Chancery and Land
Members of this team have unrivalled expertise in the South of England in contentious land litigation (including those adjudicated by the Land Registry, The Lands Tribunal and various other related tribunals and inquiries). Certain members have particular expertise available in the discrete area of "Village/Town Greens" and their de-registration. This includes countryside law (commons and rights of way) and minor highways.
This team's work includes all forms of real property disputes, ranging from easement and boundary disputes through nuisance and trespass to mortgages and related fraud or negligence. We represent a wide range of corporate and individual clients and cover the full range of disputes arising from disagreements about the position of a garden fence to arguments between commercial lenders as to the priority of their charges. We also have considerable experience of commercial and residential conveyancing in an advisory context. There is extensive experience within the Team of cases involving the sale of land (including the drafting of "option agreements", easements, covenants, commons and trusts of land). The public and administrative law aspects of property law also form a significant part of our property work. Members have experience in both attacking and defending trusts and trustees. The litigation has concerned not only express trusts, but also constructive and remedial trusts.
Company
Some members of the team have extensive experience in the full range of contentious and non-contentious corporate matters. We act for directors and shareholders in a wide range of disputes, including unfair prejudice claims, share and business warranty actions and directors' disqualification.
Wills and Estates
We are familiar with all aspects of probate, both contentious and non-contentious. Our trial experience includes cases of testamentary incapacity with medical and psychiatric evidence and we have dealt with forgery, undue influence and want of knowledge and approval. We are well versed in helping personal representatives with the numerous problems encountered in the administration of an estate - will construction, correctly identifying beneficiaries, insolvency, Lloyd's liabilities, partnership liabilities and countless others - and we are also used to assisting beneficiaries where administration has stagnated or the position of the personal representative has been abused. Claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 bring members of the team before judges of both the Family and Chancery Divisions. This is complimented by the expertise available in the family team.
Insolvency
Some members also have considerable experience in most aspects of corporate and personal insolvency. Our experience covers administrations, receiverships, voluntary arrangements, the adjustment of prior transactions and malpractice in and before insolvency.
Professional Negligence
Members practise in the field of professional negligence, both as a natural consequence of the work of Chambers as a whole and in its own right. Claims against solicitors and accountants are particular specialisms, and we also handle claims against surveyors, valuers, architects, engineers and financial advisors.