Two legal directors have been appointed to Clarion’s quickly expanding real estate practice, which is one of the largest in Yorkshire.
With over 20 years of real estate experience, Catherine Rhodes specialises in real estate finance and corporate support transactions. She acts for both landlords and tenants in relation to commercial leases as well as managing many large-scale corporate support transactions involving the sale or acquisition of extensive freehold and leasehold property portfolios. Catherine works mostly for owner managed businesses, lenders and individuals in addition to large corporates, across sectors including retail, manufacturing and transport/logistics.
With substantial experience of dealing with complex matters for a wide range of clients, Lisa Stratford has been a specialist property litigator for over 12 years. She acts for investors and developers in an advisory and risk management capacity and is regularly instructed to deal with a wide range of property-related insolvency matters. Lisa also has extensive portfolio management experience, acting for both landlords and tenants, including lease renewal and termination proceedings, dilapidations claims and rent and service charge disputes and recovery. She is also instructed in general property litigation matters such as those concerning easements, breach of covenant and nuisance.
Martin Grange, partner and head of Clarion’s real estate practice, said: “We’re really pleased to be welcoming two such experienced commercial property lawyers to the team – both Catherine and Lisa provide further strength in depth as we continue to provide real estate property advice to businesses across Yorkshire. It’s vital that we continue to invest in talent as, despite the current economic concerns, we are seeing resilience within the region and have a strong pipeline of work. Our dedicated property litigation team, led by Sophie Morley, is a team that is going from strength to strength.”
Catherine Rhodes comments: “I’m excited to be joining one of the largest real estate teams in Yorkshire and one whose approach mirrors my own. Like Clarion, I believe it is vital to spend time getting to know a client’s business in detail and discussing exactly what their priorities are in order to deliver focussed and practical advice and establish a long-term relationship.”
Fellow legal director, Lisa Stratford adds: “Clarion has a reputation for being a straight-talking, client-focussed firm and I’m looking forward to adding my skills to its excellent real estate practice. Providing no-nonsense, clear advice, in order to solve clients’ problems, is at the heart of what I do.”
Clarion’s 43-strong Real Estate team, which includes six partners, provides a full range of property expertise from development, investment, asset management, corporate occupier work through to retail, leisure and secured lending.