Rachel Sales

Rachel is a Legal Director in the Real Estate team who focuses on charity property matters and providing advice to clients in the education sector.

Main areas of practice

During her time with the firm she has gained exposure to a broad range of commercial work including sales, purchases and corporate support work for a range of clients.

Clients

Rachel acts for registered charities of all sizes including household name charities, multi-academy trust companies and other clients in the education sector. She has experience of acting for both landlords and tenants on her transactional work.

Significant experience

Having acted for a number of charity clients, Rachel has been able to develop specialist knowledge of the issues affecting the charity retail sector through her landlord and tenant work.

Other expertise

Charities: She acts for household name and local charities dealing with the wide ranging property issues which arise out of their varied portfolios. Rachel has advised on acquisitions, disposals, renewal leases and in delivering general property advice. She also advises clients on purchasing properties with the aid of bank finance.

Education: Rachel has a specialism in the property specific issues arising when schools covert to academy status as well as dealing with property issues arising post-conversion, including experience of submitting consent applications to the Department for Education.

Interests

Outside of work Rachel is a trustee and a volunteer with Cowley Child Contact Centre, a small local registered charity. Rachel has been involved in fundraising initiatives and has therefore obtained some first hand experience of the daily issues experienced by clients in the charity and not-for-profit sector.

Expertise & Services

• Charities
• Education
• Real Estate & Property
• Charity Property

Rachel has demonstrated excellent knowledge, energy and enthusiasm. She has excellent communication skills both orally and in writing, and frequently went the extra mile to resolve problems.

Career

Rachel joined the Real Estate team at Blake Lapthorn in 2007 having completed her training at Pinsent Masons. She was promoted to Legal Director in July 2025.