Geoffrey Lander, a highly respected property lawyer, died of complications from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma on 12 September, aged 69.
Lander was undergoing chemotherapy and while the prognosis was good for a full recovery, he suffered complications including an infection.
Lander was a founding member and former president of the British Council for Offices, a founding member and chairman of CoreNet Global UK, the first Chairman and founder of Holborn Business Improvement District, and a board and executive committee member of British American Business. He was also an adviser on the launch of industry charity LandAid.
His most recent role was at specialist commercial property law firm Davitt Jones Bould, where he was non-executive chairman. He held a variety of non-executive roles leadership roles for more than 15 years, having retired in 2003, aged 52, from law firm Nabarro, where he had worked for 30 years.
Lander was non-executive deputy chairman at Stonemartin for five years until 2008. In the following year Lander became non-executive chairman for business legal services at law firm Irwin Mitchell – a title that he held for five years until December 2014.
Other non-executive directorships included roles at private company Plato Estates, i2 Office (now known as Landmark) and within the strategic development group at facilities management firm OCS Group.
Lander’s legal career began at Nabarro, which he joined in 1973. He became a partner in 1980, aged 29. He led the firm’s commercial real estate division between 1995 and 2000, and afterwards oversaw its international business development, particularly in the US.
While at Nabarro, his clients included HSBC, JPMorgan (and separately Chase Manhattan Bank, before its merger with JP Morgan), Gap, GE Capital Global Consumer Finance, London Electricity, Bupa , Cable & Wireless, WPP, Hammerson, Quintain Estates & Development, BBC Pension Trust, Peabody Global Real Estate Partners, GIC Real Estate and Capital & Counties.
Peter Allinson, chief executive of Davitt Jones Bould, said: “I had the honour to be a colleague of Geoffrey for the past six years. He touched the lives of many at the firm and never ceased to be there for people at all levels, whether to mentor, support, encourage or advise.
“As our chairman, friend and guide, Geoffrey’s passion and enthralling enthusiasm will be sorely missed. Over the years, so many of the great property companies counted Geoffrey as their key adviser and he was known to many not just as a brilliant lawyer and deal doer but as a true gentleman. Our thoughts are with Lynn, Geoffrey’s wife, and our love and support goes out to her.”
Lander liked to say that he enjoyed “playing golf badly”, so much so that he founded the 100+ Club at Nabarro, a society for poor golfers in which members were invited to leave after they broke 100. He also loved to play bridge and was an avid Manchester United supporter, founding the supporters’ club Legal Reds.
He is survived by his wife Lynn and 14 godchildren.
Read more memories of Lander, and share your own on DJB’s Geoffrey Lander tribute page.
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