Emma Humphreys > Charles Russell Speechlys LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
5 FLEET PLACE
LONDON
EC4M 7RD
England
Emma Humphreys photo

Work Department

Retail and leisure, real estate and construction, technology, media and telecommunications; litigation and dispute resolution, real estate.

Position

Emma advises on the full range of contentious property issues, including insolvency matters, arrears, break rights, dilapidations and 1954 Act renewals. Emma also deals with contractual and development disputes, specialising in rights of light, restrictive covenants and Electronic Communications Code issues, including the removal of telecoms masts. Her work is advisory – to avoid and/or settle disputes – as well as involving the conduct of litigation.
Emma lectures widely on property litigation issues and writes for various publications, including the Estates Gazette and the Property Law Journal. Emma also summarises cases dealing with easements and restrictive covenants for the Property Law UK website. Emma is an honorary member of Arbrix and a member of the RICS Telecommunication Forum. She is also former Chair of the Training and Education Committee of The Property Litigation Association and has sat as a member of the Steering Group of the RICS Dilapidations Forum and the South East Committee of Women in Property.
Experience: acted on behalf of Arqiva Limited in claims against three mobile network operators, including Everything Everywhere and Orange; instructed by two investors who bought shares in a company designed to purchase the Pinnacle site in London and who sought the return of their investment or an account of any profit (the case, Abbar v SEDCO Real Estate Ltd & Ors [2013] EWHC 1414 (Ch), included the challenge of reviewing 12,000 documents in a matter of weeks); acted on behalf of Osborne (Bournemouth) Limited in relation to its claim issued against Bournemouth Borough Council in connection with the termination of a development agreement; achieved success for a landlord client in opposing the grant of a renewal lease to Santander, on the basis of a proposed redevelopment (both at first instance and on appeal (Santander UK plc v LCP Estates Limited [2018] EWHC 2193 (Ch)), it was confirmed that the test under “ground (f)” of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 had been satisfied by our client’s plans and the building lease granted to Metrobank).

Career

Emma lectures widely on property litigation issues and writes for various publications, including ‘Estates Gazette’ and ‘Property Law Journal’. She also edits the reports on cases dealing with easements and restrictive covenants for the Property Law UK website.

Lawyer Rankings

South West > Real estate > Property litigation

Charles Russell Speechlys LLP is well equipped to handle property litigation for high-net-worth individuals and landed estate clients. Among other areas, the team frequently advises on residential and agricultural premises, with recent mandates including possession of land disputes, surrenders and compensation payment claims. The team is led jointly by Emma Humphreys, who is split between the London and Cheltenham offices, and David Haines in Guildford. Emma Preece, located in Cheltenham, is another key contact, highlighted for her ‘terrific client management skills’ and ‘exceptional legal expertise’.

London > Real estate > Property litigation

(Hall of Fame)

Emma HumphreysCharles Russell Speechlys LLP

The ‘well balanced and pragmatic’ team at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP is well versed in the full gamut of property litigation matters, and regularly acts for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, commercial investor and developer clients, and retail occupiers. The ‘excellentDavid Haines leads the team, while Emma Humphreys has an ‘unrivalled reputation’ in the field, and advises on break rights, arrears, rights of light matters, and dilapidations. Praised for his ‘strategic mind’, James Souter focuses on enfranchisement requirements in the development space, the ‘extremely easy to work withLauren Fraser handles service charge disputes and lease breaches, and Georgina Muskett, who is regarded for her ‘logical’ approach, advises freehold owners and tenants on contentious property issues.