Region Area

Barristers

Martin Dray

Martin Dray

Position

Barrister specialising in all aspects of real property law including landlord and tenant, adverse possession, contractual interpretation, easements, land registration, options, rights of pre-emption, restrictive covenants, development and overage agreements, and leasehold enfranchisement.

Cases include: Fivaz v Marlborough Knightsbridge Management Ltd [2020] UKUT 138 (Ch) (whether entrance door a landlord’s fixture); Corinium Gym Ventures Ltd v Stroud Regeneration Ltd [2019] EWHC 1589 (Ch) (wrongful rescission of agreement for lease; claim for specific performance and damages; liability for costs after concessions and compromise); O’Connor v The Proprietors, Strata Plan No.51 [2017] UKPC 45 (condominium strata title in the Turks and Caicos Islands; whether by-laws prohibiting short-term renting valid as restriction on use or invalid as a restriction on dealings), Patel v Freddy's Ltd [2017] EWHC 73 (Ch) (land registration; rectification of the register; No.1 Deansgate (Residential) Ltd v No.1 Deansgate RTM Company Ltd [2013] UKUT Civ 0580 (LC) (right to manage); Dyer v Terry [2013] EWHC 209 (Ch) (adverse possession); Miller Properties Inc v Pastoll [2010] EWHC 2364 (Ch) (equitable charge; possession and sale); Donington Park Leisure Ltd v Wheatcroft & Son Ltd [2006] All ER (D) 94 (Apr) (contract terms); Topplan Estates Ltd v Townley [2004] EWCA Civ 1369, CA (adverse possession);

Macepark (Whittlebury) Ltd v Sargeant [2003] 1 WLR 2284, ChD (right of way – whether use of non-dominant land legitimate); JA Pye (Oxford) Ltd v Graham [2003] 1 AC 419, HL (adverse possession); Hallam Land Management Ltd v RJB Mining (UK) Ltd [2002] 2 EGLR 80, CA (claim for specific performance of option agreement).

Career

Qualified 1992, Gray’s Inn; deputy adjudicator to HM Land Registry 2008; judge of the first tier tribunal (property chamber) (part-time) 2013; deputy district judge 2015. Publications: contributor to The Law and Practice of Charging Orders on Land, 2013; joint editor, ‘Barnsley’s Land Options’ 4th edition, 2005, 5th edition, 2009 and 6th edition, 2016; contributor to Fisher & Lightwood’s ‘Law Of Mortgage’, 11th edition, 2001.

Memberships

Property Bar Association; Chancery Bar Association; LCLCBA.

Education

Christ’s Hospital; University of Bristol (1991 LLB Hons).

Mentions

London Bar

Property litigation

Leading junior1
Martin Dray – Falcon Chambers ‘A meticulous junior, who is a go-to counsel for complex property contract disputes.'