John R Burns

Head of one of our Commercial Development and Investment teams, consisting of five partners and over forty lawyers, specialising in working with developers and investors alike on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions.

Tel: +44 (0)121 685 2707

Email: john_burns@wragge.com

Best brains in ...

Heavyweight real estate development projects, especially in the distribution and logistics sector.

Highlight of your career so far?

It's difficult to pick one particular transaction. The most rewarding aspect of the job is working closely with clients, many of which have also become good friends over the years. We work with clients to help them reach their goals and achieve their aspirations; generally being a part of their success.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

Acting for one of our major industrial developer clients in acquiring a key landholding with complex site assembly issues, planning considerations and inter-modal challenges - access by rail and road, as well as constructing bridges over watercourses and the M25.

What about outside the UK?

We work with many of our developer clients as they expand - particularly in the logistics sector - further and further across Europe. With these clients we have completed a high volume of work in the former Soviet states.

What's your definition of going the extra mile?

Well, I ran the New York marathon with a client - that's going an extra 26.2 miles! Seriously, great client service means giving everything you've got and putting the client and its business first every time. You can't do that unless you really believe in and trust the client.

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

When we acted for Livingwell we introduced a number of potential sites to them from our landowner and developer clients, some of which they subsequently acquired.

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

By taking the time to constantly understand its marketplace and what the current themes and dynamics are: visiting sites, talking to the professionals in the industry and generally having a genuine interest in the business itself.

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

Our annual 26-mile charity walk for St Basil's, the charity for homeless children in Birmingham. Also, the Himalayan trek on behalf of SENSE.