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London Bar > Social housing Tier 1
4-5 Gray's Inn Square is well known for ‘its strength as a reservoir of talent for social housing law‘. Recent instructions include Toby Vanhegan appearing before the Court of Appeal in Rowe v Haringey LBC, which concerned the issue of statutory overcrowding in the context of a homelessness application. Jonathan Manning and Ian Peacock have established expertise in advising on homelessness matters; Manning is also singled out for his solid track record in handling landlord and tenant work. Annette Cafferkey acts for landlords, tenants and local authorities in possession claims, allocation matters and cases involving allegations of disability discrimination. Stephanie Lovegrove is ‘confident and very responsive, an excellent communicator and advocate‘.Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘Emily Martin is an excellent clerk.’
‘Emily Martin is fantastic.’
‘Emily Martin is brilliant.’
‘An excellent set with many knowledgeable barristers.’
‘Responsive, efficient and helpful.’
‘The clerks are all good and efficient.’
‘The clerking is excellent.’
London Bar > Elections Tier 2
At 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square, members are very well known for their expertise in advising electoral administrators and returning officers on local, parliamentary and mayoral election matters, and are equally adept at advising the Electoral Commission, individual candidates and political parties on a broad spectrum of election law issues. Recent work includes Timothy Straker KC acting on behalf of the returning officer in a petition concerning incorrectly issued ballot papers for a parish council by-election; it was ruled that the election was conducted in accordance with the law and the result was unaffected by the error. At the junior end of chambers, the ‘extremely thorough‘ Vivienne Sedgley counts referendum matters, electoral registrations and political party disputes among her key specialisms.Leading Silks
Testimonials
‘A very responsive and reasonable set.’
‘The clerks are very accommodating and supportive of client needs.’
London Bar > Local government (including rating law) Tier 2
Members of 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square act in a range of local government matters including those relating to care, welfare and housing. Timothy Straker KC represented the City of London Corporation in City of London v Various Leaseholders of Great Arthur House in the Court of Appeal, a case concerning who was to pay for the replacing the cladding of blocks of flats near the Barbican.Leading Juniors
Testimonials
‘The clerks are friendly and responsive.’
Work highlights
Dispute resolution > Mediators Tier 2
London Bar > Court of Protection and community care
Rising stars
London Bar > Planning
Leading Juniors
Midland Circuit > Social housing
Leading Juniors
London Bar > Administrative law and human rights
London Bar > Property litigation
London Bar > Professional disciplinary and regulatory law
Leading Juniors
London Bar > Shipping
Leading Juniors
London Bar > Sport
Leading Juniors
London Bar > Inquests and inquiries
2ND FLOOR > Set Profile
Commercial and Chancery: Our barristers offer specialist advice and advocacy across Commercial and Chancery areas of practice and industry sectors – from contract-commercial disputes, to company law, insolvency, intellectual property and trusts. Chambers offers expertise in the areas of media and IP, commercial debt recovery, employment law, and international commercial practice. Members appear in courts and tribunals in England and Wales and in overseas jurisdictions, acting for both domestic and foreign clients, including individuals, corporations, and public bodies.
Planning and environment:Â Our planning barristers specialise in the processes of planning applications for the development, construction or change of use of a building or buildings; compulsory purchase orders (CPO); and s106 agreements. Our members are experts in contentious judicial reviews, inquiries and appeals; and non-contentious planning and CPO strategies relating to development projects and urban regeneration schemes. Our members also undertake large infrastructure schemes.
Regulatory and disciplinary:Â Our regulatory and disciplinary team has the expertise and experience to provide specialist advice and representation in all areas of regulatory and disciplinary law including financial services, public safety, environmental, tax, licensing, the medical professions, lawyers, accountants, architects, police, clergy and sports.
Members of chambers regularly appear for regulators and defendants in front of a wide range of tribunals and other professional bodies and sit as tribunal members.
