James Pearce-smith > Chambers of Matthew White > Bristol, England > Barrister Profile

St John’s Chambers is a ‘strong set with strength in depth‘ in relation to agricultural matters on the Western Circuit, with members representing landowners, estates, trustees, tenants, developers and local authorities, among other interested parties, in relation to a wide range of issues. James Pearce-Smith has extensive experience as a commercial litigator, including in cases involving farming partnerships and food production businesses. Alex Troup KC, who took silk in March 2023, is a ‘standout‘ barrister with a strong Bristol-based chancery practice that often involves agricultural elements. He recently appeared in Hughes v Pritchard in the Court of Appeal, a high-profile dispute concerning the validity of a deceased farmer’s will and a proprietary estoppel claim. Leslie Blohm KC, as was, is now a Senior Circuit Judge.

St John’s Chambers hosts several members with considerable experience in the field of professional negligence claims. James Pearce-Smith recently acted for and against defendant solicitors, including in Mercer v Burningham & Brown, which concerned a significant claim alleging a negligent failure to obtain a right of way to nearby land with development potential, a case raising issues regarding quantification and mitigation of loss. John Dickinson mainly handles claims that emerge from his Chancery and commercial practices, while Joss Knight acts on behalf of claimants, defendants, and insurers, principally in claims against solicitors, architects, and construction professionals.

St John’s Chambers’ ‘excellent‘ commercial team offers its expertise to both businesses and individuals in relation to a wide range of disputes. John Dickinson ‘deals with difficult cases with ease’, including those involving local authority procurement claims, breaches of contract, restraint of trade, and fraud. In Capital Green Recycling v Bird, James Pearce-Smith represented the defendants in a significant claim for damages for misrepresentation and breach of warranty, brought by the overseas purchaser of shares in a waste recycling company. Matthew O’Regan specialises in competition disputes, while Charlie Newington-Bridges regularly displays a ‘superb mastery of company-commercial disputes‘, focusing on shareholder and partnership disputes, commercial contract disputes, claims relation to directors, and financial litigation. He recently acted for the first respondent in the High Court case of Duneau v Klimt Invest SA, which concerned the winding up of a listed company on the just and equitable ground of loss of substratum. Natasha Dzameh is a ‘confident advocate‘ who represents a wide range of clients, including financial institutions, international corporations, and individuals.

St John’s Chambers is a ‘first-class‘ set for property and construction law work, with ‘a range of experienced barristers and upcoming juniors‘. John Sharples is ‘outstanding on commercial property matters‘ – he recently acted for the respondent in Ali v Khatib & ors, a Court of Appeal case which resolved conflicting first instance authority to clarify the law relating to occupation rent, including the weight to be given to the occupying party’s conduct or circumstances when determining when rent is payable. James Pearce-Smith acts in construction disputes involving builders and subcontractors as well as in professional negligence claims against architects and developers. Christopher Jones, ‘very confident in court and in arbitrations‘, has a broad property practice, while Charles Auld, ‘a robust and creative advocate‘, has considerable experience dealing with boundary disputes, landlord and tenant work, rights of way, and land registration. Adam Boyle recently acted for the respondent in Philpott v Bovisand Park Limited, an unusual considering whether an applicant might prescriptively acquire an easement over land, notwithstanding permission to use the land having been granted, if they are in fact subjectively unaware that such permission has been granted.