Profile

• LLM Corporate & Commercial Law (London School of Economics) Winner of the Blackstone Chambers Prize for Commercial Law 2006
• LLB Law (First Class Honours)
• Member of ELA
• Called to the Bar 2006

Christine's practice covers all areas of civil litigation, but she has a particular interest in matters involving real property (trusts of land, mortgages and right to buy), landlord & tenant (social housing, residential and commercial) and local authority litigation.

REAL PROPERTY

Acting for both claimants and defendants, Christine is regularly instructed in disputes where trusts of land are at issue. These have included interests arising under the right to buy legislation, jointly owned property and transfers between family members. She is also regularly instructed in mortgage possession proceedings and has appeared for the defendant in a number of cases where the mortgage secured the borrowing of a third party.
Other recent cases have also been concerned with the enforcement of covenants and repairing obligations in long leases, forfeiture and leasehold enfranchisement.

LANDLORD & TENANT

In social housing matters, Christine acts for local authorities and tenants in possession proceedings, including those on the grounds of subletting, nuisance and anti-social behaviour, and in matters concerning homelessness and allocations.
In the private sector, recent cases have involved residential possession proceedings, tenancy deposit disputes, business tenancies, forfeiture, leasehold dilapidations and disrepair claims.

LOCAL AUTHORITY LITIGATION

Christine is regularly instructed to act both for and against local authorities and is particularly effective in matters that encompass both public and private law issues. Recent cases have involved contracts with care providers, disputes concerning community care and other welfare services, claims for damages arising from the exercise of statutory duties and Court of Protection proceedings to protect the property of vulnerable adults.
Building on that experience, Christine has also developed considerable specialist knowledge in the field of charging for residential care and community care services and on the treatment of property in particular. Cases have concerned the deprivation of assets, the application of the notional capital rules, the valuation of jointly owned property and the required burden and standard of proof. She also regularly advises on the treatment of complex investments and trusts in the financial assessment process.

OTHER AREAS OF PRACTICE

• Consumer credit.
• Personal and corporate insolvency.
• General contract disputes.
• Enforcement proceedings.
• Employment and professional disciplinary actions.

PUBLICATIONS

• Care Home Charges - Real Property and Notional Capital, Solicitors Journal, Private Client Focus 26th October 2007.
• Television on the Internet: Regulating New Ways of Viewing, Information and Communications Technology Law 16(1) March 2007.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

Christine joined Field Court Chambers having retrained as a barrister after almost 20 successful years in the IT industry.