EXPERTISE
Housing Law
Gary’s practice covers all areas of social housing litigation and landlord and tenant disputes. He worked for over 10 years as a solicitor for a local authority and then in private practice exclusively for social landlords. He has focussed over the last decade on legally-aided tenant work. He hopes to draw upon this experience at Trinity by developing a mixed practice of landlord and tenant work.
In 2023, he was ranked for Social Housing (Northern/North Eastern (Bar)) in Band 1 and for Social Housing (Northern Circuit) as a Tier 1 leading junior.
He is available for advice, drafting and advocacy across the full range of housing issues and is available for conferences and early tactical advice by telephone:
- All types of claims for possession
- Anti-social behaviour possession, injunctions and committals
- Bringing and defending claims in housing cases where the tenant lacks capacity, having been instructed by the Official Solicitor and other litigation friends
- “Hoarding” cases
- Cases involving Article 8
- Cases where the Equality Act 2010 is engaged, including the Public Sector Equality Duty and section 15 and 19 discrimination
- Claims concerning unlawful eviction injunctions and damages
- Succession to tenancy and “failed successors”
- Residential disrepair claims including damages and specific performance
- Public law challenges concerning homelessness and allocation of housing, public law defences to possession claims, s. 204 appeals to the County Court
Court of Protection
Alongside his housing practice, Gary regularly deals with matters in the Court of Protection. He has experience of bringing and responding to section 21A challenges to DOLS and regularly appears in personal welfare applications for P, local authorities and family members. He has experience of appearing in related matters where the parties are involved in housing cases in the County Court and the Court of Protection.
LECTURES & SEMINARS
As a former lecturer in HE and FE, he is an experienced and effective trainer adept at meeting the needs of solicitors and housing officers in an accessible, useful and memorable manner on substantive and procedural law relating to housing and mental capacity. He is also registered as a pupil supervisor.
MEMBERSHIPS
EDUCATION
- Graduate Diploma in Law
- Legal Practice Course
- Bar Transfer Test
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Gary is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
