Over 200 lawyers for new Mills & Reeve built environment service
The strategic repositioning forms part of the firm's ambitious 2030 growth plans and reflects its commitment to meeting clients' needs through a sector-focused approach. Led by partner Carina Davis, the newly appointed head of built environment, the transformation emphasises inter-sector collaboration and brings together the firm's extensive expertise across the built environment.
The market-leading offering encompasses over 200 lawyers specialising in investment, development & regeneration, living, real estate finance and owners & occupiers; including services which span estate management, planning and environmental, litigation, corporate real estate, construction, and tax, to name a few. The team has been shaped to deliver solutions for domestic and international clients across all aspects of the built environment.
Davis said: "Our restructured offer is built on the recognition that achieving key priorities in the built environment requires cross-sector expertise and collaboration. The market faces complex challenges; economic instability, regulatory and statutory changes and increasing property taxes all affecting investor confidence and viability. This requires a wider range of specialist expertise working in close harmony, which is the focus of our evolved offering.
"The new team enables clients to access extensive expertise across the built environment and specialists in key areas. It positions us ideally to advise on high-profile, complex projects and transactions, providing pragmatic and innovative solutions that help shape communities, fund and optimise investments and support the full lifecycle of built assets."
The built environment team's expertise spans five key pillars:
Real estate investment – delivering innovative legal solutions that optimise real estate investment transactions
Development & regeneration – extensive experience acting for landowners, promoters, developers, investors, funders, and occupiers with a solutions-led approach that considers all interests
Living – working strategically with clients operating across one or multiple assets within the sector
Real estate finance – advising on diverse domestic and international real estate finance transactions including investment, development, infrastructure, private placements, and forward funding
Owners & occupiers – achieving long-term property goals with deep sector expertise spanning healthcare to sporting venues.
Mills & Reeve is also a market leader in supporting the delivery of urban extensions and new towns/communities – a key focus of the government’s growth plans.
Carina Davis was Mills & Reeve's first Generation Y partner and, at the time, its youngest. Her expertise is recognised nationally, including through her role on the British Property Federation's Build to Rent (BTR) committee, which focuses on sector policy and advocates for policy changes to increase the supply of BTR homes, enhance diversity in the housing market, and address the housing shortage. Alongside her built environment role, she also sits on Mills & Reeve’s board.