Best brains in ...

Negotiating complex deals.

What's the most complex deal you've ever set up?

Plenty to choose from but the most recent would be the acquisition for Development Securities Plc of a 1.5 acre site in Hammersmith town centre from London Underground Limited. Working with partner Lee Nuttall, we structured an investment vehicle which enabled Development Securities to bring equity investors on board at a much earlier stage in the development process.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

Leading a large team which acquired a run-down shopping centre, we sorted out all the myriad problems with planning, title and occupiers, rebuilt it whilst working around some existing tenants who insisted on continuity of trade and secured the re-opening of the centre on time and fully let. It was a marathon with every complexity you could think of!

When have you ever given a client a real competitive edge?

When Vauxhall wanted to sell its old production site at Luton we devised a deal that was not conditional on planning, that could be completed within a tight timetable with minimum disruption to the site next door and eliminated the risks to price chipping normally associated with a single buyer. We managed to achieve it all within the timescale and achieved success for our clients.

What's your top tip for client care and when have you done it?

To be alive to any and every opportunity to alert your client to something that will make a difference to them. The time I used this most effectively was when we were bidding for some work with a global property investment company. It was budget day. While we were waiting to go into the meeting I was sat in reception watching the budget coverage. Just as the director came to meet us, my opening line was to say that I expected he was busy because of the stamp duty announcement which was changing at midnight that night. He had not heard the news and was extremely pleased that I had mentioned it to him. He disappeared to brief his team and the pitch was delayed but we won the work.

What's your single greatest contribution to Wragge & Co's corporate responsibility?

I am not a marathon runner myself but I am always happy to sponsor people for good causes. This year I think I must have sponsored over 30 clients, colleagues, friends and family on various charitable fund raising activities including five for the London Marathon alone.

What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?

My favourite quote about the team was from a client who was quite a tough customer. He once said that if he wanted to be confident something would be done properly, it needed to be 'Wragge & Co'ed'. Personally, a client once referred to me as 'an inventive lawyer and nobody's fool!'.