Professional Background

Daphne Robertson qualified as a solicitor in 1993 with the international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer where she worked for 6 years as a Business/Finance lawyer in London & Moscow. Daphne subsequently lectured in Business law at Albany Law School , New York & she taught Partnership & Business law at The College of Law in London. Daphne then spent 4 years at Hempsons Solicitors, working as a senior Partnership lawyer & Company/IT law specialist, before founding DR Solicitors in 2003. Daphne is recognised as a specialist in all aspects of Medical Business Law.

Areas of Expertise

Partnership Law
Daphne has worked for a wide variety of professional partnerships including private and NHS doctors (dispensing, PMS and GMS including Type 2 practices), private and NHS dentists, forensic pathologists and plastic surgeons, surveyors, solicitors, accountants, IT and marketing consultants, academic teachers, and limited liability partnerships. Daphne has extensive experience of all matters relating to partnership law including drafting medical partnership agreements and advising on partnership retirements, disputes and expulsions. Daphne has a depth of experience in drafting pharmacy sale agreements and dispensing licences and she is an acknowledged expert in all aspects of the medical and dental regulations.

General Commercial
Daphne advises on all aspects of business mergers, sale and purchase agreements and debt instruments. She incorporates limited companies and drafts all associated documentation including costs-sharing agreements, shareholder and joint-venture agreements, distribution and agency agreements, employment agreements and computer contracts, terms and conditions of sale, construction contracts, put and call options and confidentiality agreements. Daphne advises on the drafting of PMS contracts for NHS GPs and she drafts and advises on Dental Associates Contracts for dentists.

Property
Daphne is experienced in the acquisition and disposal of surgery premises and she is currently working on various new surgery development projects and co-ordinating the PCT funding. She drafts and reviews leases for both Landlords and Tenants and negotiates lease renewals, changes of use and dilapidation schedules. Daphne also provides a property dispute resolution service.

Professional Accreditations
Daphne Robertson is cited in the following leading UK legal directories:

• Chambers UK
  
• Legal 500: ‘a highly recommended expert in the field of Partnership law’
  
• Legal Experts: ‘Daphne is highly recommended for her client-focussed approach.’
  
  Daphne is often invited to present as the legal specialist at GP conferences & she regularly lectures & publishes on medical practice matters.
  Daphne is a member of the Association of Partnership Practitioners.

Ian Fisher, admitted in 1971, advises members of the medical profession on all property matters involved in their NHS practices.

In his early days as a solicitor at the then Lovell White & King, Ian was part of the team acting for The General Practice Finance Corporation, long before it became part of Norwich Union.  Shortly after joining Freshfields,  Ian acted for many years, both as an assistant solicitor and as a partner, on property matters involving various household names in the private medical field. Ian was involved not only in office development and lettings but also in hospital and nursing home constructions and property acquisitions.

On joining Fladgate Fielder as a partner in 1995, Ian acted on all property matters for specialist developers of NHS surgeries.  Clients followed Ian to Charles Russell where he established a successful practice acting on many NHS developments, some involving Primary Care Trusts letting to medical practitioners.

Ian joined DR Solicitors in May 2005 to lead the NHS Commercial Property team and to provide commercial property advice and partnership advice to NHS medical practitioners.

Ian is frequently called upon to talk to members of the medical profession on property development and partnership matters in the NHS medical sector. Ian is DR Solicitors’ representative at the Primary Health Care Property Forum.

Recent work:

Sale and lease back of GP premises on behalf of GP’s as tenants. Vesting of freehold and leasehold property on partnership admissions and exits.  Advising on the set up of combined practice groups involving various types of medical practices to form practice-based commissioning “hubs”. Acquisitions of land, whether freehold or long leasehold, agreements for lease and leases to medical practitioners, dentists and pharmacists and the negotiation of professional team warranties.