Eastern Europe & CIS

Katherine advises developers, investors, lenders and private clients on a broad range of property matters across the residential and commercial sectors. Her practice covers acquisitions, disposals, refinancing, secured lending and commercial leases, with particular experience acting for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients investing in the UK.

In the residential sphere, Katherine assists clients at every level – from first-time buyers and new investors to experienced landlords and developers. She has handled a wide range of complex transactions, including multiple property flips, portfolio acquisitions and structured ownership arrangements.

Katherine has a leading role in SBP Law’s Eastern European and CIS Desk, supporting clients from Eastern Europe, the Baltic region, Russia and Ukraine with their UK property and investment matters. Fluent in Russian and Ukrainian, she ensures clear communication and an understanding of regional context within the framework of English law.

She has assisted many clients from the Eastern European community in acquiring and developing property throughout the UK, providing practical and reliable guidance from initial instruction to completion and onward disposals.

Outside work, Katherine enjoys art, travel, driving and sports shooting

With experience in property law, including commercial leases and both commercial and residential conveyancing, Sophia can assist across a broad range of matters. She also has experience in commercial, company and dispute resolution work, particularly in landlord and tenant disputes. Drawing on her wider legal knowledge, Sophia effectively applies insights from her commercial and company law experience to provide well-rounded, strategic solutions in her property and dispute resolution matters. She also regularly attends networking events to engage with potential clients and fellow professionals. Sophia’s focus is not only on the law but also on building strong, positive, lasting relationships with her clients.

Sophia graduated from King’s College London with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, she then immediately began and completed her GDL / LLM at BPP university, whilst working full time at SBP. She is now currently in the middle of her Solicitors Qualification Exams.

In her spare time, when she is not studying, Sophia enjoys developing her language skills, with conversational ability in both Eastern European and Middle Eastern languages and developing relationships within her local community.

“SBP have been exceptional, professional, efficient and genuinely supportive throughout.  Their expertise and clear communication made the whole process smooth and stress-free”  – commercial property client

“I found Sophia Guilfoyle very professional, thorough, hard-working and most importantly, logical.  I am lucky to find such a good lawyer” – property litigation client

“Having to deal with a very sensitive upsetting matter, Sophia was friendly, empathetic, approachable, transparent and honest.  I was always kept in the loop at all times.  I couldn’t recommend Sophia enough!” – litigation client