Clifford Chance
Rob Donell has extensive experience advising on cross-border and domestic commercial real estate transactions, spanning direct and indirect investments, joint ventures, financings, developments, lettings and sale & leasebacks and for a broad client base, including international investors, lenders, corporate occupiers, developers and funds.
Rob’s advice covers all real asset classes, including extensive experience of major office and logistics transactions. He has a particular interest in digital infrastructure, having advised on numerous telecommunications and data centre transactions, and is a lead associate for Clifford Chance’s Global Digital Infrastructure Interest Group.
- GI Partners on the real estate advice related to its acquisition of ASK4, Europe’s leading provider of in-building internet connectivity to the multi-tenant real estate sector, from Bowmark Capital. ASK4 will be GI Partners’ first data infrastructure investment in Europe
- NTT on the £500 million data centre development in the UK which will compromise 600,000 sq ft subject to planning
- Blackstone on the share acquisition of a majority stake in temporary workspace business, The Office Group, in a deal valuing the business at circa £500 million. The acquisition is aimed at fuelling expansion plans for The Office Group (TOG), which was founded in 2003. It currently has a portfolio of 36 buildings, focused in central London, which offer flexible workspace to established businesses as well as start-ups, entrepreneurs and freelancers
- Employees Provident Fund of Malaysia on the UK law aspects of the formation of a joint venture with Permodalan Nasional Berhad, which has forward purchased and will fund the development of Phase 2 of the landmark Battersea Power Station redevelopment in London
- China Construction Bank (London) Limited, a subsidiary of one of China’s and indeed the world’s largest banking groups, on its acquisition of a new headquarters at 111 Old Broad Street, EC2 from KBC Bank NV for approximately £111 million. The bank has acquired the freehold interest of the building, which comprises approximately 123,000 sq ft over eight floors
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, London
- +44 207006 1110
- Email me
- Practice area Real estate
- Sector Real estate
Career and qualifications
- University of York (BA) 2010
- College of Law Bloomsbury (GDL) 2011
- College of Law Moorgate (LPC) 2012
- Joined Clifford Chance in 2012
- Admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales 2014
- Seconded to Morgan Stanley 2018
Awards and citations
- Identified as Associate to Watch
Chambers UK 2024 Real Estate: £150 million and above
- “Rob is extremely responsive, adaptable and very bright.”
Chambers UK 2024 Real Estate: £150 million and above - “Top marks across the board for Rob who takes a very helpful, broad commercial view aimed at finding solutions, not only problems.”
Chambers UK 2024 Real Estate: £150 million and above - “Rob provides a nice balance between legal technicalities and commercial vision.”
Chambers UK 2024 Real Estate: £150 million and above - "I highly recommend Rob - he is a great technical lawyer who is also very commercial and smooth in his communication and negotiation."
Chambers UK, Real Estate: Big Ticket 2023 - “The standout partner is Mark Payne together with associate, Rob Donell… Rob provides excellent client service and is exceptional at transaction management”.
Legal 500 UK 2020 - Rob Donell has been shortlisted as Junior Lawyer of the Year by The Law Society Excellence Awards 2019