Hugh Pearce
Partner
Hugh is the senior partner in Stone King’s Real Estate team, leading on its work for Charity & Social Enterprises. Hugh is also one of the leads for Stone King’s extensive work for Faith-based clients. Hugh joined the firm in 2000, having worked at Stephenson Harwood and Eversheds in addition to gaining in-house experience at British Gas Properties and the Somerfield Stores Group.
Hugh advises on a very broad range of property matters (and property types) - including development work involving construction and planning elements - but by his own admission, he has a special interest in the more complex or strategic project work for Charities, involving mission development, or investment, or mixed motive social investment objectives. These include collaboration, promotion and other joint venture type agreements.
Hugh is a member of the Charity Law Association and a member of the Charity Property Association. He is on the executive committee of the Conference of Solicitors for Catholic Charities and a member of the Ecclesiastical Law Society. Hugh was closely involved as a (cited) consultee of the Law Commission on the recent review and report on revisions to Charity Property Law.
Davenant Foundation Grammar School; Durham University (Collingwood College); College of Law
Hugh enjoys rambling/trekking, choral singing, sketching, trail running, yoga and watching sports he now can only hanker after playing (especially cricket, rugby and hockey). He is also committed to green and ecological causes.
"Hugh is good on town planning agreements."
Chambers feedback 2025
"He is very knowledgeable."
Chambers feedback 2025
"Hugh is knowledgeable about property work in our sector and he was very generous with that knowledge."
‘Hugh Pearce has good knowledge of what is relevant and what is not relevant.’
‘I have been immensely assured by the speed of support, competence and clear direction provided by Hugh Pearce.’
“Hugh has offered exceptional, dependable and thorough service.” “From inception to completion, we have been in competent, skilled and experienced hands.”
Chambers - 2023
“He is a highly knowledgeable and effective property solicitor.”
Chambers - 2023
"He's superb and really, genuinely capable - a thoroughly nice man who is heavily invested in the charity sector and knows how to couch his advice in the right terms."
Client Feedback in Chambers, 2021
"He is extremely knowledgeable on a broad range of property matters. He is very user-friendly, responsive and technically very strong."
Client feedback in Chambers - 2020
"He is client-focused and a clear communicator, and he has very strong expertise in property and charity law."
Client Feedback, Chambers - 2019
Hugh Pearce is "very proactive, and understands commercial property issues and the ethos of his clients very well, which is particularly important for this type of work." He leads the firm's charity and education sector work, and was involved in its recent instructions relating to new Academy Trusts.
Chambers - 2013
Hugh Pearce is "very efficient and prompt in responding to everything we've put before him"
Chambers - 2013
Hugh Pearce ‘draws upon deep subject matter expertise in the religious, heritage and charity sectors'
Legal 500 - 2014
Sources are impressed by senior partner Hugh Pearce's "knowledge and experience." His extensive knowledge of the charity and education sectors is attested to by one client's remark: "You always get the sense that no matter how complex it is, he has done something like this before."
Chambers - 2016
Hugh Pearce is ‘Pragmatic, erudite and responsive’
Legal 500 -2017