Real Estate & Infrastructure

Real estate and infrastructure shape the places in which we live, work and do business. They are also long-term investments in which legal, commercial, financial and regulatory considerations come together, often from the earliest stages of a project and throughout the life of the asset.

We advise owners, investors, developers, businesses and other stakeholders on the acquisition, development, financing, use and disposal of real estate and infrastructure assets. Our work ranges from individual property investments and commercial developments to construction and infrastructure projects, combining transactional experience with an understanding of the regulatory and contractual environment in which these assets are developed and operated.

Our real estate practice covers commercial and residential property, development and investment, hospitality and leisure assets and property used as part of a wider business. In infrastructure, we advise in relation to transport and logistics, energy and utilities, digital and communications infrastructure and other projects involving the development or operation of significant physical assets.

We approach each matter with the asset and its commercial purpose in mind. By bringing together real estate, construction, corporate, finance, commercial and regulatory expertise, we are able to advise across the different stages of an investment or project and respond when transactions, developments or commercial relationships become more complex.

Our real estate work follows the lifecycle of the asset, from acquisition and due diligence through development, financing, leasing and commercial use to restructuring or disposal. We advise on direct acquisitions and sales, corporate structures for holding and investing in property, joint ventures and other investment arrangements, as well as the contractual relationships between owners, developers, occupiers, operators and other participants.

Development brings together issues that extend well beyond ownership of the underlying land. We assist clients with the contractual framework for construction and development projects, relationships with contractors and other project participants, regulatory requirements and the financing and commercial arrangements required to take a project from acquisition or conception through to completion and operation.

We also advise on the commercial use of real estate. This includes leases and other occupation arrangements, commercial properties and offices, residential developments and investment properties, as well as hotels, tourism and leisure assets. Where real estate forms part of an operating business, we consider the property together with the corporate and commercial arrangements through which that business is owned and run.

Infrastructure projects require a similarly integrated approach, but often involve longer time horizons, greater capital requirements and more complex relationships between investors, developers, financiers, contractors, operators and public authorities. We advise on the contractual and corporate structures surrounding projects, their development and construction, financing and security arrangements, regulatory considerations, operation and eventual transfer, refinancing or disposal.

Our infrastructure work encompasses assets that support economic activity and increasingly the digital economy. This can include ports and other transport and logistics infrastructure, energy and utilities, telecommunications and digital infrastructure, as well as other commercial and public-facing projects. As new technology changes the infrastructure businesses and communities require, the distinction between physical and digital infrastructure is becoming increasingly important to investors and developers.

Financing is frequently central to both real estate investment and infrastructure development. We advise borrowers, lenders and investors on financing and security arrangements connected with acquisitions, developments and projects, and work alongside our corporate practice where investments involve joint ventures, acquisitions, disposals or changes in ownership.

From the acquisition of an individual property to the development of a significant project or infrastructure asset, our focus is on understanding the investment and its intended use. We aim to provide a legal framework that protects value while allowing the asset or project to be developed, financed, operated and ultimately realised.