Freeths 2026 Spotlight

Freeths is a leading full-service UK law firm, bringing together more than 1,300 colleagues across 12 offices. With deep roots in Nottingham and a strong national platform, we provide clear, commercially focused advice that helps clients turn ambition into successful outcomes.

We combine technical excellence with a practical understanding of the built and natural environment. Our lawyers cut through complexity, anticipate challenges and deliver solutions that keep projects moving.

The most ambitious property projects do not fit neatly within a single legal discipline. Our Built & Natural Environment division brings together market-leading real estate lawyers with specialists in planning, environmental law, construction and key industry sectors.

This integrated approach gives Nottinghamshire’s property and construction community access to seamless, strategic advice throughout the entire lifecycle of an asset. From site assembly, planning and funding to development, investment, occupation and operation, we assemble the right team at the right time. Where challenges arise, our disputes specialists act decisively to protect our clients’ interests and achieve commercially effective resolutions.

Our national Real Estate team advises investors, developers, landlords, occupiers, lenders, housebuilders, registered providers and public bodies on projects and transactions across the UK.

We understand the commercial pressures that drive property decisions. Our focus is not simply on identifying legal issues, but on finding practical solutions, managing risk and creating a clear route to completion.

Our expertise includes:

• Asset Management & Investment: Supporting the acquisition, disposal, letting and strategic management of individual assets and complex property portfolios.
• Development & Regeneration: Guiding projects from site assembly and planning through construction, delivery and onward disposal across the commercial, residential, regeneration and infrastructure sectors.
• Commercial Occupiers: Helping businesses secure, relocate, rationalise and manage their operational property portfolios, including lease negotiations and day-to-day estate requirements.
• Real Estate Finance: Acting for borrowers and lenders on investment, development and structured finance transactions.
• Housebuilding & Strategic Land: Advising on land promotion, strategic acquisitions, development structures and plot sales.
• Social Housing & Public Sector Property: Supporting registered providers and public bodies with development programmes, investment activity and estate management.
• Real Estate and Construction Disputes: Resolving disputes strategically, efficiently and commercially, with a clear focus on protecting value and achieving the right outcome.
• Clean Energy: Advising on renewable energy, low-carbon infrastructure and the property, planning and development requirements that underpin the transition to a cleaner economy. 

Our Nottingham heritage gives us a genuine understanding of the region, its market and its opportunities. That local insight is backed by the strength and specialist capability of a national firm.

Whether the objective is to acquire, fund, develop, occupy, manage or realise value from property, we focus on what matters most: understanding our client’s ambitions and helping to make them happen.

If you have a project, opportunity or legal challenge you would like to discuss, contact Guy Winfield, Partner and Head of Real Estate in Nottingham, at guy.winfield@freeths.co.uk.

Tell us what you want to achieve. We will bring together the right team to help you make it happen.