At PeopleDem property we believe in celebrating our community by spotlighting black excellence in property. Today we are celebrating Candace Miles.
Candace Miles is a real estate lawyer who advises institutional lenders, investors, and owner-occupiers across the full lifecycle of real estate assets. Her practice encompasses real estate finance transactions, asset acquisitions and disposals, commercial leasing, and estate management, acting for clients on both domestic and cross-border matters. Candace also has experience in the data centre sector, where she regularly advises operators and investors on the real estate aspects of data centre projects. This includes structuring and negotiating co-location agreements, hyperscale leases, customer contracts, and development financings.
When describing herself, Candace shared, “I take my work and my reputation incredibly seriously. I care deeply about doing things well and being someone people can rely on. But, at heart, I’m a big softie!”
Candace's interest in real estate began during university, where she discovered that she genuinely enjoyed studying the subject. This was enough to convince her that it was an area she wanted to pursue professionally. Reflecting on her decision, she shared, “I’m quite rogue in that I actually enjoyed studying real estate as a module at university. Ironically, most real estate lawyers I know did not! I’ve pursued a career in real estate ever since.” From that point onwards, Candace never looked back. She completed her bachelor's degree at the University of Birmingham before going on to study for her LPC and LLM at the University of Law. Following graduation, she secured a position as a trainee solicitor at Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers. After working there for several years, she moved on to become an associate at Eversheds Sutherland, where she spent three years honing her skills, building professional relationships, and deepening her understanding of real estate law. During this time, she also had the opportunity to move to London, where she currently works as an associate at A&O Shearman. A&O Shearman is an international law firm that delivers results for clients facing complex matters across the world. The firm operates at the forefront of the forces shaping global business, including the energy transition, life sciences, technology, private capital, and finance.
For Candace, ambition and resilience have played an important role in shaping her career. She explained, “My work can be challenging, but I don’t believe that anything is impossible. Sometimes you just have to break a big goal down into smaller steps and focus on taking the next one. My parents always taught me that I could do anything I put my mind to. I’ve never really let go of that belief.” As the eldest daughter in her family, Candace has always carried a strong sense of responsibility. She is also a first-generation university graduate and lawyer, which has made her particularly conscious of the example she sets for her siblings and the next generation. This sense of responsibility, combined with her ambition and resilience, has played a significant role in shaping the person she is today. As she explained, “I want what I achieve to mean something beyond just me.” This outlook has motivated her to strive for success in her career and push the boundaries of what those around her may have imagined was possible.
Candace's passion and curiosity continue to drive her forward. She particularly enjoys the combination of technical legal work, commercial thinking, and the tangible impact of property, which keeps her work interesting and rewarding. She loves the tangible nature of real estate, explaining that there is something incredibly rewarding about being able to see the physical impact of a transaction on businesses, people, communities, and the wider economy. Candace also enjoys building relationships, something that being a real estate lawyer allows her to do in abundance. Whether she is working with agents, lawyers, technical advisers, tax advisers, or clients, there is always someone new to learn from and something interesting to discuss.
When reflecting on what she is most proud of, Candace highlighted the importance of being an example to others and inspiring those around her. She shared, “I’m proud of the things I’ve achieved professionally, but I’m particularly proud when someone tells me that seeing my journey made them believe that something was possible for them too. I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved so far, but I hope my biggest legacy will be the people I encouraged to think bigger about what was possible for them. I want to continue creating opportunities, opening doors and inspiring others to pursue ambitions that may initially feel out of reach.” For Candace, success is not simply about personal achievements but also about helping others recognise their potential and encouraging them to pursue opportunities they may not have previously considered possible.
Given Candace's passion for helping others, we asked her to share a book she has found particularly valuable. She recommended The Relaxed Woman, explaining, “I found its message around rest particularly valuable, especially the idea that rest isn’t the opposite of productivity, but an important part of it. It’s something I’ve had to consciously learn, and am still learning, as someone who is naturally very driven.” The book's message has resonated with Candace, particularly as she continues to navigate the demands of a challenging career while recognising the importance of rest.
As Candace continues to develop her career, we were interested to learn more about the areas she hopes to explore further. She shared that she is particularly interested in data centres, explaining, “I’m particularly interested in data centres. I find the interconnection between AI development, data storage, infrastructure and the law fascinating.” She believes the data centre sector is developing incredibly quickly, faster than many other areas of real estate have over the past few years. The sector also brings together a wide range of disciplines and requires a genuinely collaborative approach, meaning there is always something new to learn. Looking ahead, Candace hopes to continue building relationships with people across the data centre ecosystem and to play a part in the sector as it continues to evolve.
It is truly an honour to share Candace's story. Through her work, she contributes to projects that shape cities while inspiring not only her family but also the next generation of real estate lawyers. As a first-generation university graduate and lawyer, she demonstrates that there is a place for people from different backgrounds within the industry. Candace's journey is a testament to the importance of ambition, resilience, curiosity, and creating opportunities for others. With so much already achieved and an exciting career ahead of her, we look forward to seeing what she accomplishes in the future.
