Key Takeaways
- • BCLP hired 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 deep cross-border transaction expertise.
- • Harrison brings institutional client experience across major PE firms and infrastructure investors including Cale Street Partners, PI Partners, Nuveen, PFA, Oaktree Capital Management, and WeWork, with deal focus spanning commercial, industrial, logistics, mixed-use, and digital infrastructure assets.
- • Taylor Wessing recruited Gemma Grunewald, a chartered tax adviser and property tax expert, from DLA Piper as a partner, bolstering its real estate tax capabilities after her four-year tenure as legal director at DLA.
- • Both hires reflect strategic expansion in London's real estate legal market, with BCLP explicitly citing increased client demand for full-spectrum real estate strategy services and cross-border transaction support.
- • Grunewald's background includes six-plus years at Fladgate and training at legacy Allen & Overy, positioning her as a seasoned tax specialist in the property sector.
Summary
BCLP and Taylor Wessing have announced significant partner-level hires in their London real estate practices, signaling heightened competition for expertise in cross-border transactions and tax advisory within the UK real estate market.
BCLP recruited Claibourne Harrison from Gibson Dunn, where he became a partner in 2021. Harrison is dual-qualified in both Texas and England & Wales, positioning him to advise on transatlantic real estate transactions. His practice focuses on private equity and venture capital real estate investment, with particular expertise in acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, carve-outs, and loan-portfolio transactions. His client roster includes institutional names such as Cale Street Partners, PI Partners, Nuveen, PFA, Oaktree Capital Management, and WeWork. His sector experience spans commercial, industrial, logistics, mixed-use, and digital infrastructure asset classes. According to Nazir Dewji, BCLP's global real estate lead, the hire reflects the firm's commitment to expand its real estate capabilities, stating the firm is "seeing increasing client demand for our full-spectrum real estate strategy." Harrison cited BCLP's depth of real estate expertise in London, its transatlantic platform, and European reach as key factors in his decision to join.
Concurrently, Taylor Wessing elevated Gemma Grunewald to partner status following her four-year tenure at DLA Piper, where she held the position of legal director. Grunewald is a chartered tax adviser with specialized expertise in property tax matters. Her career includes more than six years at Fladgate as a tax associate and training qualifications from legacy Allen & Overy, establishing a deep foundation in tax law relevant to real estate transactions.
The dual hires underscore growing institutional demand for sophisticated real estate legal services in London, particularly in private equity-backed transactions and cross-border structures where both transactional and tax expertise are essential to deal execution.
BCLP recruited Claibourne Harrison from Gibson Dunn, where he became a partner in 2021. Harrison is dual-qualified in both Texas and England & Wales, positioning him to advise on transatlantic real estate transactions. His practice focuses on private equity and venture capital real estate investment, with particular expertise in acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, carve-outs, and loan-portfolio transactions. His client roster includes institutional names such as Cale Street Partners, PI Partners, Nuveen, PFA, Oaktree Capital Management, and WeWork. His sector experience spans commercial, industrial, logistics, mixed-use, and digital infrastructure asset classes. According to Nazir Dewji, BCLP's global real estate lead, the hire reflects the firm's commitment to expand its real estate capabilities, stating the firm is "seeing increasing client demand for our full-spectrum real estate strategy." Harrison cited BCLP's depth of real estate expertise in London, its transatlantic platform, and European reach as key factors in his decision to join.
Concurrently, Taylor Wessing elevated Gemma Grunewald to partner status following her four-year tenure at DLA Piper, where she held the position of legal director. Grunewald is a chartered tax adviser with specialized expertise in property tax matters. Her career includes more than six years at Fladgate as a tax associate and training qualifications from legacy Allen & Overy, establishing a deep foundation in tax law relevant to real estate transactions.
The dual hires underscore growing institutional demand for sophisticated real estate legal services in London, particularly in private equity-backed transactions and cross-border structures where both transactional and tax expertise are essential to deal execution.
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