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Lawrence Stephens Strengthens Corporate Team With Director Hire

Posted on: September 29th, 2025 by Ella Darnell

Lawrence Stephens is pleased to announce the appointment of Director, Ryan D’Souza, who joins the firm to further strengthen its Corporate & Commercial offering.

Ryan brings with him over 20 years’ experience in corporate and commercial law, advising clients on complex mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, private equity and restructuring matters across a broad range of sectors and jurisdictions. Ryan’s practice includes advising on corporate and commercial contracts for companies, shareholders and partnerships, with an additional focus on employment law matters. He is particularly noted for his experience in the sale and acquisition of Lloyd’s LLVs, which own underwriting capacity in Lloyd’s of London insurance market and provide capital to the Lloyd’s syndicates. He also advises on legal issues relating to blockchain and crypto-assets, a growing area of interest for the firm’s technology and innovation clients.

With an MBA complementing his legal expertise, Ryan offers clients a commercially attuned perspective that underpins his practical, business-first approach to legal strategy. He is also a Solicitor-Advocate and was called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn in 2003, a background which gives him a strong understanding of contentious issues and offers clients added reassurance when navigating high-value, high-stakes transactions.

At Lawrence Stephens, Ryan will play a key role in growing the firm’s Corporate & Commercial team and supporting the wider firm with specialist knowledge of digital asset transactions.

Commenting on his appointment, Ryan said:
“It’s an exciting time to be joining Lawrence Stephens, a firm with a strong entrepreneurial ethos and growing reputation for its expertise in cutting-edge sectors. I look forward to collaborating with colleagues across the firm to deliver strategic advice that meets the needs of our dynamic client base.”

Jeff Rubenstein, Head of Corporate at Lawrence Stephens, commented:
“Ryan’s breadth of experience across corporate and commercial law makes him a great addition to our team. His track record advising on complex transactions, from M&A and private equity to corporate finance and commercial contracts, aligns perfectly with our strategic growth in these areas. In particular, his specialist knowledge of the wider insurance market adds a valuable dimension to our offering. We’re excited to welcome Ryan and look forward to the impact his insight and commercial acumen will bring to our clients.”

Lawrence Stephens Announces the Appointment of Rekha Toor as Senior Associate to Its Private Wealth team

Posted on: September 10th, 2025 by Ella Darnell

Lawrence Stephens is pleased to announce the appointment of Rekha Toor as Senior Associate to its Private Wealth team.

Rekha joins us from a specialist firm, bringing extensive experience in Wills, Trusts and Probate Disputes. She is a Full Member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) and ConTra – The Contentious Trusts Association, and has been recognised as a Recommended Lawyer by the Legal 500. Rekha regularly advises on high-value and complex disputes, including those with cross-border elements, and is committed to resolving matters through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) wherever possible. Her appointment further strengthens our team’s capabilities and reflects our continued commitment to growth.

Head of Private Wealth and Succession Planning, Gareth Hughes said:
“I’m delighted to welcome Rekha Toor to Lawrence Stephens and our Private Wealth and succession planning team. Rekha brings a wealth of specialist knowledge and experience in contentious probate matters, which will be invaluable to our clients. Her appointment marks an exciting step in the team’s development and supports our strategic focus on expanding our expertise in this complex area of law.”

Chambers HNW 2025: Lawrence Stephens Residential Real Estate Team Recognized, Goli-Michelle Banan Ranked Band 3

Posted on: July 24th, 2025 by Alanah Lenten

We are delighted to announce that Goli-Michelle Banan, Head of Residential Real Estate at Lawrence Stephens, has been promoted from Band 4 to Band 3 in the latest Chambers High Net Worth 2025 guide. Her individual rise is matched by an exciting development for the wider Residential Real Estate team, which has secured its first-ever ranking, entering directly at Band 4 in the Real Estate: High Value Residential category.

This recognition places us firmly in competition with some of the capital’s larger and most established firms, including Howard Kennedy and Edwin Coe, underscoring the strength, calibre and growing market presence of our Residential Real Estate team.

