David Barnes, Lead Solicitor, Commercial Property Law

Contact David Barnes

Practice: Commercial Property Law

Specialist Experience:

  • Commercial property investment by individuals and institutions
  • Management of commercial property, including statutory renewals
  • Lettings on behalf of landlords and tenants
  • Property transactions by charities
  • Secured lending
  • Sale and purchase of land for development

Admitted as: Solicitor in England and Wales, 1977

Qualifications:

Oxford Law Degree

Experience and Career History:
Prior to joining Virtual Law in July, 2010, David was a commercial property solicitor with London mid-tier firm, Speechly Bircham.  He headed up two teams, involved in management work for a major clearing bank in relation to its own estate of branches, administration offices and other premises and dealt with a wide variety of their transactions, including roles on major trophy acquisitions. He also acted for several occupiers in leasing or purchasing premises, including the warehouse acquisitions of a major private electrical goods distribution company; and property transactions by charities.  Before joining Speechly Bircham, David was a commercial property partner with Lawrence Graham, handling clients such as the NFU Mutual Insurance Society, Deutsche Hypothekenbank, Royal National Institute for the Blind and Legal and General.  He qualified with Alsop Stevens, rising through the ranks to be a partner in the property department before leaving in 1987.

David heads Virtual Law’s Commercial Property practice.  His practice includes purchases, sales and secured lending (as lender or borrower) of freehold and leasehold premises; grant of leases as landlord and tenant; property management, licences for assignment, underletting or alterations of premises, lease regears and variations, rent reviews, lease renewals under statutory rights or by negotiation and surrenders, in all cases for landlords and tenants; property transactions by charities; and property aspects of commercial transactions.

Publications:

  • “Null and Void”, an article about a case on the sale of land by charities published in The Solicitors Journal.

Testimonials:

Chief Executive, Regional Charity for Disabled People: “Thanks for all you did to help Tim and me bundle up and deal with our own properties for the purpose of the merger” former Chief Executive of a regional charity for disabled people.”
Commercial Acquisitions Manager, RBS: “David was at all times a most efficient and competent solicitor providing timely, accurate and professional advice. He was most thorough in his research and always available to provide answers to questions as they arose.”