John Brennan > Chambers of Sara Lewis KC > Birmingham, England > Barrister Profile

Chambers of Sara Lewis KC
St Philips Chambers
55 TEMPLE ROW
BIRMINGHAM
B2 5LS
England

Position

John’s practice encompasses a very broad range of chancery and commercial work. John is regularly instructed in real property disputes including, in particular, disputes over the ownership of the quasi-matrimonial home, easements, restrictive covenants, adverse possession claims, boundary disputes and Party Wall Etc Act 1996 claims. He has considerable experience in the construction of sale and purchase agreements, development agreements and overage agreements. His practice encompasses cases in the High Court, the County Court and proceedings before the adjudicator to HM Land Registry. John accepts instructions in both non-contentious and contentious probate matters. He has acted in cases in which the capacity of the testator, the validity of the will, and the administration of the estate have been in dispute. He has made and resisted applications under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. He also accepts instructions in both non-contentious and contentious trust matters and is regularly instructed in disputes over the beneficial ownership of property allegedly held on trust. He has a particular interest in cases that concern allegations of breach of fiduciary duty, breach of trust, knowing assistance and receipt, tracing, rectification and mistake. His aim is to provide clear, reliable advice and provide a user-friendly service. He undertakes a certain amount of work on a conditional fee basis.

Career

Called 1996; Lincoln’s Inn.

Memberships

Chancery Bar Association; Midland Chancery and Commercial Bar Association.

Education

Oxford (MA, modern history, first class); Lincoln’s Inn (Mansfield Scholar).

Lawyer Rankings

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Professional negligence

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1

John BrennanSt Philips Chambers

St Philips Chambers handles a variety of domestic and cross-border professional negligence cases for a diverse set of clients. Key members of the team include the ‘powerful and persuasive advocate’ John Randall KC and John Brennan, whose practices include defending solicitors.

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Commercial litigation

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 2

John BrennanSt Philips Chambers

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Chancery, probate, and tax

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1

John BrennanSt Philips Chambers

Regional Bar > Midland Circuit > Property and construction

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1

John BrennanSt Philips Chambers 

St Philips Chambers is ‘an excellent set with very capable counsel’ who advise domestic and international clients on a range of property law. John Randall KC has ‘encyclopaedic knowledge of property law’ and is currently acting in Cayman Shores Development Ltd v Registrar of Lands, a high-profile property rights dispute in the Cayman Islands, while John Brennan successfully acted on behalf of a commercial development owner in GHC Global Holdings Ltd v MK Builders Merchants Ltd, a land recovery claim. The ‘thorough and authoritative’ advocate Anthony Verduyn has extensive experience of property litigation, and John Aldis specialises in boundaries disputes and adverse possession cases. Michelle Caney joined the team in August 2023.