Mr Lawrence McDonald > Exchange Chambers > Manchester, England > Barrister Profile
Exchange Chambers Offices
201 DEANSGATE
MANCHESTER
M3 3NW
England
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Mr Lawrence McDonald
Work Department
Commercial; Property
Position
Lawrence is an experienced commercial litigator with particular expertise in property, insolvency and professional negligence cases. He acts for companies, individuals, office holders and public bodies before courts and tribunals of all levels in England and Wales.
Prior to life at the bar, Lawrence worked at a number of law firms both in London (Linklaters and Nabarro’s) and Liverpool (Brabners). This has enabled him to build a practice that understands the complexities of both sides of the table. He also has an extensive advisory and mediation practice.
Lawrence has recognised strength in:
- Property litigation of all types including real property, landlord and tenant and service charges
- Commercial litigation including contractual disputes, Tort claims, injunctions, company, partnership, trusts and probate and property related commercial cases
- Personal and corporate insolvency
- Professional negligence, particularly in claims involving solicitors, often for conveyancing or other property related negligence.
Career
Called 1996; Recorder (Chancery, Civil & Criminal); Deputy District Judge; Junior Counsel to the Crown (Attorney General’s Regional Panel)
Memberships
- Northern Circuit
- Chancery Bar Association
- Northern Chancery Bar Association (Committee)
- Northern Circuit Commercial Bar Association
- Inner Temple
Education
- The Inns of Court School of Law
- University College London
- The Manchester Grammar School
Leisure
In the summer of 2016, Lawrence sailed from New York to London via Ireland and Holland as a crew member on the final leg of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. He also enjoys throwing himself down mountains on either skis or a mountain bike. Lawrence has competed nationally or internationally in areas as diverse as chess, judo and debating.
Other than that, Lawrence spends most of his time as an unpaid driver for his three daughters’ various sport, music and social engagements.
Lawyer Rankings
Regional Bar > Northern Circuit > Property and construction
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1Lawrence McDonald – Exchange Chambers ‘A very hard working junior.’
At Exchange Chambers, the team’s workload includes public and private rights of way, highways and planning cases, disputes concerning registered land and conveyancing, and easements and boundaries issues. Andrew Williams specialises in real estate litigation; David Fearon and Simon Whitfield are key contacts in the group for construction and engineering disputes; and Lawrence McDonald is sought after for his expertise in handling disputes concerning rights to light, adverse possession, boundaries, and restrictive covenants. Brynmor Adams is also a key name and his practice mainly focuses on residential and commercial landlord and tenant matters.
Regional Bar > Northern Circuit > Commercial litigation
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 3Lawrence McDonald – Exchange Chambers ‘Lawrence is very friendly and provides an excellent service. He is also well respected and pragmatic.’
At Exchange Chambers, ‘the depth of quality in its commercial team is one of the strongest in the region, if not the strongest’. The members handle a wide range of commercial litigation cases, including competition and banking matters. Giles Maynard-Connor KC handles corporate fraud cases, and experienced commercial litigator Lawrence McDonald acts in cases regarding contractual disputes for individual, companies, office holders, and public bodies. Stephen Connolly is also skilled in contentious contractual matters, and Carly Sandbach has represented parties in all levels of court up to the Court of Appeal, and her clients are broad-ranging, encompassing banks, multinationals, small businesses, professional services firms, and private individuals. Guy Vickers represented the claimant in Stonegate LLP v Pritchard, a case regarding misuse of confidential information by a former employee.