Richard is a Partner in our Commercial Property team based in London. Richard spent six years in private practice in the City, where he developed an in-depth knowledge of general commercial property work including landlord and tenant matters, acquisitions and disposals, estate management work and secured lending on behalf of lenders. Richard specialises in acting for clients within the minerals sector – advising both landowners and companies operating in the industry on the management and extraction of mineral deposits.

Examples include acting for:

• A multinational aggregates operator in securing from multiple landowners an extension for one of its existing quarries in south Gloucestershire.
• A national aggregates producer in securing new quarrying sites and dealing with the restoration, surrender and aftercare of existing sites.
• A landowner in the grant of a mineral lease to a national operator.

Prior to joining Hugh James, Richard worked at Addleshaw Goddard. During this time, he completed a six-month secondment at The Football Association.

Following this, Richard spent three years working in-house at the London Development Agency as the commercial property specialist in a newly assembled legal team where he helped to manage the LDA’s extensive land portfolio. Notable projects include advising on the land assembly aspects and transfer of the London 2012 Olympic Park and the Emirates Air Line cross-Thames cable car. Richard has also spent some time working overseas. While in Kenya, Richard advised on the land aspects of a new geothermal power plant within Mt Longonot National Park and the development of the Nairobi Business Park. Before joining the firm, he worked with Hugh James and Gwen Morgan-Evans’ team in Kenya, helping the firm to make introductions to senior stakeholders at Kenya’s largest commercial law firms as part of an ongoing project Hugh James is involved with.

Before qualifying as a solicitor, Richard spent five years teaching and coaching rugby at Pangbourne College, an independent boarding school in Berkshire.