Clifford Chance (CC) and Macfarlanes advised property company Warner Estate Holdings on its £164m acquisition of an industrial estate portfolio from the Morley Fund. CC‘s global head of real estate Cliff McAuley dealt with joint venturing and contract negotiation matters, with support from real estate finance partner Mark Rees Jones. Macfarlanes property partner Clive Lampard advised Warner on due diligence and on-going asset management. Lawrence Graham banking partner Kathleen O’Donnell advised Bank of Scotland as £100m funder of part of the deal and Linklaters advised Barclays Bank as the funder on the remainder. The Morley Fund was advised by in-house counsel Jamie Davey.
City Law Partnership corporate partner Gordon Brough advised Aberdeen Asset Management on its £36m acquisition of Edinburgh Asset Managers Group. Brough was supported by corporate partners Graeme Davidson and Artemis Cromby. The target was advised by Dickson Minto corporate partner Colin MacNeill, supported by corporate assistant Duncan Christerson. In the event that the deal goes ahead, Aberdeen will fund the purchase with the £33m disposal of retail fund assets to New Star Asset Management, which is advised by Olswang corporate partner Simon Morgan.
