25 July 2022

Forsters Elects New Senior Partner

Forsters, the leading London real estate and private wealth law firm, announces today that it has elected Natasha Rees as its new Senior Partner from 1 September 2022.

Today’s announcement follows the recent news that Forsters is to move to new HQ premises at 22 Baker Street in the heart of Marylebone in late 2023, coinciding with the firm’s 25th Anniversary.

Natasha Rees and Emily Exton.

Natasha Rees joined Forsters from Pinsent Masons in 2001 and became a Partner in 2008. Until March this year Natasha was Head of the Property Litigation team and is widely recognised as a leader in this field - particularly in the area of residential disputes and leasehold enfranchisement. She is profiled in the current edition of Chambers UK, has featured in The Lawyer ‘Hot 100’ (2018) and is ranked in The Legal 500, where she is included in its Hall of Fame.

Natasha takes over as Senior Partner from Smita Edwards, who has led the firm through a period of sustained growth and success during her eight-year term of office. Smita is one of the founding Partners of Forsters and was Head of the Commercial Real Estate team from 1998 until 2003. She is one of the UK’s pre-eminent real estate lawyers, who maintains a Band 1 ranking in the latest edition of Chambers UK. From September she will return to full time practice and to her diverse client base, which includes leading real estate investors, funders and developers.

In addition to the new office announcement, Forsters has recently promoted six Senior Associates to Partner and four to Counsel. This is the single largest round of promotions that the firm has recorded in its 24-year history. Forsters now has 65 Partners and 420 other members of staff.

Natasha Rees and Emily Exton.

Forsters’ Senior Partner-Elect, Natasha Rees, said: “It is one of the greatest honours of my career to be elected Senior Partner of such a wonderful firm. Through her visionary leadership, Smita leaves an outstanding legacy at Forsters and it is great news for our clients that she will continue to practise with us. I want to thank her on behalf of the whole firm for being such an inspirational leader.”

Forsters’ Senior Partner, Smita Edwards, said: “It has been a huge privilege to serve as Senior Partner for two terms and I am delighted that Natasha has been elected as my successor. She will bring experience, passion and energy to the role and has an inherent understanding of the special qualities which set Forsters apart, particularly our collegiate working culture.”

Forsters’ Managing Partner, Emily Exton, said: “I have enjoyed a great working relationship with Smita over the past two years and I look forward to working closely with Natasha. We are a diverse, inclusive and ambitious firm with fantastic clients and I am confident that Smita’s legacy as a founding Partner of Forsters and an outstanding Senior Partner will continue as she passes the baton to Natasha.”

Natasha Rees and Emily Exton.

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