Helen Bell > Mayo Wynne Baxter LLP > Brighton, England > Lawyer Profile

Prior to being appointed as Board Chair in 2021, Helen headed up the Litigation Department for 6 years.

Helen has over 20 years experience of giving specialist property dispute related advice, having qualified in 1998. She is based in our Brighton office, and her clients include trusts, developers, commercial landlords and tenants, property managing agents and the private individual.

The range of disputes that Helen advises on is extensive; they include, for example, complex dilapidation cases for both the landlord and the tenant, lease renewals, rent & service charge recovery, forfeiture, boundary disputes, claims for rights of way or interference with these rights, other breaches of covenant and modification, adverse possession claims, co-ownership disputes relating to the beneficial interest, obtaining an order for sale where one owner objects and general landlord and tenant disputes. In addition, Helen deals with all nature of possession actions, whether the occupier is a tenant, licensee or a trespasser and professional negligence claims where there is a property angle such as those against architects.

Helen is frequently commended by her clients for her clarity of advice, professional approach and the ability to focus on their desired outcome. Her approach is underpinned by the knowledge that all clients desire the best possible outcome but balanced with a commercial focus. In this regard,

Helen has been a qualified commercial mediator since 2004 and is therefore well placed to advise when mediation may be appropriate. She is also a member of The Property Litigation Association.

February 2022 – Lawyer in the News – Helen Bell

Why is she in the news? Won a breakthrough case enabling a group of holiday home leaseholders to apply to purchase the freehold of their properties by proving that the properties could be defined as ‘houses’ under law.