Esther Drabkin-Reiter > Francis Taylor Building > London, England > Barrister Profile
Francis Taylor Building Offices
FRANCIS TAYLOR BUILDING, INNER TEMPLE
LONDON
EC4Y 7BY
England
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Esther Drabkin-Reiter
Work Department
- planning and environment;
- public and human rights law;
- EU law;
- local government;
- rating and valuation;
- compulsory purchase and compensation;
- infrastructure;
- rights of way and highways;
- licensing;
- anti-social behaviour law.
Position
Esther has a busy practice across all of Chambers’ areas of specialism. She joined Chambers in October 2019, having successfully completed pupillage under the supervision of Suzanne Ornsby KC, John Jolliffe and Ned Westaway. She is a member of the Attorney General’s Junior Junior scheme and a Commissioning Editor of FTB’s Environmental Law Blog.
Esther read Jurisprudence at Merton College, Oxford, and has a master’s degree in EU Law from the European University Institute, Florence. Prior to coming to the Bar she spent a year as Judicial Assistant to Lord Justice Lloyd Jones (as he then was) at the Court of Appeal, working on cases involving issues of public and EU law.
Esther’s main areas of interest include:
- planning and environment;
- public law and human rights;
- retained EU law;
- local government;
- information law, including freedom of information and data protection;
- compulsory purchase and compensation;
- rating and valuation;
- infrastructure;
- rights of way and highways;
- licensing; and
- anti-social behaviour law.
Recent and current work includes:
Acting for CPRE Kent (led by Ned Westaway) in the Supreme Court in a case concerning the principle of whether multiple awards of costs in statutory and judicial review cases should be awarded where a claim is refused permission to proceed on the papers (reported at [2021] 1 WLR 4168).
Acting for Newcastle City Council (led by Isabella Tafur) in a 6 day planning inquiry into an appeal against a refusal of planning permission for a Burger King drive-through and takeaway and a mixed use residential and commercial scheme. Esther conducted examination-in-chief and cross-examination of the planning witnesses and presented closing submissions on behalf of the LPA.
Acting for local residents in a 7 day planning inquiry into a decision by the London Borough of Camden to refuse planning permission for the conversion of the Former Hampstead Police Station into a school. The refusal was upheld on appeal on grounds of noise, air quality and heritage.
In appropriate cases, Esther is happy to work on a pro bono basis.
Career
Called to the Bar 2017.
Languages
Esther is fluent in German.
Memberships
UKELA
ALBA
Bar European Group
Education
- City Law School, Bar Professional Training Course (Outstanding) (2015-2016)
- European University Institute, LLM in Comparative, European and International Laws (2014-2015)
- Merton College, University of Oxford, MA in Jurisprudence with European Legal Studies (German Law) (2.i) (2008-2012)
Bar Awards & Scholarships
- Buchanan Prize (Lincoln’s Inn) (2016)
- Lord Denning Scholarship (Lincoln’s Inn) (2015-2016)
- Hardwicke Award (Lincoln’s Inn) (2014)
University Scholarships & Prizes
- Academic Scholarship (Merton College) (2009-2012)
- Norton Rose Prize (Merton College) (2009)
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Planning
(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 4Esther Drabkin-Reiter – Francis Taylor Building ‘Esther is really client friendly and provides clear and pragmatic advice. Her drafting skills in relation to court submissions are excellent.’