Introduction

Steven is first and foremost a Property Lawyer. However in recent years his commercial practice has developed significantly, particularly having regards to Professional Negligence and Financial Mis-Selling.

The case of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets v Begum provided him with his first visit to the House of Lords. In addition, Steven has been involved in a number of significant Court of Appeal decisions such as R v Rent Officer of West Sussex Registration Area ex parte Haysport Properties Limited [2001] EWCA Civ 237 a case involving questions of rent reviews under the Rent Act 1977, Hurst v London Borough of Barnet [2003] 1 WLR 17 and Markos v Goodfellow a case that clarified the working of the slip rule.

In addition Steven has been reported in approximately 20 High Court actions, the decision of Lewison J in Frazer v Brown [2009] EWHC 2692, HFHA v Asra Greater London Housing Association [2008] EWHC 2430, the decision of Park J in the case of Edwards v Lloyds TSB Bank [2004] EWHC 1745, and the highly significant decision in relation to adverse possession in the matter of  Beaulane Properties v Palmer [2005] EWHC 817.

Cases in which he has been involved have frequently been reported in the Legal Action Group (LAG) journal, Family Law Reporter, Times Law Reports, New Law Journal, Family Law Cases.

Qualifications

• LLB Hons

Professional Associations

• Property Law Bar Association
• Bar Sports Law Group
• London Common Law Bar Association

Land & Real Property

The main area of Steven’s property work is land related, in particular boundary disputes, rights of way and Adverse Possession. In addition to land, Steven has considerable experience in both residential and commercial landlord and tenant.

Steven has experienced a significant increase in land related litigation over the last five years. These disputes are most often very personal, involving the classic legal truism, an Englishman’s castle is his home. Steven’s sensitive and pragmatic approach to litigation has resulted in favourable results for clients from as far afield as Pembrokeshire in West Wales to the Yorkshire Dales. Steven has many land related cases ongoing at any one time and therefore it is difficult to find the highlights, but the following are good examples of his recent work.

Recent Work

• acting in a dispute relating to the extent of land adversely possessed for near on 50 years
• acting in a dispute where the neighbour literally tore up trees that had been in place for hundreds of years and bulldozed a pond leading to subsidence to the surrounding land
• a dispute relating to the acquisition of a prescriptive right of way
• acting in a dispute relating to the escape of sewage from a caravan park onto farmland
• acting in a dispute relating to the title to ancient woodland

Landlord & Tenant

Commercial Landlord and Tenant

Steven is extremely experience in this field, which involves daily analysis and interpretation of technical lease terms and their effect on the use of commercial premises, the covenants that landlords and tenants offer to each other and the operation of termination and renewal provisions.

Recent Work

• acting for a landlord against a tenant who used the premises for purposes other than commerce
• acting for a tenant seeking to establish a proprietary right to commerical lease
• acting for a tenant seeking damages against a shopping centre developer due to dust and smoke nuisance
• acting for a tenant seeking to avoid substantail service charge demands relating to underground work
• acting for landlord in relation to terminal dilapidations at a brewery

Residential Landlord and Tenant

Steven has considerable experience in all types of residential occupation from bare licenses to 999 year leases. The majority of this work would be possession and enfranchisement related. In addition, Steven has acted for landlords and tenants seeking consent to alterations, extensions to leases and service charge related disputes.

Recent Work

• whether storage area was appurtenant for the purposes of enfranchisement
• whether it remains possible to occupy two homes 
• liability of the leases for electrical installations in new residential development
• forfeiting of a residential lease following persisent arrers of service charge

Commercial

Steven has over the last 5 years developed a significant successful commercial law practice. These disputes substantially involve the interpretation of commercial agreements which with Steven’s background as a property lawyer has proven invaluable. The other two principal area of commercial work that Steven concentrates upon is firstly professional negligence, which most often arises out of property transactions, such as property purchases or litigation and secondly the growth area of financial mis-selling, in particular acting in mis-sold mortgage cases.

Contractual Disputes

The description commercial disputes covers a huge variety of subject areas, from banking to partnership and from insolvency to contract. Steven has much experience in all these areas, regularly acting for clients who have been the victims of breaches of agreements. Steven’s ability to grasp the facts and apply this to the law has enabled him to be able to advise clients with sound, comprehensive advice.

Recent Work:

• Acting for a photo-copier supply company in relation to numerous hire purchase agreements;
• Acting for an internet business which had their telecommunications disconnected for three weeks;
• Acting for an International Steel trader in an action for the recovery of steel portside;
• Recovering a high worth luxury motor vehicle;
• Enforcing restrictive covenants and non-solicitation agreements;
• Volume litigation against brokers and lenders mis-selling mortgages