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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
  3. Next generation lawyers

Leading individuals

  1. 1
    • Simon Care - Berry Smith
    • Edward Meggitt - Geldards LLP
    • Robert Phillips - Hugh James
    • Russell Price - Douglas-Jones Mercer

Next generation lawyers

  1. 1

Who Represents Who

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'One of the leading firms in Wales for property litigation', Berry Smith  provides a 'first-class service' to developers, land owners and financial institutions across a range of litigation including commercial dilapidation claims and rights of way disputes. The 'ferociously bright' Simon Care  has 'rapidly acquired a deserving reputation as on the most effective operators in property litigation in Wales'. Care is also praised for his 'ability to quickly get to the essentials of a case', as well as 'his real presence in the courtroom or conference room'. His recent highlights include representing the owner of a substantial rural property in a significant right of way claim. 'Very able and commercially-minded' team head Iwan Doull  is an 'exceptional talent' who is also praised for his ability 'to quickly weigh up complex and difficult matters and provide clear and practical advice'. Doull is representing the owner of a Grade II listed town centre mansion against Carmarthen County Council for dilapidations resulting from its former occupation and use as council offices. Clients include CAD Properties, Waterstone Estates and Julian Hodge Bank.

Headed by Sian Jones, Blake Morgan LLP's four-strong team handles a wide range of property disputes including high-value commercial dilapidation claims and complex compulsory purchase order (CPO) compensation claims for national and Welsh clients including GVA, Rank Group, Julian Hodge Bank and South Wales Land Developments. Jones recently represented Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council on securing the forfeiture of a lease of a prominent waste management facility in Blaenau, Gwent as a result of serious breaches of environmental permits. Associate Holly Stedman is also recommended.

Jointly led by Rhodri Lewis  and Neil Morgan , who 'combine a wealth of experience with different approaches which very much compliment each other', Darwin Gray LLP 's two-partner team provides 'excellent advice' to a varied mix of housebuilders, developers and housing associations. Lewis recently successfully represented a private developer in bringing a dilapidations claim against the former tenant of a listed building. Although Morgan handles a range of property litigation work, he is best-known for handling disputes within the social housing sector, an area where he has a 'very strong reputation'.  Clients include United Welsh, Barratt South Wales, Glenside Commercials and Mill Bay Homes.

Kathryn Cook heads Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP's six-strong team out of Cardiff which forms an integral part of the firm's national group of approximately 60 lawyers. A significant focus of the work out of the Cardiff office is in relation to handling the property litigation needs of major institutional landlords, including the likes of Annington Property, across their property portfolios including strategic advice on service charge issues, dilapidations, trespasser claims, development disputes and contractual disputes. The financial services sector is also an area of strength, with the team regularly handling disputes work for pension funds including in relation to self-invested personal pensions (SIPPS) portfolios; Cook represents Industrial Property Investment Fund across a range of contentious work emanating from its portfolio of more than 2,000 industrial units including on all aspects of tenant default and dilapidation issues. The team is also handling an increased flow of instructions from education clients, as well as on property disputes within the energy sector, where it often works closely with its market-leading real estate team. Senior associate Sara Dolley is also recommended. Other clients include Centrica, Stena Line, Forestry Commission, and HMV.

The 'calm, knowledgeable and professional' two-partner team at Geldards LLP effectively 'combine legal expertise with practical realism' to provide a compelling service across the panoply of property-related disputes to clients including Associated British Ports, Arcadis and Celsa Steel. 'Very approachable and wise' team head Edward Meggitt assists many major retail clients on the management and protection of their property portfolios, and as well as his ongoing and longstanding work for Boots, Meggitt also represents Edinburgh Woollen Mill / Peacocks Group across a range of matters including in relation to lease renewal claims. The 'very commercial' Nicola Lawrence  is 'at the top of her game' and has developed a particular niche for handling work within the water sewerage industry by dint of her longstanding representation of Welsh Water.

Led by Robert Phillips, Hugh James 's two-partner team has a particularly strong reputation handling litigation within the development sector, where clients include numerous well-known housebuilders including Barratt Homes and Persimmon Homes. Phillips recently represented Persimmon in the opposition of an adverse possession claim made by a resident on land owned by Persimmon. Jo Brown is recommended for her work within the telecoms and pub sectors; she handles a significant amount of work for S.A.Brain & Co and recently successfully represented it in forcing out squatters who had illegally entered the premises and prevented the effective undertaking of dilapidation works which were required before the expiry of the lease and the return of the property to the landlord. The team is also regularly involved in property litigation affecting public sector clients including the Welsh government and Natural Resource Body for Wales.

The arrival of a prominent group of litigators, including contentious property expert Clare Tregoning from Douglas-Jones Mercer towards the end of 2016, has given Acuity Law the ability to handle work on behalf of the firm's impressive roster of property clients. Recently promoted to partner, Tregoning frequently acts for commercial landlords on all aspects of tenancy-related disputes, as well as for private individuals in property-related claims. Recent highlights include representing a care provider, bringing claims of encroachment and trespass in relation to the boundary between its property and a neighbouring property. Clients include Figurehead Homes, Ventura Bay and Community Homes of Intensive Care and Education.

At Dolmans, private client department head Philip Bradley has significant experience representing management companies, landlords and tenants across a range of property litigation including in relation to rent reviews, breach of covenants and possession proceedings. Simon Evans is also noted for his defence of public sector clients in property disputes including those relating to landlord and tenant issues, flooding and land charges.

The arrival of Russell Price  from Blake Morgan LLP in January 2017 has significantly enhanced Douglas-Jones Mercer's ability to handle substantial property litigation mandates, given Price's accomplished track-record within the public sector, in particular. Able to leverage the expertise of the firm's strong commercial litigation and real estate teams, Price has been very active, particularly in relation to advising clients upon the enforcement and modification/discharge of freehold restrictive covenants. Recent highlights include representing PHG General Partner and PHG Independent on  complex issues regarding rights of pre-emption pursuant to Part 1 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 in relation to the disposal of a large mixed use development (residential, leisure and retail) at Paxcroft Mead, Trowbridge. Other clients include Carmarthenshire County Borough Council, Public Health Wales NHS Trust, Powys Teaching Health Board and Pobl Group.

Headed by Sarah Davies , JCP Solicitors's 'long established and well-regarded property litigation team has a strong regional presence in south Wales' and handles a diverse range of litigation including on issues relating to rent review, boundary disputes, adverse possession and termination of commercial premises for landlords and tenants, developers and management companies. Associate solicitor Jonathan Flynn  displays an 'assured approach to complex matters, backed up with an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter' and regularly works alongside Davies on the most significant mandates handled by the team. The 'very responsive and proactive' Sophie Thomas , who heads up the firm's commercial lending recoveries team, is also noted for the 'sound advice and reasoning' she provides to fixed charge receivers in litigation.

At Morgan LaRoche, team head Jason Williams has a strong reputation across a wide range of commercial property disputes. Particularly accomplished at handling landlord and tenant disputes, Williams was involved in a high-profile case concerning the interpretation of service charge clauses which reached a final determination before the Supreme Court.

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