Helen Murcott

Helen specialises in commercial real estate law, advising institutional real estate investment clients, developers and overseas investors into the UK real estate market.

She has over 20 years’ experience advising on real estate asset management, acquisitions and disposals, commercial real estate development, structured real estate transactions and real estate finance.

Helen leads the team acting for Royal London, having been re-appointed to their panel in 2016, following an association with their property portfolio going back to 2006. Helen's work for Royal London covers their high street retail portfolio nationwide.

Relevant experience includes advising:

• On the sale of the long leasehold interest in Cannon Place for c.£480m. This core City of London office and retail investment is located above Cannon Street mainline and underground station and was sold by way of the sale of units in a Jersey unit trust. The transaction included preparation of a comprehensive vendor due diligence package with a certificate of title and reports on the development agreements entered into with Network Rail and London Underground Limited for the redevelopment of the asset and the stations.
• Royal London on a development agreement with two residential house builders for the redevelopment of part of an industrial estate for residential uses, including provisions enabling Royal London to opt to exit the deal on receipt of planning permission, pre-emption rights for the developers and the calculation of Royal London's ultimate profit share.
• Royal London on their acquisition of a 7.5% stake in Bluewater Shopping Centre in a deal worth in excess of £150m. Royal London acquired a long leasehold interest entitling it to 10% of the income from the centre, which it now holds on trust as to 7.5% for itself and 2.5% for Aberdeen Asset Management.
• Royal London on the contribution of 23 properties worth approximately £700m into their new £2.7bn UK property fund – The Royal London UK Real Estate Fund. Helen coordinated a team of more than 30 real estate lawyers from our network on the preparation of certificates of title for some of the most valuable assets in Royal London's portfolio including the Victoria's Secret and Hugo Boss stores on New Bond Street, a block of shops, offices and flats between Long Acre and Floral Street in Covent Garden and various buildings on Oxford Street.
• WeWork on the acquisition of over 135,000 square feet of Central London office space in 9 locations in under 6 months for WeWork’s new Headquarters product. Helen advised WeWork on streamlining their leasing process with the introduction of a precedent WeWork bespoke lease of part incorporating the client’s specific operating requirements and production of a template lease report which was rolled out across all the WeWork panel firms.

Helen is an active member of RE Women, hosting events for them and moderating panel discussions. Helen has recently moderated panel discussions at Bisnow conferences on overseas investment into the London real estate market and the state of the London office market.

Helen has been described by clients as “…excellent … commercial, strategic in her thinking and clear. She is very responsive.”