My main areas of practice are Employment Law and Property (including Housing and Landlord & Tenant).
I am also a Professional Mediator (Civil, Commercial & Workplace Disputes) and expert negotiator.
You can see my Chambers profile by clicking here.
Employment Law
This covers the whole of the employment relationship including questions of unfair dismissal; discrimination in the workplace; TUPE; redundancy; maternity rights; unlawful deductions from wages; equal pay; constructive dismissal; disciplinary and grievance hearings.
I can also advise you on the contents of a Compromise Agreement, including any terms (restrictive covenants) and payments for leaving employment.
Housing/Residential Landlord and Tenant Law
This includes all aspects relating to housing needs and the relationship between a tenant and the landlord of his home. It covers matters such as liability for disrepair; recovery of rent arrears; security of tenure i.e. whether the tenant can remain in the property after the term of the tenancy has expired; recovery of possession of the property; rights to manage and disputes about service charges. Landlord and Tenant also includes questions regarding commonhold and cases where long leaseholders wish to purchase the freehold of the property in which they live or extend their lease (leasehold enfranchisement). Housing law also covers the rights of local authorities in certain circumstances to obtain injunctions removing persons from their property or the provision of temporary accommodation for homeless persons.
PLEASE NOTE: -
As a common law practitioner, I can also take on cases in other areas. These include:
Land Law and Property Law
Land and property law encompass all aspects of ownership and rights in and over land. Particular land law issues which may arise include: mortgage arrears and repossessions; boundary disputes; creation, user and obstruction of rights of way; right to light; rights of occupation; water rights; common land and restrictive covenants.
Building and Construction Law
Building and construction law relates to all types of disputes which might arise during a building project, from conservatories to large commercial redevelopments. The law covers disputes between customer and builder, builders and sub-contractors, disputes with architects, surveyors and engineers. Building and construction disputes can often involve complaints about the standard and quality of construction work or delay in getting the job done.
Commercial Landlord and Tenant Law
This includes all aspects of commercial leases. Commercial landlord and tenant law covers the creation of commercial leases and the resolution of any disputes which may arise during the term such as rent arrears or disrepair problems. In addition, commercial landlord and tenant law will determine whether or not a tenant is liable for dilapidations at the end of the term; whether a business tenant can obtain a new lease at the end of his term and the liability of the landlord to compensate the tenant for any improvements that he may have made.
Contract Law
A contract is a binding agreement between two parties. Contract law covers the formation of contracts, formalities, breach of contract, bringing a contract to an end because of misrepresentation; mistake, enforceability of contracts and agency. In addition, contract law determines the remedies available for breach of contract.
Negligence, Nuisance and Other Torts
This is a broad category which covers all civil wrongs (“torts”).
Negligence is where one person’s careless acts have caused another person to suffer loss and damage. Specialist forms of negligence such as professional negligence which includes medical negligence, solicitors negligence, negligence by surveyors, architects etc is covered under “professional negligence” - see the separate heading for this below.
Nuisance is the unreasonable interference with the use and enjoyment of an occupier of land by the occupier of another piece of land. Nuisance includes interference with enjoyment by excessive noise, smoke, dust, fumes, smells.
Other torts include trespass to land and unlawful interference with goods (for example where goods are stolen or lost whilst in someone else’s care). In general, no contract is needed to bring a claim in tort but there must have been an interference with another person’s rights.
Insolvency & Bankruptcy Law
Insolvency arises where a person or company has insufficient assets to pay their debts. In the case of a private individual this is known as bankruptcy; in the case of a company it is know as liquidation, which follows a winding up order. I can also assist with challenges to statutory demands, which must be served before a bankruptcy petition is presented.
Partnership Law
A partnership is a group of two or more people who have formed an association to carry on business with a view to a profit. Partnership law covers issues as to the formation of partnerships, disputes between partners, retirement of partners and dissolution of partnerships.
Professional Negligence Law
Professional negligence disputes relate to a claim that a professional has not acted with reasonable care and skill with the result that a person has been caused loss. Professional negligence claims are usually made against solicitors, architects, surveyors, engineers accountants, estate agents, financial advisers, actuaries, doctors and dentists.
Trusts Law
A trust is a method of holding property so that the legal and beneficial ownership is separated. A trust may be set up under which a person has a limited interest i.e. they only have a life interest or where for example the trustees (legal owners of the property) may have a discretion as to whether or not they pay property to any one of a number of individuals interested under the trust. Trusts arise in a wide variety of situations including joint ownership of houses; charitable trusts; trusts for the benefit of individuals and pension trusts. Trust law issues may arise even if there is no express trust for example where money has been misappropriated. Trust law covers the creation of the trust; powers and duties of the trustees; the administration of the trust; the rights of the beneficiaries; variation of the trust; questions of validity of a trust; termination of trusteeship; retirement of trustees; questions of recovery of property and bringing the trust to an end.
I may be able to help you with your problem. Please complete the on-line form under the ‘Make an Enquiry’ tab and I will contact you shortly afterwards to discuss the matter.
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