Stephen rejoins DWF following four years in-house as legal director at Dandara, a national housebuilder, where he led legal strategy across the group’s build-to-rent (BTR) division. In this role, he advised senior leadership on legal delivery, governance, compliance and risk, with a particular focus on the divestment of multi-family and purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) developments.
During his time at Dandara, Stephen led the legal negotiations on the successful divestment of various BTR assets. These transactions included complex multi-jurisdictional joint ventures, forward funding arrangements and forward sales, giving him deep insight into investor requirements, operational models and the commercial realities shaping development decisions.
Stephen brings more than 24 years’ experience in real estate and has a strong background in commercial development, investment and portfolio management across multiple asset classes. Prior to moving in-house, he spent eight years at DWF, advising developers, investors and public sector bodies on high-profile development projects across the office, industrial and retail sectors. His experience also includes advising on major regeneration schemes and public sector development partnerships.
Commenting on his return, Stephen Hickling said: “After four years in-house, I’m excited to be returning to DWF with a broader commercial perspective and a deeper understanding of what clients need from their legal advisers. I’m particularly looking forward to supporting clients in the living sector and to working with colleagues to deliver practical, commercially focused advice on complex development and investment projects.”
Melanie Williams, global head of real estate at DWF, added: “Stephen’s return is a significant addition to our real estate team. His recent in-house experience leading high-value BTR divestments, combined with his deep development expertise, strengthens our ability to advise clients across the full lifecycle of real estate projects.”
