What are the highlights of your career?
A few years ago I acted for a large logistics company on the sale of a distribution depot to investors by way of a long lease.  At the same time we had to put in place an occupational lease to a major retailer.  The site had been contaminated so I had to negotiate clean up obligations for my client, carve out environmental liabilities and also address complicated tax issues.  The deal was also time critical for my client because it had to be done before the end of its financial year.  The negotiations were complicated and delicate but I managed to achieve the desired result for my client.

Recently I enjoyed leading a project which helped Milton Keynes Parks Trust Limited secure a loan of £30M on its commercial estate.  All the professional advisors involved worked together in a very constructive way and the challenge was to make sure that all involved had what they needed at the right time. As a resident of Milton Keynes, it was also pleasing to be involved in a project which will secure the future of the city’s green spaces.

What have your clients said about you?
In a recent edition of Chambers Legal Directory clients said that I always give a “straight answer”.  As this sums up my approach to work and life in general, I was very pleased with this.

What are you best at?
Developing plain English legal documents which are easy for non-lawyers to understand.  I find it a stimulating intellectual challenge to make sure that everything important from a legal point of view is covered, but that the end result is as short and simple as humanly possible.

How have you helped your clients to have competitive edge?
I have created an online system of simplified documents to allow landlords with large estates to simplify the letting process. This system gets occupiers into properties quicker with cost savings for my clients.

What contribution have you made to the wider business community?
Seeing the need for a local commercial property focussed networking event and setting one up.  Property People is now well known in the Milton Keynes property community as an event where good contacts can be made and it’s also an excuse for some tapas on a Monday evening!

What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
Returning to work after having my children, my first job was to take over the lead role on a major shopping centre acquisition from a partner who was going on a lengthy trip not long before completion.  It took nearly a whole day to brief me as to what was going on and I had to lead a team of 5 lawyers who all knew a lot more about the project than me!  Nevertheless it was extremely enjoyable to plunge straight into a major project and take it through to a successful conclusion for the client. 

Valerie heads the firm’s Property, Construction and Projects Group.