Barrister Profile
John joined chambers as a pupil in April 2017. He previously served as an engineer in the Royal Navy where demanding roles in specialist areas such a Mine Countermeasures and boarding operations, he used his peerless capacity and motivation to work gain impressive qualifications in his spare time through the Open University. John converted to law in 2014 and his aptitude for legal argument and persuasive advocacy quickly became apparent when he was selected for three hotly contested scholarships by his Inn of Court and his training providers.
Throughout the journey to the Bar, John volunteered extensively e.g. for the National Centre for Domestic Violence and the Free Representation Unit, where his life experience was especially valuable in interacting and reassuring traumatised clients. He also taught debating skills to children and prisoners as part of the Vocalise program. He then acquired substantial pre-pupillage experience as a solicitor’s agent and significant exposure to the County Courts on the Western and South Eastern Circuits where he was instructed in many commercial, infant approval and housing matters. Since first running his own cases from October 2017 onwards, John has built up an extensive oral practice in family and employment law, as well as continuing to appear in possession matters and disposal hearings. He regularly appears in fast-track and multi-track cases involving personal injury.
Expertise
Family: Finance
John accepts instructions for Applicant’s and Respondents and has appeared in many final hearings involving substantial assets, as well as routinely attending first directions appointments and Financial Dispute Resolution hearings. He has also appeared in final hearings under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 for financial provision for children.
He also has good experience of cross-over work including insolvency, commercial or familial intervening within proceedings. John enjoys the cut and thrust of advising and representing former marital partners in financial order proceedings and cohabitants in disputes under TOLATA and also has experience of advising family members, dependents, former marital partners and cohabitants in actions concerning the administration of estates.
Employment & Discrimination
John accepts instructions and appears for both sides all over the country in contested matters, recently appeared in complicated trials lasting up to eight days. In this field, John’s academic prowess comes and particular interest in contract law comes into its own. He also accepts instructions in employment matters in the civil courts and has a particular interest in restrictive covenant disputes.
Chancery and Commercial
John appears regularly the Western and South Eastern Circuits in mortgage repossessions, mortgage applications, private, social housing and commercial landlord and tenant disputes, trespassing matters, LPA receiver’s applications, applications for orders of sale hearings and applications in contemplation of forfeiture of a lease.
John is developing a busy commercial and chancery practice with a strong emphasis on commercial litigation, contentious trusts and probate (onshore and offshore), company and insolvency. John has acted for a range of clients, including trustees, insolvency practitioners, national and international companies. Recent instructions include advising on equitable accounting in relation to revenue from an overseas asset. He regularly advises both in conference and in writing in diverse matters ranging from applications to set aside wills to rights of way to the enforceability of contracts.
Commercial Chancery
John has represented clients in a broad range of commercial disputes at both interim and contested stages and advised extensively. Recent instructions include advising on the enforceability of a joint venture agreement and whether the agreement fell foul of the FSMA 2000 and RAO.
Company Law
John is well placed to advise in all aspects of Company law and has advised and attended court in a wide range of disputes including disputes over the existence of shadow directors and wrongful trading.
Contractual disputes
John has appeared in complex contractual disputes and advised in diverse matters including disputes over option agreements, unpaid royalties and the enforceability of agreements challenged as having resulted from duress or undue influence.
Insolvency and liquidation
As well as appearing in a great many personal insolvency matters, John has advised on corporate insolvency matters and has a particularly keen interest in international insolvency law.
Professional Negligence
John advises regularly in this area and has attended multi-track hearings involving medical negligence as well as extensively dealing with more general matters of negligence.
Cases of note
- VT v LT [2023] EWFC 256 (B) – Creating Two Households from Limited Assets