Willem deals with all aspects of property law with experience ranging from complicated enfranchisements and lease extensions, to managing the residential and commercial property portfolios of corporate clients and high net worth individuals and associated sales and purchases.
Called to the Bar in 1993, Willem’s practice initially focused on contentious property and planning advice. After moving to the commercial property department at DLA Piper he qualified as a solicitor and began advising and acting for the owners of several major London Estates on contentious and transactional matters. He set up his own firm in 2003 to advise individual and corporate property owners on those central London Estates.
Willem has considerable experience of dealing with cases in the Lands Tribunals and has taken a number of cases to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court ranging from one of the leading cases on houseboats, Chelsea Yacht & Boat Co. Ltd v Pope, to acting for many of the leaseholders involved in the landmark Sportelli case on the deferment rate to be applied to enfranchisement claims.
He continues to act for groups of leaseholders to acquire their freeholds by collective enfranchisement or exercising the right of first refusal and, having acquired those freeholds, he advises on the management of those buildings. Willem also has considerable expertise in the niche area of riparian rights advising the owners of moorings in central London and dealing with houseboats sales, purchases and related issues.
