Dan Kolinsky KC > Chambers of David Holland KC and Jenny Wigley KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Chambers of David Holland KC and Jenny Wigley KC
Landmark Chambers
180 FLEET STREET
LONDON
EC4A 2HG
England

Position

Dan is an experienced advocate at all levels of the Court system, tribunals, and inquiries. His clients include central government, local government, developers, interest groups, ratepayers, commercial organisations, individuals, and NGOs.

He has appeared in leading cases on affordable housing, planning contributions, green belt and the interpretation of planning policy including two planning Supreme Court cases. He has appeared in six Supreme Court rating cases.

Planning: Dan is an experienced planning inquiry advocate. He has extensive experience in High Court planning cases for claimants, developers, local and central government. He has particular expertise in regeneration projects in London, for example the regeneration of the Elephant and Castle (Southwark) and High Road West Masterplan (Haringey) and affordable housing viability, for example representing LB Islington in the Parkhurst Road case. He accepts instructions on behalf of developers, local planning authorities, statutory bodies, local groups or any other participant in the planning process. He has appeared as advocate in the Supreme Court in two recent cases; Lambeth v Secretary of State, and R (Samuel Smith Old Brewery) v North Yorkshire County Council. He was advocate for the successful local planning authority in the leading case on NHS planning contributions R (University Hospitals of Leicester NHS) v Harborough District Council. He advises planning authorities in respect of local plans and infrastructure projects.

Rating: Dan frequently appears in non-domestic rating cases acting for ratepayer, valuation officers and billing authorities. He has considerable experience in cases relating to whether the rating list entries are correct, exemption issues, completion notices, unoccupied rates disputes, valuation issues and collection/enforcement. He has appeared in six recent Supreme Court cases (Nuffield Health, Cardtronics, Iceland, MonkWoolway and UKI Kingsway). He was made an honorary member of the Rating Surveyors’ Association in 2017. He has recorded a series of rating podcasts linked below:

Environment: Dan has extensive experience of High Court challenges to complex environmental projects (including waste facilities) – acting for and against the decision making bodies

Public Law (including Local Government): Dan is a versatile public lawyer who has acted in a wide range of areas across all aspects of judicial review, local government, regulatory law, welfare benefits and funding challenges. He is a suitable choice for a case which needs an experienced advocate who is willing to work as part of a team and bring clarity and focus to the oral presentation of a case. He advised the Airports Commission throughout his process. Before he took silk, he served on the Attorney General’s Panel of Junior Counsel (A, B and C panels) for 12 years.

Advocacy before Tribunals: Dan has extensive experience appearing in before the Upper Tribunal and First-tier Tribunals across a full range of areas including education, care standards and all aspects of social security law.

Mediation and Other Projects: Dan is interested in mediation (participating or acting as mediator) and is willing to be considered for specific projects which required an experienced KC with his skill set and experience

Approach to Work: Dan’s style is collaborative and unstuffy. He wants to understand what his clients are seeking to achieve and establish clear parameters about what is realistic. He manages his time to deliver the best service possible for his clients.

Life outside of Chambers: Dan is a keen cyclist and enjoys walking. He has been involved in school governance for 18 years and was the Chair of the Board of Directors of BMAT Education, an 11 school multi-academy trust based in Essex and East London.

Memberships

  • Governor of Forest Gate Community School for ten years (2002-2012)
  • Director of BMAT, a small confederation of state schools based in Essex and East London (2013)
  • Chair of the BMAT Trust Board (2018)

Education

Qualifications

Dan graduated from Wadham College, Oxford with a first class degree in jurisprudence.

Before coming to the Bar, he taught contract law at Queen Mary and Westfield College and Mansfield College, Oxford and completed 2-year training contract at Anthony Gold Solicitors. He has also been a Judicial Assistant to the Court of Appeal.

Personal

Awards

He has written and given lectures on a range of topics in the fields of public law, local government, planning, environmental, special educational needs and non-domestic rates.

Lawyer Rankings

London Bar > Environment

(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 4

Dan Kolinsky KCLandmark Chambers

London Bar > Planning

(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2

Dan Kolinsky KC – Landmark Chambers  ‘Dan possesses great awareness and insight, and is approachable, practical, and thorough. Advocacy is certainly one of Dan’s strong points. His delivery is precise, focused, friendly and effective.’

London Bar > Property litigation

(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 3

Dan Kolinsky KCLandmark Chambers ‘Brilliant. Very approachable and proactive, Dan is very clever and knows his subject inside and out. A pleasure to work with and an excellent advocate – clear, measured and persuasive.’

London Bar > Local government (including rating law)

(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 1

Dan Kolinsky KCLandmark Chambers ‘Very effective both as advocate and in consultation.’

Landmark Chambers is expert in all matters of local government law, particularly in ratings law. Dan Kolinsky KC, the ‘go-to’ silk on business rates matters, successfully represented Nuffield Health in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in Nuffield Health v London Borough of Merton, a case concerning whether a fitness centre, operated by a charity as a chargeable service, qualified for mandatory charitable rates relief. Jenny Wigley KC represented a museum in Allen (VO) v Tyne and Wear Museums Service, a case examining the valuation of museums and galleries.