2012

Forsters acts for the Crown Estate on purchase of The Gate leisure scheme

Forsters has advised the Crown Estate in relation to its recent acquisition of The Gate in the heart of Newcastle-upon-Tyne for £60 million.

Forsters advises the Crown Estate on sale of Les Ambassadeurs Club

Forsters has acted on behalf of the Crown Estate in relation to the sale of the freehold interest in 5 Hamilton Place, Mayfair, W1.

The £60m sale to a private overseas investor was completed within a tight schedule, including a timeframe of only two days between acceptance of the purchaser's offer and exchange of contracts.

Forsters act on Warner Bros. lease renewal

Forsters has advised Warner Bros. Entertainment UK Limited in relation to the renewal of the lease of their central London offices at Warner House, 98 Theobalds Road WC1.

Commercial property assistant Ruth de Maupeou acted on behalf of Warner Bros. The landlord, MT Property Investments LLP, was represented by David Sinclair of Norton Rose.

Natasha Rees & Emma Gosling speak at Association of Serviced Apartment Providers Conference

Natasha Rees & Emma Gosling speak at Association of Serviced Apartment Providers Conference

Forsters’ property litigation partner Natasha Rees and solicitor Emma Gosling are speaking at the ASAP Conference on 6 December 2012.

They will be will be speaking on the following:

Key legal insights:

F&C sell Boots' Oxford Street store for £28.1m

Forsters has advised F & C Commercial Property Holdings Limited on the sale of the long leasehold interest in 385 – 389 Oxford Street, London to a private overseas investor for £28.1m.

Forsters acts on largest Third Quarter West End letting

Forsters has acted on behalf of Publicis Limited in respect of the letting of approximately 44,000 square feet of office space at Oxford House, 76 Oxford Street.

Forsters - What the directories say

Chambers UK - A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession 2013 Edition

Forsters has once again been very highly rated by Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession in its 2013 edition, with 21 of its lawyers ranked as leading individuals. 

Forsters acts on letting of prestigious Michelin House

Commercial property assistant Ruth De Maupeou has acted on behalf of private equity firm Bregal Investments LLP on the letting of the third and fourth floors of landmark building Michelin House on Fulham Road, London.

The distinctively-styled Grade II listed property comprises office, retail and restaurant space and is also home to the Bibendum Restaurant and Oyster Bar.

Sophie Hamilton

With great sadness the partners of Forsters announce the death on 19th October of Sophie Hamilton, senior partner of the firm from 2001 to 2008. 

Forsters wins seven Lex 100 medals

Forsters has had a glowing write-up in the latest edition of "Lex 100" – the student guide to the UK's premier law firms for 2012/13. The firm was named a "Lex 100 Winner" in seven out of ten categories of.  These are:

Forsters acts on funding of Southampton City Gateway project

Forsters has acted for a Fund managed by Rockspring Property Investment Managers in relation to the provision of development funding to BY Development (part of the Bouygues Group) for the Southampton City Gateway project.

Landed Estates succeed in Supreme Court

Enfranchisement practitioners have been waiting with bated breath for the outcome of two appeals in the Supreme Court known collectively as “Hosebay”. The appeals, brought by two central London Landed Estates, were challenging a Court of Appeal decision where it had been decided that a property used wholly for commercial purposes could qualify as a “house” for the purposes of enfranchisement.

Mediation as a means to move forward – Forsters' experts take part in 'Family Dispute Resolution Week'

Resolving family issues need not mean going to Court; Forsters Team now qualified to act as family mediators

What the directories say - The Legal 500 - The Clients' Guide to the UK Legal Profession 2012

Forsters has once again been very highly rated by the Legal 500 in its 2012 Guide. Forsters is now recommended in no fewer than 19 practice areas, with 19 lawyers endorsed in the editorial and seven lawyers listed in the elite "leading lawyers" list.

