We are a specialist property law firm based in the heart of London’s West End. We specifically act in connection with property transactions for investor purchasers either domestically or offshore.

Riseam Sharples was created in 1997 by three highly experienced lawyers. The original partners included Colin Riseam (formerly of Farrer & Co), Clive Sharples (formerly of Forsyte Kerman) and David Fok, who was then a Senior Consultant at Cheung, Chan & Chung based in Hong Kong. The original firm was named Riseam Sharples & Fok.

The aim of the business was to specialise in advising Asian and other offshore investors in purchasing London property. The firm commenced business on 1st September 1997 in The Strand and subsequently moved to its current office in Covent Garden in 1999.

David Fok has now retired from practice but still keeps in touch with Riseam Sharples. Sadly Colin Riseam passed away in 2008. Clive Sharples remains as Senior Partner with well over 50 years experience in the property field and in excess of 35 years experience in acting for offshore investor purchasers. He is joined by Julia Caveller who became a Partner in January 2007, Manisha Bhati who became Partner from December 2010 , Tom Sharples who joined the Partnership in May 2018 , Catherine Whitehouse and Hayley Marler who both became Partners on 1st September 2021. Siow Lim, Jing Shi, Tim Liu and Rakhee Davda- Vithlani joined the Partnership on 1st December 2023. Hani Zuhuri joined the Partnership in March 2024. The firm now consists of over 60 members of staff, 15 of which are qualified solicitors. In total, Riseam Sharples has approximately 35 fee earners able to assist you with your property matter.

Whilst some of the personnel may have changed over the years and the international scope of its client base has broadened, the ethos of the firm in providing a unique knowledge and understanding in the application of the service it offers with the efficiency expected of a West End law firm has not.

Riseam Sharples remains true to its roots in that it acts primarily within the specialised area for which the firm was originally created in 1997 and the fact that the firm continues to strive is testament to the insight of the original founding partners.

• We have a wealth and depth of experience running back in excess of 45 years in Conveyancing and Land Law transactions and 34 years in dealing with offshore investors, particularly in the region of South East Asia.
• Our service is in keeping with the ethos of a West End legal practice in that we are quick, efficient and competitive.
• Our firm has the Law Society’s CQS quality mark accreditation.
• We are members of the Panel for the majority of known lenders within England and Wales but we are also Panel members of numerous banks that operate from South East Asia and are therefore able to assist clients with their loan requirements whether they are based in the UK or the Far East.
• We have a dedicated team of solicitors and staff who are ready and able to assist clients and potential clients regardless of their conveyancing requirements whether it is a purchase, sale, remortgage, transfer of equity etc.

• A major part of our business is acting for investors acquiring off-plan properties in the course of construction including multi-unit acquisitions and the sale of contracts prior to completion with many of our clients based offshore. We also deal with purchases, sales and remortgages.
• We are well known by international estate agents and banks and whilst we are recommended by the major developers to act on behalf of purchasers, we are an independent firm and maintain our autonomy.
• We have been involved in the national and international launches of some of the biggest and most prestigious developments in London and the UK and we are very familiar with the structure and practice of the developers. We are able to provide appropriate advice to purchasers at these launches and assist them with on-the-spot exchange of contracts for which most developers offer additional incentives.
• Whilst some law firms deal with off-plan development purchases and some of these might happen to have overseas investment, we have a unique knowledge because our firm is tailored towards dealing with off-plan developments specifically with the overseas investor in mind.

• Riseam Sharples solicitors offer a personal relationship throughout the duration of your transaction. We will offer guidance, support and professional advice throughout and work towards responding to any queries we have as soon as reasonably possible. With a dedicated network of other solicitors and staff behind each transaction you are likely to be able to speak with any member of our team who can assist you with your query.
• We are well experienced in acting for both first time and seasoned investors who acquire property off-plan who are therefore subject to the strict time constraints imposed by developers and vendors. Our process of preparing our advice and report for various development schemes means that we can easily enable investors to contract within any deadline set.
• Members of our solicitors’ team regularly travel to South East Asia on business enabling us to meet with clients face to face.
• Our experience in acting for investors whether they are based overseas or in the UK means that we can often anticipate our clients’ requirements and we are able to quickly resolve any problems that may arise in the course of a client’s conveyancing transaction.

Testimonials