In the sports arena members have particular expertise in disciplinary proceedings brought by various governing bodies, including doping and misconduct cases, and regulatory matters involving selection, funding, safeguarding, licensing, sponsorship and FA Rule K arbitrations.
Public and administrative:Â Our barristers cover judicial reviews, statutory appeals, inquiries, disciplinary proceedings and non-contentious advice on the powers of administrative functions of central and local government and other public and regulatory bodies. 4-5 barristers work on a whole spectrum of local government activities, including planning, environmental, education, community care, highways, housing, health, compulsory purchase, public procurement, freedom of information, rating, licensing and elections, issues relating to local government powers, structure and finance.
Housing and property:Â Our barristers are noted experts in housing, landlord/tenant and residential and commercial property disputes; many are recommended in the legal directories and engage in wider policy work for government, MPs, pressure/trade groups and devolved governments. We cover everything from possession proceedings to leasehold enfranchisement; HMO and other licensing and homelessness; housing procurement to restrictive covenants.
International Arbitration: Our International Arbitration Group comprises barristers and affiliated lawyers from around the world. Among our number are some of the foremost practitioners in the field. Â The Group’s members have participated, both as counsel and as arbitrators, in commercial arbitrations under the rules of every major arbitral institution, as well as in ad hoc (non-institutional) and investment treaty claims, and before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
On the commercial side, 4-5 practitioners have acted for claimants and respondents at every stage, and in every posture, of disputes, from advice drafting arbitration clauses to bringing or defending challenges or enforcement proceedings in connection with arbitral awards. Our investment treaty arbitration experience is similarly extensive; our members act for both investors and host states. Members with experience as neutrals likewise have been appointed, and served as Chair, in virtually every variety of international dispute.
Our collective arbitration experience, unsurprisingly, covers many sectors: oil and gas, non-petroleum extractive industries, renewables, agriculture, intellectual property, financial services, insurance and reinsurance, shipping, corporate transactions, construction projects, and e-commerce.
Mediations: 4-5 mediators are pleased to provide a full and easy-to-use online mediation service. While it will not be possible for the foreseeable and uncertain future to conduct traditional face-to-face mediations, that does not mean that mediations cannot continue to take place. 4-5 mediators are able to deliver our mediation services via Zoom or other suitable platforms, with all the key features of the usual mediation format, while avoiding unnecessary risk, as well as the need for travel and accommodation. As and when face to face mediation becomes possible and safe, 4-5 mediators will resume the traditional mediation process or some hybrid version, as required by the parties.
The 4-5 Mediation Group is a specialist mediation provider which brings commercial reality and common sense to the mediation process. Our mediators help parties find a resolution to their dispute by establishing a relaxed rapport with clients and lawyers alike. They are approachable, responsive and able to identify key issues quickly by analysing complicated law and facts. Our mediators include some of the most experienced mediators at the Bar and are commended by the leading directories and commentators.
Inquiries and Inquests: 4-5 has a high level of expertise in relation to inquests and public inquiries. Our members have acted in a number of high-profile inquests and inquiries at all levels, right up to chairing inquiries. Members have experience acting for bereaved families and interested persons in inquests, and understand the differing needs and levels of care required in representation of all participants. Our members have acted in inquests at all levels – from short inquests into the death of an individual right up to some of the highest profile inquests of the last two decades.
