Howard Richards Consultant

Having been a partner in two substantial national legal practices and run my own practice for over 20 years it was time to move to a firm with the flexibility which Setfords offers.

My professional practice has focused primarily on advising:

Property:

• Local authorities on town centre redevelopment schemes including the acquisition of land and interests via statutory procedures.
• Financial institutions and local authority superannuation funds on funding the development of commercial property schemes.
• Developers on land assembly, funding agreements, lettings and all relevant statutory agreements in connection with supermarkets and retail parks.
• International corporate pension fund on the funding of a retail scheme in the City of London, which included negotiating a complex head lease with the City of London, a development and funding agreement with the developer and over 40 retail leases
• A developer on joint venture agreements for the funding of overseas European retail schemes.
• A developer on the land assembly of schemes for NHS health centres throughout England and Wales and drafting the “ substituted rental” lease to doctors which have become standard for many health authorities and funding the development and sale off to a funding institution. To date, I have been involved in over 100 of such schemes.
• A developer on complex land assembly for “ extra care homes” letting to operators and their financing through Development and Funding Agreements.
• A developer on land assembly for development of crematoria and either the letting or the sale to operators.
• in connection with the purchase and sale of high-value residential properties both in urban and rural areas including dealing with complex planning issues and requisite rights of way and services.

Other Legal Work:

• The sale of assets on behalf of banks and insolvency practitioners in connection with financially distressed companies and individuals.
• Advising distressed companies and individuals in connection with their refinancing.
• The sale and purchase of shares in private companies with directors’ service contracts, warranties and indemnities.
• The setting up of a charitable foundation connected with the British Armed Forces and advising on general matters.

Being an early proponent of agile working in the last few years I have been based in the United Kingdom, the Middle East and the Far East and commuting between them. I will continue to offer my clients a multilingual service of Arabic, Mandarin and Hebrew.

Further pursuits have included photography.