Top-Tier Recognition for Machins in Legal 500 2026
Machins Solicitors continues to set the standard for legal excellence, securing its place as a leading firm in family law for the seventh year running in The Legal 500 2026 rankings.
Simeon Clipstone
Commercial Property
Partner, Commercial Property Team
Contact Information
Testimonials
Having dealt with Simeon Clipstone for many years he is always prompt to turn things around and helpful with advice - no matter how small the query is. He has a capacity to understand the business issues alongside the legal issues, so advice is always sensible in the context of the business situation. I genuinely feel Simeon excels in his field and is a breath of fresh air.
Legal 500 2026 Client Testimonial
Best solicitor we have ever dealt with, always returned calls, could speak directly and did not have to go through a PA.
I am extremely pleased with the services provided by my solicitor Simeon Clipstone and his team. Their professionalism, prompt communication, and expertise significantly eased the legal process for me which was protracted over 12 months or so. I highly recommend their services for anyone seeking reliable legal support in relevant areas.
Legal 500 2025
Following your call I just want to thank you for acting for us, I must say it has been a breath of fresh air to experience your accessibility, efficiency and speed of response, which is very welcome. We have been used to waiting literally weeks for responses from our previous solicitors coupled with the impression that getting things done was unimportant. We are very pleased with the outcome.
I would like to take this opportunity of thanking you for your exceptional service. I am most impressed with the fact that I can always get hold of you and if I have to leave a message to come back to me this always happens without delay.
Simeon Clipstone has provided us with an excellent professional service for the purchase, sale and lease of a number of commercial and residential properties over the last 20 years. He is diligent in his work, highly competent, friendly and helpful. Simeon’s judgement has always been valued and I have no hesitation in recommending Simeon, he is a pleasure to do business with.
We recently, successfully, completed a residential sale and purchase with great assistance from Simeon Clipstone. From the start to the end of the transaction, Simeon was highly professional, informative, proactively communicated with us at all times and was a calm voice during the inevitable stress involved in moving house. Simeon also made a timely introduction to a colleague to support us with additional legal requirements, which was very helpful. I would happily recommend the services of Simeon and his team and will certainly be using their services in the future.
It is at times of dispute and important transactions having a good firm you can turn to is very important. You want them to not add to the some of the stresses involved and that they have your best interests in mind. Communication has been swift, clear and efficient and I felt valued as a client.
It is not often that we all need legal services so it is comforting to know that when I need a firm of solicitors, I can rely on Machins to be there for me.
Receive rapid, relevant responses from Simeon Clipstone and I am kept up to date on everything. Possible issues are identified and handled without being aware of them.
Legal 500 2022
I have worked with Simeon and his team for several years. They have acted for us on several commercial property transactions including office leases and sales with speed and efficiency. When ad hoc issues have arisen eg tenant insolvency, rent concessions etc their knowledge and pragmatic advice has proved invaluable. The team is contactable and very responsive. Prior to Machins we had worked with various firms large and small but had always been left unsatisfied with the service we received. We are very glad we found Simeon and Machins!
I could not fault the service I got. Simeon is very knowledgeable, friendly and professional.
About Simeon
Simeon specialises in all aspects of commercial property together with business sales and purchases. He has built a loyal client base over many years of local practise assisting clients large and small in all walks of business to include industry and banking clients from the UK, Europe and North America.
Simeon graduated in 1986 and was later one of a selected number of graduates to be awarded the honour of Associate of the University of Hertfordshire to mark their 60th anniversary in 2012. He qualified as a solicitor in 1990 and has always practised law in the local community.
Specialist practice areas
- Buying and selling all types of commercial freehold and leasehold properties
- Commercial property issues to include licence to assign, licence for alterations, rent deposits and guarantees
- Landlord and Tenants Act 1954 lease renewals
- Business asset sales and purchases
- Conditional contracts, option and overage agreements
- Property financing
- Tenancy agreements
- Commercial and residential lease drafting
Latest news by Simeon Clipstone
Planning Decisions & The Biodiversity net gain (BNG) scheme
Perhaps it was a slow news day but watching the news over breakfast this morning I was interested in an article concerning local residents who turned out in their hundreds to help thousands of frogs and toads cross a busy road! So what does this have to do with planning decisions for commercial properties? From
Cinema liable for rent arrears despite Covid enforced closures
A cinema has been told that it cannot defend a claim for payment of rent arrears and service charges on the basis that it was required by law to close during the Covid pandemic. The case involved London Trocadero (2015) LLP and Picturehouse Cinemas Ltd. Under the lease with the landlord, Trocadero, Picturehouse covenanted not
Directors didn’t breach duties when paying themselves £1.2m
Two directors did not breach their legal duties when they paid themselves a total of £1.2m from their failing company. That was the decision of the High Court in a case involving, Brookmann Home Ltd (In Liquidation). The company had been formed as a vehicle to purchase a textile business. Most of the purchase price
Court tells Marks & Spencer to trade properly in lease dispute
Marks & Spencer has been told to trade in good faith, and not to carry on business half-heartedly, following a dispute with a landlord over the terms of the lease on one of its stores. The court heard that Marks leased a unit within a shopping mall from landlord Sapphire 16. The ground and first
Council was premature in fining landlord over licence breach
A local authority had been too quick to fine a landlord for failing to register under a licensing scheme. Instead, it should have followed its own policy of taking informal action as a first step. That was the decision of the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) in a case involving Ekweozoh v Redbridge LBC. Ms Ekweozoh
Appeal Court considers whether external doors are landlords’ fixtures
The Court of Appeal has clarified whether external doors are landlords’ fixtures and so subject to landlord control. The case involved a tenant who was the registered proprietor of two long-leasehold flats with terms of 999 years. The leases included a covenant by the tenant at cl.3(4) not to “remove any of the landlord’s fixtures”