We also currently have members of Chambers acting in some of the highest profile public inquiries of recent times, both for core participants and as Counsel to the Inquiry. The work undertaken by members of chambers spans the entire range of preparation and advocacy – from research and analysis at the earliest stages right through to drafting and oral advocacy at the hearings stages. Members of Chambers are well aware of the unique challenges presented by inquests and public inquiries and are dedicated to ensuring that their work is of the highest standard.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Senior Clerk | Emily Martin | emartin@4-5.co.uk | 0207 404 5252 |
Deputy Senior Clerk | Stephen Somerville | ssomerville@4-5.co.uk | 0207 404 5252 |
Head of Chambers | STRAKER KC, Timothy (1977) | ||
Members of Chambers | PRICE OBE KC, Richard OBE KC (1969) | ||
Members of Chambers | SAPSFORD KC, Philip (1974) | ||
Member of Chambers | PERRY KC, Jacqueline | ||
Members of Chambers | BRIDGEMAN SC, James (1989) | ||
Members of Chambers | SINGER KC, Andrew (1990) | ||
Members of Chambers | MANNING, Colin (1970) | ||
Members of Chambers | JEFFERIS, Michael (1976) | ||
Members of Chambers | LAMBERT, Jane (1977) | ||
Members of Chambers | DAVEY, Toby (1977) | ||
Members of Chambers | BARRETT, John (1982) | ||
Members of Chambers | RANDLE, Simon (1982) | ||
Members of Chambers | DIAS, Sappho (1982) | ||
Members of Chambers | STEPHENS, Michael (1983) | ||
Members of Chambers | BAKER, Christoper (1984) | ||
Members of Chambers | POWELL, Jonathan (1984) | ||
Members of Chambers | CLARKE, Gerard (1986) | ||
Members of Chambers | ROSE, Jonathan (1986) | ||
Members of Chambers | SHARMA, Kishore (1986) | ||
Members of Chambers | FOSTER, Charles (1988) | ||
Members of Chambers | MANNING, Jonathan (1989) | ||
Members of Chambers | COLVILLE, Iain (1989) | ||
Members of Chambers | OKOYA, William (1989) | ||
Members of Chambers | BARKER, Stephen (1989) | ||
Members of Chambers | PEACOCK, Ian (1990) | ||
Members of Chambers | DYMOND, Andrew (1991) | ||
Members of Chambers | CAFFERKEY, Annette (1994) | ||
Members of Chambers | VANHEGAN, Toby (1996) | ||
Members of Chambers | TAYLOR, Patrick (1996) | ||
Members of Chambers | QURESHI, Tanveer (2000) | ||
Members of Chambers | AGNIHOTRI, Naveen (2001) | ||
Members of Chambers | BELOFF, Rupert (2001) | ||
Members of Chambers | LOVEGROVE, Stephanie (2004) | ||
Members of Chambers | MCATEER, Helen (2008) | ||
Members of Chambers | SEAL, Philippa (2008) | ||
Members of Chambers | PANAYI, Christian (2009) | ||
Members of Chambers | LARKIN, Christopher ( 2010) | ||
Members of Chambers | PANDIT, Nikesh (2010) | ||
Members of Chambers | SEDGLEY, Vivienne (2011) | ||
Members of Chambers | JONES, Selena ( 2011) | ||
Members of Chambers | ZANG, Clara (2012) | ||
Members of Chambers | OMAR, Ayesha (2012) | ||
Members of Chambers | FORD, Olivia (2013) | ||
Members of Chambers | SHEPHARD, Max (2013) | ||
Members of Chambers | IMAM, Rayan (2013) | ||
Members of Chambers | FRANCIS, Thomas (2015) | ||
Members of Chambers | COLVILE, Raoul (2016) | ||
Members of Chambers | DORFMAN MOHAJER, Rosalee (2015) | ||
Members of Chambers | SARAN, Iulia-Claudia (2016) | ||
Members of Chambers | DHANOA, Amrit (2016) | ||
Members of Chambers | GARDINER, Hannah (2016) | ||
Members of Chambers | HASSANALLY, Salmaan (2017) | ||
Members of Chambers | LINES, Katie (2018) | ||
Members of Chambers | KENNY KC, Caroline (2010)* | ||
Members of Chambers | STUTZER, Dr Hansjörg* | ||
Members of Chambers | COHEN, Paul H (2011)* | ||
Members of Chambers | CHRISTIE, Iain (1989)** | ||
Members of Chambers | HOFFMAN, David (1997)** |
Barristers Clerk Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Stephen Somerville | View Profile |
Staff Figures
:- Social housing