Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Lorna du Sautoy, Broadfield Law
This week’s 60-second piece is dedicated to Lorna du Sautoy, Partner at Broadfield Law.
Tell Citywealth’s readers about your role.
I am a partner in the Private Real Estate team at Broadfield Law based in our London office. I advise on the sale and acquisition of high value property in London and across the UK as well as leasehold enfranchisement, property finance and development.
My role involves advising clients on the legal aspects of prime residential property transactions and liaising with their family office and other professional advisors such as property agents, lenders, accountants, and wealth managers to secure a successful outcome.
I also chair the firm’s D&I strategy group which sets the agenda for ensuring our firm is a diverse and inclusive workplace in which all our staff feel welcome, celebrated, and ultimately thrive.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Every day is different! Most days I am based in our office in London focusing on pushing forward transactions, dealing with client queries and supporting my team; other days I have site visits, conferences on issues arising in the private client sphere (such as the recent Citywealth Forum on Family Offices) and client and relationship development meetings and events.
Recently I have been focusing on our PropTech speciality, so I have been attending Tech events to showcase our expertise and learn about new developments in the industry.
Tell us about interesting client instructions.
We are currently advising on the sale of a high-profile country estate in the Cotswolds for nearly £30m. Buying a large country estate is not unlike buying a company or business and the due diligence covers a range of issues which include other areas of law such as employment, planning and construction, corporate and commercial as well as tax. Luckily as a firm we are well set up to provide joined-up advice across all these specialisms!
What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?
London remains an appealing location for both domestic and international real estate investment but there is a lack of stock to satisfy the demand. As a result, there is a lot of competition for “best in class” properties which do not hang around for long! Our international clients require guidance on how to secure “off-market” properties for which the starting point is introducing them to an appropriate buying agent to help them source property that meets their requirements.
Our clients are also concerned about privacy and security, mortgage rates, pending regulatory changes to the rental market and energy efficiency legislation. Longer term anxiety about a change of government and what this might mean for taxation of high value properties is starting to creep into discussions with clients looking to acquire in London.
What is your proudest personal achievement?
I was recently promoted to the partnership and I am very excited for this next chapter of my career! It would be easy to point to the highest value transactions I have worked on but often the most satisfaction comes from being able to meet and exceed a client’s expectations, whether that be through achieving exchange of contracts in a very short timeframe to see off competition or to lock in an excellent buyer or providing practical, commercial-minded advice that provides a valuable solution to a client’s problem.
What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?
For me it is empathy and the ability to listen carefully. Being able to truly understand a client or colleague’s expectations and objectives so that you can provide proper holistic support is paramount to excellent client service and teamwork. As I also focus on diversity and inclusion it is important for a leader to be curious and open-minded about the challenges facing individuals within our society and community in order to recruit and retain talent from a wider pool and enable them to flourish.
Who do you most admire and why?
A very tough question! I have been very lucky to have incredible female role models in my career but one person I often look to for inspiration is Michelle Obama who has navigated her life with incomparable grace, curiosity, and good humour.
Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?
My husband and I went on an incredible road trip across the West Coast of the US and we really enjoyed exploring nature in stunning settings such as the California coast line, Yosemite National Park and Death Valley, wine tasting in Napa Valley and exploring Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.
If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?
As an English Lit graduate I still harbour dreams of writing a Great British novel one day! Writing for stage and screen also appeals to me but for ultimate escapism I think being a travel journalist would tick a lot of boxes.
How do you relax after a long day?
Relaxation for me is about taking things at a slower pace so I tend to play or read with my three-year-old son, take long baths, read or cook. I also enjoy re-watching 90’s romcoms such as Pretty Woman or You’ve Got Mail normally while scrolling through interior design and fashion accounts on Instagram!
Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Adam West, Gateley Legal
Citywealth speaks to Adam West, private wealth partner at Knights, who leads Knights’ national private client tax advisory team.
Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Barbara Corbett, Corbett Le Quesne
Citywealth speaks to Barbara Corbett, senior partner of the firm Corbett Le Quesne, which she manages together with Nicholas Le Quesne.