The UK retail market may be facing challenging times but opportunities continue to emerge in the sector, particularly for overseas retailers looking for flagship UK stores and also for retailers wishing to establish or expand their brand abroad. More broadly, as rationalisation continues, retailers are taking advantage of new prospects for portfolio management.
Establishing and running international retail operations can bring with them a number of legal issues at each stage of the process. This complex market requires on the ground legal support that is industry focused, in tune with the current commercial and cultural issues of doing business within these jurisdictions, and aware of how risks can be minimised and opportunities exploited.
As retail sector specialists we are able to deploy all the resources required to anticipate issues, offer solutions and tackle problems as and when they occur. We guide and advise our clients through their many stages of development and assist them through changing economic conditions. Specifically, we give advice regarding establishment and registration of individual stores and numerous heads of terms and leasing arrangements, including drafting work and negotiation with landlords, and helping to develop standard terms and conditions for leases, including build-out criteria.
As a major international law firm, we offer retailers a 'one stop shop' providing our clients not only with property law expertise but a full spectrum of legal areas, including environmental, health and safety, insolvency, construction, litigation, tax, employment, EC, logistics and distribution, e-commerce and Intellectual Property (IP) and corporate law advice.
We also have a dedicated real estate litigation team who handle the full range of landlord and tenant work both in the UK and internationally, offering straightforward, analytical advice on a variety of different property dispute issues involving contentious lease renewals, rent reviews, dilapidations claims, service charge disputes, recovery of rental arrears, forfeiture of tenancies and possession claims.
As recognised experts in this sector, we know the retail industry and the players in it, as well as the commercial realities of business.