Charles Russell Speechlys Podcast Channel

Property Patter: Challenges for commercial property in 2025

Landlords and tenants of commercial property face economic challenges and a changing legal landscape. Specialists from our Real Estate, Real Estate Disputes and Insolvency Teams - Ben Butterworth, Emma Humphreys, Harriet Durn and Daniel Moore - discuss the key issues:

• The current consultation on whether there should still be statutory protection for business tenancies;
• The new law to allow local Councils to take control of letting High Street properties;
• Recent insolvency trends, particularly with CVAs and the new restructuring plans introduced by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020.

Budget 2024 and its impact on IHT and estates

We digest and discuss the changes outlined in the 2024 Budget affecting inheritance tax, estates and planning strategies. We take a look at the impact on businesses, farming and pensions.

In this podcast, Harriet Betteridge from our Private Client Team speaks to Alexandra Ottridge at Level about the 2024 Autumn Budget and its impact on estate planning, inheritance tax (IHT) and succession strategies. The Level Group are a lending firm providing finance for family and probate proceedings. 

Harriet outlines key points from the Budget including the freezing of IHT (inheritance tax) thresholds until 2030, the relief on business and agricultural property being capped from April 2026 and the introduction of IHT on pensions from April 2027. Harriet provides crucial takeaways and solutions to navigate these changes such as the need for early estate planning, life insurance and probate loans to manage the higher tax liabilities, as well as planning ahead by reviewing of wills, updating of pension nominations and taking advice on tax-efficient structures.

Retail Collection – Episode 2: Stonegate - How to create meaningful customer engagement

In the latest episode of our Retail Collection podcast series, Jason Saiban, Partner in our Commercial team and Acting General Counsel at Stonegate, sits down with Jessica Cooke, Director of Media and Loyalty at Stonegate, and Janine Regan, our Head of Data Protection, to discuss harnessing the immense power of data in media and advertising strategy whilst ensuring compliance with data protection laws.

Property Patter: What lies ahead for property law in 2025?

Emma Humphreys and Laura Bushaway are joined by Guy Fetherstonhaugh KC and Imogen Dodds of Falcon Chambers to look at what lies ahead for property law during 2025.  Themes discussed include the Law Commission’s consultation on the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, upcoming appeals related to the Building Safety Act 2022 in March 2025 and an interesting case on injunctions against protestors.

The cases and legislation referred to in this episode of Property Patter are:

• Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (and Guy refers to TFS Stores Ltd v. BMG (Ashford) Ltd & Ors [2021] EWCA Civ 688 – see TFS Stores Ltd v Designer Retail Outlet Centres (Mansfield) General Partner: The end of the road | Falcon Chambers)
• Leisurespace v. CRT Property Investments – Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Crown Court – Hearing in February 2025
• University of London v. Harvie-Clark [2024] EWHC 2895 – Final Injunction to be heard in 2025 (relating to protestors)
• Building Safety Act 2022
• Adriatic Land 5 Limited v. Long Leaseholders at Hippersley Point [2023] UKUT 271 – Court of Appeal hearing on 17 March 2025
• Triathlon Homes LLP v. Stratford Village Development Partnership & Others [2024] UKFTT 26 – Court of Appeal hearing on 19 March 2025

Other references:

• Forthcoming book “Injunctions protecting land” by Falcon Chambers (due for publication later in 2025)
• The 50th anniversary of the Blundell Lecture series – this is an annual series of four lectures discussing topical issues in Property Law. Guy Fetherstonhaugh KC will be speaking at one of the lectures taking place in June 2025.  The dates for 2025 are 3, 10, 17 and 24 June.

Client Conversations Podcast: Mark Ramprakash

Managing Partner, Simon Ridpath, and Partner, Miranda Fisher, are joined by Mark Ramprakash, a renowned former cricketer who is among just 25 players in the game to have scored 100 first-class centuries. In this second episode of the second series of Client Conversations, Mark talks through his extraordinary achievements both in and outside cricket, as well as his keys to career longevity and his role in training and mentoring the next generation of English cricketers.

