John has a well-established, thriving practice specialising in chancery and common law, property, commercial law and all aspects of negligence.
His experience includes:
- Real property and all types of property disputes, including contracts and conveyancing problems, easements, commons, restrictive covenants, boundary disputes and nuisance.
- Wills, probate and trusts; interpretation of and disputes concerning all types of wills and trusts; domicile disputes; Inheritance Act claims.
- Landlord and tenant, covering both private and Local Authority lettings as well as business, residential and agricultural tenancies.
- Companies and partnerships; dissolution of both and disputes between partners and former partners; liabilities of directors and directors' disqualification; minority rights; corporate and personal insolvency.
- Judicial Review covering disputes with Local Authorities and Government Departments, quangos, courts, planning decisions.
- Commercial disputes; freezing orders, retention of title issues.
- Professional negligence, including that of lawyers, licensed conveyancers, surveyors, accountants, Education Authorities.
- All aspects of negligently and deliberately caused damage, including personal injury and damage to real property and goods.
Areas of Expertise
- Professional negligence
- Negligence in building construction
- Damage by vegetation
- Property disputes
- Restrictive covenants
- Easements and Commons
- Landlord and tenant disputes
- Real property contracts
- Wills, Probate and Inheritance
- Judicial Review
Reported Cases
- Direct Line v Fox [2009] 1 AER (Comm) 1017, fraudulent insurance claims
- William Smith (Wakefield) Ltd -v- Parisride Ltd (2005) GLR 22 - an important decision in agricultural holdings law
- Ribee v. Norrie [2001] 33 HLR 69, a successful appeal to the CA, where the duties of an absentee landlord of property were laid down in relation to escape of fire and nuisance
- R. v Leeds City Council e.p. LICS (1996) 73 P&CR 70
- Nationwide Anglia B. S. v Ahmed and Balakrishnan (1995) 70 P&CR 381 (loss of vendors lien)
- R. v Inspector of taxes e.p. Brumfield [1989] STC 151 (taxation of farming partnerships)
- Wakefield MDC v Huzminor Investments (1989) 29 RVR 108 (rating of commercial premises)
- Re K. [1988] Ch. 310 (the leading case on enduring powers of attorney)
- Sharneyford Supplies v Edge [1986] Ch. 128, [1987] Ch. 305 (sale of maggot farm: damages for non-completion)
- Thompson v Smiths Ship repairers [1984] Q.B.405
- Re ilkley and Burley Moors (1984) 47 P&CR 324 (rights of common)
- Wakefield City Council v Box [1982] 3 All E.R. 506 (markets and fairs)
- Harrison-Broadley v Smith [1963] 1 WLR 1262 and Beevers v Mason (1978) 37 P&CR 452 (agricultural holdings)
- Robinson v Crompton Parkinson [1978] (unfair dismissal)
- Jarmin v Wetherall (1977) 75 LGR 537 (the case which gave the "go-ahead" to car boot sales)
- Harrison v Battye [1975] 1 WLR 58 (exchange of contracts)
- Blackstone v Burnetts (West End) [1973] 1 WLR 1487 (important case on waiver of forfeiture)
- Crow v Wood [1971] 1 QB 77 (easement of fencing)
- CEGB v Dunning [1970] Ch. 643 (what is a "pleasure ground"?)
- R. v Inman [1967] 1 Q.B. 140 (company fraud, duplicity of indictment)
- Radziej v Radiej [1967] 1 WLR 659 (matrimonial provision in bigamy)
- Alwoodley Motors' Application (1961) 13 P&CR 195
Notable Cases
- R (LICS) v Leeds City Council, advising and representing a Local Authority on restrictive covenants affecting a major development
- Advising and assisting in a complicated dispute between accountants
Publications
Publications include articles on aspects of property law and civil procedure.
