Emma Tonge

Expertise Emma Advises Experience Highlights Career History Testimonials

Partner

Real Estate

+44 (0)7967 815 622

Expertise

Emma is a dedicated real estate solicitor with over 20 years of experience in advising on a wide range of property transactions.  She acts on matters including investment acquisitions and disposals, refinancing and all aspects of landlord and tenant work, including pre-lets, commercial leases and re-gears.

Emma also has extensive experience in acting on development projects involving the delivery of purpose-built student accommodation, offices, logistics schemes and residential and commercial mixed-use schemes.  This involves identifying and dealing with development constraints and drafting and negotiating complex transactional documents, such as conditional contracts, development agreements, agreements for lease and leases (including building leases) and licences / early access agreements.

During her career, Emma has built a strong track record acting on landmark office, leisure and residential schemes.  This includes advising on some of Manchester’s largest letting transactions in recent years, on one of Manchester’s most sustainable buildings and on a flagship premium residential tower in Manchester.  She has also led teams servicing national cinema operators and advised on complex title structures and financing arrangements.

Emma is personally ranked in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500.

Emma Advises

  • Property developers
  • Corporate landlords
  • Sellers and purchasers
  • Private companies
  • Corporate occupiers

Experience Highlights

Acting:
  • on a 2.4 million square footage mixed-use office, retail and leisure development scheme, including acting on one of the largest regional office deals recorded in 2021 and the largest in Manchester since 2020
  • on the acquisition, funding, structuring and development of a 5.1-acre development scheme in Birmingham, which will consist of approximately 946 residential units, 60,000 square feet of commercial space and a 133-bed hotel, including dealing with large-scale land assembly and a complex title structure
  • on the £87m 15-storey flagship office development at No.3 Circle Square, Manchester, dealing with lettings of the market-leading sustainable workspace to high-profile tenants
  • for a joint venture in relation to the acquisition and £49.6m mixed-use regeneration of Stretford Shopping Centre, including a grant funding agreement from GMCA
  • on the acquisition of a 149-acre ex-colliery, including dealing with the complex site structure, financing and advising on development constraints
  • on behalf of a national developer, on the conditional acquisition of a site in Manchester city centre for the development of a high-rise residential scheme, including the investigation of right of light issues
  • on the acquisition, forward funding and financing of a 750+ bed purpose-built student accommodation scheme in Coventry, including dealing with the re-structuring of the title
  • on the forward sale and development of what would then be the most sustainable building in operation in Manchester city centre
  • and leading teams servicing a national cinema operator, dealing with their real estate needs in the UK

Career History

Previous Law Firms

  • Shoosmiths LLP, Legal Director (2022 to 2025)
  • Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Legal Director (2018 to 2022)
  • Irwin Mitchell LLP, Senior Associate (2013 to 2018)
  • DLA Piper UK LLP, Associate (2007 to 2013)
  • Hill Dickinson LLP, Solicitor (2002 to 2007)

Education

  • University of Sheffield (LLB) 1994 to 1997
  • Nottingham Law School (Legal Practice Course) 1997 to 1998

Expertise

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Emma is a dedicated real estate solicitor with over 20 years of experience in advising on a wide range of property transactions.  She acts on matters including investment acquisitions and disposals, refinancing and all aspects of landlord and tenant work, including pre-lets, commercial leases and re-gears.

Emma also has extensive experience in acting on development projects involving the delivery of purpose-built student accommodation, offices, logistics schemes and residential and commercial mixed-use schemes.  This involves identifying and dealing with development constraints and drafting and negotiating complex transactional documents, such as conditional contracts, development agreements, agreements for lease and leases (including building leases) and licences / early access agreements.

During her career, Emma has built a strong track record acting on landmark office, leisure and residential schemes.  This includes advising on some of Manchester’s largest letting transactions in recent years, on one of Manchester’s most sustainable buildings and on a flagship premium residential tower in Manchester.  She has also led teams servicing national cinema operators and advised on complex title structures and financing arrangements.

Emma is personally ranked in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500.

Emma Advises

Back to top
  • Property developers
  • Corporate landlords
  • Sellers and purchasers
  • Private companies
  • Corporate occupiers

Experience Highlights

Back to top
Acting:
  • on a 2.4 million square footage mixed-use office, retail and leisure development scheme, including acting on one of the largest regional office deals recorded in 2021 and the largest in Manchester since 2020
  • on the acquisition, funding, structuring and development of a 5.1-acre development scheme in Birmingham, which will consist of approximately 946 residential units, 60,000 square feet of commercial space and a 133-bed hotel, including dealing with large-scale land assembly and a complex title structure
  • on the £87m 15-storey flagship office development at No.3 Circle Square, Manchester, dealing with lettings of the market-leading sustainable workspace to high-profile tenants
  • for a joint venture in relation to the acquisition and £49.6m mixed-use regeneration of Stretford Shopping Centre, including a grant funding agreement from GMCA
  • on the acquisition of a 149-acre ex-colliery, including dealing with the complex site structure, financing and advising on development constraints
  • on behalf of a national developer, on the conditional acquisition of a site in Manchester city centre for the development of a high-rise residential scheme, including the investigation of right of light issues
  • on the acquisition, forward funding and financing of a 750+ bed purpose-built student accommodation scheme in Coventry, including dealing with the re-structuring of the title
  • on the forward sale and development of what would then be the most sustainable building in operation in Manchester city centre
  • and leading teams servicing a national cinema operator, dealing with their real estate needs in the UK

Career History

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Previous Law Firms

  • Shoosmiths LLP, Legal Director (2022 to 2025)
  • Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Legal Director (2018 to 2022)
  • Irwin Mitchell LLP, Senior Associate (2013 to 2018)
  • DLA Piper UK LLP, Associate (2007 to 2013)
  • Hill Dickinson LLP, Solicitor (2002 to 2007)

Education

  • University of Sheffield (LLB) 1994 to 1997
  • Nottingham Law School (Legal Practice Course) 1997 to 1998
Testimonials