehold and leasehold properties.
He has experience acting for developers on residential developments including dealing with plot sales and landlord and tenant matters.
In addition, Gethen also acts for private and international banks on all aspects of secured lending transactions.
Samantha is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Residential Property team where she advises on all areas of non-contentious residential property work. Samantha acts for a wide range of clients, including private individuals, overseas investors and companies in connection with both freehold and leasehold acquisitions/sales, as well as acting for lenders in financing transactions.
She is experienced in acting for investors and developers on newly developed properties and advising developers on the legal structuring and set up of their schemes.
In addition, Samantha is also an enfranchisement specialist, acting for landed estate owners, landlords and tenants in relation to lease extension and collective enfranchisement claims as well as other non-contentious estate management work.
As Knowledge Champion for the Residential Property team, Samantha organises and delivers training ensuring the team is kept abreast of any updates and changes.
Adam is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Residential Property team and acts for individuals, companies and developers on a wide range of property matters including the sale and purchase of freehold and leasehold properties. He also acts for private and international banks on all aspects of secured lending transactions.
Adam has many years’ experience advising high net worth individuals and companies investing in the London’s prime residential property sector. In addition, he assists international banks with property finance deals and advises some of London’s largest developers on legal structuring and unit sales.
Adam deals with the full spectrum of residential property work including licences for alteration, listed properties, lease extensions, de-enveloping and fire safety. He also advises developer clients on complex matters relating to residential and mixed use developments including tenant’s rights for first refusal, compliance with UK Finance, service charge and estate management.
Tracy is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Residential Property team where she acts for overseas’ and local private individuals, investors, corporate entities, developers and banks. She has extensive knowledge of investments that include bulk purchases of new build luxury development properties and mixed-use schemes.
Her property transaction expertise includes acquisitions, disposals, transfers of equity and financing of freehold and leasehold properties in prime central London properties.
Tracy also provides training on new build development acquisitions, financing with overseas’ lenders including basic Sharia Law financing, and assignments to junior colleagues. In addition, she is involved with the mentor programme for the team.
Anna advises on all legal aspects of residential property transactions in collaboration with other property professionals. She effectively manages transaction processes and ensures a holistic approach to advising clients.
Her experiences includes property acquisitions and disposals, secured lending and management work (including refurbishment), in relation to boutique and luxury development sites, best in class homes and investment properties based principally in London and surrounding counties. Anna enjoys acting as the sole or lead associate on a range of residential instructions for domestic and international clients.
Anna is a member of the firm’s Faith Support Network, the Working Parents’ Forum and Social Mobility Committee.
Lanna is a Senior Associate in the Residential Property team where she with all aspects of freehold and leasehold transactions including purchases and sales, refinancing, lease extensions, equity transfers and contract assignments.
She has a long track record of helping high net worth overseas investors particularly from the Far East investing in prime London off plan properties. Lanna has extensive experience in bulk purchases and is the expert in the team to advise on Sharia finance.
Her clients include various banks from China, Hong Kong and Singapore where she advises on property related matters.
Georgina is a Senior Associate in the Residential Property team where she acts for both domestic and international clients on a variety of freehold and leasehold transactions, including acquisitions and disposals of prime London property, secured lending, management work, landlord and tenant advice.
Well versed in both single property transactions and large-scale portfolio investments and refinances, she is committed to exemplary client service irrespective of the size, value or nature of the matter.
She has a wealth of experience acting on luxury new build estates; both on the purchaser side for ultra high net worth investors and for large-scale developers. She has also travelled frequently to South East Asia, developing relationships in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Georgina takes a commercial and solution focused approach to her transactions. She is decidedly aware that all matters are unique, as are the people and businesses behind them and aims to deliver carefully tailored advice accordingly.
Poornima is a Senior Associate in the Residential Property team where she advises on the full spectrum of residential property transactional work acting for private individuals, developers, overseas investors and companies.
In addition, she acts for private and international banks on all aspects of secured lending transactions.
Having worked in this sector for over 20 years Poornima has extensive experience and market knowledge, particularly in central London. This is crystallised in responsive and clear communication to all parties involved and an ability to navigate clients through the transactional process seamlessly regardless of the unique circumstances involved.
