Simon Hart

Simon is a Partner in the Real Estate department, with particular expertise in investment, property development and development funding work for quoted companies and funds. He also has considerable experience acting on real estate focused corporate acquisitions and disposals.

Simon understands the complexities associated with large transactions and has a reputation for finding practical solutions to issues that arise during the course of such matters.

He acts for listed companies and institutions including AEW Europe, Brookfield and UBS Global Asset Management (UK) in relation to investment, development and asset management matters.

Recent highlights include advising Brookfield on the sale of Student Roost to a joint venture formed between GIC and Greystar for £3.3 billion (having advised Brookfield on all matters relating to Student Roost since the original acquisition in 2016) and advising Brookfield on the sale of its portfolio of retail parks to British Land for approximately £440 million.

Legal 500 2021 sources note that Simon is "practical, responsive and knows how to move a deal toward completion" and that he has "great deal acumen and is in tune with what is going on in the overall market".

Key Experience

• Advised Brookfield on the sale of Student Roost to a joint venture formed between GIC and Greystar for £3.3 billion (having advised Brookfield on all matters relating to Student Roost since the original acquisition in 2016).
• Advised Brookfield on the sale of its portfolio of retail parks to British Land for approximately £440 million.
• Acting for GIC and Greystar on the real estate aspects of its £950 million refinancing of the Student Roost portfolio.
• Advised GLP in relation to their bid for the €12.25 billion Logicor portfolio.
• Advised Brookfield on its circa £3 billion consortium bid for Intu plc.
• Represented Brookfield on its £169 million acquisition of Nexus House, London.
• Acted for AEW Europe on the acquisition of Bath Road Slough for £325 million and St Nicholas Shopping Centre for £70 million.
• Advised Brookfield in relation to the acquisition of a 6,000-bed student housing portfolio from Avenue Capital for circa £410 million.
• Advised Brookfield's 'Student Roost' in relation to the acquisition of a student housing portfolio from Unite Students for circa £295 million and on the acquisition of the ‘Enigma ' student housing portfolio from Curlew Capital for £520 million.
• Acted for Brookfield on its circa £5 billion bid for the IQ Student portfolio.
• Advised Brookfield in relation to the sale of the entity that owned Moor Place (the European headquarters of WeWork) in the City of London to Kingboard for £271 million.
• Represented Brookfield in relation to its acquisition of a portfolio of retail parks from Hammerson for £330 million.
• Acted for Brookfield in relation to its acquisition of Arlington, a UK science, innovation, and technology real estate platform from TPG for £714 million.

Career History

Partner, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Solicitor, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Solicitor, Charles Russell LLP (now Charles Russell Speechlys LLP)
Trainee, Shoosmiths LLP
University of Hull, LLB (Hons) Law