Bruce Walker > Chambers of James Pickering KC > Leeds, England > Barrister Profile

Chambers of James Pickering KC
Enterprise Chambers
43 PARK SQUARE
LEEDS
LS1 2NP
England

Position

Bruce specialises in property advice and litigation.  He is also very experienced in wills, trusts and probate, as well as partnership disputes, banking, construction, insurance and professional negligence matters.

Bruce has extensive experience in real property litigation and advice. Some key areas in which he regularly advises and litigates are:

  •  Conveyancing: contracts, transfers, s.2 LP(MP)A 1989, construction, rectification, specific performance, termination for breach, options, pre-emptions, overage clauses
  • Land registration: priority of interests, alteration and rectification of the register, applications to the First Tier Tribunal
  • Mortgages and charges: legal, equitable, priority, undue influence, mortgagee’s duties, charging orders
  • Restrictive covenants: whether binding, enforcement in the courts, removal or modification in the UT Lands Chamber
  • Boundaries and adverse possession
  • Easements and profits: acquisition by express grant / reservation, implication and prescription, rights of way, rights to park, water rights, rights of support, shooting, interference, injunctions
  • Trespass
  • Nuisance: tree roots, water, noise etc
  • Co-ownership: express, constructive and resulting trusts, equitable accounting, TLATA 1996
  • Joint ventures and partnerships
  • Proprietary estoppel
  • Licences
  • Professional liability
  • Planning

Landlord and tenant work is a mainstay in Bruce’s practice. Regular work includes:

  • Commercial, agricultural and residential tenancies, licences and service occupiers
  • Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 renewal
  • Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 including succession, and Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 farm business tenancies
  • Termination and possession: including forfeiture, relief and waiver, surrender, disclaimer, break clauses, merger
  • Covenants against assignment or other alienation
  • Dilapidations
  • Rent review
  • Construction and rectification

Bruce regularly advises and litigates in the fields of wills, trusts, probate and administration. His work includes:

  • Probate claims (due execution, testamentary capacity, knowledge and approval, undue influence, forgery, fraud)
  • Challenges to inheritance, including ademption, satisfaction, election, deathbed gifts, promises to leave property by will, setting aside lifetime gifts for undue influence or lack of capacity.
  • Construction and rectification of wills.
  • Administration actions (beneficiary and trustee disputes, removing executors and trustees, restraining powers to appoint new trustees, trustees’ duties and powers, distribution and winding up).
  • Construction of trusts and powers, distribution, perpetuity.
  • Trusts in the home (express, constructive and resulting trusts, equitable accounting, TLATA 1996).
  • Claims under the Inheritance Act 1975.
  • Partnership
  • Banking (mortgages and guarantees)
  • Construction
  • Insurance
  • Professional negligence
  • Confidential information injunctions

Career

Called to the Bar 1994 – Gray’s Inn

Memberships

Northern Chancery Bar Association

Chancery Bar Association

Property Bar Association

Education

Prince of Wales Scholar 1993, Gray’s Inn

Prince of Wales Scholar 1992, Gray’s Inn

University of Westminster

Sheffield University

Downing College, Cambridge University

The Manchester Grammar School

Lawyer Rankings

Regional Bar > North Eastern Circuit > Property and construction

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1

Bruce WalkerEnterprise ChambersBruce is a very talented property lawyer.’

Very professional setEnterprise Chambers is home to a team with noted expertise in contentious real estate work, which is a particular area of strength for Stephanie Jarron. Cristín Toman handles a broad spectrum of property matters, including injunctions and rights of way disputes, and the ‘very well-preparedBruce Walker has a solid track record in advising on, among other areas, possession disputes, proprietary estoppel claims, and trespass matters.