TLT grows real estate offering with appointment of commercial expert

National law firm TLT has appointed commercial real estate and investment expert, Colin Brown, as Partner, strengthening the firm’s national real estate offering and boosting its cross-jurisdictional capabilities. Colin will be based in the firm’s Edinburgh office.  

Colin joins TLT from Burness Paull, where he specialised in advising institutional investors on the acquisition, disposal, leasing and development of commercial properties including shopping centres, hotels, retail parks, office buildings and development sites. He has also acted for a number of agricultural clients.

Colin has built a reputation as one of Scotland’s leading voices on commercial real estate law. He has been the President of the Fife Chamber of Commerce since 2022, and his extensive knowledge of commercial real estate transactions means he is well positioned to support the firm in its capacity as a leading adviser to clients in this space. 

Colin has experience in specialised areas such as purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and private residential tenancy development for pension funds. At TLT, Colin will be focussed on the investment and hotel sectors. He will also support co-located clients in a cross jurisdictional capacity. 

Julian Mant, Real Estate Partner at TLT commented: “The commercial real estate landscape has shown signs of recovery so far this year, and opportunities for businesses in this space are plentiful.  “Colin’s arrival comes at an excellent time and will help position us as the firm best equipped to help clients identify and take advantage of these opportunities. We are excited to welcome him to the team and look forward to working with him going forward.” 

Commenting on his appointment, Colin added: “As clients in the investment and commercial real estate spaces continue to grapple with new and emerging trends, such as retail space diversification and the rise of green building practices, they are increasingly requiring specialised legal support. Additionally, we are seeing more clients with cross jurisdictional needs, with deals taking place with parties in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

“TLT’s real estate practice has built up a diverse and reputable client portfolio, and I look forward to joining a firm with the ambition and energy to unlock opportunities for clients.”

Colin’s appointment is part of TLT’s ongoing commitment to investing in its real estate practice and is the second partner to join the team this year, following the appointment of Kay Desai in January.