Matt Chalfont-Griffin

I’m a partner and a commercial and agricultural property solicitor, and I qualified in 2001 after joining Chubb Bulleid as a trainee two years earlier. I grew up in Somerset and built my whole career here, helping people buy and sell the businesses and land they’ve worked hard for.

What I take most pride in is the relationships that come with it: getting to know my clients and the other professionals I work alongside, and staying in touch long after the deal is done.

What I do

I act for people buying or selling businesses, particularly in hospitality and leisure: pubs, hotels, guest houses, restaurants and holiday parks. A lot of these are transfers of a going concern, where someone is buying the trade and the property together, so there’s more to weigh up than in a standard property purchase.

I also handle sales and purchases of agricultural land, residential parks, and more complicated homes that come with land or a business attached.

Alongside the property itself, I advise on the things that come with running that kind of business, including commercial leases, planning, licensing, health and safety and compliance.

If what you’re buying or selling is both your livelihood and your premises, that’s the work I do most days.

A bit more about me

What do you do when you’re not in the office?

I like to be moving. I run and cycle, and I’ll happily spend an afternoon walking the Somerset countryside with our golden retriever. When I’m sitting still, it’s usually to watch sport, which my wife tolerates rather than shares.

What’s something clients might be surprised to learn about you?

Two things near the top of my bucket list, and neither is very lawyerly: a skydive and a bungee jump. I’ve wanted to do both for years and keep not getting round to it.

Have you always been at Chubb Bulleid?

I joined as a trainee in 1999 and never left. I sometimes call myself a one-club player, after Paul Scholes at Manchester United, and I can’t see that changing.