Zoë is our Senior Partner. Zoë is a Real Estate, expert, both commercial and residential. As a Real Estate specialist, Zoë is passionate about property. Over the years she has been involved in the acquisition and asset management of some of the most iconic buildings in London. Zoë is a resilient and expert negotiator, yet always calm, collected and extremely tactful in her approach. She approaches every transaction with enthusiasm and applies her expert legal knowledge with care and integrity, without ever losing sight of commercial reality. Over the years, Zoë has built and maintained numerous long lasting relationships with her clients and various other professionals in the industry, gaining their trust and loyalty.
Areas of Practice
Zoë is a Real Estate specialist and heads the firm’s Real Estate practice.
Zoe deals with both commercial and residential transactions and Real Estate finance matters. Zoë heads a team of dedicated property solicitors that handle small and large transactions with the same attention to detail, delivering results every time and on time. Zoë particularly specialises in negotiating and drafting complex commercial contracts of all types, including construction documentation, and acting in high value property transactions.
Zoë’s clients include private investors, wealthy individuals, property developers, hoteliers, private banks and property companies, including the Lazari Group and the Derwent Lazari partnership. Zoe also has extensive experience in dealing with offshore investors / companies holding property assets in London.
Notable Transactions
Some of Zoë’s notable transactions include:
- Multiple high value central London leases to various retail giants, household names and brands.
- Multiple high value central London leases subject to conditions precedent including planning permissions and fit out works.
- Acting for the borrower in respect of real estate matters pertaining to a £400million portfolio re-finance transaction. This financing deal with Allianz won Real Estate Capital Award “Financing Deal of the Year: UK” in 2020.
- Purchase of 50 Pall Mall for £61 million
- Purchase of 23 Savile Row for £277.5 million
- Purchase of the Brunswick Shopping Centre for £135 million
- Purchase of a prime central London property in excess of £120 million
- Purchase of prime hotel premises in Queens Gate for £40 million
- Sale of prime hotel premises in Lancaster Gate for £35 million
- Purchase and Sale of prime New Oxford Street property with planning permission for £14 million
- Purchase of company holding Sion Hall for £18 million
- Purchase of a collection of properties in Wigmore Street for £59 million
- Acting for the borrower in connection with property finance transactions in the sum of £230 million
- Purchase of The Met Building for £107 million
- Purchase of Staple Inn for £23 million
- Purchase of Greater London House for £165 million
- “Superlease” to a global internet fashion retailer of their headquarters in an iconic London building, reserving a rent in the region of £7.5 million
- Acting for an international bank providing £10 million finance for the acquisition of a commercial central London property for £24 million
- Acting for an international bank in connection with a £11.2 million refinance transaction involving a commercial property in Belgravia, London valued at over £18.5 million
- Advising on documentation relating to various high value central London constructions projects, including JCT Contract Amendments, Appointments & Warranties, Letters of Reliance, JCT Pre-Construction Services Agreements, Performance Bonds and all ancillary construction documents.
Education & Qualification
Zoë Protopapas BA (Law) graduated in law in 1980 and was called to the English Bar in 1981. She had the privilege of a pupillage in one of the most prestigious set of Chambers in Lincoln’s Inn specialising in real estate and commercial law. Zoë then went to Cyprus where she was called to the Cyprus Bar and practised as a principal in general practice. Upon her return to England, Zoë qualified as a solicitor in 1988 and specialised in property law. Zoë has been a partner at Protopapas LLP since 1991 where she heads the property department and is the firm’s Senior Partner.
Pro Bono
Zoë has dedicated vast amounts of her her time and expertise to train various excellent solicitors over the years. She also welcomes numerous students to the firm, providing them with work experience and support to assist with their career progression.
Zoë is also a Trustee of and very much invovled with the day to day operations of The Xenophon Protopapas Foundation, a registered charity established in memory of the firm’s late founder, to continue his benevolence and support to the community and beyond.
Contact
If you wish to contact Zoë please call our main line number on 020 7636 2100 or send an e-mail to Zoe.Protopapas@protopapas.co.uk
