Duncan Murphy

I'm a Residential team partner, undertaking a broad range of work from instant dealing with fixed and variable price contracts, which may have varying degrees of conditionality, as well as strategic work. I also have a detailed knowledge of commercial development and investment work.

Tel: +44 (0)121 685 2857

Email: duncan_murphy@wragge.com

Best brains in ...

Dealing with overage and the split of risk between seller and buyer. Large scale collaborations and the split of risk and profit between developers. Dealing with mixed-use developments and the need to satisfy the residential and commercial end-users.

Highlight of your career so far?

Acting for Arsenal Football Club in the £300 million redevelopment of its former football ground Highbury.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

Drafting a 114-year option over 250 acres of land to get around the perpetuity rule of 21 years and ensuring all land was market tested before a developer could buy.

What about outside the UK?

Currently being appointed by a large construction company in Oman to acquire a £400 million development in Hyde Park.

What's your definition of going the extra mile?

It's about being willing to sacrifice your own time and lifestyle to achieve a commercial benefit for your client.

And when have you done it?

We exchanged 115 separate contracts for Arsenal Football Club on 23 December 2006 (the last working day) to make sure Arsenal could conclude its financing deal in early January. At times it's about putting turkeys on the table! We needed to work non-stop for 36 hours to achieve this.

Best example of a creative legal solution?

Ensuring residential units could be sold free from the right to give owners and occupiers a pre-emption right under Section 5 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987. It has proved a very profitable mechanism to our clients.

When have you ever given a client a real competitive edge?

Negotiating hugely beneficial overage deals.

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

See them regularly and listen to what they say!

What's your single greatest contribution to Wragge & Co's corporate responsibility?

Attending the charitable events with sponsorship such as 10-kilometre runs in Sutton and the City Challenge.

What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?

That I care passionately about my clients' businesses and will always try and find a competitive advantage for them.