Hayley Cloherty

Her responsibilities include project planning, establishing project governance and reporting cycles, coordinating delivery from legal teams and other advisors, tracking workstream progress against plans and identifying/managing delivery risks. In addition, Hayley ensures effective regular communication and coordination between A&O, the client and any additional advisors, enabling an efficient and collaborative approach to the matter. Hayley can also manage the financial aspects of the matter, providing visibility and transparency on fees to ensure there are no surprises.

Previously, Hayley was a Senior Associate in the A&O Middle East Real Estate team and advised on domestic and international real estate deals for predominantly UAE and Saudi Arabian clients. Hayley has experience running transactions on behalf of corporate clients, high net worth individuals, lenders, borrowers and sovereign wealth funds in various UK, UAE and international real estate transactions. Hayley’s experience includes advising on acquisitions and disposals (both asset and share transactions), investment and development transactions, real estate financings, landlord and tenant lease negotiations and general asset management, in both commercial and residential contexts. 

Hayley spent a year on secondment as in-house Legal Counsel for one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, located in the UAE. Working in-house has provided Hayley with a clear insight into the everyday issues and challenges faced by in-house lawyers and how project management services can help ensure the delivery of legal services on time and on budget.  

Credentials:

• Project managing and advising a sovereign wealth fund client in the UAE on the sale of four premium office towers within a three week timeframe (with a total deal value of USD1.17 billion).
• Project managing and advising a foreign investor client in the sale and lease back of premium commercial premises in Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai UAE (with a total deal value of AED 100 million).
• Providing specialist advice to a foreign investor on its acquisition of a minority stake in a major free zone port in the UAE (with a total deal value USD 23.1 billion).
• Providing specialist advice to a seller on the sale of a majority shareholding in the capital of a company with a large portfolio of schools in the UAE.