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The Legal 500 Hall of Fame Icon The Legal 500 Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence. The Hall of Fame highlights, to clients, the law firm partners who are at the pinnacle of the profession. In the United Kingdon, the criteria for entry is to have been recognised by The Legal 500 as one of the elite leading lawyers for eight years. These partners are highlighted below and throughout the editorial.
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United Kingdom > Wales > Real estate > Property litigation > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

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Index of tables

  1. Property litigation
  2. Leading individuals: Hall of Fame
  3. Leading individuals
  4. Next Generation Partners

Leading individuals: Hall of Fame

  1. 1

Leading individuals

  1. 1

Next Generation Partners

  1. 1

Berry Smith has an excellent reputation in the local market and further afield on behalf of developers, landowners and financial institutions across a wide array of property litigation, including as it relates to commercial dilapidations claims and land disputes. Simon Care  provides 'very considered and knowledgeable counsel', across a range of disputes including on dilapidations claims, where he is recognised for his 'sound and practical advice'. Iwan Doull  is the other key partner in the team and is noted for his 'sage advice on complex matters', which have recently included representing a client in judicial review proceedings relating to a large domestic infrastructure project.

Practice head(s):Iwan Doull; Simon Care

Other key lawyers:Jane Rees

Testimonials

The key partners are good, sensible commercial lawyers who do most of the work themselves without overreliance on barristers.

Simon Care is very technical and thorough

Iwan Doull is highly likeable and engaging

Key Clients

Waterstone Estates

Welsh Government

HB Thomas & Sons

The Trustees of the Ahmed Trust

Jacques & Dinah de Wit

Gerald & Julia Jones

Arthur Beale

CAD Properties

Starburst

Faisal Ali

Work highlights

  • Representing Waterstone Estates in a judicial review.
  • Defending the Welsh Government against a claim brought by the owner of adjoining land that its development work had caused flooding.
  • Representing HB Thomas & Sons in a dilapidations claim.
  • Acting for the trustees of the Ahmed Trust 2005 defending a claim brought against them by their tenant in relation to contested commercial property lease renewal proceedings.
  • Representing Jacques and Dinah de Wit in relation to a dispute they have with their neighbours concerning a right of way which their property enjoys over the property owned by their neighbours.

Blake Morgan LLP generates a significant amount of repeat instructions for a range of local and UK-wide landlord and tenants across the gamut of property litigation, including on high-value commercial dilapidations and compulsory purchase order compensation claims. Team head Sian Jones is particularly noted for her social housing-related property litigation prowess and regularly represents housing associations in their most pressing disputes.

Practice head(s):Sian Jones

Other key lawyers:David George

Key Clients

Welsh Government

Canary Wharf Group

RPS Group

NHS England

Triumph Furniture

Crabtree & Evelyn

Cardiff Council

Seiko

Eagle One Group

Royal National Institute for the Blind

Work highlights

  • Representing Clwyd Alyn Housing Association in respect of a breach of lease and breach of management agreement for the provision of support services to people with addiction problems.
  • Contested lease renewal for Eagle One Shopping Village, relating to the landlord's development requirements and the anchor tenant's requirements for a long lease.
  • Advising on the commercial and residential aspects of the regeneration of a former council estate for Newport City Homes - including Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 lease renewals for retail tenants (major chains and local retailers), and variations of long residential leases to ensure that land is available when required for development.
  • Continuing to act for South Wales Land Developments in relation to the claim against Western Power Distribution (South Wales) Limited for damages for breach of covenant contained within a deed of easement in respect of obligations to relocate an electricity pylon.
  • Acted on urgent instructions from Festiniog Railway Company to obtain an injunction against an individual from accessing and interfering with the railway line and endangering members of the public.

Sitting as an integral part of the firm's UK-wide property litigation offering but also regularly generating and leading on its own case load, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP's seven-strong team has the strength-in-depth to handle a broad range of litigation for a diverse array of clients, such as major institutional landlords and financial services entities (including SIPP providers). The transport and energy sectors are also growing and key focal points for the team, with major national clients instructing the team on property disputes arising across their portfolios including on major strategic advice. Team head Kathryn Cook acts on a range of contentious property issues including landlord and tenant matters and property-related professional negligence.

