Just a few hours into the week and the real estate news is coming thick and fast – especially when it comes to law firm premises.
Here’s Linklaters advising on the sale of the Swiss Re building, which is currently home to Kirkland & Ellis, Hunton & Williams, a bunch of Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw litigators and, of course, Newcastle’s finest, Watson Burton.
And here’s the redevelopment of Allen & Overy’s HQ by Land Securities. This looks even more fun because both Nabarros and Freshfields – currently slugging it out for the property giant’s favour – are both advising. Nabarros is understood to be doing the redevelopment, while Freshfields has been getting busy on the construction. What a happy little double act.
Allen & Overy’s building may be turned into a retail heaven, but we like Simmons & Simmons’ idea of bringing a touch of paradise to its associates. In a move with suspicious echoes of Linklaters, it’s trialing a benefit package, part of which is being dubbed ‘Owl and Lark leave’. What a lovely rustic touch.
