Transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has strengthened its real estate practice in Edinburgh with the appointment of Clare Lamond who joins as a managing associate.

Previously at DWF, Clare has over 25 years’ experience advising clients on all aspects of real estate work in Scotland. She provides professional advice to both commercial landlords and tenants on lease acquisitions, renewals, variations and disposals, lease management issues, sub-leases and surrenders.

Clare Lamond

Clare also has a strong track record advising retail clients on a range of matters including the asset management of shopping centres and on high value security transactions. Previous instructions managed by Clare included acting for several national retail clients on all of their Scottish property requirements and portfolios; and negotiating and completing the lease of a major retailer’s first standalone children’s wear store in Glasgow.

Clare’s appointment follows a wider recruitment drive in WBD’s Edinburgh office with real estate partner Paul Mason, banking legal director Chris McLauchlan and real estate associate Ewelina Kurek joining the firm in the past few months. Last December, Richard Pike, in WBD’s private client team in Edinburgh, was also promoted to partner.

Paul Mason, partner at WBD, commented: “WBD’s real estate practice is one of the largest in the UK and we’re delighted to have someone of Clare’s caliber join our fast-growing Edinburgh office. Clare’s proven track record of delivering complex transactions within tight timescales coupled with her strong specialism advising some of the UK’s largest retailers, strongly enhances our offering here in Scotland.”

Clare added: “I am thrilled to be joining WBD’s Edinburgh office which has grown from strength to strength since it first opened in 2016. The firm has an impressive real estate and retail client portfolio, bringing many opportunities to work on very exciting projects in Scotland, the rest of the UK and beyond.”

Ranking in the UK’s top 20, WBD is a transatlantic law firm providing legal expertise from across eight offices in the UK and 19 offices in the US. WBD’s Edinburgh office focuses on delivering legal services to clients in its key sectors, and in particular, real estate, retail, financial institutions, energy and power renewables and private client. In 2019, the firm celebrated its move to larger offices in Edinburgh following a period of significant growth.