The ‘technically excellent’ Clarion represents both landlords and tenants in commercial, residential, and mixed-use property matters, also advising on development transactions and disputes, including vacant possession strategies, easements, restrictive covenants, rights of way issues, and option disputes. The ’excellent’ team leader Sophie Morley has extensive experience in development disputes, dilapidations claims, property contracts, and portfolio management for commercial and residential clients. Kate Joss, recognised as ‘tough litigator’, represents developers, local authorities, investors, and individuals in high profile and public commercial disputes in the High Court; while Paige Duller focuses on mortgage repossessions.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Highly professional; thorough; on top of everything; inspire confidence. Sophie Morley and Kate Joss have been behind and beside me through an extremely long and difficult case - which we won thanks to them. They go over and above at times and I trust them absolutely.'
- 'Clarion's real estate litigation team is a strong team. They do good quality work and do it to a high standard. The team is also notable for its gender diversity, which is extremely unusual in the property industry. The department is led by the excellent Sophie Morley and she has a team of fantastic and overwhelmingly female associates working for her.'
- 'Sophie Morley leads the team and is excellent. Kate Joss and Paige Duller are superb. It is a pleasure to be instructed by anyone in the team. They are always throughly prepared and have an excellent understanding of property work.'
- 'They carry out a wide variety of work from commercial to property and do so on a very large scale. Instructions provided to counsel are always very comprehensive, which is of great assistance when you are trying to get on top of a brief on short notice.'
- 'The property litigation team has excellent strength in depth. Technically excellent and very good client care. Sophie Morley is a wonderful lawyer. Kate Joss is a tough litigator.'
- 'The Property Litigation team at Clarion is up there with the best in class. The clients which they work for are a good mix of main stream lenders and sub prime lenders on both commercial and residential matters, which mean that they are undertaking complex and interesting cases daily.'
Key clients
- Frasers Group
- Persimmon Homes
- Avant Homes (England) Limited
Work highlights
Acting for Frasers Group PLC in relation to their commercial landlord and tenant and asset management work which includes dealing with notices under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, as well as assisting our client with discrete issues such as forfeiture of leases and potential unlawful assignees operating out of the units.
Advising Avant on potential claims the could be made under the School Sites Acts (Reverter Claims), in respect of Avants proposed acquisition of a new development site which could have significant financial consequences for the client if established.
Acting for Bruntwood on a range of matters across their portfolio, which includes over 100 innovative buildings across the North of England and the Midlands, £1.8bn of property under management and £1.4bn in development.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Sophie Morley
Other key lawyers
Kate Joss; Paige Duller