Real Estate Litigation
UK Guide 2025 : South West
Band 2
Email address
[email protected]About
Provided by Ashfords LLP
Our Property Litigation Team has more than 25 years' experience in advising landowners and landlords and tenants on a wide range of contentious property issues. We advise on all aspects of property litigation and handle high value complex work, ranging from commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes, service charge claims, property issues arising in redevelopment projects and on insolvency, to equitable proprietary remedies, including trusts of land and agricultural land disputes.
We advise on property related professional negligence claims and claims for breach of banking covenants relating to property and regularly advise clients on claims against solicitors, accountants and surveyors for negligent professional advice.
Contentious trust and probate disputes, where property issues are involved, are dealt with by a specialist Disputes Wills and Trusts team, who advise on proprietary estoppel claims, inheritance disputes, and property related trustee/beneficiary disputes.
Over the years we have fostered strong relationships with many national developers and social housing providers and are currently members of a number of panels for the provision of legal services. The team is also regularly instructed by high-street retailers, national housebuilders, pension funds, local authorities as well as individuals.
Chambers Review
Ashfords maintains a respected practice which covers the full span of contentious land law, including landlord and tenant, development and investment-related disputes, matters related to leasehold enfranchisement and professional negligence claims. The firm is also recommended for trust and estate disputes concerned with valuable property. Its clients include major financial institutions, national house builders, local governments, utilities companies and retailers.
Work Highlights
- Ashfords assisted the London Borough of Southwark in recovering possession of a telecoms site situated on the roof of Bromyard House which the council needed to demolish due to it being structurally unsound.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Ashfords is among the leading firms in the South West market for property work."
"Ashfords provide well-informed, expert advice with commercial recommendations to obtain the best outcome. They have a well-thought-out approach to help make strategic decisions."
"They've got a broad range of clients, they're well run and they know how to do things properly."
"Ashfords is among the leading firms in the South West market for property work."
"Ashfords provide well-informed, expert advice with commercial recommendations to obtain the best outcome. They have a well-thought-out approach to help make strategic decisions."
"They've got a broad range of clients, they're well run and they know how to do things properly."
Notable Practitioners
Robert Nicholson assists clients across a broad range of industry sectors with complex property litigation. He is particularly highlighted for his expertise in leasehold and development site issues.
"He is thoughtful, sensible and efficient."
"Robert Nicholson is very sensible, competent and calm."
"He is very experienced and clients warm to him."
"He was superb throughout the entire duration of a highly stressful court case. He was always friendly and professional, and above all extremely knowledgeable."
Sian Gibbon offers substantial experience handling litigation relating to development projects, as well as boundary disputes and landlord and tenant matters.
"She's really good. She's a natural litigator and very good tactically."
Warren Reid handles a broad range of contentious property matters and is particularly noted for his strength in complex landlord and tenant disputes.
"He's a bright lawyer with a broad spectrum of experience. Warren is a measured litigator with good commercial nous."
"He's good on the technical issues. He's detailed, knowledgeable and very experienced."
"He was very solidly grounded in the legal and commercial realities."
Sophie Michaelides is a senior associate at Ashfords. She has experience advising clients in a variety of commercial and residential property dispute matters, including renewals, service charges and dilapidations.
"Sophie has the rare quality of providing exactly what her client needs and when they need it. To say Sophie is a safe pair of hands is an understatement. She is a truly valued adviser to the business."
"She has great attention to detail and is always on top of things."
"Sophie provides an excellent level of service bearing in mind the client's required outcome and clearly outlining the options to achieve that goal in a timely manner."