Practice head(s):Kathryn Cook

Other key lawyers:Julie Dilcock

Testimonials

'Julie Dilcock is highly experienced and proficient, communicates very effectively, and is very patient and pleasant to discuss legal matters with.'

 

Key Clients

Legal & General

Annington Property

Thames Water Utilities

High Speed Two

RWE Generation UK

SEGRO Plc

Transport for London

Network Rail

Cuadrilla Resources

HMV Retail

Forestry Commission

Stena Line

Work highlights

  • Sole legal adviser to Thames Water Utilities across its diverse portfolio dealing with all contentious property and property management issues.
  • Continuing to represent the Forestry Commission across its diverse portfolio including advising at a strategic level in relation to its operations as well as acting on all business-as-usual contentious property and property management issues across its estate.
  • Continuing to act to protect Cuadrilla’s interest in relation to an injunction and contempt proceedings obtained in respect of anti-fracking protestors occupying land near to test sites in the North of England.
  • Acting for RWE Npower across a range of contentious property issues arising across its portfolio of properties including office accommodation and power stations.
  • Acting for HMV across its portfolio of retail properties dealing with all contentious property and property management issues, including break notices, lease renewals, dilapidation advice, termination issues and strategic advice in terms of the management of its stores.

Able to call upon the expertise of 'some of the foremost litigators in real estate currently practising in Wales', Geldards LLP 's seven-strong team excels in providing 'creative solutions' across the panoply of property-related disputes for central government and local authorities, as well as large commercial entities. 'Exceptional' team head Ed Meggitt oversees the portfolio management concerns of numerous large retail clients, work which often includes varied property disputes. Nicola Lawrence has an 'impressive scope of practice', and as well as regularly handling core landlord and tenant disputes, has also built up a very strong practice in relation to property litigation in the water industry.

Practice head(s):Ed Meggitt

Other key lawyers:Nicola Lawrence

Testimonials

The team displays great attention to detail

Ed Meggitt is exceptional at handling complex disputes

Nicola Lawrence has a very sound and practical knowledge of commercial landlord and tenant disputes, as well as easements including rights of way and water law.

Key Clients

Malthurst

Carmarthenshire County Council

Edinburgh Woollen Mill / Peacocks Group

Boots UK

T Land

EUI / Admiral Group plc

Arcadis

Dwr Cymru Cyf

Royal Voluntary Service

Welsh Ministers / Welsh Government

Celsa Steel

Leekes Limited

Pendragon Plc

Jaeger Retail

Coed D’Arcy / St Modwen

Associated British Ports

Western Power Distribution

Work highlights

  • Defending Malthurst Limited in litigation brought by a former franchisee claiming security of tenure and significant damages.
  • Defending Carmarthenshire County Council in court proceedings brought by its former landlord for significant damages for dilapidations
  • Defending Peacocks Stores in court proceedings where the landlord opposed a new tenancy under ground (f) of the 1954 Act.
  • Secured a favourable settlement for Edinburgh Woollen Mill as defendant following court proceedings for significant damages for dilapidations
  • Advising the trustees of T Land in respect of the determination of an option agreement which was in favour of a third party and now releases the significant value of that land.

Hugh James handles a plethora of property litigation matters for the firm's impressive roster of public/third sector clients, including local authorities and registered social landlords. The development sector is another fertile source of work, with the team regularly advising house builders and the development arms of social housing clients on matters ranging from breach of covenants to adverse possession claims. Team head Robert Phillips has developed niche expertise defending the rights of landowners in disputes involving mineral rights.

Practice head(s):Robert Phillips

Other key lawyers:Jo Brown

Testimonials

The personable and knowledgeable Robert Phillips grasps complicated issues very quickly.

Key Clients

Welsh Government

Natural Resources Wales

The Crown Estate

Monmouthshire County Council

Curo Housing Association

Trivallis Housing Association

Tai Calon

Barratt Homes

AP Wireless II (UK) Limited

Shaw Healthcare

Work highlights

  • Representing the Welsh Government Consortium against a local community that claims the land that the public body holds for development purposes is a Town and Village Green.
  • Representing the Natural Resources Body for Wales in the defence of a claim for ownership of mineral rights over several large areas in Wales.
  • Acting for a leading high-street bank in the defence of an adverse possession claim made by several parties for the freehold and leasehold title to a theatre.
  • Advising AP Wireless II (UK) Limited on various access and wayleave issues at its portfolio of properties.
  • Advising Curo on a residential development scheme that faced significant resistance by local residents.