With more than a decade’s experience in the prime and core London residential market, Goli-Michelle is a trusted adviser to HNW and UHNW individuals, developers, investors, and trust administrators across the UK and internationally. Known for her commercial insight and unrelenting attention to detail, she is also recognised in the Spear’s 500 as one of the UK’s top recommended property lawyers.

This year’s Chambers HNW guide includes glowing endorsements from clients and peers, who describe her as:

“Exceptionally efficient and professional. She has remarkable attention to detail and a thorough approach.”
“Incredibly helpful and very detailed… a great solicitor that I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”
“Positive, thorough and professional.”

Our Residential Real Estate practice advises on a wide range of complex and high-value transactions, including property sales and acquisitions, leasehold enfranchisement, development site purchases, refinancing, and Islamic finance. Clients range from private investors and family offices to corporates and developers, all of whom value our commercial, solution-driven approach and high-quality service.

Our team’s first-time ranking also reflects the exceptional feedback received this year:

“Lawrence Stephens is committed to its clients and provides excellent legal advice, offering solutions and updating all parties involved in an extremely timely manner.
“The team is easy to work with, personable, client-centric, pragmatic and collaborative.”

We’re proud that Chambers HNW 2025 has acknowledged the expertise that defines our real estate offering. Congratulations to Goli-Michelle and the entire Residential Real Estate team on this well-earned recognition, a major step forward in our continued growth within the HNW space.

Lawrence Stephens advises Scutum on strategic acquisition of Black Box Group

Posted on: July 11th, 2025 by Alanah Lenten

Lawrence Stephens has advised global security and fire protection provider Scutum UK & Ireland on its acquisition of Black Box Group, a leading integrated fire and security solutions provider based in the Northwest of England.

Founded over 45 years ago, Black Box Group delivers end-to-end fire and electronic security services including system design, installation, maintenance, and 24/7 monitoring. The group comprises Black Box Security Alarm Systems (BBS), INS (Integrated Network Systems), and ESI (Electronic Security Installations), and serves clients across sectors such as education, healthcare, defence, and commercial property.

The acquisition, completed in tandem with a second, significantly strengthens Scutum’s regional presence in the Northwest, complementing its existing fire detection capabilities and enhancing its strategic account offering across the UK.

The Lawrence Stephens team was led by Corporate and Commercial Head Jeff Rubenstein, supported by Tax Director Leigh Sayliss, Senior Associates Harshita Samani and Krysha Hunt, and Solicitors Avni Patel, Becci Collins and Carla Bernstein.

Jeff Rubenstein commented: “We are delighted to have supported Scutum, a long standing and valued client for Lawrence Stephens, on this important strategic acquisition. The integration of Black Box Group marks a significant step in Scutum’s UK growth strategy, and we are proud to have played a role in bringing this deal to completion. It was a pleasure working with the Scutum team. Their collaborative approach was greatly appreciated and we look forward to supporting them on future transactions”

Richard Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Scutum UK & Ireland, added: “We are extremely grateful to the team at Lawrence Stephens for their expert guidance and commitment throughout the transaction. Their commercial insight and responsive approach were instrumental in helping us complete this important acquisition efficiently and effectively.”

Strategic Growth: Lawrence Stephens Appoints Zahra Shah to Strengthen Real Estate Finance Practice

Posted on: July 4th, 2025 by Ella Darnell

Lawrence Stephens is pleased to announce the appointment of Zahra Shah as Senior Associate to its Real Estate Finance team.

Zahra joins us from a high street firm, where she was a Partner in the Real Estate department. She brings extensive experience across both residential and commercial property matters, with particular expertise in real estate finance. Zahra qualified as a Solicitor in 2019, having previously worked as a real estate paralegal at the Department for Education. Her appointment further strengthens our team’s capabilities and reflects our continued commitment to growth.

Head of Real Estate Finance, Ann Ebberson said “I’m pleased to welcome Zahra Shah to Lawrence Stephens and our Real Estate Finance team. Zahra brings strong and diverse sector experience, that will further strengthen our team’s capabilities. Her appointment marks another exciting step in the firm’s continued growth and reflects our commitment to expanding our expertise and commercial reach.”

Lawrence Stephens appoints Head of Financial Institutions and Head of Real Estate Finance

Posted on: April 4th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Lawrence Stephens is delighted to announce the appointment of Senior Director Greg Palos as Head of the firm’s Financial Institutions sector.

