Renowned as “ruthless in cross-examinations”, Zia is a specialist property litigation and commercial chancery barrister, whose broad practice encompasses all areas of real property and landlord and tenant work. Equally expert in a range of related chancery disputes, including company and insolvency matters, she boasts specialist experience in telecoms litigation, and social housing.
When a case demands the best, few can rival Zia’s expertise. Clients and instructing solicitors rave about her “incredibly sharp legal brain,” her “user-friendly and pragmatic” approach, and her devastating courtroom skills, with one labelling her “the best cross-examiner I have ever seen.” These abilities are complemented by written advocacy “so exceptional that the opposing side will often do everything to avoid going to trial,” while her renowned commitment to client service makes her the complete package.
Focussed on the fields of real property and landlord and tenant , her practice spans the whole property litigation field. Zia has considerable experience in rent review, valuation issues generally, the 1954 Act, easements, dilapidations, service charges, and overage disputes, as well as litigation involving sale, finance and development agreements, including development disputes with significant planning elements. Release fee damages is another field in which she has a particular interest and experience.
Zia’s wealth of specialist knowledge sets her apart from the competition. With her background in commercial chancery work, she has noteworthy expertise in company and insolvency law, making her a natural choice for disputes arising from property insolvencies. Niche mines and minerals and telecoms law knowhow, and close familiarity with social housing matters round off her broad practice.
In all of these areas, Zia has experience of high-level litigation, appearing in courts at all levels, including the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, in large important cases. These don’t come larger than R (on the application of Annington Property Ltd and others v Secretary of State for Defence [2023] EWHC 1154 (Admin) 1155 (Ch). This widely reported matter, named as one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of 2023 and Top Ten appeals of 2024, relates to the sale and leaseback of 55,000 dwellings on 765 sites used to house military personnel, for £1.662 billion. It arises from the MoD’s decision to serve enfranchisement notices under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 in relation to eight properties as test cases. Annington’s challenge to these notices raised a number of complex questions under the 1967 Act and the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954, heard with a judicial review.
Though undoubtedly her largest case, this is far from Zia’s only important recent matter, with other reported highlights including Almacantar (Marble Arch) SARL v Railway Pension Exempt Unit Trust [2021] EWHC 2385 (comm) on the interpretation of an agreement for sale, stamp duty and estoppel by convention and Howard and others v Chelsea Yacht and Boat Co Ltd [2020] EWHC 12 (Ch), on whether the Chelsea Yacht & Boat Co had breached its River Works Licence and committed a criminal offence.
Zia has represented clients in mediations for over 25 years and is an ADR Group accredited mediator. She has successfully mediated numerous large and multi-party disputes.
Zia was born in Tanzania, grew up in Kenya, and speaks Swahili and Cutchi.
• LLB (Lond)
• LLM (Lond) (Company law, and international corporate and commercial finance).
Memberships
• Bencher of Middle Temple (2014)
• Chancery Bar Association
• Property Bar Association (Chairman from 2014)
Languages
• Swahili
• Cutchi