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Lawrence Stephens appoints Memery Crystal Real Estate team

Posted on: January 31st, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Farringdon based full-service law firm Lawrence Stephens is pleased to announce the appointment of Directors John Aynsley, Chris Cagney, Matthew Hind, Nickhil Mandora and Sam Silverman to their Commercial Real Estate department, who all join from the highly regarded Real Estate group at Memery Crystal.

John Aynsley was previously Head of Real Estate at Memery Crystal, specialising in the acquisition, disposal, development, regeneration, financing, and management of high-value assets in commercial real estate. He acts for clients ranging from international real estate funds and listed house builders to private investors.

He is joined by fellow Directors:

  • Chris Cagney, who has extensive experience in a range of commercial real estate matters as well as advising on development projects and property finance transactions.
  • Matthew Hind, who specialises in general commercial real estate with a mixture of investment, development, finance, occupier, and management work. He also has considerable experience dealing with distressed real estate on behalf of banks and insolvency practitioners.
  • Nickhil Mandora, who acts for a wide variety of clients ranging from retail landlords and tenants to institutional lenders and property developers. 
  • Sam Silverman, who has acted for major international and domestic clients including developers, funds, corporate occupiers and supermarkets within the office, industrial and retail sectors.

Commenting on his appointment, Director John Aynsley stated: “We are very pleased to join Lawrence Stephens at this important moment for the firm. Their extraordinary growth over recent years is evidence of their ambition and can-do attitude, which we share and clients clearly love. We look forward to building on what are already strong foundations and working closely alongside the rest of the Lawrence Stephens team.”

Managing Director Steven Bernstein commented: “We are delighted to welcome John and his team to Lawrence Stephens. Their arrival coincides with a period of exciting growth for the firm and will provide both bench strength to our existing team as well as extending the range of expertise and experience we can now offer to both existing clients and new prospects.”

Jake Cohen recognised in The Lawyer Hot 100 2025

Posted on: January 28th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Senior Associate Jake Cohen has been featured in the 2025 edition of The Lawyer Hot 100. This highly anticipated annual list recognises the successes of lawyers from in-house, private practice and the Bar, as well as those who are shaping the legal profession. The 100 lawyers on the list are selected for the excellent work they are doing at the present moment, with talented rising stars rubbing shoulders with eminent lawyers who have years of success behind them.

Jake’s entry highlights his ground-breaking work in the field of sports law, with The Lawyer noting that “Cohen has been advising many athletes since they were academy players and the trust relationship he has with these high-net-worth individuals is such that word of mouth regularly brings new instructions — such as a popular grime artist who is now on the books. Institutional relationships with clubs complement the work for individual athletes: new American owners are another big client base. There’s plenty more market share to go at. This team is set to grow and grow.”

Commenting on his recognition, Jake said: “I’m delighted to be included in a list filled with so many brilliant colleagues who are doing genuinely incredible work. Any personal recognition I receive is a direct result of being very lucky to have an incredible team at Lawrence Stephens – Mo Pasricha, Will Bowyer, Angelique Richardson, Andy Wallis and Anna Chasioti-Metson) and amazing clients who have trusted us with the privilege and responsibility of advising them.”

For more information on the work of our Sports and Entertainment team, please see here

Three Lawrence Stephens directors ranked in the 10th Edition of Spears 500

Posted on: January 23rd, 2025 by Hugh Dineen-Lees

The latest edition of the Spear’s 500 is out now and we’re delighted to report that Goli-Michelle Banan, Lawrence Kelly and Stephen Messias have been included.

This is the 10th edition of the Spear’s 500, which is the original and most in-depth guide to advisers to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and family offices. The rankings are compiled by the Spear’s Research Unit and are based entirely on merit.

Congratulations to all those included on this recognition of their expertise and dedication to clients.

Swift completion of £5.9million loan secured over prime residential blocks

Posted on: January 20th, 2025 by Hugh Dineen-Lees

In a recent financial transaction, a £5.9 million loan was secured over three multi-unit residential blocks located in London and Hemel Hempstead. This deal involved multiple linked refinancing transactions of the commercial elements, showcasing the complexity and efficiency of the process.

Anna Christou represented YBS Commercial Mortgages, while Paul Marsh acted for the Borrower. The transaction was completed within an impressive nine working days from the issuance of the Offer, highlighting the dedication and expertise of the teams involved.

A special mention goes to Katie Peck and Amy Bristow, at YBS Commercial Mortgages, whose pivotal role ensured the smooth and timely completion of this significant transaction.

This achievement underscores the importance of collaboration and precision in high-stakes financial dealings, setting a benchmark for future transactions.

Lawrence Stephens appoints specialist immigration lawyer to head new department

Posted on: January 7th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Leading full-service law firm Lawrence Stephens is pleased to announce the appointment of specialist immigration lawyer Skylar McKeith, who will head the firm’s new Immigration practice.

