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David Lacaze heads the Real Estate practice in the Paris office.

David is a real estate investment and private equity real estate specialist who is highly regarded in the French market. He advises French and international clients with a particular focus on operating/equity partner partnerships. His sector expertise is notably recognised in the hotel and logistics sectors (ICPE or last mile logistics). He is also regularly involved in real estate investment transactions and real estate fund formation.

He is ranked as a Leading Individual and acclaimed by Legal 500 for the real estate practice. One client commented in the 2022 edition of Legal 500: "David Lacaze is a great real estate technician. His dual HEC-Law training gives him an extraordinary ability to understand the business and financial aspects of a transaction. His availability, his ability to navigate conflicts and manage stress make you happy to have him as advice in the event of a problem." Another client added: "For me, Herbert Smith Paris and especially David and his team are my ‘go-to firm’! I value their absolute reliability."

Background

David graduated from HEC Paris (Hautes Etudes Commerciales in 1996, and from Paris I-Panthéon Sorbonne Law School in 1998. David has been a member of the Paris bar since 2000. David is a regular lecturer at several masters degrees, including Cergy Université DJCE and Sorbonne University Master 2.

Experience & expertise

Selected matters

  • Générale Continentale Investissements (GCI), one of France's leading real estate investment and development companies, in relation to the acquisition of the Le Millénaire 4 building, alongside BlackRock Real Assets, a property fund managed by BlackRock, from the French real estate group Icade
  • Mont Thabor Invest SA on the acquisition of a car park comprising 411 places located 66, avenue des Champs Elysées (in Paris, France)
  • JP Morgan Asset Management in relation to the development of a 16,500 square metre upscale and eco-responsible resort in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in partnership with the DeSavoie Group, specialised in the hotel sector, mobility and green technologies
  • ARA Europe, a real estate investor, on its VEFA acquisition of a new generation XXL logistics warehouse with a total surface area of 120,000 square metres located in the Amiens metropolis on the ZAC "Bornes du Temps II" in Saint Sauveur (France)
  • B&B Hotels, the leading independent budget hotel group in France, on its acquisition of the Timhotel Berthier property in the 17th arrondissement of Paris from Timhotel Groupe
  • Korian, Europe's leading healthcare group serving the elderly and frail, on the conclusion of a long-term real estate investment agreement with several BAE Systems Pension Funds, advised by Elevation, an asset manager specialised in healthcare real estate
  • Clarion Europe Partners on the off-plan (VEFA) acquisition of two vacant warehouses for the GPE IV fund located in Brebières and Réau, each with a surface area of 70,000 square metres

     

Sectors