Lawrence Stephens

We are a *team of bright minds

Stephen Messias

Director
Commercial Real Estate
Practice areas:
Expertise includes:
  • Commercial Lettings
  • Commercial Real Estate
  • Complex Real Estate Acquisitions
  • High-Value Residential Transactions
  • Investment sales and purchases
  • Landlord and Tenant
Stephen Says:
“I endeavour to treat each client as if they were my only client and each transaction as if it was my own.”

Meet Stephen

As a founding partner of Lawrence Stephens, and with over 30 years’ experience, I bring a wealth of knowledge to the firm in all aspects of Commercial and Residential Real Estate, as well as Landlord and Tenant transactions.

My clients are a sophisticated mix of property companies, individual investors, property traders and trading businesses occupying properties for the purposes of their business as well as individuals.  There’s no such thing as a typical deal.  My transactions can range from the purchase or sale of a commercial investment, the refinancing of property portfolios, commercial lettings whether acting for Landlords or Tenants, complex acquisitions with lease re-gear and back-to-back sale, as well as residential transactions.

My clients are largely entrepreneurial, running their own businesses and seeking sound, speedy, creative advice and input from us as their solicitor.

Whether transactions are complex, urgent or routine, I like to work with clients in a commercial and pragmatic way to ensure a satisfactory and positive outcome.  Many of my clients have been clients since day one, a testament to the quality of service and advice he strives to provide.

As a result of exceptional work ethic and dedication to my clients, I have been listed as a Recommended property lawyer in the prestigious Spear’s 500 list for 2023.

Life is not all about work - I am a keen runner (half –marathons and marathons), having raised funds for various charities and an active Freemason.  I have been married to my wife, Jane, for over 30 years and we have three wonderful children, of which none are following in my footsteps by pursuing a career in law.  Maybe they’ll be clients of mine one day.

Experience highlights

  • Acting for the Epic Group of Companies as Landlord on various lettings of commercial premises in various Grade A buildings around the country.
  • Acting on a £31m sale of a property previously used as a waste management, recycling and skip hire site, located in North West London. The transaction was a complex and high-value sale.
  • Purchase of a £13.5m apartment in Central London for a long standing HNW client.
  • Purchase of a freehold investment property let to Santander, subsequent lease surrender, re-letting and refinancing of the property.
  • Sale of an office campus investment for £36.7m comprising part of a larger site and the subsequent sale of the remainder of the site in various parcels.
  • The purchase of a residential development site and sales of the completed units working with our construction department throughout these transactions.
  • The letting of restaurant premises to a high-end restaurant operator as part of a number of lettings in a mixed-use (office, retail and restaurant) city centre development.

"I have had the pleasure of working with Stephen and the team at Lawrence Stephens for over 10 years who consistently offer sound commercial advice delivered in an efficient and supportive manner."

Robert Roston, Romiga Holdings LLP