Duncan Williamson

Legal Director
  • Experience
  • Other Information

Duncan has over 35 years’ experience as a Chartered Legal Executive and is a Legal Director in our Commercial Property Team, having joined Birketts in September 2015.

Duncan’s clients include property developers and investors both on and off shore, banks and other funders, and owners and occupiers in the logistics, health care, and scientific research and development sectors. Duncan regularly acts for clients in complex transactions where his experience and expertise in relation to property development, funding structures, and landlord and tenant issues is sought after and highly valued. Duncan is used to drawing upon the expertise of Birketts’ colleagues in complementary practice areas, such as planning, construction and tax, to assemble and lead teams and to deliver advice which is timely, pragmatic and commercially aware. Examples of recent work include:

  • Acting for a health care provider in advising on and negotiating a development agreement which delivered a new health centre for occupation both by the client and by a consortium of GP’s. The transaction required co-ordinated advice and the negotiation of a complex suite of documents dealing with development, construction, planning issues, the grant of occupational head and sub-leases, and interaction with a wider area of mixed use development.
  • Acting for the London office of a European Bank in refinancing a £32.5m facility secured against a portfolio of 16 London investment properties.
  • Acting for a family consortium of landowners who entered into a Promotion and Option Agreement with a national housebuilder for development of c.20 acres of agricultural land.
  • Acting for a central London restaurateur who entered into a development agreement to acquire new premises in Mayfair for a high-profile restaurant start-up.
  • Acting for a group of off-shore companies in the management of a high value portfolio of central London investment properties, including advising on all landlord and tenant issues, the grant of leases and all other property management issues.
  • Acting for a FOOTSIE 250 company in negotiation of a development agreement to deliver a new hi-tec research and development facility.
  • Acting for the UK subsidiary of a multi-national logistics business in the disposal of former London HQ premises.
  • Acting for a UK Clearing Bank in the financing of an edge-of town residential development comprising c. 100 units.
  • Acting for a Local Authority in relation to development of a c. 10 acre greenfield site which had been successfully promoted for mixed commercial development.

Duncan is based in our Chelmsford office.

Duncan is recommended by Legal 500 [UK 2021]. Clients in this edition say “He iss knowledgeable, practical and assiduous in protecting his clients.”

When not working, Duncan is a keen golfer, umpires in the local cricket leagues, and enjoys good restaurants, good wine, and spending time outdoors.

[Duncan] ‘is knowledgeable, practical and assiduous in protecting his clients’.

Legal 500 [UK 2021]

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