Retail

Facing an increasingly competitive environment, retailers require legal advice that can support and, in many cases, drive tough commercial decisions. For more than six decades, Dechert's U.K. lawyers have represented retail businesses from the department store and multiple retailer to smaller independents.

Our Services
We provide comprehensive service to our retail clients, including advice on:

- branding, trade marks, and other intellectual property;

- business acquisitions/disposals and corporate finance;

- commercial agreements, franchising, competition law, consumer protection, and advertising;

- commercial disputes;

- commercial property;

- customs and Excise, VAT, and tax;

- data protection and e-commerce;

- employment advice;

- planning and environmental issues;

- property disputes;

- rent review;

- store cards, affinity credit cards, loyalty schemes, and consumer credit.

Active Involvement in the Retail Business
As legal adviser to the British Retail Consortium, the firm not only provides practical legal advice but also takes an active involvement in the retail business. We continually lobby the U.K. legislature and work with leading industry organisations to promote new schemes. As a result, we are aware of the dynamics and needs of the retail market.

In 2001, as in previous years, the firm was voted number one in the United Kingdom by the Legal 500 for its advice to the retail property sector. Last year, we were voted "Client Service Firm of the Year" by The Insider's Guide to Commercial Property.

Property
We have extensive experience with the latest trends in property retailing, including out-of-town retailing, hypermarkets, regional shopping centres and factory outlets, portfolio cost control, outsourcing, and structured finance.

Tenant Issues
We have acted for the tenant on acquisitions in many thousands of transactions involving city centres, out-of-town sites, and shopping centres. There is scarcely a town or city in England without the presence of a retailer trading after representation by Dechert.

Leases
We are an industry authority, as legal adviser to the British Retail Consortium, and lead the field in broadcasting and publishing material about commercial property leasing. We actively contribute to key legal changes such as privity reform, which we continue to monitor carefully for our clients.

International
We are particularly well-placed to advise non-U.K. retailers preparing to trade in the United Kingdom and to understand their concerns and guide them through the singularities of the U.K. landlord and tenant system. We deal effectively with stamp-duty savings schemes and other issues not always recognised in the United Kingdom.