Simon Keen
Simon Keen is a Partner who jointly leads both the Cambridge commercial real estate team and also our strategic land team and is also Birketts main Public Sector Real Estate Partner. He is recommended by The Legal 500 as a ‘Leading Partner’.
Simon’s core practice covers strategic land promotion, development joint ventures, structured development fundings and development leasing (with a focus on acting for occupiers), as well as asset management and real estate investment and financing. Having spent the first 18 years of his career at a major international firm, Simon deploys a wide range of commercial real estate expertise for the full benefit of his clients. His experience of acting for occupiers and landowners has taught Simon to keep a tight focus on the commerciality of deals, and the points that matter, and he is well-regarded for providing pragmatic, commercial advice. As the chair of the committee that oversees and updates the Model Commercial Lease, he is at the forefront of the industry when it comes to lease negotiations and market practice.
Simon strives to build constructive working relationships with both clients and counterparties in order to ensure that the experience of each transaction is as smooth and good natured as it can be, which is especially important given many of the transactions on which he advises require the parties to work together over periods of 10-20+ years.
His most recent experience includes acting for landowners, promoters and developers on several major strategic land projects across England, including joint venture agreements, promotion and development agreements and structured sale/purchase agreements, while his landlord/tenant experience includes acting for both major institutional investors and blue chip corporate occupiers on retail, office and industrial/logistics properties, including pre-leasing offices and disposals of surplus space (by way of assignment, subletting and surrender) and lease regears and renewals.
Recent work highlights
Acting for landowners
Acting for a range of landowners including the Church Commissioners for England, various Dioceses, landed estates, farming families and private landowners on strategic land projects, land promotion arrangements, the sale of consented sites and development joint ventures all across England, from Kent to Devon in the South and Yorkshire to Liverpool in the North.
Acting for promoters
Acting for land promoters including Welbeck Strategic Land and Pigeon as well as a private family land promotion business on the acquisition, promotion and disposal of residential and commercial development sites across England.
Acting for occupiers
Acting for corporate occupiers including News UK, Evercore, Banijay UK, Caterham Cars and Deluxe Media on their occupational and operational properties across England, including the leasing, management and disposal of offices, warehouses, manufacturing and assembly facilities, printing presses and studios.
Experience & education
2024 Joint Head of Strategic Land, Birketts
2023 Joint Team Leader for Cambridge Real Estate Team, Birketts
2022 Joined Birketts as a Partner
2006 – 2022 Variously Associate, Senior Associate and Counsel, Lovells and then Hogan Lovells
2004 Trainee Solicitor, Lovells (qualified as a Solicitor August 2006)
2003 Legal Practice Course, BPP Law School, London
2000 – 2003 Downing College, University of Cambridge (BA in Law, converted to MA in 2007)
I have worked on a number of matters with Simon Keen in the Cambridge office. I have found him to be an exceptionally responsive and dedicated lawyer who consistently delivers high-quality advice within tight deadlines. I have found Simon very easy to work with, proactive in finding solutions and always ensures the legal advice is commercially viable rather than purely technical.
Legal 500 [UK 2026]
