A partner in the Planning and Regeneration teams, specialising in commercial and mixed-use development projects, principally for local authority clients.

Tel: +44 (0)121 214 1088

Email: andrew_galla@wragge.com

Best brains in ...

Town and city centre regeneration projects. Specifically, profit sharing arrangements between landowners and developers and equity sharing leases between landlords and tenants.

Highlight of your career so far?

Being involved in the long (often ten years or more) gestation period of a number of major city centre regeneration schemes. We're right there from start to finish, from the initial selection of the developer partner, to heads of terms and negotiation or exchange of the development agreement, through to the grand opening.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

They're all challenging but the one that stands out must be acting for Wycombe District Council in connection with the redevelopment of High Wycombe town centre, if only because it's been on the go for such a long time. I'm happy to report that the scheme is now open and trading, and everyone agrees that it has been well worth the wait!

What's your definition of going the extra mile?

Part way through one scheme and with (by common agreement) several weeks of work left to do, the Chancellor announced unexpected changes to the tax regime that were to come into force four days later. The effect of this would have been to make the project unviable. After discussions with the client and the other side, we all gathered at our offices the next day, determined to get the development agreement exchanged. Everyone stayed there for four days and nights, catching whatever sleep we could. The agreement was exchanged with minutes to spare, just before midnight on the Sunday night.

Best example of a creative legal solution?

At a completion meeting in the early hours and after months of negotiation, I suggested that my client and its developer partner should settle their argument as to whether the developer should pay interest on a large sum of money by tossing a coin. They did! I can't remember whether it came down heads or tails but both parties were happy!

How do you get under the skin of a client's business?

Where I am acting for a local authority, I try to make sure that I have contact with all the relevant officers and not just those in the legal team who are instructing us. There is a great deal to be learnt about a project by talking to your instructing client but it's important to see the project from the client's own internal client perspective too.