My family home is Cambridge, where I was educated at the Grammar School ( later Netherhall Comprehensive ) and took my law degree at Peterhouse, Cambridge.
I was articled with, and then spent 7 further years in, the London office of Boodle Hatfield, in the West End. My main client was the commercial arm of the Duke of Westminster's Grosvenor Estate, but I also acted for Marina Developments and many others. I then re-located to Boodles' Southampton office for a year, before moving to Blake Lapthorn in early 1991. I had been at Blake Lapthorn for 19 years becoming a senior Solicitor and then Partner and eventually leading the Southampton office Real Estate team with an annual turnover in excess of £2million and being part of the Real Estate Executive Board . My clients ranged from commercial developers, such as Camargue Property Developments Ltd, to investors like Hampshire County Council Pension Fund, and landlords and tenants - such as Hobbycraft Group and Premier Marinas - and secured lenders - all the major banks.
I joined Birkett Long LLP on 1 November 2010, where I lead the Commercial Property team in the firm's Chelmsford office. I work across all aspects of commercial property, but have particular expertise in commercial development, investment work, landlord and tenant and secured lending. I also have a specialism in environmental matters and have recently been advising clients on Carbon Reduction Commitment as well as contamination and other ' green' issues. In addition to the commercial development and lending sectors I am also active in the retail and leisure sectors and have historically carried out some charity and some insolvency-related property work.
