International law firm Ashurst today announces the appointment of Darren Rogers and Patrick Williams to its global real estate team. Both partners join the firm from King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) and will be based in the London office.
Darren specialises in all aspects of commercial real estate, having particular experience in investment transactions, big-ticket major-city lettings, joint ventures, pre-letting and development work. He has a solid track record advising a wide range of clients in the real estate investment/development and retail sectors. He is head of the Asia desk at KWM, acting for Asian in-bound capital investing directly and indirectly into real estate assets.
Patrick has a broad range of experience in commercial real estate work including sales and acquisitions, investment transactions, joint ventures, pre-lettings, lettings and re-gears and development work. He acts for key stakeholders including developers, owners, investors and occupiers in the real estate sector.
Ashurst’s global head of real estate, Hugh Lumby, said:
“Built environment is a key strategic focus for Ashurst. Darren and Patrick are regularly involved in high profile and complex transactions in this space and will be a great addition to the team. They are highly experienced lawyers with excellent reputations and strong client relationships which complement that business and demonstrate once again Ashurst’s commitment to a market leading real estate practice. They also bring particular experience in the Asian markets and with the increasing globalisation of real estate and projected increase of capital flows into Europe from Asia, Middle East and the US, Darren and Patrick are a perfect fit for our leading global practice. Their appointments add further depth to our real estate offering and demonstrate our ongoing investment in our business as we continue to advise on some of the largest, most complex and innovative real estate deals in the market.”
Darren Rogers commented:
“I am delighted to be joining Ashurst. The firm has a market leading practice allied to a strong collegiate culture which will be extremely exciting to be a part of going forward. They have a clear strategic commitment to the built environment sector which is a perfect fit for my practice and I look forward to further developing the firm’s global real estate investment capacity.”
Patrick Williams added:
“Ashurst has ambitious plans for its real estate practice and I am very pleased to be joining this well-regarded and high-performing team.”
Recent transactions on which the London team has advised include:
• Westfield on its 50/50 joint venture with Commerz Real Investmentgesellschaft, the German open-ended fund, in connection with the extension to the Westfield London shopping centre which, on completion, will be the largest mall in Europe
• Regeneration of Croydon town centre with Westfield and Hammerson
• Stanhope’s retail-led development in Ashford
• Employees Provident Fund on the sale of One Sheldon Square to British Land
• Oxford Properties on its joint venture with Brockton Capital for the development of the former Royal Mail sorting office on the New Oxford Street island site
• Transport for London on the over station development in Central London at Tottenham Court Station with Derwent London
• Aviva investors on the joint venture with Urban & Civic for the Sustainable Urban Extensions to Rugby at the Rugby Radio Station site