Skylar provides strategic advice to both corporate and private clients, and represents high-net-worth individuals and celebrities, high-profile business professionals, and companies.

Highlights of her work include securing a Global Talent visa for an Emmy Award-winning American actor, successfully obtaining Skilled Worker visas for employees of a renowned art gallery and securing a sponsor licence for a professional women’s football club – enabling the recruitment of international talent.

Skylar’s appointment also marks the launch of Lawrence Stephens’ new Immigration practice. Complementing the firm’s existing suite of services, the launch of this new department will allow Lawrence Stephens to continue to provide its wide range of clients with the very best in integrated legal advice.

Skylar is an active member of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association and a regular commentator in the national press and across radio and television, contributing to media discussions around hot-button immigration issues.

Commenting on her appointment, Skylar said: “Lawrence Stephens is a dynamic firm which has grown significantly over the past few years, and I am delighted to join such a vibrant and acknowledged team of legal experts.

“I look forward to working closely with the firm’s existing departments to provide clients with a full suite of services.”

Steven Bernstein, Managing Director at Lawrence Stephens, commented: “We are excited to announce Skylar’s appointment and the formation of our new Immigration department, with her at its core.

 “It is a pleasure to welcome Skylar to the Lawrence Stephens team. Her combination of legal expertise with commercial advice and strategy will enable us to provide a more dynamic offering to clients.”

For more information on Lawrence Stephen’s Immigration practice, please click here

Lawrence Stephens expands its Real Estate Disputes team with appointment of Senior Associate Roberto Francis

Posted on: January 6th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Leading dispute resolution firm, Lawrence Stephens, is pleased to announce the appointment of Roberto Francis as Senior Associate to its Real Estate Disputes team.

Roberto joins the firm with extensive experience acting for bridging and alternative lenders with a primary focus on secured and unsecured recoveries, which includes but is not limited to possession claims, receivership, insolvency and professional negligence.

Head of Real Estate Disputes, Abtin Yeganeh said “We’re delighted to welcome Roberto to our team. We’re certain that the breadth of his experience will enhance our service offering and enable us to continue delivering commercially focused, marketing-leading legal advice.”

Lawrence Stephens advises Blue Shield Capital on their largest deal to date

Posted on: December 24th, 2024 by Hugh Dineen-Lees

Lawrence Stephens has advised Blue Shield Capital on an £18 million loan for a UK-based landlord and build-to-rent operator focused on city-centre rental properties. The loan was for their flagship property, a 119-unit BTR scheme in Liverpool City Centre, completed in 2023.

The 12-month facility, set at 69% LTV, is designed to assist the borrower in refinancing their existing debt and optimising their portfolio structure. This deal is the largest they have completed to date and is the latest in a number of fast-moving deals they have undertaken supported by our team.

Blue Shield Capital is a fast-growing property lending firm who provides flexible financing solutions for property owners and investors.

The team was led by Director and Head of Banking Ajoy Bose-Mallick, with support from Directors Ann Ebberson and Alex Edwards.

Ajoy commented: “We are delighted to have supported Blue Shield on their largest deals to date. We are pleased to have played our part in enabling Blue Shield to exceed its targets for 2024”.

Lawrence Stephens advises The Cotswold Company on the expansion of its omni-channel presence

Posted on: December 19th, 2024 by Natasha Cox

Lawrence Stephens has advised The Cotswold Company, the well-known premium furniture and homeware brand, on commercial contracts to support the expansion of its omni-channel presence through third party retailers. The company has launched its products on NEXT.co.uk and with John Lewis & Partners online, alongside the introduction of a dedicated brand space within the iconic Peter Jones store in Chelsea.

Founded in 1996, The Cotswold Company offers a range of thoughtfully designed furniture, with a focus on quality materials and craftsmanship. These contracts mark the brand’s first entry onto third-party retail platforms, complementing its fast-growing e-commerce site and 10 UK showrooms.

In a recent article in Retail Week, Cotswold Company chief executive Ralph Tucker said: “With our new partnerships with John Lewis Partnership and Next – both of which have gone live in time for Christmas – we’re making tangible steps towards delivering growth and becoming one of the UK’s leading premium homeware brands.”

Rachael Pinchbeck, Head of Commercial Finance, The Costwold Company said “Bradley and Craig were a pleasure to work with. Their contractual expertise and retail experience resulted in the smooth and timely completion of contracts ahead of our successful launches. We look forward to working with Bradley and the Lawrence Stephens team on future projects.”

Director Bradley Lee advised on the commercial contracts, while real estate advice was provided by Director Craig Mullen.

Lawrence Stephens prepares source of funds reports for property bought at auction using crypto assets

Posted on: December 16th, 2024 by Natasha Cox

Despite cyptocurrencies becoming more mainstream, recent commentary suggests that investors are still finding it hard to utilise these to purchase property in the UK. A recent Financial Times article highlighted the low appetite for sellers to accept cryptocurrencies. As a result, if purchasers want to use their crypto investments towards a property purchase, this usually involves converting the cryptocurrency into traditional or fiat currency – legal tender established by government regulation.

