Nick Bridgman
Nick works for large institutional occupiers and funds on both acquisition and management transactions, as well as freehold acquisitions and sales. He specialises in conditional retail (high street, out-of-town and drive-thru), office and warehousing transactions.
Nick acts primarily for occupiers who have ambitious acquisitions and portfolio management renewal programmes – this ranges from high street renewals, multi-site new-build drive-thru acquisitions to one-off high-value office and industrial lettings and everything in between. Clients are often under tight time constraints and don't appreciate legal documents getting in the way of trade – Nick speaks regularly to clients to keep them informed of the latest position and encourages other solicitors to deal with problems on the phone as soon as they arise to help expedite exchange/completion.
"I originally started out in the firm's real estate litigation team, which gave me a great grounding for asset management and acquisition work. I enjoy the fast pace of acquisition transactions and being able to give commercial solutions to clients on a daily basis."
Nick also has experience of acting for funds on lettings – having the perspective of both landlords and tenants means that Nick knows which will be the sticky issues and helps him drive a deal to exchange/completion.
Highlights
Helping an international gourmet coffee retailer open stores with very tight timescales in an ever-changing market. The in-house surveyors at the client are frequently under a lot of pressure to exchange multi-conditional agreements for lease and begin fit-out works, so that trade can begin.
Working on the flagship store for a luxury car brand on Berkeley Square, London.
Clients
National and international retailers, corporate occupiers and large institutional investors.
Outside work
Having read music at university, Nick is still a keen musician. After singing with Christchurch Cathedral Choir, New Zealand for a year, he returned back home to sing with the Birmingham Cathedral Choir, who go on tours across the UK and Europe.
Along with his brother Rob (who is a partner in the firm's real estate litigation team), he runs the firm's choir. In the last 12 years they've raised over £20,000 for the firm's various nominated charities and in 2014 won the inaugural Legal Harmony competition in Southwark Cathedral. As well as singing for the firm's annual summer concert and carol service, the choir has recently sung evensong in Tewkesbury Abbey, Lichfield Cathedral and Westminster Abbey – future evensongs are planned for other large venues including St Paul's Cathedral, London.
Experience
- Acting for major international retailers on both management and acquisition programmes (including complex, multi-condition new build schemes).
- Acting for occupiers on complex one-off, high-value lettings in central London.
- Acting for institutional landlords on lettings throughout their estate.