Key Takeaways
- • BCLP hires Claibourne Harrison, a dual-qualified (Texas and England & Wales) private equity and venture capital real estate partner from Gibson Dunn, to strengthen its London real estate practice with cross-border transaction expertise spanning commercial, industrial, logistics, mixed-use, and digital infrastructure assets.
- • Harrison brings institutional PE client relationships including Cale Street Partners, PI Partners, Nuveen, PFA, WeWork, and Oaktree Capital Management, with demonstrated experience in acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, carve-outs, and loan-portfolio transactions.
- • Taylor Wessing hires Gemma Grunewald, a chartered tax adviser and property tax specialist from DLA Piper (where she was legal director), to expand its real estate tax capabilities following four years at DLA and prior experience at legacy Allen & Overy.
- • Both hires reflect law firm consolidation in the London real estate market, with BCLP explicitly signaling increased client demand for integrated real estate advisory across the full deal lifecycle and private equity transaction support.
Summary
Two major London-based law firms have completed strategic lateral hires targeting the real estate sector, signaling heightened institutional demand for specialized expertise in private equity real estate transactions and property tax structuring.
BCLP recruited Claibourne Harrison as a partner, bringing him from Gibson Dunn where he had established a practice focused on real estate acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, carve-outs, and cross-border transactions. Harrison, qualified in both Texas and England & Wales, holds particular relevance for institutional investors given his track record advising leading private equity firms and institutional asset managers including PI Partners, Nuveen, PFA, and Oaktree Capital Management. His experience spans institutional real estate asset classes—commercial, industrial, logistics, mixed-use, and digital infrastructure—making him well-positioned to serve the growing universe of PE-backed real estate platforms. BCLP's global real estate lead, Nazir Dewji, characterized the hire as reflective of "increasing client demand for our full-spectrum real estate strategy," positioning the firm's transatlantic platform and European network as key competitive advantages in sourcing institutional capital and executing cross-border deals.
Concurrently, Taylor Wessing appointed Gemma Grunewald as a partner in its real estate practice. Grunewald, a chartered tax adviser, transitions from DLA Piper where she held the position of legal director following four years of service. Her background includes prior experience at legacy Allen & Overy and more than six years at Fladgate as a tax associate, establishing deep expertise in property tax structuring—a critical dimension for institutional real estate investors managing multi-asset portfolios and complex transaction structures.
These hires underscore the London market's ongoing consolidation around specialized real estate practices capable of delivering integrated advisory across acquisition, financing, and tax optimization. For institutional investors and alternative asset managers, the concentration of expertise at major international platforms enhances execution efficiency in sourcing and structuring real estate transactions while managing regulatory and tax compliance across jurisdictions.
BCLP recruited Claibourne Harrison as a partner, bringing him from Gibson Dunn where he had established a practice focused on real estate acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, carve-outs, and cross-border transactions. Harrison, qualified in both Texas and England & Wales, holds particular relevance for institutional investors given his track record advising leading private equity firms and institutional asset managers including PI Partners, Nuveen, PFA, and Oaktree Capital Management. His experience spans institutional real estate asset classes—commercial, industrial, logistics, mixed-use, and digital infrastructure—making him well-positioned to serve the growing universe of PE-backed real estate platforms. BCLP's global real estate lead, Nazir Dewji, characterized the hire as reflective of "increasing client demand for our full-spectrum real estate strategy," positioning the firm's transatlantic platform and European network as key competitive advantages in sourcing institutional capital and executing cross-border deals.
Concurrently, Taylor Wessing appointed Gemma Grunewald as a partner in its real estate practice. Grunewald, a chartered tax adviser, transitions from DLA Piper where she held the position of legal director following four years of service. Her background includes prior experience at legacy Allen & Overy and more than six years at Fladgate as a tax associate, establishing deep expertise in property tax structuring—a critical dimension for institutional real estate investors managing multi-asset portfolios and complex transaction structures.
These hires underscore the London market's ongoing consolidation around specialized real estate practices capable of delivering integrated advisory across acquisition, financing, and tax optimization. For institutional investors and alternative asset managers, the concentration of expertise at major international platforms enhances execution efficiency in sourcing and structuring real estate transactions while managing regulatory and tax compliance across jurisdictions.
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