Charles Russell Speechlys boosts its Real Estate offering with the arrival of Kim Lalli and Rafe Courage

Charles Russell Speechlys today announces the appointment of Kim Lalli and Rafe Courage as Partners in the Real Estate group.

Kim joins from Wedlake Bell and brings many years of experience of all types of real estate development transactions, covering both acquisitions and disposals. She has advised on the acquisition and disposal (including disposal strategy and advice given throughout the development stages) of residential and mixed-use developments, with some development values exceeding £500m. She also deals with strategic land transactions (including promotion agreements and options), and the disposal of build to rent and affordable housing. Kim joins the Firm on 15 April 2024.

Rafe joins the Firm’s London office from Gateley, and also specialises in residential and mixed-use development, acting for developers, housebuilders and landowners on the sale and purchase of development sites. He also undertakes work such as conditional development/sale agreements involving planning obligations, site assembly and investigations and infrastructure logistics. Furthermore, Rafe has particular experience in negotiating sales, planning and revenue overage agreements, commercial lettings and complex infrastructure and energy (CHP) arrangements. Rafe joins the Firm on 7 May 2024.

Robin Grove, Divisional Managing Partner of Construction, Real Estate and Disputes, comments:

These appointments will further strengthen our market leading housebuilding and regeneration team, as part of the very exciting sustainable growth of our wider Real Estate and Construction offering. Both Kim and Rafe are already well known practitioners in this sector and will add significant bench strength and clients to our existing strong group.

Kim and Rafe are also both well-placed to support a key pillar of our Firm – Private Capital. Both, for example, will support the development of our Living Sector work – an investment class in which our clients are seeing significant opportunity. We look forward to working with them both to drive forward our strategy and wish them a very warm welcome.

Kim Lalli, Partner, adds:

I am very excited to be joining the Firm. At this point in my career, I am ready for a new challenge and my focus will be on continuing to grow my practice and working with others in the Firm (including in other practice groups) to provide the services that my clients require. I look forward to meeting my new colleagues, learning more about the Firm and its existing clients, and getting to work.

Rafe Courage, Partner, adds:

I have long held Charles Russell Speechlys in high regard and see this as an exciting opportunity to contribute to the further growth of the existing housebuilding and regeneration practice. When it comes to regeneration and housebuilding, the Firm has a well-established and market leading reputation, and I very much look forward to progressing this and the Living Sector initiative with my new colleagues across the Firm.

Their appointment follows a raft of lateral hires this month, including the addition of a new international tax team to the Firm’s Singapore Office, consisting of two Partners, Kurt Rademacher and Ivan Lu, a Legal Director, Timmoney Ng and Senior Associate, Hara Kee. As well as Banking and Finance Partner, Philip Witney, and Amira Shaker-Bortman, Private Client Partner, in the UK.

Related coverage:

EPrivateClient, IPE Real Assets, Solicitors Journal, Wealth Briefing