About Mark Ramprakash

Mark is one of England’s most celebrated male cricketers of the past thirty years – his illustrious cricketing career saw him play for Middlesex, Surrey and England. He became the only man to have averaged over 100 runs in two successive seasons in the English game, earning recognition as Wisden Cricketer of the Year and PCA Player of the Year in 2007 thanks to his 2026 first-class runs. 
Upon his retirement from the game in 2012, Mark became the batting coach at Middlesex, and later served as the batting coach for England in 2015, helping an enviable batting lineup towards a World Cup victory in 2019. Outside cricket, Mark has diversified into a TV personality, trainer, mentor, and journalist. In 2006, he appeared on and won BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing alongside Karen Hardy and has since appeared on special editions for Sports Relief. His journalistic endeavours have included opinion pieces on diversity in the game as well as mental health. 
Alongside his current role as batting coach, Mark serves as President for Middlesex. Since 2020, he has also been the director of cricket for Harrow School. 

Property Patter: Great Estates Miniseries – part 3 (or where to find excellent cheesecake and chocolate!)

Charlotte Moss, Head of London at Church Commissioners for England, joins Emma Humphreys to talk about the history and future of the Commissioners’ Hyde Park Estate. The Estate in London, W2 was developed from 1807 and includes various residential properties, as well as shops, restaurants, hotels and galleries.  

Charlotte explains the history behind the Estate and how the Commissioners’ team approach the challenges involved, as well as looking ahead to exciting projects such as the Portsea Mews redevelopment and Connaught Village Green. Charlotte also gives her insight into the independent brands and events which can be found in the oasis of Connaught Village, not to mention explaining the background to the newest occupier within the Village - Paddington Bear!

The Retail Collection – Episode 1: URBN

Welcome to "The Retail Collection", a brand-new podcast series from Charles Russell Speechlys.

Each episode, we'll sit down with industry experts, legal counsels and insiders to discuss their work, the challenges they face, and the wins they celebrate in the ever-evolving retail landscape.

In our first episode Ilona Bateson, Associate in our Commercial team, leading on all things fashion and retail at Charles Russell Speechlys sits down with Ruth Walker, Head of Legal at URBN to discuss key legal and sector considerations for each of their brands including Urban Outfitter, Anthropologie and Free People, as well as fashion trends and ESG considerations for companies operating in the retail space. 

Insolvency Insights: Cross border recognition – UAE, DIFC, ADGM

In the sixth episode of the Insolvency Insights podcast series, Nicola Jackson, Partner in the Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency Disputes team, is joined by Matthew Wilde, Co-Head of Teneo’s Financial Advisory business in the Middle East.

Together, Nicola and Matthew highlight the importance of cross-border recognition from an insolvency practitioner’s perspective, consider the practical benefits, and discuss the challenges associated with the lack of a framework for recognition in the onshore UAE, particularly when it comes to creditors seeking to use the UAE courts to gain an advantage.

Property Patter: What does the Budget mean for property?

James Stewart and Lewis Currie from our Tax Team catch up with Emma Humphreys to digest the first Labour Government budget since 2010.  In this episode, we will be looking into the implications the Budget will have on the world of property. What are the key tax changes for those with property investments?  Is there any positive news for business tenants, particularly those in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors? And what’s new on the Reserved Investor Fund?

Insolvency Insights: The new UAE bankruptcy law & the role of the trustee

In the latest Insolvency Insights podcast, Nicola Jackson, Partner in the Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency Disputes team, sits down with Paul Leggett and Haroon Ahmed, Partners in Deloitte Middle East’s Turnaround & Restructuring practice.

Together, they discuss the key changes brought in by the new Federal UAE Bankruptcy Law and address some of the opportunities missed, such as the absence of a framework for cross-border recognition and the potential benefits of intra-UAE regulation.

Paul also speaks to his experience as a trustee in onshore restructuring proceedings in the KBBO Group restructuring and imparts practical insight on the realities that such an appointment entails.