Kathryn Smith Senior Associate

Kathryn is a senior associate in the firm's real estate team. She has experience acting on a range of commercial real estate projects, and in particular has assisted on several development, infrastructure and regeneration projects. As part of her training, Kathryn spent time in the firm's construction and real estate disputes departments as well as in real estate. 

Prior to training with the firm, Kathryn obtained both her law degree and a Masters in Comparative Social Policy from the University of Oxford. In 2019 she qualified in Scots law and is now dual qualified to practise in Scotland and in England and Wales

• Advising North Somerset District Council on land assembly and compulsory purchase for the £45 million South Bristol Link Road, including the exercise of option agreements with landowners, the transfer of land adjoining the road and dealing with common land.
• Acting for Greater London Authority on the redevelopment of Albert Island, expected to have a gross developed value of around £1 billion. This development includes the installation of new infrastructure by the developer to open up the wider development opportunity.
• Acting for Change Real Estate on the development of the 2.5 acre city centre Redcliff Quarter in central Bristol to include a new 24 storey tower block, 185 bed hotel, 15,000 square feet of office accommodation and 317 residential units.
• Assisting DBEIS on the successor to UK Research Councils on a major asset transfer involving a large number of property assets located internationally, including assisting on the co-ordination of the due diligence process. This project involved co-ordination between various parties, both public and private. It was a high profile transaction linked to the Government’s Industrial Strategy relying on its own legislation (the Higher Education and Research Act 2017).  UKRI is responsible for delivering the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
• Acting for St Modwen on the mixed use development of Locking Parkland to include a new 1,450 home community with retail space, a new school and 450,000 square feet of high quality business space.
• Advising Help Bristol’s Homeless on a pro bono basis in relation to occupation of their current site and the development of a new site in central Bristol.
• Acting for Waterstones on an ongoing basis in relation to their UK real estate portfolio.
• Acting for Stevenage Borough Council on a mixed use town centre regeneration project to provide 3,500 new homes, a new retail centre and a public hub for health and public sector occupiers.
• Advising a South West local authority on the acquisition of a mixed use development site including title issues, potential compulsory purchase, overage, early access arrangements and release of adverse rights.
• Advising a renewable energy developer on the negotiation of a funder-compliant option and lease for a community funded solar, wind and battery site including drafting project documentation, managing access arrangements and dealing with issues around common land affecting the site.
• Assisting with acquisitions, disposals and commercial lettings, including due diligence, title investigation, certificates of title, searches and enquiries, negotiation of documents, Land Registry issues, taxation and insurance.