Commenting on the firm's performance, the Legal 500 says that:

Property 

Commercial Property

Six new solicitors qualify at Forsters

Today marks the end of their two year training contract for six trainees at Forsters.  Mike Armstrong, Katie Hibbs, Nikolas Ireland, Julia Mirza-Begum, Alastair Robertson and Hugh Wigzell will become solicitors on 17 September. 

High profile Vauxhall Towers given the green light - Forsters advises

Forsters planning team has assisted landowners, Wendover Investments Limited, in obtaining planning permission for two landmark tall towers in the heart of Vauxhall.

Patrick Harney speaks at STEP Chicago meeting and STEP Wyoming conference

Forsters' Private Client partner, Patrick Harney, is speaking at the STEP Chicago meeting and STEP Wyoming conference in September 2012.

Patrick, identified as a leader in his field in Chambers Global 2012 and as a Citywealth leader, will be speaking at the STEP Chicago Meeting on 20 September on the following:

Forsters acts for "rooftop restaurant"

Forsters has acted for Sushi Samba, the leading sushi restaurant chain from the US which opens for business at the end of this month. Sushi Samba showcases the cultures of Japan, Brazil and Peru through its highly acclaimed menu, music and design. Forsters acted on the lease, construction and financing arrangements for their first restaurant in the UK.

20 Forsters lawyers selected as leaders in their field for Chambers UK Directory 2013 edition

20 Forsters lawyers have been selected by Chambers to appear in the next, 2013, edition of Chambers UK - A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession as leaders in their respective fields. They are:

Forsters advises Hong Kong investor on £470m investment in Greenwich Peninsula

Forsters' market leading property and corporate real estate teams represented Knight Dragon Limited, a company ultimately owned by Dr. Henry Cheng, one of Hong Kong’s leading businessmen, on the acquisition of a 60% stake in the prestigious Greenwich Peninsula development project.

Forsters acts on letting for Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust

Forsters advises on £500m sale of City landmark building Plantation Place

Forsters represented the Trustees of One Plantation Place Unit Trust (OPPUT), the owner of landmark building Plantation Place in London EC3, on property matters arising out of the sale of 100% of OPPUT to a consortium of investment funds and companies indirectly owned by the Safra family.

Forsters results show double digit growth

Forsters has recorded a 13% increase in fees and similar increase in profits in the year to 31 March 2012. Fees were up from £25m to £28m, PEP was up by 11% to £403,000 and EPP (Earnings Per Partner) rose by 14% to £311,000.

Commenting on these results, Forsters' managing partner Paul Roberts said:

Forsters acts on two lettings at Pembroke building, Kensington Village, London W14

Forsters LLP has acted on behalf of PG Media Services Limited in respect of the grant of two underleases at Pembroke Building forming part of the Kensington Village development in W14, for terms expiring in 2016. PG Media Services Limited have underlet the First Floor to Aspect Education Limited at an initial rent of £234,000.

Forsters acts for The Crown Estate on sale of Eon House Piccadilly

Forsters Senior Partner, Guy Jordan, has acted for The Crown Estate in respect of the sale of Eon House, 138 Piccadilly. Eon House is the home of Eon Productions, the company known for producing the James Bond film series, including the latest instalment "Skyfall" currently being filmed and starring Daniel Craig.

Forsters acts on further letting at Ropemaker Place

The Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd part of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, has completed a further lease in British Land's Ropemaker Place development in the City. The 20 storey building is one of the City's most sustainable developments and achieved practical completion in May 2009.

Forsters acts for British Airways Pension Fund on Wagamama letting

Commercial property partner Magnus Hassett has acted on a letting on behalf of long-standing client, British Airways Pension Fund, at Water's Edge, Brindleyplace, Birmingham. The lease to Wagamama Limited is for a 25 year term.

Wagamama join Carluccio's, Bank, Piccolino and Pizza Express in vibrant Brindleyplace.

Forsters acts for Opus Land on £14m parcel hub development

Commercial property partner Martin Halling has acted for developer Opus Land in respect of a development agreement with The Alternative Parcels Company Limited (APC) , the UK's largest next day delivery network.

