Nicola Lebish
Nicola Lebish is a Partner in the residential real estate team. She advises on high value and technically complex residential property transactions, with particular expertise in leasehold enfranchisement, high value property, rights of first refusal and strategic residential portfolio matters.
Nicola acts for a broad range of clients including private individuals, overseas and UK companies, ecclesiastical and charity clients, local authorities, registered providers, higher education institutions and other institutional landowners. Her work often involves unusual title issues, leasehold reform considerations, enfranchisement risk and portfolio management strategies.
She co-heads Birketts’ leasehold enfranchisement practice, leading the transactional arm of the team, supporting clients with statutory and voluntary lease extensions, collective enfranchisement, leasehold house claims, right of first refusal issues and portfolio-wide lease extension projects. Nicola is known for combining detailed technical knowledge with pragmatic, commercially aware advice.
Alongside her client work, Nicola plays an active role in the strategic management and evolution of Birketts’ multi-award winning residential real estate practice, including process improvement, client service development and training junior lawyers to build technical confidence and deliver clear, practical advice.
Nicola is ranked by Chambers High Net Worth [UK 2026]. In the latest edition, clients note: “Nicola is wonderful, and we love working with her and will continue to in the future” and “Nicola is an excellent all-around service and a pleasure to work with“.
Recent work highlights
Advised a social landlord with a substantial residential portfolio on a project to offer voluntary lease extensions to shared ownership leaseholders, including where leaseholders had not staircased to 100%. Nicola helped design the process, correspondence and standard form lease, enabling the client to progress more than 100 voluntary lease extensions in a consistent and efficient way.
Advised a charity client on the disposal of a residential dwelling for redevelopment. The matter involved the removal and reapplication of modernised covenants, overage, neighbourly matters and copyright licence for architect drawings to support a sale with planning permission for development of the site.
Acquisition of a mixed‑use block for a local housing authority, including 172 residential units valued at £55m.
Experience & education
2023 Joined the Partnership at Birketts
2015 Joined Birketts
2013 Qualified as Solicitor
2010 Qualified as a Chartered Legal Executive
2001 to 2015 Secretary, Paralegal, Fellow of CILEX and Solicitor Mills & Reeve
Nicola has worked on many transactions for me and is clearly someone we can rely on to provide the best for our clients.
Chambers High Net Worth [UK 2026]
