Overview
I’m a Partner in the Real Estate team based in Exeter. I joined Michelmores from the Real Estate division of City firm Herbert Smith Freehills LLP in 2012 and have since developed my core commercial property practice both nationally and locally, as well as growing the firm’s Real Estate Energy offering.
I have extensive experience in investment, development and asset management of commercial real estate. A particular focus is high-end landlord and tenant work, acting for institutional investors, leading property companies and investment funds in the UK.
I routinely act for corporate occupier clients, primarily on the relocation of headquarters or the acquisition of additional space. I also act for property developers both in the South West and further afield on forward funding, forward purchase and development agreements.
I am lead partner in the Real Estate Energy team providing real estate support to significant renewable energy developers, investment funds and managers across a range of asset types (including solar, BESS, wind and EV). My team has been particularly busy over the last few years advising large BESS and solar developers (including Masdar Arlington and Sky UK Developments (funded by Octopus Energy), anaerobic digestion developers (such as Marubeni Corporation) and commercial rooftop solar developers (including Zestec and Powen).
Michelmores has proved to be an excellent opportunity and environment within which to build on my existing traditional commercial property experience and to push into new areas whilst always delivering strong personal client service. Working collaboratively with talented lawyers across the Firm’s practice areas and offices is a real highlight for me and reflective of Michelmores’ ambitious, joined-up and entrepreneurial ethos.
I am ranked in Band 3 for Real Estate by independent legal guide Chambers, and I am a recommended lawyer for Commercial Property by the Legal 500.
Recent experience
Energy
Advising Masdar Arlington on a 300MW+ BESS development in Oxfordshire to include due diligence together with negotiation and completion of a lease option, easement arrangements and ancillary documents. Acting for the same client on comparable size projects in 2024 and 2025
Advising Sky UK Developments (funded by Octopus Energy) in relation to numerous ground mount solar developments (100MW+) and co-located BESS developments nationwide
Acting as preferred landowner Energy solicitors for other leading BESS and solar developers as well as for individual landowners through repeat agent referrals
Leading the transactional real estate team acting for Zestec in completing numerous lease and PPA arrangements for large commercial rooftop solar installations
Advising Armstrong Energy on the acquisition of several solar rooftop portfolios (residential and commercial)
Leading on the real estate aspects of Marubeni Corporation’s biogas projects in various locations
Natural Capital
Environment Bank – advising on the leasehold property aspects of the framework arrangements between Environment Bank and landowners as part of the innovative biodiversity net gain partnership with Gresham House. I currently lead that team in relation to real estate due diligence and transaction negotiation to secure long term leases and freeholds of agricultural land nationwide for the creation and maintenance of habitat banks and the generation of Credits for onwards sale to third party developers
Commercial Development
Acting for South West developer Eagle One in relation to various pre-letting agreements for new car dealerships within a new phase of Matford Green Exeter, the largest car dealership space in Europe
Acting for the property division of sustainable-focused client Oxygen House in connection with the pre-letting aspects of the new watersports centre at Exmouth seafront on Queen’s Drive known as Sideshore. Sideshore is a not-for-profit development built from sustainable materials and combining renewable energy technologies
Asset Management
Dealing with legal asset management and landlord and tenant arrangements for various landlord and tenant clients across their property portfolios, including advising Ashby Capital in the asset management of The Colmore Building, Birmingham
Dealing with all property aspects of IQVIA’s acquisition of new London headquarters at The Point, Paddington. Our team’s substantial experience in corporate relocation in London and elsewhere ensured that we were able to give the client focused and lateral commercial advice to achieve their operational requirements