Greg has been at Lawrence Stephens for over 20 years, since merging his own firm in 2004. During this time, he has been responsible for establishing and building the Real Estate Finance and Banking teams at the firm which now includes 12 Directors and 46 professional staff in total.

With this appointment, Greg’s wider role will include ensuring Lawrence Stephens continues to meet the needs of its existing Financial Institution sector clients, build and widen these relationships, and explore new sector opportunities for the firm, both in the UK and internationally.

This important appointment reflects Lawrence Stephens’ twin-engine strategy of focusing on the Financial Institutions and Owner Managed Business sectors which have driven the firm’s strong growth over the last five years.

Lawrence Stephens is also pleased to announce the appointment of Ann Ebberson as Head of the Real Estate Finance department.

Ann is currently a Director in the team, having joined from City firm Rosling King in 2024. She is a well-known industry practitioner, recognised in the legal directories and brings to the role a wealth of sector knowledge and experience.

Acting for a range of banks, lending institutions and fixed charge receivers, her experience spans development finance, property acquisitions and sales, residential landlord and tenant issues, title rectifications and working with litigation colleagues on complex disputes which involve real estate and finance.

Managing Director Steven Bernstein commented: “Greg’s appointment to this wider sector-focused role confirms our commitment to our strategy of sticking to what we are good at and what we are well known for. Greg’s deep knowledge of the sector and the firm’s capabilities presents us with an opportunity to build on already strong foundations and take us to the next level of growth for the firm.”

“I’m delighted that Ann has taken on the role of Head of the Real Estate Finance department. She has already proven to be a strong and capable leader and I look forward to seeing her consolidate our position as a real force in the Real Estate Finance market.”

Lawrence Stephens announces four Director promotions

Posted on: April 1st, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Leading full-service law firm, Lawrence Stephens, is pleased to announce the promotion of Asim Arshad, Anna Christou, Sarah Gallagher and Ausra Triantafyllidou to Director, effective from 1 April 2025.

These promotions follow a year of continuing growth for Lawrence Stephens in response to increasing client demand. Director numbers have increased from 28 to 45 and this 60% increase also includes lateral hires in key areas of growth as well as a team of eight Directors recently recruited from Memery Crystal.

Asim Arshad becomes a Director in the Disputes Resolution team, specialising in commercial litigation. In particular, Asim has extensive experience handling disputes involving crypto assets, including acting for individuals seeking to recover lost or stolen crypto assets. In addition to contentious matters, Asim’s work has included advising on cryptoasset regulation and compliance, token issuance, NFT projects, and acting for one of the industry’s leading mining platforms and token issuing entities
Anna Christou becomes a Director in the Real Estate Finance team. She joined Lawrence Stephens as a trainee solicitor in 2011. She currently acts for leading UK buy-to-let lenders, bridging lenders, challenger banks and building societies, dealing with both regulated and unregulated loans on commercial and residential property portfolios.
Sarah Gallagher becomes a Director in the Residential Real Estate team. She heads up Lawrence Stephens’ team of specialists in the new build sector. Her primary client base is formed of purchasers of both leasehold and freehold new build properties, inside and outside of the Greater London area and developers selling plots at a variety of developments. Whilst Sarah’s specialism is largely new build work, she also acts for those selling and purchasing residential properties of all varieties, including shared ownership, HNW and UHNW.
Ausra Triantafyllidou also becomes a Director in the Real Estate Finance team. She acts for a number of long-standing investors with large commercial, residential and mixed-use portfolios. Her primary focus is on secured lending transactions including investment and development finance matters. She advises clients on landlord and tenant matters including acquisitions, disposals, lettings, transfers of portfolios to corporate structures and finance transactions.

Steven Bernstein, Managing Director at Lawrence Stephens, commented: “With these four Director promotions, we are proud to be recognising growth from within our own people. We continue to demonstrate Lawrence Stephens’ growth in traditional sectors and expansion into emerging ones. Asim, Anna, Sarah and Ausra’s specialist expertise reflect the full-service approach we take at Lawrence Stephens, and how we are able to deliver the best outcomes for our clients.”

