Brabners LLP’s social housing team is co-headed by Josephine Morton, who leads the contentious housing management team, and Helen Brown, who specialises in large-scale site acquisition and assembly projects. The team offers comprehensive legal advice across acquisitions, disposals, grant funding, property advice, securitisations, and home ownership conveyancing. The firm excels in housing management and litigation, handling disrepair claims, anti-social behaviour, tenant breaches, possession proceedings, injunctions, and Equality Act challenges. Ian Alderson manages contentious housing and commercial disputes, Rupert Gill advises on M&A and governance, and Peter Barlow advises on strategic property matters. Andrius Roos specialises in home ownership and Lisa Robotham on developments and securitisations.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Rebecca Eastwood is very knowledgeable and keeps the situation real when discussing legal action, outcomes, barrister options etc. Rebecca always makes things effortless and finds work arounds to any issues that develop. A very calming influence. ’

  • ‘Zoe Conroy is extremely efficient. Always keeps you updated on your case. Excellent people skills especially with witnesses, putting them at ease, advising on their role etc. Very personable.

  • 'Josephine Morton is extremely knowledgeable and always provides excellent advice. Efficient and have every confidence when I am working with her that we will get a good outcome.’
  • ‘Practice provides a high quality comprehensive service that covers all aspects of our diverse work. This facilitates an efficient, consistent and co-ordinated approach that is really beneficial.

  • ‘Rupert Gill is a notable partner for us. He is extremely knowledgeable, clearly cares deeply about the work we do and is extremely helpful in supporting us whenever we need advice. His clear connection with what we do is important for our team in working with a partner in a collaborative shared purpose manner.’

  • ‘A northern powerhouse and a big beast of the north! The best housing firm in the country, hands down! They command respect as the industry leader for housing work. A brilliant team full of dedicated and skilled lawyers.'

Key clients

  • Cobalt Housing Limited
  • Jigsaw Homes
  • One Vision Housing Limited
  • Regenda Limited
  • Progress Housing Limited
  • Northwest Housing Services
  • Torus62 Limited
  • Your Housing Limited
  • Castles & Coast Housing Association Limited
  • The Riverside Group Limited

Work highlights

Advised Karbon Homes in relation to the proposal for Leazes Homes Limited to join the Karbon group as a subsidiary. We provided legal due diligence and review particularly of the constitution, rent setting, banking arrangements, employment, procurement, regulatory aspects and other activities of Leazes and associated risks of Leazes joining the group.
Advising Cobalt on the acquisition of 66 affordable homes at Halsnead Garden Village in Knowsley, led by Helen Brown (Partner and Joint Head of Housing).
Representing One Vision Housing at trial in a housing conditions claim brought without merit by one of its tenants. Led by Mark Gannon, the claim was successfully dismissed at trial in the County Court at Liverpool and a costs order was made against the tenant in favour of One Vision.

Lawyers

Leading partners

The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Ian Alderson
Rupert Gill
Josephine Morton
Lisa Robotham

Practice head

Josephine Morton; Helen Brown

Other key lawyers

Ian Alderson; Rupert Gill; Peter Barlow; Andrius Roos; Lisa Robotham; Katherine Whittle; Sarah Howe; Mark Gannon; Rebecca Eastwood; Zoe Conroy; Marion Redman; Ellen Hawthorne