Western Circuit
Guildhall Chambers has ‘significantly bolstered its property team in recent years’ and is now widely praised by clients for the breadth and quality of its offering. With broad experience across the full spectrum of property cases, Jay Jagasia continues to lead the team. Michael Selway recently represented the respondent in a boundary dispute concerning a settlement created to re-house people displaced from the World Heritage Site of Avebury. James Wibberley handles a wide range of construction disputes arising from commercial and residential developments. Kate Harrington’s considerable expertise spans land registration, rights of way, boundary disputes, adverse possession, and co-ownership of land. Oliver Mitchell handles boundary disputes and right-of-way claims on a regular basis. He has a particular interest in the law relating to utility assets.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Work Department
Commercial; property and estates; environment; planning.
Position
Jay is a leading commercial and chancery junior and is recognised as such in the leading directories, where he is recognised in three different practice areas in both directories. He is the head of the Property and Estates team in Chambers. His work and experience extend across all areas of commercial and property litigation and principally involves work in the Business & Property Courts and specialist property tribunals. In addition to his commercial and chancery work, Jay also a has considerable advisory and litigation experience on matters relating to environmental and energy law.
Jay has been involved in a number of leading cases, including a case ranked in The Lawyer’s top 20 cases of 2018 (the Premier Motorauctions litigation, at first instance and in the Court of Appeal), Anderson v Sense (at first instance and in the Court of Appeal) and, most recently, in the very significant test case of Adams v Options (formerly Carey) (in the Court of Appeal). He has appeared in courts and tribunals up to and including the Court of Appeal.
Jay advises on all aspects of the law of real property and trusts (particularly those with a property element). He is the head of Chambers’ leading Property, Trusts & Estates team and is separately recognised in both directories as a leading junior for his property litigation work. He was recently involved as sole counsel at first instance and as co-counsel on appeal in the significant leasehold enfranchisement case of Field and others v Freehold Properties 250 Ltd [2020] Ch 665.
Jay has litigation and advisory experience in the following key areas:
- Landlord and tenant (residential and commercial)
- Boundary disputes and adverse possession
- Easements and profits
- Restrictive covenants
- Cohabitation disputes and trusts of land
- Mortgage disputes
- Enfranchisement
- Nuisance (private and statutory)
- Pre-emption
- Highways and public rights of way
- Village greens
- Torts affecting land
- Conveyancing disputes
- Title and registration
- Trusts
- Statutory compensation claims
Career
Jay undertakes a wide variety of commercial work and has a particular interest in banking and financial services litigation. He is separately recognised in the directories as a leading junior for his commercial, professional negligence and banking and finance work, and has been involved in a number of significant cases.
Memberships
UKELA.
Education
- Legal Practice Course, BPP Law School - Distinction
- LLB, University of Warwick - First Class
- HBSc (Environmental Sciences & Biology), University of Toronto
Content supplied by Guildhall Chambers
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Joe Stayte is approachable and extremely helpful and efficient.'
- 'Joe Stayte and Steve Arnold are a pleasure to deal with and always go out of their way to make things work.'
- 'The clerks are very responsive and always willing to assist with enquiries. Stephen Arnold is excellent.'
- 'The clerks provide an exceptional service. They have great knowledge of each counsel, and are responsive, efficient and a pleasure to deal with.'
- 'Guildhall has significantly bolstered its property team in recent years and there is now always someone available to assist at the right level. This is a great improvement and they have the knowledge and expertise to cover any dispute.'
- 'A go-to set for property and commercial matters in the South West.'
- 'Guildhall is a go-to chambers for all property matters, with a varied set of counsel, ensuring availability for all types of cases. Whilst being commercial and competitive, the set is approachable, friendly and provides great communication.'