Zoe Gibbon > Chambers of Sir Geoffrey Cox KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Zoe Gibbon

Position

Initially qualifying as a solicitor in 2006, Zoë worked at Nabarro LLP before being called to the Bar in 2009. With this background, Zoë brings an understanding of clients’ objectives and a client-focused approach to her practice at the Bar, and it allows her to provide a supportive service to those instructing her.

Property:

Zoë Gibbon is an enthusiastic property lawyer with considerable experience in a breadth of practice areas. While real property forms the core of her practice, Zoë applies her expertise to all aspects of property law.

Zoë’s practice covers the following core areas:

• Real Property: all types of constructive and resulting trusts; proprietary estoppel claims; easements; rights of way; boundaries; adverse possession
• Business Tenancies: including termination and renewal; break clauses; service charge disputes; rent and rent review, and disrepair and dilapidations claims
• Residential and Housing: including forfeiture and possession; breach of covenant and rent claims
• Agricultural Law: agricultural holdings; farm business tenancies

Probate & Inheritance:

Zoë has been awarded Associate Membership of the Association of Contentious Trust & Probate Specialists (ACTAPS) after successfully completing the Association’s three-year membership course. The purpose of membership of ACTAPS is to act as a quality kite mark to demonstrate a lawyer’s experience in this specialist area of the law.

Zoë’s practice covers the following core areas:

• Contentious Probate: dealing with, upholding or challenging the validity of will Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975
• Administration of Estates: covering all issues relating to the administration of estates, including the construction of wills, identity of beneficiaries, deductibility of expenses or debts, and ascertainment of assets, whether contentious or non-contentious
• Trusts: Construction of trust deeds, powers and duties of trustees. This further includes trusts of land (including proprietary estoppel claims)

Commercial:

Zoë has a busy commercial practice, appearing regularly in the County Court and High Court, dealing with preliminary and interlocutory hearings as well as disposal hearings and trials. She is frequently instructed in fast track and multi track trials.

Within her paper practice she is regularly instructed to advise and draft pleadings. Zoë often advises in conference, on both the merits of potential claims and tactical options in the on-going management of litigation. Zoë also has experience of providing representation in mediation.

Acutely aware of the economic realities of litigation, Zoë aims to seek resolution by negotiation where appropriate, and provides sound and reliable tactical support when a fight is necessary.

Family:

Acutely aware of costs to clients, financial and emotional, which flow from disputes within the family setting Zoë is committed to conducting cases in a manner designed to achieve the best possible result whilst reflecting individual needs. Whether through careful negotiation or contested trials Zoë teams meticulous preparation and excellent advocacy with a friendly approachable manner with clients.

Zoë’s practice covers the following core areas:

• Financial Provision: in both divorce & cohabitation cases
• Property Disputes
• Care and Adoption proceedings: acting for local authorities, parents & children
• Residence/Contact

Insolvency:

Zoë advises on all aspects of corporate and personal insolvency and combines her expertise in this area with a commercial and practical approach. She has acted on behalf of clients including debtors, creditors, companies and directors in both contentious and non-contentious matters. She regularly appears in the High Court including the Companies Court and the Bankruptcy Division and in County Courts across the country.

Zoë has experience of the whole host of matters that are encountered with insolvency litigation, whether that be applications being made within insolvency proceedings or other matters such as applications for an administration order, to set aside statutory demands, to dismiss winding up petitions or to restrain advertisement of petitions. She also has experience in transaction avoidance work (e.g. transactions defrauding creditors, preferences & transactions at undervalue).

Fraud & Financial Crime:

Zoë has successfully represented a number of professional clients accused of false accounting, theft from client accounts. She is very experienced at managing large quantities of documents, disclosure databases and expert forensic evidence. She recently was defence junior counsel in the prosecution of a money service bureau manager who used business to launder criminal proceeds of over £10m at the Central Criminal Court.

Direct Public Access:

Zoë accepts instructions from members of the public as well as traditional referrals from solicitors.