Ann Northover shortlisted in prestigious Citywealth Magic Circle Awards 2012

Forsters Head of Family Group, Ann Northover, has been shortlisted in the category ”Woman of the Year” in the 2012 Citywealth Magic Circle Awards.

The winner will be announced at The Citywealth Magic Circle Awards Dinner on 10th May 2012:

More Citywealth Leaders than ever for Forsters

Sixteen Forsters partners have been selected by Citywealth as leaders in their field. The 2012 list has been published today and those included are named below. This represents an outstanding achievement, both for the individual lawyers who are named and for the firm as a whole. The Citywealth Leaders list comprises leading individuals working within the private wealth management sector.

Forsters acts on relocation of Mallett plc to Ely House, Dover Street

Forsters have acted on the acquisition of new premises for renowned antiques specialists Mallett Plc and on the related disposal of their old premises on New Bond Street. Mallett Plc have taken a new lease from Glenalla Properties Holdings Ltd of Ely House, Dover Street for a fifteen year term.

Forsters acts on £3.5m sales for Rockspring

Forsters has acted on the sale of two petrol filling stations let to Somerfield Stores Limited (trading as the Co-op). The filling stations are both let on 15 year leases from 2006 at current rents of £124,454.00 per annum and £165,750.00 per annum respectively. The two properties were sold to Pelham Associates.

Forsters advises Soho House on Yucaipa investment

Forsters Corporate and Property teams have been advising Soho House on the sale of a majority stake to Yucaipa, the west coast private equity firm founded by Ron Burkle.

Forsters acts for Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in respect of new QE2 Hospital in Welwyn Garden City

Tim Taylor, Head of Planning, at Forsters LLP has acted for Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in respect of the redevelopment of the new QE2 Hospital at Welwyn Garden City.

Forsters acts in relation to grant of planning permission at St George's Field, Pinner View, Headstone

Forsters planning department led by Tim Taylor has acted for The Parish of St George Headstone in relation to a grant of residential planning permission.

Forsters acts on leases at The Pavilion Crawley

Forsters has acted for Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust in respect of the negotiation of several leases at the Pavillion, Crawley.

A lease of Unit 2 was granted expiring 23 June 2030 at initial rent of £45,000.00 per annum with fixed uplifts to £49,050.00 in 2015, and then at 5 yearly intervals to £53,465.00 in 2020 and £58,276 in 2025.

Forsters acts on sale of 110-114 Middlesex Street for £19m

Forsters has acted for longstanding clients Danescroft and Palmer Capital in respect of the sale of 110-114 Middlesex Street, London, E1. The building benefits from its prominent location opposite the Bishopsgate entrance to Liverpool Street Station. The 48,000 square foot multi-let office and restaurant space had been substantially refurbished and re-let in recent years.

Forsters acts for Scottish Widows Investment Partnership on £17.75m Brighton Retail Park purchase

Forsters has acted for Scottish Widows Investment Partnership on its purchase of Brighton Retail Park for £17.75m from Legal & General Property represented by Eversheds.

The 42,300 sq ft park with 190 car parking spaces is fully let to Marks & Spencer Simply Foods, Argos and Next.

Forsters acts for BA Pensions on 350,000 sq ft warehouse prelet

Forsters has acted for longstanding client BA Pensions on what is said to be the biggest prelet in the north-east for a decade. Distribution company Clipper Logistics will occupy a new 343,000 sq ft warehouse at Wynyard Park, Stockton on Tees, which is scheduled for completion in September 2012, on a new 16 year lease.

Forsters acts on £14.05m disposal for Redevco UK

Commercial property partner, Matthew Swainston, acted for long standing client Redevco in respect of the disposal of a retail property at Humberstone Gate, Leicester for £14.05 million.

The retail unit was purchased by the occupier Primark Stores Limited and the sale completed on 6 January 2012.