Eversheds and Hogan Lovells both advised on a deal which has seen News International – now known as News UK – move to new London headquarters.

News UK, which publishes The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun, is taking up 430,000 sq ft of space at The Place by London Bridge station – a new development dubbed the 'Baby Shard'.

Eversheds acted for the landlord – a joint venture between the State of Qatar and property investers Sellar Property – with a London team led by real estate partner Nicholas Bartlett.

Meanwhile, News UK was advised by Hogan Lovells which fielded a London team led by real estate partner Dion Panambalana.

News UK, which also owns book publisher HarperCollins, is currently based at 3 Thomas More Square in Wapping, east London.

The Place, which is situated next to The Shard, was designed by Renzo Piano. The offices are due to be completed in the coming weeks.

Bartlett commented: "With 17 floors offering 430,000 sq ft of high quality office space, we are proud to have advised on the largest letting in central London to be agreed in the last eight years. This deal follows hot on the heels of our work in advising on the development of The Shard.

"Working collaboratively with all parties, unconditional contracts were exchanged within only eight weeks of terms being agreed, which is no mean feat when dealing with one of London's most iconic buildings and overcoming some of the more challenging issues which needed to be resolved before exchange."

The role comes after Bartlett was also part of a team advising the Qatar national Bank on the debt financing for the development of The Shard in 2008. Ashurst also played a key role on the iconic building's development.