Land Securities and Warner Estates to review panels after DJ Freeman split

The upheaval at DJ Freeman, which has seen the majority of the property team hook up with Olswang, is understood to have played a part in the companies’ decisions to review the role of their former DJ Freeman lawyers.
A number of firms are understood to be pitching for DJ Freeman’s place on Land Securities’ panel, but one source indicated that the work was likely to go to another panel firm. They include Tunbridge Wells’ Cripps Harries Hall, Dundas & Wilson, Manchester’s Kuit Steinart Levy, Lovells, Nabarro Nat-hanson and Simmons & Simmons.
Meanwhile, Warner Estate Holdings has also tendered the work previously undertaken by DJ Freeman. Although it has been a client of the firm for some time, one of the partners who regularly advised the company, Barbara Naftalin, is joining Davies Arnold Cooper rather than Olswang.
A spokesperson for Warner Estates said: “It’s under review, but no decision has been made.”
Land Securities’ in-house counsel Clive Ashcroft was unavailable for comment.
Jonathan Lewis, head of the DJ Freeman property team, which is joining Olswang, declined to comment, while Olswang could not be reached for comment.
The remainder of DJ Freeman has relaunched as Kendall Freeman.