Practice overview
John’s practice is primarily based on advice and representation in relation to the law of property, dealing regularly with owners of freehold and leasehold interests in land.
He also handles professional negligence litigation in relation to property professionals as well as commercial insolvency and general contractual disputes, where his property expertise gives him the edge.
“An extremely capable and experienced advocate”, the legal directories recommend him not only as “the quality of his work is excellent” but also because he is “very easy to deal with” and “highly approachable”.
In a previous life John was a civil servant working in matters concerning defence and foreign affairs.
Areas of expertise
Directory recommendations
John is recommended in both Chambers UK and Legal 500 for Property/Real Estate Litigation. He is also recommended for Commercial Dispute Resolution in Chambers UK.
- “John Clargo is an exceptional advocate, and his advice and client care are excellent.” “John is an exceptional barrister whose knowledge and expertise are incredible. He is a fantastic advocate.” (Chambers and Partners 2025, Real Estate Litigation)
- “John is strong both in advocacy and on paper. He has always displayed a firm grasp of the issues and the law.” (The Legal 500 2025, Property litigation, South Eastern circuit)
- “An exceptional advocate who is extremely knowledgeable. His written work is first rate.” (The Legal 500 2025, Property litigation)
- “Very incisive, getting to the core of the issue and giving good clear, concise advice. Very quick turnaround. Excellent communications.” (The Legal 500 2024, Property Litigation)
- “John has excellent advocacy skills. He reads the judge well and knows which points to make. He is very good and calm with clients.” (The Legal 500, 2024, Property and Construction, South Eastern Circuit)
- “A good all-round barrister.” (Chambers and Partners 2024, Real Estate Litigation)
- “John is very competent and always gets results.” (Chambers UK, 2023)
- “Very well prepared and compelling in court, John is an exceptionally good advocate. He is candid in his advice while still remaining very approachable for clients.” (The Legal 500, 2023)
- “John has an excellent cross-examination style, good means of explaining matters in simple terms to clients. He provides a prompt and succinct advice.” (The Legal 500, 2023)
- “He is very good at seeing through a problem and pinpointing exactly what the crux of the matter is, before thinking outside the box for solutions or answers.” “He is a particularly thorough and knowledgeable barrister who demonstrates an impressive ability to cross-examine and persuade the judge of the cogency of his arguments.” (Chambers UK)
- “He is a particularly thorough and knowledgeable barrister.” “Sophisticated and persuasive advocate.” (Chambers UK)
- “Provides clear and practical advice.” “He is very commercial and sensible and turns work around quickly.” (Chambers UK)
- “Good at looking at things laterally and holistically. He’s easy to talk to and very user-friendly. His range of expertise on property matters seems endless. Excellent under pressure and a good courtroom advocate.” (Chambers UK)
- “He delivers succinct and relevant advice for the client. He’s very pragmatic and approachable, and keeps an eye on the end result. He’s an excellent advocate.” (Chambers UK)
- “Very bright. His written work is always of an excellent calibre and he is accessible to clients.” (Chambers UK)
- “A calm and measured advocate with a great grasp of the facts.” (Legal 500)
- “His depth of experience and expertise mean he is extremely useful to have as part of a legal team.” (Legal 500)
- “Very commercial and thinks outside the box.” (Legal 500)
- “A tenacious advocate with strong technical skills.” (Legal 500)
- “A first-rate advocate, who is well liked by clients.” (Legal 500)
- “His ability to handle figures and details are a particular strength.” (Chambers UK)
Professional associations
- Property Bar Association
- Chancery Bar Association
- London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association
Publications
Contributor to Risk & Negligence in Property Transactions (The Law Society) – publication late 2018.
Qualifications
- MA (Oxon)
- Post-graduate certificate in Law
- Postgraduate certificate in Russian
Languages
German
French
Russian
