The premier set for contentious property matters on the Western Circuit and remains a go-to for solicitors in the South West. The set is the biggest player in the South West and has a really good spread of expertise.”

Chambers UK 2022, REAL ESTATE

St John’s Real Estate team is pre-eminent in the area of real estate litigation on the Western Circuit and in Wales.

We pride ourselves in providing specialist advice and representation across all areas of real estate law. Our approach is friendly, flexible and client-focused and is designed to achieve successful, practical, cost-effective outcomes that serve our clients’ interests. Our members have been described by peers as a “stand-out Bristol set offering expertise in all types of real estate litigation matters”, “easy to work with” and “committed to delivering quality advice on time”.

Our commercial property specialisms include conveyancing disputes, land registration (especially priorities), mortgages, overage clauses, options, and rights of pre-emption.

Our expertise in landlord and tenant disputes covers commercial, agricultural, and public and private sector residential cases. We are regularly instructed in relation to (for example) rent reviews, service charges, assignments/subleases, dilapidations, break notices, forfeiture, and statutory renewals. For agriculture, see our dedicated agricultural and rural affairs section.

We particularly specialise in traditional Land law matters, such as easements (public and private rights of way, rights to light, water rights, etc), highways, profits, restrictive covenants, party walls, boundaries and adverse possession and nuisance (including tree roots, Japanese knotweed & other invasive species, flooding and subsidence), rights of common and manorial rights.

In the wider property sphere we cover property-related disputes as to the ownership of land, especially proprietary estoppel and co-ownership arising from constructive/resulting trusts, and disputes between trustees and beneficiaries. We also cover property-related professional negligence claims involving valuers and legal professionals.

We advise a range of clients including rural estates, local authorities, developers, housing associations and private individuals.

There are 19 members in the team, including 1 silk, several of whom are widely regarded as leading individuals in this area. We undertake advisory work and drafting in both litigation-related and non-contentious matters. We appear at all levels of tribunal, from the Supreme Court to the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) and the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (in Wales).

Mediation

As the number of cases being dealt with by way of mediation increases, our mediation team are on hand to help, be it by providing the advocates, mediators or both. Our facilities are specifically designed to meet with clients’ needs for a mediation venue. Read more. For our mediation services during the COVID-19 social distancing lockdown please click on the following news item:

St John’s Chambers – remote mediations in wills & trusts, real estate and commercial disputes

Public Access

Some members of the team are also available to act, where appropriate, for members of the public, as well as commercial and non-commercial organisations, under the Public Access scheme. Read more.

Training

The team delivers workshops and seminars in Chambers and regional centres. We also provide training on behalf of local Law Societies and in conjunction with solicitors’ firms. In addition we can give tailored in-house training for particular firms. If you would like any further information please contact Elizabeth Champion on 0117 923 4714 or email: elizabeth.champion@stjohn.joydemo.co.uk.

Real Estate Team

Leslie Blohm QC

Leslie Blohm KC

  • Call: 1982
  • Silk: 2006

Leslie has been awarded ‘Chancery Silk of the Year’ at the Chambers Bar Awards 2019, a prestigious award recognising Leslie’s pre-eminence in his key practice areas. He is praised for having an exceptional real estate practice with extensive expertise in...

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Robin Neill

Robin Neill

  • Call: 1979

Robin primarily acts in the resolution of disputes in the context of property sale and development agreements. Many of these disputes are resolved through arbitration or mediation.

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Charles Auld

  • Call: 1980

Charles has considerable experience dealing with matters including boundary disputes, landlord and tenant work, rights of way, restrictive covenants and registration at HM Land Registry. His work includes: Disputes over land including traditional boundary disputes, restrictive covenants, rights...

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John Sharples

John Sharples

  • Call: 1992

John is very well versed in handling a variety of complex cases, and is frequently instructed on behalf of estates, developers, public authorities as well as private clients. He is ranked as a Star individual in Chambers UK...

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James Pearce Smith

James Pearce-Smith

  • Call: 2002

James, a former solicitor, is an experienced litigator specialising in commercial and real estate matters. He regularly advises in relation to property disputes, often with a commercial flavour, including claims relating to commercial leases. He has acted in numerous claims relating to...

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John Dickinson

John Dickinson

  • Call: 1995

John is a barrister specialising in real estate work including conveyancing disputes, boundaries and easements, in particular disputes over parking and rights of way in both civil and tribunal proceedings and representation in tribunals in relation to adverse...

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Matthew White

Matthew White

  • Call: 1997

The mainstay of Matthew’s practice is personal injury litigation, but he thinks of himself as a “common lawyer” and enjoys cases dealing with other areas of law. In relation to Real Estate he has developed two particular areas...

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Alex Troup

  • Call: 1998

Alex is a chancery barrister who is often instructed in property litigation cases. Some of his property cases overlap with his trust and contentious probate practice, such as proprietary estoppel claims, disputes over the beneficial ownership of property,...

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Harry Spurr

Harry Spurr

  • Call: 2001

Harry acts for landowners, local and other public authorities and regulators, individuals, community groups and other parties in relation to a range of disputes concerning land.  He is known in particular for his expertise in highways / public...

