New partner joins Penningtons Manches to boost social housing team

Posted: 25/01/2018

Penningtons Manches has further strengthened its top class social housing team with the arrival of partner Mark Sellers. He joins the firm from Prince Evans, where he was a partner in the firm’s social housing development team.

Mark, who will work across the London and Cambridge offices, has specialist experience in acting for registered providers on their acquisitions by way of outright purchase, conditional agreements, option agreements, golden brick agreements and associated development agreements. He also advises registered providers on all aspects of home ownership sales including shared ownership, market sales, help to buy, right to buy and lease extensions. Recent significant projects include acting for private clients and companies on a range of transactions including purchases of a shopping centre, various sites subsequently developed into housing schemes, office investment portfolios and a preparatory school as a going concern from a college, as well as the refinancing of a chain of gyms, and advising government bodies on the property aspects of the discharge of their statutory functions.

Mark also acts for individuals and businesses on all aspects of property ownership, commercial and residential development and property investment. He is a member of the Conveyancing and Land Law Committee of the Law Society.

Recognised in the latest editions of The Legal 500 and Chambers UK as ‘excellent’ and noted for its ‘articulate’ and ‘thorough’ advice, Penningtons Manches’ social housing team acts nationally for clients including housing associations which range from organisations with less than 1,000 homes to some of the largest housing providers in the country, local authorities, local housing companies, and private developers and consultants active in the sector. The team has been ranked as a ‘top tier’ practice in the latest edition of The Legal 500 for The South.

Penningtons Manches’ long established social housing team enjoys a high profile within the industry. In the last year, the team has grown by 10% and is now one of the largest social housing teams in the sector. With a strong knowledge of housing and the challenges faced by the industry, the team delivers a commercially-aware service to its longstanding clients. The full spectrum of advice in all legal disciplines is offered. Mark’s appointment bolsters the development and acquisitions team which acts for a large number of clients across the UK on a range of residential and mixed-use development sites including section 106 and land-led deals.

Commenting on Mark’s appointment, head of the social housing team Linda Storey, said: “We are delighted to welcome Mark to the firm. He brings with him valuable sector experience and reputation to our social housing team and real estate team as a whole. The firm continues to go from strength to strength and particularly through the recent investment in improving our capability through the intelligent use of IT. We very much look forward to working with him.”

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