Much of the reluctance to accept funds derived from  the disposal of cryptocurrency comes from its well-publicised association with criminal activity, in particular money laundering. Law firms have obligations imposed by the SRA in relation to checking sources of wealth and sources of funds for anti-money laundering (AML) purposes. Solicitors have a legal duty to ensure that any, and all, funds used within a property transaction have come from a legitimate source. They must therefore establish the original source of the funds, not the mere availability of funds in a bank account.

Establishing the legitimacy of funds generated through cryptoasset activity requires the instruction of an expert who is able to carry out a full report on the crypto proceeds being used. The content of this report includes documenting and reporting of the cryptoasset activity, including the initial ‘on-ramp’ into crypto (i.e. the exchange of traditional fiat money into cryptoassets), the purchase of cryptoassets, and the subsequent cryptoasset activity to the ultimate liquidation and ‘off-ramp’ from cryptoassets back into traditional fiat money which was then being used to make the purchase. This report can then form the basis on which the conveyancer can make a judgment as to whether it is safe to proceed with the proposed transaction.

There are currently few law firms with the required expertise to produce such reports. Buyers wishing to use crypto assets for property purchases should be especially aware of the need to establish legal source of funds when buying property at auction.

The Lawrence Stephens’ team was recently called in at short notice to assist a client who had purchased a property for £210,000 at auction. He had intended to fund the purchase by utilising proceeds mainly generated through investing and trading on cryptoassets. Our client had instructed solicitors in relation to the purchase. However, just two days before the notice to complete was due to expire, the client was informed that they did not have the necessary expertise and could not provide the required report on the source of funds coming by way of crypto. At this late stage, he was at risk of losing his 10% deposit.

The Lawrence Stephens’ team – comprised of Asim Arshad and Gunduz Misiri – were able to take on the instructions and were able to extend the notice to complete by three days. This gave the team enough time to complete a full crypto source of funds report to verify the funds coming by way of crypto and intended to be utilised for the purchase. We were pleased to effect the completion of the purchase within the agreed upon extended time.

 

A firm to watch: Lawrence Stephens features in The Lawyer podcast

Posted on: December 6th, 2024 by Natasha Cox

The Lawyer 200 celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and Editors Catrin Griffiths, Christian Smith and Richard Simmons have been sharing their views on their annual survey in their regular podcast which presents their take on the top stories, trends and views in the legal market.

In October they reviewed five firms from the Top 100 survey that they are watching in the coming years, for good and ill. In their latest episode they revealed the five firms outside of the Top 100 that they are also watching. These firms were selected for their “momentum, innovation, promise, growth…or not!” and we are delighted to report that Lawrence Stephens is featured in a very positive light. We were praised for our ‘twin engine’ focus for growth, working with challenger banks and similar institutions alongside owner managed businesses and the individuals who own and manage these.

The podcast is available via Spotify or Apple, please click on the relevant link to listen further.         

Lawrence Stephens advises LHV Bank on £7.4m refinancing of prominent retail parade

Posted on: December 4th, 2024 by Natasha Cox

The Lawrence Stephens Real Estate Finance team is pleased to have advised regular client LHV Bank on the £7.4m refinancing of a parade of shops located in a prominent Essex town, secured across multiple titles with more than 20 tenants and leases. The facility also refinanced a bridging loan, ensuring the client’s financial goals were met within a tight timeframe.

The team worked closely with LHV Bank to review multiple cash flow scenarios across more than 20 leases while ensuring clarity on security positions across multiple titles. Collaboration across internal departments including credit, operations, and finance was vital to work to the tight deadline. Our team ensured that the entire process was completed ahead of schedule. Originally targeted for completion on 29 November, the deal was finalised two days early thanks to seamless collaboration between our team and the bank.

Conor McDermott, Director of SME Lending at LHV, commented: “The team worked tirelessly with Fine Mortgages to complete this on challenging timescales, with the transaction completed within eight working days of approval. Special thanks to the legal team at Lawrence Stephens led by Anna Christou, who worked on this over the weekend to ensure a successful refinance.”

Greg Palos, Head of Real Estate Finance at Lawrence Stephens responded: “Despite the complexity and speed of this transaction, our sector expertise and the strength and depth of our team contributed to an excellent outcome for our client.”

Matt Green to present expert evidence to House of Lords on Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill

Posted on: December 2nd, 2024 by Natasha Cox

Matt Green, Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets will be giving evidence to the House of Lords in the Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill this Thursday.

The bill is designed to ensure new asset classes aren’t prevented from being the subject of property rights if they do not fall neatly into the relevant two categories under common law.

As the Chair of techUK’s Digital Asset Working Group, Matt will be giving expert evidence on the impact of this legislation.

You can view the livestream of Matt’s appearance from 11.30am on Thursday 5 December by clicking here.