About James
James Thorman is a director in the Real Estate team based in Birmingham.
His particular advisory focuses are on industrial landlord and tenant work with a focus on warehousing and logistics, commercial development and residential development and strategic land.
James has significant commercial landlord and tenant experience, acting as the main property contact in the UK for a major global logistics operator, combined with many years of development experience (residential and commercial).
James is ranked as “Up and Coming” in Chambers 2025 (Real Estate – West Midlands).
Experience
Landlord and Tenant (Commercial)
- Primary contact for all UK property related matters for global logistics operator (75+ site portfolio), covering acquisitions (new build/existing build), disposals, works agreements and ongoing property management.
- Lead lawyer on major office acquisition and redevelopment for Polestar Automotive UK Limited in respect of its new head office at Ansty Park.
Development (Commercial)
- Transaction lead on forward funded acquisition and development of 500,000sq. ft. warehouse (circa £100 million + value)
Development (Residential)
- Negotiation of key option and promotion agreements for a major greenbelt allocation and development project.
- Advising PLC housebuilder on its ongoing role in a consortium for 5,000+ unit Sustainable Urban Expansion development at Langley.
- Key part of the real estate team providing transactional property services to PLC housebuilder, covering land acquisitions and site ancillary matters (such as SANG leases).
Credentials
Education
- Nottingham Law School, L.P.C., 2010
- Nottingham Law School, Graduate Diploma in Law, 2009
- University of St. Andrews, M.Litt., Modern History, 2009
- University of St. Andrews, M.A., 2008
Admissions
- England and Wales, 2014
Expertise
Services
- Real Estate
About our firm
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