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Christopher Jones

Christopher Jones

  • Call: 2004

Head of Real Estate, Christopher has extensive expertise in a wide variety of property issues. Real property Easements: rights of way, rights of support, rights to light and water rights Disputed ownership of land, adverse possession and boundary...

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Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke

  • Call: 2009

Michael regularly acts and advises in real estate matters including the disputed ownership of land, boundary disputes, adverse possession, easements and restrictive covenants. In addition Michael advises upon torts in relation to land, in particular trespass, nuisance and...

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Oliver Wooding

Oliver Wooding

  • Call: 2009

Oliver has a specialist practice that focuses on real estate matters, and is regularly instructed as an advocate, advisor, and mediator in a wide range of disputes. His expertise includes: Landlord & Tenant Oliver is experienced in both...

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Natasha Dzameh

Natasha Dzameh

  • Call: 2010

Natasha specialises in advising and representing clients on proprietary estoppel and trust claims in relation to land, especially TOLATA claims (including those linked with Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989). She has dealt with numerous cases concerning...

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Charlie Newington Bridges

Charlie Newington-Bridges

  • Call: 2011

Charlie specialises in all areas of real property matters and can advise clients in the following matters: Conveyancing and registration Restrictive covenants and easements Customary rights Adverse possession Boundary disputes Co-ownership Estoppel Mortgages and charges Commercial landlord and...

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Adam Boyle

  • Call: 2012

Adam is a very experienced real estate practitioner and a “go to” barrister in relation to difficult property matters. He has been noted in Chambers and Partners as a specialist in proprietary estoppel, a topic in which he...

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Joss Knight

Joss Knight

  • Call: 2014

Joss specialises in real estate matters, and has extensive experience of both commercial and residential landlord and tenant matters. As well as appearing on behalf of both landlord and tenants in lease renewal claims under the 1954 Act;...

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Annie Sampson

Annie Sampson

  • Call: 2015

Annie has experience across the breadth of property and real estate matters, including TOLATA claims, trespass, nuisance, residential landlord and tenant and mortgage possession proceedings, boundary disputes, adverse possession, commercial tenancies and the renewal of business tenancies under...

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Brittany Pearce

Brittany Pearce

  • Call: 2015

Brittany has acted for clients in a range of real property matters, including boundary disputes and adverse possession claims, the enforcement of restrictive covenants and the creation and infringement of easements. Brittany’s focus is on achieving a workable,...

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Daniel Soar

Daniel Soar

  • Call: 2016

Daniel is a specialist real estate practitioner. He has experience in dealing with applications pursuant to the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996, residential and commercial landlord and tenant matters, business tenancy renewals under the...

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Guy Adams

Guy Adams

  • Call: 1989

Guy is an experienced chancery practitioner with a strong focus on real estate work. His expertise covers commercial and residential landlord and tenant matters as well as development issues. He represents clients at all levels of the court...

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Richard Gold

Richard Gold

  • Call: 2006

Richard specialises in real estate matters, and acts in both residential and commercial property disputes. His areas of expertise include: landlord and tenant disputes; freehold covenants; easements; adverse possession; boundary disputes; trespass/nuisance (including tree root damage); and claims...

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Directory Quotes

St John’s Chambers is the premier set for contentious property matters on the Western Circuit and remains a go-to for solicitors in the South West and further afield. As one instructing solicitor puts it, ‘the set is the biggest player in the South West and has a really good spread of expertise’.”

Chambers UK 2022, Real Estate

The team is probably one of the best I have dealt with – they cannot do enough for you and they go above and beyond to meet your needs.”

Chambers UK 2022, Real Estate (Client Service)

St John’s Chambers is the strongest chambers in the South West for property work.”

Legal 500 2022, Property and Construction

The premier set for contentious property matters on the Western Circuit, St John’s Chambers remains a go-to for solicitors in the South West and further afield. The set boasts a deep roster of barristers with specialist real estate litigation expertise who appear at all levels of the court system, including the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.”

Chambers UK 2021, Real Estate

St John’s provides us with an excellent service. All members of chambers are very responsive, eager to help and easy to deal with, offering wide-ranging expertise and presenting their advice in a way which is intelligible to our clients.”

Chambers UK 2021

The clerking is absolutely first-rate and very responsive. I’ve always been impressed with the clerks. They are helpful and have a good understanding of their barristers’ work. They are also understanding of the client’s own personal positions and provide support where they can.”

Chambers UK 2021, Real Estate (Client Service)

St John’s Chambers members appear in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, as well as the new Property and Business Courts in Bristol.”

Legal 500 2021, Property and Construction

St John’s Chambers continues to feature as a leading set for real estate disputes on the Western Circuit. Its barristers act in challenging boundary and easement cases, as well as dilapidation disputes and litigation relating to leasehold property. The set’s impressive roster of real estate specialists appear before tribunals and courts of all levels and deal with a wide range of residential, commercial and agricultural property. Sources appreciate that ‘the set has high-quality members who are very easy to get on with and the work is of a high standard.’ “

Chambers UK 2020, Real Estate

The clerks are very helpful, quick to respond and flexible. ‘The clerks are very accessible, good at getting back and very understanding of the issues in different matters.’ “

Chambers UK 2020, Real Estate (Client Service)

The property group is home to a large number of specialist members, who are experienced in commercial, agricultural, and residential property cases.”

Legal 500 2020, PROPERTY

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