John is a partner in the firm’s commercial property team with considerable experience in real estate and property law.
John acts mainly for offshore investors and developers of commercial property in inward UK investment, secured lending and development-related work for financial industry developers and funders.
John is a member of the Institute of Directors and the Guernsey International Legal Association.
We have done some Guernsey / UK property work with John recently which has worked very well and on which John has been tremendously helpful.
Matthew Guthrie
Partner & Advocate, Mourant Ozannes
Expertise
- Acquisitions and disposals(freeholds and leaseholds), site acquisition and assembly, and investment purchases
- Development finance including due diligence, construction warranties, forward sales, overage, finance leases and joint ventures, including secondary and mezzanine lenders
- Secured lending (both corporate and property-based)
- Shareholder agreements
- Landlord and tenant, including Green Leases and CRC issues
- Corporate support on corporate-led transactions
- Company reconstruction and re-domiciliation
- Trust loans and administration
- Investment property re-gearing and letting
- SSAP and SIPP structures for property acquisition
Experience
- Advising on the financing of a hotel development at Heathrow on behalf of offshore lenders
- Advising on development finance of high-end residential developments in the home counties on behalf of offshore lenders
- Advising on the acquisition of a development site in the home counties for an offshore investor
- Advising on corporate lending and equity investment of a group of companies with property interests in Spain
- Advising on corporate lending and equity investment for an offshore lender relating to land interests in Southern Africa
- Advising on the security based on prime London properties for an offshore fund
- Acting on behalf of public sector bodies in relation to the disposal of surplus land for development
- Acting on behalf of developer on major office development in the City
- Acting for providers of land acquisition and mezzanine finance
- Acting for property funds on acquisitions and disposals of industrial estates and other investments
- Assisted in the steps required by a Jersey limited partnership to refinance its borrowing in relation to an English commercial property
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
“We much appreciated your help and advice and your ability to lead the process to a positive conclusion.” Eugenio D’Urso, 2nd Vice President, Northern Trust
Career
John qualified as a solicitor in 1977. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2013, he worked at the following firms:
- Clarke Willmott
- Michelmores
- Simmons & Simmons
- Travers Smith