Emma is a property solicitor who specialises in property development, particularly in relation to regeneration schemes and infrastructure projects. She advises on a broad range of acquisitions and disposals, development agreements, building licences, options, and pre-emption agreements.
Emma also has distinct experience working with Impact Investors, REITs, Investment Funds, Family Funds, CICs and RPs to deliver social housing solutions.
If you want technical expertise, commerciality, the ability to explain matters clearly, client-focused, diligent and someone that is a pleasure to work with, then Emma is the full package.
Pamela Sen-Gupta
Managing Director, PSG Consult Counsel LtdA first-rate lawyer, consistently good at delivering a high-quality service – Emma is personable, hardworking and pragmatic, with an excellent knowledge of the social housing sector.
David Kingsnorth
Finance Director, Karla GroupEmma’s work is outstanding. She blends a unique skill set which is rarely seen in the social housing sector.
Nick Chapman
Director, Grapevine Consulting Limited
Expertise
- Property development
- Regeneration schemes
- Infrastructure projects
- Acquisitions and disposals
- Development agreements
- Building licences
- Options
- Pre-emption agreements
- Social housing
Experience
Property Development
- Acting for aggregator clients in connection with a £200m programme of portfolio acquisitions of residential multi-let properties to be leased to charities who specialise in rehousing ex-offender, ex-military personal, the homeless and other vulnerable groups to be sub-sold and held by a fund to ensure the continued and long-term use of the properties for social housing purposes.
- Working with a UK-based REIT in connection with capital raises and levering existing stock – value circa £1b.
- Acted on multiple land acquisitions for house builders for the delivery of residential schemes in the private sector; including advising on development agreements and strategic land options.
- Acted for a Midlands-based developer in the delivery of purely affordable housing schemes on four separate brownfield sites by way of ‘golden brick contracts’ to separate registered providers.
- Acted in a corporate joint venture in the delivery of a 500-unit residential scheme in the north east of England supported by Homes England and LEP funding.
- Acted for National Grid Property Holdings Limited in connection with the disposal of sites for development subject to gasholder demolition and statutory remediation.
- Advised High Speed Two (HS2) Limited on its acquisition of various properties within Euston Station for its delivery of the new high-speed railway.
- Acted in the delivery of town centre regeneration schemes in Crawley, Maidstone, Dudley, Stafford and the Cotswolds backed by funding from the then Homes and Communities Agency (now Homes England).
- Advised a charity/landowner on strategic options and infrastructure agreements relating to the development of a new dual carriageway serving a 600-unit-plus residential development to ensure the preservation of a national heritage site.
- Acted for a development agent backed by an US-based investment fund in the acquisition of land for the development of industrial sheds for onward sale.
- Acted in the acquisition of a reservoir and on a development agreement for a new dam for a public sector client.
- Managed two portfolios of commercial units, within three separate shopping centres on behalf of local authority clients which includes; lease renewals, surrenders, licences, 1954 Act documentation, rent deposit deeds, assignments, underletting, separate service charge arrangements and settlement agreements.
Residential Property
- Advised on the purchasing of a portfolio of 30 residential properties in Durham on behalf of Meadowfield Homes Limited with a value of £2m for onward sale to a Fund for use as social housing.
- Advised on the purchasing of a portfolio of 15 residential properties in Hull on behalf of ESG Social Housing Limited with a value of £1m for onward sale to a Fund for use as social housing.
- Advised on the purchasing of a portfolio of 68 residential properties in Scarborough for a property aggregator for use as social housing.
- Acted for Karla Asset Management Limited in the rolling acquisition of residential properties for use as social housing to the value of £200m.
- Acted in the sale of a portfolio of 90 residential properties on behalf of Karla Homes Limited.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
“She is a deal maker – resourceful diligent and able to move transactions forward.” Chambers UK 2020
“She is amazing technically and one of the calmest people when faced with adversity.” Chambers UK 2020
Career
Emma qualified as a solicitor in 2010. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2022, she worked at the following firms:
- DLA Piper
- Shakespeare Martineau
- Pinsent Masons