Meet the team… Lisa Adams

In this edition of ‘Meet the team…’, we speak to Lisa Adams, Partner in HCR Law’s Real Estate team, based in the Wye Valley office.

What first attracted you to a career in law?

For some reason (still unknown to me), I always wanted a career in law, so I knew very clearly what path I would take as soon as I left school. I was also a huge a fan of legal dramas and programmes such as Ally McBeal, which promised lots of glamour and interesting courtroom battles – although it was property law that I chose to specialise in eventually.

What type of legal advice do you provide? And to what sorts of clients?

I specialise in commercial property, which covers anything from sales, purchase and leases of retail property, pubs, industrial units and a wide range of other property types. I also deal with easements, promotion and overage agreements and sales and purchases of development sites.

My clients range from individuals dealing with a one-off commercial property, to companies with a large property portfolio and developers. I have a background in local government, which often comes in handy on the planning side of things, and I regularly act for a number of local authority clients.

What is your most memorable legal experience? And why?

Some years ago (and in a previous role), I was introduced to a client who asked the senior partner to tell me to leave the meeting because he was “not having a woman do [his] legal work”. I took that as a challenge and subsequently worked closely with the client (initially in a support role to the senior partner), quickly earning his trust and proving that I was more than capable of dealing with his commercial property matters.

I continued to work with that client for a number of years as his sole legal adviser on property matters, acting on a wide range of disposals and acquisitions, and ultimately the disposal of a significant piece of development land.

What is your number one top tip for clients?

Always keep your legal adviser updated as matters progress and be transparent about the timescales you’d like to work to. Transactions often evolve, with parties agreeing amended terms and completion dates between themselves. If this is relayed to your legal adviser in a timely manner, it will ensure that your matter progresses as smoothly as possible.