Ropewalk Chambers

Commercial dispute resolution, property & real estate, housing, personal injury, public sector & not for profit, counter fraud.

Mark is a specialist in personal injury, commercial, property and chancery, counter fraud and public sector matters. He regularly delivers lectures and talks to solicitors and other interested parties on topical legal subjects. Recent subjects dealt with include forfeiture and relief and the tactical use of proceedings for negative declaratory relief in road traffic cases. He is registered with the Bar Council to undertake Public Access work and is able to receive instructions directly from lay clients, as well as those on the traditional professional client basis. Notable cases include: Forcelux Ltd v Binnie [2010] HLR 20 (case concerning the correct meaning of the word ‘trial’ in Part 39.3 of the CPR and whether the first hearing of a possession claim is a trial so as to limit the court’s powers to set aside an order made at that hearing. The case also dealt with the correct interpretation of a covenant in the lease requiring the tenant to pay the landlord’s costs of forfeiture proceedings on the indemnity basis); BSS Group plc v Makers UK Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 809 (case concerning a dispute about the sale of goods. In particular whether the purpose for which the goods were to be used had been communicated to the seller); Long v Tolchard & Sons Ltd [2001] PIQR P2 (second junior counsel in a case where the defendant successfully applied for permission to appeal a decision on limitation out of time and relying principally on evidence given by the claimant at the quantum trial which had a bearing on his date of knowledge).

Called 1996.

Personal Injuries Bar Association; Professional Negligence Bar Association.

University of Glamorgan (LLB Hons 1st Class); University of Nottingham (LLM International Commercial Law Distinction) – represented the university at the Willem C Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, competing against 22 universities from 18 countries. The University of Nottingham team was placed second, with Mark being recognised as one of the competition’s ten best advocates.