Eversheds has scooped a new client after winning a beauty parade to advise Lunar Sea Properties on its £160m acquisition of a major West End property.

Richard Stephens, real estate partner at Eversheds, won the client after its traditional adviser Travers Smith Braithwaite was conflicted out.

In this deal corporate associate Bill Preest led the team with support from real estate associate Lynde Marshall, to advise on the acquisition of Victoria House from Garbe (UK).

Lunara – a wholly-owned subsidiary of Moritz Holdings, which in turn is wholly-owned by Irish property developer Michael Whelan and his family – traditionally instructs Travers for all its property work.

The Eversheds real estate team is understood to have been instructed to advise on the future management of Victoria House which is located in Southampton Row, WC1.

Travers property partner Simon Rutman advised Garbe on the property sale, having acted for the established client on the initial acquisition of the building in 1999, its redesign and subsequent lease of space. He was supported by senior corporate lawyer Aaron Stocks. "I believe it was the highest value deal done in mid-town in the last year," said Rutman.