Gareth specialises in chancery and commercial work.
His practice includes land law, probate and trusts, inheritance and family provision company law and insolvency, landlord and tenant and professional negligence with his property work being particularly recommended by The Legal 500. His commercial practice covers defamation, company law, insolvency, partnership disputes and property whilst his chancery caseload includes disputes both over land and contentious probate.
The Legal 500 recommends him as being “noted for his experience in boundary disputes, trespass matters and Land Registration adjudications” and previous editions have reported that “his practice includes restrictive covenants” and that he is ‘recommended for boundary disputes, adverse possession claims, and sales and trusts of land.’
Gareth has developed a thriving regulatory practice and is preferred Counsel to the Chartered Insurance Institute, the leading professional body for the global financial services profession, and he regularly advises and represents company directors in relation to Companies Act 2006 offences.
Gareth has developed a practice acting for both Claimants and Defendants in defamation claims. His significant cases include Talbot v Elsbury (2011) HC (CDR) .L.R. 2012, 19(5), 220), Law Review (C.T.L.R. 142.) concerning a high profile use of information technology to publish defamatory remarks by politicians, on Twitter during an election campaign.
He also undertakes multi-track personal injury and clinical negligence work for both claimants and defendants.
Gareth’s Commercial & Business Disputes caseload includes:
- Commercial property including rent reviews and leasehold enfranchisement
- Common law contractual disputes
- Company law including directors’ duties and shareholders agreements
- Insolvency
- Landlord and tenant
- Partnership
Gareth’s Chancery (Land) caseload includes:
- Adverse possession
- Boundaries
- Easements
- Land Registration adjudications
- Nuisance
- Planning
- Restrictive covenants
- Sales and Trust of Land
- Trespass
Gareth’s Chancery (Trusts & Probate) caseload includes:
- Administration of estates
- Contentious probate
- Implied, constructive and resulting Trusts
- Inheritance Act
- Wills
Gareth’s significant recent cases include:
- Williams (Deceased), Re [2021] EWHC 586 (Ch) [2021] 3 WLUK 236 Chancery Division Estates
HHJ Keyser QC
In which Gareth appeared for the first and fourth defendants validity of a will/ want of knowledge and approval/ Omission of specific words within a will pursuant to the jurisdiction set out in Marley v Rawlings [2014] UKSC 2, [2015] A.C. 129, [2014] 1 WLUK 446.
- Brian Hugh Mayberry Bellingham And Mrs Gaynor Anne Brace (8th January 2021) (Ref/2019/0924 Property Chamber, Land Registration Division First-Tier Tribunal)
Real Property
First registration of title to unregistered land/ construction of deeds/ ad medium filum and Giles v County Building Contractors (Hertford limited (1971) 22 P & CR 978 ChD).
- Gerald John Ballinger and Catharine Bennett (As Personal Representative Of The Estate Of Margaret Rosemary Ballinger Dec’d) (2020) High Court Chancery Division Cardiff District Registry
Estates
HHJ Jarman QC
Claim for removal and replacement of administrator/ s.50 Administration of Justice Act 1985/ competing claims in advance of delay in sale of estate land and the consequential delay in distribution of sale proceeds to the claimant as successor Letterstedt v Broers (1884) 9 App Cas 371 andThomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation v Carvel [2007] EWHC 1314 (Ch); [2008] Ch. 395
- Mr Philip Lloyd Dinham OBE Mrs Victoria Joan Dinham and Mr Roy Edward Watson Mrs Margaret Ann Watson Miss Clare Watson (2021) HC Newcastle District registry
Real property/enforcement
HHJ Kramer
Easements/ Compromise/Tomlin Orders/ Enforcement/Specific performance/Substituted, or Alternative, Performance of obligations under compromise Liberty Mercian Limited v Cuddy Civil Engineering Ltd & another No.2 [2013] EWHC 4110 (TCC) and No.3 [2014] EWHC 3584
- Knightsbridge Property Development Corporation (Uk) Limited Claimant/Applicant And Ibrid Sl (A Company Domiciled In And Incorporated Under The Laws Of Andorra) (1) Mr John Breeds (2) (2020) HC
Property Trusts/Enforcement
HHJ Keyser QC
Director unauthorised to effect a transfer of land belonging to company/set aside/rectification of register/ orders for sale/ service of proceedings issues in the Andorran domicile of the Defendant company were addressed in addition to exploring the broad power of the court under ss.14 and 15 (Bagum v Hafiz [2015] EWCA civ 801)
- Lindsay v Powys County Council [2023] UKFTT 00347 (PC) easement to park/permission/ouster
Gareth is a member of the Wales Specialist Bar Association and the Wales Commercial Law Association and often gives seminars and training to lawyers on the Wales & Chester Circuit.
- Cardiff High School
- Cardiff University
- Inns of Court School of Law, High Holborn.
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