"Paul Harbour leads the property team and is vastly experienced in handling complex deals relating to both commercial and residential real estate. He has expertise in complex development and investment work as well as handling landlord and tenant matters."
Chambers UK 2021
Paul became a partner in 2004 and heads up the Real Estate Department. He is a top ranked lawyer in Real Estate in Chambers UK 2020 (a client's guide to the UK legal profession) where he is ranked Band 1 as a leading individual for Real Estate: Lower Mid-Market in London.
Areas of expertise
Paul has particular expertise in dealing with:
- Commercial and residential development work
- Large scales site assembly
- Contracts and options conditional upon planning consent/planning promotion agreements and collaboration agreements
- Overage agreements
- Landlord and tenant work
- Investment acquisitions and disposals
What clients and directories have said
Paul Harbour really knows his industry. Charming, clever, hard-working, skilled and a great lawyer. I could not recommend him more highly!"
The Legal 500 UK, 2021
He is highly commercial and frequently goes above and beyond."
Chambers and Partners UK, 2019
Paul Harbour is recommended for his "long experience and very good technical knowledge."
Chambers and Partners UK, 2018
...Paul Harbour is highly recommended for the commerciality of his advice, while clients also appreciate his provision of "straightforward advice' and his 'dedicated and diligent' approach to deals.”
Chambers and Partners UK
He "advised Amsprop Cheapside on the letting of 5 Cheapside, London."
Legal 500 2016
Recent work
- Acting for a client on the purchase of a redundant delivery office in London from Royal Mail Estates for £4.7M, intended for a mixed use development, subject to a turnover overage and planning overage.
- Acting on a £40 million acquisition of a long leasehold interest in a new office and studio development situated in central Soho for an owner occupier client, with a geared rent. The purchase was also subject to a pre-let of a new restaurant on the ground floor and basement.
- Acting on the sale of a multi-let industrial estate in Belvedere for £7.3M.
- Acting on the purchase of a circa 87,000 square foot office building in Tower Hill for a longstanding client.
Professional Societies and memberships
"He's incredibly hard-working, easy to communicate with and can simplify complex matters and get them done. He is very deal-oriented and focused on the commercial side of things... a really good strategic thinker."
Quote from clients in Chambers UK 2021
Department head Paul Harbour gathers praise from clients for his 'enormously effective' advice and for 'doing whatever it takes to get a deal over the line'. His broad real estate practice encompasses acting on transactions, landlord and tenant work, site assembly and contract matters."
Chambers UK, A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2017
