Gemma Stephenson

Gemma Stephenson is a partner in our award-winning Commercial Property team and advises clients from our Reading, Henley-on-Thames and Wokingham offices, as well as remotely.

She specialises in landlord and tenant work and is experienced in a wide range of commercial property work, including sales and purchases and property finance. She has been recommended in the UK's leading guides to law firms, Chambers UK Guide and The Legal 500, with the latter recognising her as a 'next generation partner'.

Gemma has particular expertise advising charities, educational institutions and third sector organisations but also acts for a wide range of commercial clients.

Gemma joined Blandy & Blandy in 2014, having qualified as a solicitor in September 2012. She became a partner in 2024 having been a senior associate from 2022 and an associate from 2017. 

In the past six years we have been named as a finalist in the ‘Property Law Firm of the Year’ category at the Thames Valley Property Awards three times, winning in 2017. Most recently, we were also named the ‘Property Law Firm of the Year’ at the 2023 Insider South East Property Awards  and shortlisted in the 'Best Law Firm' category at the 2023 Royal Berkshire Property Awards. We continue to be recommended in the UK’s leading guides to law firms, Chambers UK Guide and The Legal 500, whilst our successful approach is further reflected in the excellent client feedback we continue to receive.

Examples of recent work:

• Advising and regularly acting for several landlord clients who own and operate industrial parks including acting on the multi-million pound sale of a multi-let industrial park.
• Dealing with the property aspects of a tactical and commercially sensitive relocation of a local charity’s head office.
• Advising on a sale and leaseback of part of a mixed use property with Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 rights of first refusal requirements.
• Acting on behalf of a number of banks and borrowers in respect of secured lending with transactional values of up to £5 million.
• Advising on the sale of a multi-million pound development property in Reading town centre.
• Acting on behalf of several companies (representing landlords and tenants) in negotiating conditional agreements for lease, some of which also incorporate landlord and tenant works.