Hailed as ‘exceptional’ Legal 500, 2024, Helen is recognised as a Top Recommended lawyer in Spear’s Property Advisers Index and Spear’s 500 directory. She is ranked among the leading practitioners Chambers High Net Worth Guide, which notes that Helen ‘makes proactive suggestions and leads transactions in the best interest for everyone.’
As a Residential Property Partner, Helen has a wealth of experience in dealing with high value conveyancing, secured lending and landlord and tenant issues. She offers specialist expertise in residential and mixed use developments, advising on set-up, legal structuring and drafting, and guiding clients through strategic sales across schemes.
Helen acts for a wide range of clients including developers, investors, banks, trust companies and private individuals. She frequently co-ordinates cross-departmental teams in delivering a full service to clients.
She believes in going the extra mile for her clients and is motivated to get the deal done. She always endeavours to be responsive and proactive, constantly demonstrating that she cares about her clients and their objectives.
Ranked in Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2024, Charles is noted as ‘highly regarded by clients and fellow lawyers in the industry’ and singled out by clients as ‘calm, collected and highly knowledgeable’ and ’a very capable individual that clients can rely on and trust.’ In The Legal 500 he is ‘recognised for his work with private individuals in residential acquisitions and disposals’. He is a ‘Top Recommended Lawyer’ in the Spear’s 500 2024.
As a Partner in the Residential Property team, Charles specialises in buying, selling and financing prime residential property, primarily in Central London. He has a broad range of international clients (including many Middle East and US-based clients) and values helping them to understand and deal with the complex English law environment. He also advises on Sharia financing.
Charles always aims to establish long-term relationships with clients and to support all their requirements. Clients also benefit from his extensive network of contacts in complementary fields including interior designers, architects, project managers and schools advisers. He enjoys the opportunity to support clients in all their endeavours.
He has strong relationships with highly regarded sales and buying agents alike. He will often visit properties to glean useful information, to help build rapport with new agents and other intermediaries involved in the deal, and give the client the added comfort that he cares about and understands the property that they are buying or selling.
Ranked in all leading legal directories, Lucy is also recognised as a ‘Top Flight Property Lawyer’ in Spears Property Advisers Index. Under her leadership, the Residential Property team was named ‘Residential Property Team of the Year’ at the Chambers High Net Worth Awards 2022 and a finalist in 2024.
As Partner and Head of the Residential Property team, Lucy specialises in all aspects of acquisitions and disposals of freehold and leasehold property. She is a member of the Enfranchisement team acting for both landlords and tenants in connection with enfranchisement claims. Her work includes advising the Phillimore Estate and the Crown Estate on their enfranchisement claims and management issues arising from their property portfolios.
Lucy acts for a variety of private individuals, developers, investors and lenders and is passionate about building personal and long lasting relationships. As a ‘highly respected senior practitioner’ who is ‘technically strong and has a positive, can-do and commercial approach’, Lucy provides practical advice to ensure the best outcome is reached for clients.
Robert is described as “exceptionally knowledgeable and personable”. Praised for being efficient at progressing transactions, Robert is noted to be adept at foreseeing potential problems and resolving them before they develop into issues. He is recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in the Spear’s 500 2024 directory as well as a ‘Recommended’ Property Lawyer in the Spear’s Property Advisers Index 2024.
An ‘exceptionally gifted lawyer’, who ‘has the law at this fingertips’ Business Today, Robert is ranked Band 2 in Chambers HNW Guide 2024 for Real Estate: High Value Residential, and in Legal 500 he is praised for his ‘wealth of experience in the purchase and sale of high-value residential property and mixed-use assets’.
With more than 30 years of experience, Robert is a Partner in the Residential Property team, specialising in the purchase and sale of high-value urban and rural residential property and mixed-use assets. He has extensive experience in dealing with both registered and unregistered freehold and leasehold purchases, contract races and auction transactions. Advising clients on the structuring and ownership of mixed-use building and flat blocks is another specialist area for Robert, who also has unique experience in the law relating to London Garden Squares.
Robert is approachable, sensible and proactive, maintaining a constant focus on his clients’ best interests and on progressing transactions without delay. He prides himself on his adeptness at foreseeing potential problems and quickly resolving them.
Robert advises domestic and overseas clients, including individuals, trustees, charitable bodies and financial institutions.