Headed by Clare Tregoning , Acuity Law's nascent property litigation offering has made strong inroads into the local market, where it has been effectively able to leverage the firm's impressive roster of commercial real estate clients, as well as generating a significant amount of standalone mandates for private individuals, SMEs and local authorities. Tregoning's diverse caseload includes issues under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, forfeiture, easements, boundary disputes, and claims for determination of service charge accounts

Practice head(s):Clare Tregoning

Testimonials

Provide a helpful and knowledgeable service

 

Key Clients

Stromag UK

Perthyn

William Savage and Linda Savage

Marisa Hampton

Richard Davies, Jonathan Davies and David Davies

Community Homes of Intensive Care and Education

GPP Big Field LLP and GPP Langstone LLP

Work highlights

  • The team represented Stromag UK Limited in a dispute over the validity of a break notice
  • Represented Perthyn Limited, a care provider, in its claims for encroachment and trespass
  • Representing two private individuals in their claims for boundary determination and injunctive relief of a sizeable residential property in Usk
  • Represented a private individual in a dispute over solar panels
  • Representing three clients in an arbitration against their tenant

Darwin Gray LLP handles a wide range of property litigation, including on landlord and tenant matters and dilapidation claims. Rhodri Lewis is one of the key practitioners in the team, who as well as handling core property litigation also handles property-related professional negligence matters.

Other key lawyers:Rhodri Lewis

At Dolmans, private client department head Philip Bradley  has significant experience acting for management companies, landlords and tenants across a range of property litigation including in relation to rent reviews, breach of covenants and possession proceedings. The team also regularly handles property litigation for the firm's large roster of domestic and UK-wide local authorities.

Practice head(s):Philip Bradley

Other key lawyers:Simon Evans; Peter Bennett; Claire Thomas

At Douglas-Jones Mercer, team head Russell Price has an excellent reputation in the market for handling property disputes for clients in the public/quasi-public sector, including local authorities, health sector entities and housing associations. Price also provides contentious support to the real estate team's extensive roster of SIPP providers.

Practice head(s):Russell Price

Key Clients

Welsh Government

Pembrokeshire County Council

Coastal Housing Group

Four Counties (Holdings) Ltd

JRT Holdings Ltd

Longford Investments (No.1) Ltd

Players Industrial Estate

Knightsbridge Property Development Corporation

Estateways Plc

Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust

Pobl Group (including Gwalia Housing Association)

Sanlam Life & Pensions UK

Work highlights

  • The firm is representing Dawnus Construction Holdings with regard to a claim against Southern Electric Power Distribution plc (part of the SSE Group) concerning an alleged trespass on the site of a hotel development in Poole, Dorset by SSE, which historically installed electric cables across the development site without authority/permission.
  • Representing Carmarthenshire County Borough Council in relation to a large portfolio of disrepair claims received from the council’s social housing tenants
  • Advising Estateways plc in relation to two outstanding rent reviews relating to a property currently occupied by a major leisure operator based in Swansea
  • Advised Gary Stones & Co (a trustee in bankruptcy) upon the recovery of farm buildings/land as part of a bankruptcy process.

Headed by the 'experienced and confident' Sarah Davies, JCP Solicitors provides a 'practical and client-focused service' to local landlords and tenants, developers and management companies across a range of litigation, including on issues relating to rent review, boundary disputes, adverse possession and termination of commercial premises. Davies has particular expertise on right of way claims.

Practice head(s):Sarah Davies

Other key lawyers:Jonathan Flynn

Testimonials

A strong team of solicitors with experience and knowledge across all aspects of property work.

The team provides a cost-effective service

Sarah Davies has a very strong grasp on her case law and manages cases well.

Led by the 'technically very able' Jason Williams , Morgan LaRoche's property litigation team has an excellent reputation in the local south west Wales market, particularly in relation to landlord and tenant disputes. Regularly engaged in litigation in the courts at all levels, Williams' recent caseload has seen him involved in a high-profile case concerning the interpretation of service charge clauses which reached a final determination before the Supreme Court.

Practice head(s):Jason Williams

Other key lawyers:Jessica Blandford

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