Practice overview
Philip is interested in work across Chambers' practice areas, with a particular interest in Property, Commercial, Construction and related Professional Negligence. Philip is in court regularly, for both applications and trials. He is also building a busy paperwork practice, both advising and settling pleadings.
Recent instructions as sole counsel have included:
- A two-day TOLATA trial involving issues of resulting and constructive trusts.
- Advising on the enforceability of restrictive covenants on a high value private estate.
- Advising a Local Authority regarding forfeiture of the village hall lease.
- Drafting pleadings in several consumer construction disputes.
- Advising on a complex possession claim following the death of a resident landlord.
Recent instructions as junior counsel have included:
- Assisting Brie Stevens-Hoare KC on a boundary dispute with background allegations of harassment and professional misconduct.
- Acting as junior (led by Michael Wheater KC) in a construction dispute concerning the defective renovation of a school hall roof.
- Advising on a claim based on adverse possession following expiry of a grazing licence.
During pupillage, Philip’s work included:
- Assisting on FM Conway Ltd v The Rugby Football Union & Ors [2023] EWCA Civ 418, the leading authority on the operation of the co-insurance defence.
- Assisting on an application regarding service by alternative means of a claim form out of the jurisdiction.
- Assisting on a high profile, 3-day trial in the FTT (General Regulatory Chamber) concerning disqualification of a charity trustee.
Philip has experience in Non-Domestic Rates litigation, having assisted with Ludgate House Limited v Andrew Ricketts (VO) and London Borough of Southwark [2023] UKUT 36 during pupillage and appearing in the Magistrate’s Court in an application to set aside a Liability Order.
Philip is also committed to pro bono work, appearing in the winding up court via the COIN scheme and representing a tenant in a possession trial where he was able to achieve a favourable settlement shortly before court. Philip also completed Advocate’s ‘Pupil Pledge’ during pupillage.
Philip studied Law at Selwyn College, Cambridge, where he received the Thomson Reuters and David Gottlieb Prizes for academic performance, as well as the Land Law Prize, and passed the BCL with Distinction at Magdalen College, Oxford.
Outside of the law, Philip enjoys playing hockey and watching cricket.
Areas of expertise
- Commercial dispute resolution
Commercial dispute resolution
Philip is building a busy commercial practice.
Recent work has included:
- Advising and drafting pleadings in asset finance claims.
- Advising in relation to alleged breaches of a motorsport contract and related indemnities.
- Appearing in court on debt recovery matters, including at the enforcement stage.
Philip also has an interest in franchising work.
Recent work in this field has included:
- Striking out a claim against a national removal services franchise.
- Successfully representing a franchisor at trial against a former franchisee.
During pupillage, Philip gained experience of a broad range of commercial litigation, including:
- Advising on the applicable law in a cross-border dispute concerning introductory agents in a real estate transaction.
- Assisting a member of chambers with an application concerning alternative service of a claim form out of the jurisdiction.
- Property
- Commercial landlord & tenant
Commercial landlord & tenant
Philip’s recent work in this area includes:
- Advising a Local Authority in forfeiture proceedings relating to the lease of a village hall.
- During pupillage, Philip assisted with a case concerning dilapidations of a large commercial office space.
- Housing (social & privately rented)
Housing (social & privately rented)
Philip has a busy Housing practice, appearing regularly in court on possession, injunction, and anti-social behaviour matters. He also has a busy paperwork practice, including advising on disrepair cases, and drafting proceedings.
Other recent work has included:
- Advising on possession and other matters following the death of a resident landlord.
- Acting pro bono in a possession trial with a disrepair counterclaim. The matter settled favourably at the door of court.
- Drafting written representations following service of a Notice of Intent for breach of HMO licensing requirements.
- Real property & mortgages
Real property & mortgages
Philip has a busy Real Property practice, both in court and paperwork. Recent work has included:
- A two-day TOLATA trial involving a dispute over a former family home.
- Assisting Brie Stevens-Hoare KC in a boundary dispute which also involves allegations of harassment and stalking.
- Advising (led by Emily Betts) on adverse possession of farmland following expiry of a grazing licence.
- Advising and settling pleadings in a claim against mortgagees for sale at an undervalue.
- Advising on the enforceability of freehold covenants on a high value private estate.
- Appearing in the Magistrate’s court in an application to set aside a Non-Domestic Rates Liability Order.
- Settling pleadings in a nuisance claim following a leaking pipe adjacent to a golf course.
Philip gained broad experience in Real Property disputes during pupillage, including:
- Assisting with drafting pleadings in a proprietary estoppel claim.
- Assisting in Ludgate House Limited v Andrew Ricketts (VO) and London Borough of Southwark [2023] UKUT 36, the leading case on the effectiveness of property guardianship schemes as rate mitigation devices.
- Assisting a member of chambers in complex possession proceedings involving subrogation and overriding interests.
- Commercial landlord & tenant
- Construction & engineering
Construction & engineering
Philip’s recent construction work has included:
- Resisting a claim for payment of adjudicator’s fees where the adjudicator resigned without giving a decision.
- Acting as a junior (led by Michael Wheater KC) on a dispute involving the defective renovation of a school hall roof.
- Drafting, advising, and representing clients in consumer construction disputes.
Philip gained an experience of a range of construction disputes during pupillage, including assisting on FM Conway Ltd v The Rugby Football Union & Ors [2023] EWCA Civ 418 and advising a management company on the remedies available under the Building Safety Act 2022.
- Insurance
Insurance
During pupillage, Philip assisted on FM Conway Ltd v The Rugby Football Union & Ors [2023] EWCA Civ 418, the leading case on the co-insurance defence. He also assisted a member of chambers advising on the ability to pursue claims against a dissolved company’s insurer.
Qualifications
MA – University of Cambridge, Law, Double First
BCL – Oxford, Distinction
BPC – University of Law, Outstanding
Professional associations
Property Bar Association
