Cripps

Property Dispute Resolution

Partner

Gail is a Partner in the litigation and dispute resolution department and heads up the cross-departmental property litigation team which specialises in contentious business lease renewals, forfeiture and possession proceedings, rent reviews, landlord and tenant disputes and issues arising from the use of land, such as claims for adverse possession, disputed rights of way and nuisance actions.

Gail is extremely knowledgeable within the complex property litigation field. Open, honest, calm under pressure and easy to work with, Gail has extensive experience in claims before the County Court, the High Court and the First Tier Tribunal.  She has been involved in numerous mediations and has successfully assisted clients with both arbitrations and adjudications.

Be it advising on matters arising from the use and occupation of property, or assisting commercial landlords and tenants with the issues and milestones which may occur during the course of a business lease, Gail is a fierce advocate who can confidently fight a client’s position as robustly as needed to achieve a resolution that protects or strengthens a client’s business interests and gets the best outcome for the client.

Gail has previous real estate experience and works closely with the commercial property team. Her niche expertise and experience allow her to bring a commercial perspective to the complexities of property litigation law. She fully knows her way around a lease and other property documents and is well placed to deal with any property issues that arise.

Key Recent Work Highlights: 

Assisted in relation to multiple actions against one of the leading suppliers to the construction industry in the East of England arising out of sums due under various construction contracts. Acted for a well-known national charity in relation to its property portfolio. Recent instructions have included recovering possession from squatters at several of its commercial properties in London, advice on a dilapidations claim brought against it by a freeholder and recovering possession of a property held on an unusual form of shared ownership lease by one of its former employees. Pursued a successful expert determination of the right for a large property development company to serve notice of exclusion under a partnership deed on its joint venture partner, giving it the right to then purchase the defaulting partner’s interest at market value. Assisted a landowner in the successful renegotiation of terms of the sale of property via an option agreement to a developer. Successfully enforced an adjudication award in relation to reviewed rent for a commercial landlord via a summary judgment application, which was judgment was then upheld on appeal. Advised a local football club on all aspects relating to a contentious business lease renewal, where the football club needed to hive off part of the land for development to fund its new ground. Agreed an interim rent in relation to a mixed use premises for a commercial landlord (having first successfully opposed the grant of a new lease to the tenant due to the tenant's persistently poor conduct and default). Settled a claim in relation to a disputed lease extension for a long leaseholder of a flat in London.