John de Waal KC > Gatehouse Chambers > London, England > Barrister Profile
Gatehouse Chambers Offices
1 Lady Hale Gate, Gray’s Inn
WC1X 8BS
England
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John de Waal KC
Work Department
Property litigation, professional indemnity, professional indemnity insurance, mediation
Position
John de Waal KC specialises in chancery and commercial work with a particular focus on property law and property-related professional negligence.
He is regularly instructed in complex property-related litigation in the Chancery Division and the Court of Appeal. In 2015 John appeared in the Supreme Court in Cavendish v Makdessi [2016] AC 1172, the decision that is now the leading case on the law of penalties. The directories say that he has a “Razor-sharp legal mind which is alive to the practical application of legal analysis” and “an exceptional knowledge of the law and an excellent ability to provide clear, concise advice.”
John has a very busy professional negligence practice acting for both claimants and defendants. His advocacy has been described as “…effective and persuasive, even under extreme fire.”
He has been described as “an excellent specialist to call upon for complicated high stakes matter that require the attention and skill of a KC.”
John is the editor of the title “Risk and Negligence in Property Transactions” published by the Law Society in October 2018. The 2nd edition will be published in 2022.
John was a recent winner of Real Estate, Environment and Planning Silk of the Year at the Legal 500 Awards.
Mediation
John particularly enjoys working as a mediator and has acted as lead mediator in over 100 mediations. He is a member of Property Mediators.
Career
Called 1992; joined Gatehouse Chambers 2009; KC 2013.
Memberships
- British Insurance Law Association
- Property Bar Association
- Professional Negligence Bar Association
Education
Cantab (1986 MA Hons); accredited mediator (2001 CEDR).
Lawyer Rankings
London Bar > Property litigation
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2John de Waal KC –Gatehouse Chambers ‘John is able to see through the confusion and noise created guiding you to a strong commercial resolution. He is knowledgeable, measured and good with clients.’
Gatehouse Chambers features a particularly strong capability in commercial landlord and tenant matters, as leasehold disputes and other areas of real property. Brie Stevens-Hoare KC represented the successful respondents of White v Amirtharaja before the Court of Appeal; the dispute concerned the degree of intention required for an adverse possession claim, in this case concerning a passageway leading to the claimant’s property. John de Waal KC acted in Prime London Holdings 11 Ltd v Thurloe Lodge Ltd in the first and only High Court case about an access order under the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992. Lina Mattsson was sole counsel before the Court of Appeal, successfully representing the defendant in Mostyn House Estate Management Co Ltd v Youde, a dispute concerning proposed maintenance work to two former listed buildings, which a management company proposed to charge to both leasehold owners and the owners of freehold properties in the same development. Morayo Fagborun Bennett was appointed a District Judge in November 2023.
London Bar > Professional negligence
(Leading Silks)Ranked: Tier 2John de Waal KC –Gatehouse Chambers ‘John is very practical, pragmatic and user-friendly. John demonstrates good in-depth knowledge of professional negligence in the property sector.’
London > Dispute resolution > Mediators
(Mediators)Ranked: Tier 4John de Waal KC – Gatehouse Chambers
Also at The Property Mediators sine May 2023, Gatehouse Chambers‘ John de Waal KC is a go-to mediation silk for property and professional negligence matters.
John de Waal KC – Gatehouse Chambers
Also at The Property Mediators sine May 2023, Gatehouse Chambers‘ John de Waal KC is a go-to mediation silk for property and professional negligence matters.