Lawrence Stephens appoints Memery Crystal Real Estate team

Posted on: January 31st, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Farringdon based full-service law firm Lawrence Stephens is pleased to announce the appointment of Directors John Aynsley, Chris Cagney, Matthew Hind, Nickhil Mandora and Sam Silverman to their Commercial Real Estate department, who all join from the highly regarded Real Estate group at Memery Crystal.

John Aynsley was previously Head of Real Estate at Memery Crystal, specialising in the acquisition, disposal, development, regeneration, financing, and management of high-value assets in commercial real estate. He acts for clients ranging from international real estate funds and listed house builders to private investors.

He is joined by fellow Directors:

Chris Cagney, who has extensive experience in a range of commercial real estate matters as well as advising on development projects and property finance transactions.
Matthew Hind, who specialises in general commercial real estate with a mixture of investment, development, finance, occupier, and management work. He also has considerable experience dealing with distressed real estate on behalf of banks and insolvency practitioners.
Nickhil Mandora, who acts for a wide variety of clients ranging from retail landlords and tenants to institutional lenders and property developers.
Sam Silverman, who has acted for major international and domestic clients including developers, funds, corporate occupiers and supermarkets within the office, industrial and retail sectors.

Commenting on his appointment, Director John Aynsley stated: “We are very pleased to join Lawrence Stephens at this important moment for the firm. Their extraordinary growth over recent years is evidence of their ambition and can-do attitude, which we share and clients clearly love. We look forward to building on what are already strong foundations and working closely alongside the rest of the Lawrence Stephens team.”

Managing Director Steven Bernstein commented: “We are delighted to welcome John and his team to Lawrence Stephens. Their arrival coincides with a period of exciting growth for the firm and will provide both bench strength to our existing team as well as extending the range of expertise and experience we can now offer to both existing clients and new prospects.”

Lawrence Stephens appoints specialist immigration lawyer to head new department

Posted on: January 7th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Leading full-service law firm Lawrence Stephens is pleased to announce the appointment of specialist immigration lawyer Skylar McKeith, who will head the firm’s new Immigration practice.

Skylar provides strategic advice to both corporate and private clients, and represents high-net-worth individuals and celebrities, high-profile business professionals, and companies.

Highlights of her work include securing a Global Talent visa for an Emmy Award-winning American actor, successfully obtaining Skilled Worker visas for employees of a renowned art gallery and securing a sponsor licence for a professional women’s football club – enabling the recruitment of international talent.

Skylar’s appointment also marks the launch of Lawrence Stephens’ new Immigration practice. Complementing the firm’s existing suite of services, the launch of this new department will allow Lawrence Stephens to continue to provide its wide range of clients with the very best in integrated legal advice.

Skylar is an active member of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association and a regular commentator in the national press and across radio and television, contributing to media discussions around hot-button immigration issues.

Commenting on her appointment, Skylar said: “Lawrence Stephens is a dynamic firm which has grown significantly over the past few years, and I am delighted to join such a vibrant and acknowledged team of legal experts.

“I look forward to working closely with the firm’s existing departments to provide clients with a full suite of services.”

Steven Bernstein, Managing Director at Lawrence Stephens, commented: “We are excited to announce Skylar’s appointment and the formation of our new Immigration department, with her at its core.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Skylar to the Lawrence Stephens team. Her combination of legal expertise with commercial advice and strategy will enable us to provide a more dynamic offering to clients.”

For more information on Lawrence Stephen’s Immigration practice, please click here

Lawrence Stephens expands its Real Estate Disputes team with appointment of Senior Associate Roberto Francis

Posted on: January 6th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Leading dispute resolution firm, Lawrence Stephens, is pleased to announce the appointment of Roberto Francis as Senior Associate to its Real Estate Disputes team.

Roberto joins the firm with extensive experience acting for bridging and alternative lenders with a primary focus on secured and unsecured recoveries, which includes but is not limited to possession claims, receivership, insolvency and professional negligence.

Head of Real Estate Disputes, Abtin Yeganeh said “We’re delighted to welcome Roberto to our team. We’re certain that the breadth of his experience will enhance our service offering and enable us to continue delivering commercially focused, marketing-leading legal advice.”

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