Leading property barristers advising on real estate issues
3PB’s Property and Estates group consists of over 47 practising property barristers, ranging from King's Counsel to specialist juniors and pupils. Our team offers experience of appearing in the appellate and first instance courts and specialist property tribunals. Our clients range from FTSE 250 companies and management companies to developers and individuals. We also act for large institutions such as insurers, local authorities and registered providers of social housing.
The property team offers a full legal advisory and advocacy service across the entire real estate sphere, including matters relating to; development projects, planning, land use, covenants, tax, build issues (including delay), adjudications, supply chain issues, landlord and tenant (both commercial property and residential property), lease renewals, enfranchisement, possession, mortgage disputes, charges and orders for sale.
We also offer experts who can provide specific advice on the tax implications of SDLT liabilities and VAT on land and building purchases.
3PB’s probate barristers have extensive experience and expertise in all areas of contentious and non-contentious probate, Inheritance Act (including inheritance tax) and private client matters. Our team are regularly instructed by beneficiaries, executors and trustees, and other interested parties. We advise at all stages of a matter, regularly giving initial tactical advice, assisting in settlement meetings (including ADR) and representing at court.
Both our property and probate teams offer specialists in Court of Protection matters, with members’ experience extending from property and family affairs to health and welfare matters. Where these matters cross over into other areas of law, such as family and personal injury, we use the skill sets in chambers’ wider teams to assist in resolving our clients’ disputes.
Chambers’ wide-ranging experience across the spheres of property and probate law gives our teams a unique access to a wide knowledge base to provide specialists to our clients across multiple disciplines to assist on matters where issues cross over different areas law.
Please click on the specialist areas to the right for further information on our services.
Two members of our team, William Webster and Robert Weatherley, are published authors on property practitioners’ textbooks:
- Restrictions on the Use of Land, a compendium intended to provide the busy practitioner with a guide to almost anything that impinges on land ownership and transactions
- Planning a practitioners handbook – a single volume handbook which covers everything planning.
Both published by Wildy & Sons.
Wildy & Sons published a book by William Webster "Renewable Energy from Wind and Solar Power: Law and Regulation". Details can be found here.
With offices in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Oxford and Winchester all equipped with modern conferencing and video link facilities, we are able to assist across the UK.
The group's practice management team can be reached here.
Legal 500 notes that 3PB is "an excellent set" that is "very accessible and multi-talented" with "a wide variety of experienced property barristers.” The Property team is a “strong set providing significant litigation and commercial presence" who "take a leading role across all aspects of entire real estate disputes." 3PB has "strong barristers, even at a very junior level, and the quality of advice and advocacy never fails to impress.” The set is a “powerhouse of commercially minded, shrewd and highly competent barristers. The property and estates department offers competitive rates for advice, attendance, and truly fantastic assistance in complex legal matters.” 3PB has broad - ranging expertise across the whole spectrum of commercial property and residential issues for developers and private individuals "offering a wide variety of barristers who work collaboratively on matters where appropriate." The group has built a strong reputation for handling contentious probate disputes, with a particular focus on Inheritance Act claims and other private client matters. The team is well-equipped at handling matters related to both mediation and litigation and has "a particularly strong capability in handling disputes relating to covenants, enfranchisement, possession and residential and commercial landlord and tenant."
Our Property and Estates Barristers...
-
3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) is delighted to announce that property, commercial and chancery barrister Thomas Talbot-Ponsonby will officially be appointed as a District Judge from Monday 6 January 2025. District Judge Talbot-Ponsonby will sit on the South Eastern Circuit and be based at the Slough Law Courts. Thomas was called to the Bar in 2011 and was appointed as a Deputy District Judge and a fee-paid Employment Judge in 2021. Before coming to the...
Continue reading -
Oliver Nunn teamed up with Browne Jacobson’s Leah Jones, Naomi De Silva and Samantha Harms to deliver in Cardiff on 21 November a day’s training for the Ministry of Justice Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service providers, as part of the HLPAS Support Service. While Samantha Harms considered the benefits of embedding O Shaped values in working practices, Oliver Nunn provided a legal update, an analysis of current trends in possession work in the County Court...
Continue reading -
The 270-barrister national chambers, 3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings), is delighted to announce that Matthew Cannings - who heads 3PB's Property and Estates Group - has been appointed by His Majesty the King as a Recorder on the Western Circuit. His part-time judicial appointment takes effect from next Monday 18 November 2024. Matthew was called to the bar in 2006 and was appointed as a part-time Deputy District Judge in 2019. Matthew has nearly twenty...
Continue reading -
3PB are pleased to announce that barristers Alice Horn, Jack Felvus and Laurie-Elizabeth Ketley (pictured here, left to right) have successfully completed their twelve-month pupillages and become members of the 250-barrister, national chambers. Former Prince of Wales and David Karmel Scholar Alice Horn (call:2022) joins following a ten-year career in industry internationally. Alice is a much-in-demand barrister with significant experience in both County Court and High Court matters and specialises in commercial litigation, adjudication and...
Continue reading -
3PB’s national Property and Estates team has been rewarded in Chambers and Partners’ latest set of results with 11 rankings spanning its Real Estate Litigation, Chancery, Construction, Planning and Social Housing expertise. While our barristers attract praise for their knowledge, commercial awareness, advocacy and client skills, our real estate litigators earn a team ranking in Band 2 in South Eastern. Headed by Chambers Director Mark Heath, the clerks are complimented for being 'very responsive and...
Continue reading -
3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) breaks another record in the latest edition of Chambers and Partners with a total of 96 rankings (81 last year) achieved by 80 of its barristers. The national set is rewarded with accolades in 21 areas of law, in the London Bar as well as in the North Eastern, South Eastern, Western and Midlands Circuits and exceptional comments for its expertise and service delivery. Click here to view the full...
Continue reading -
The three pupils starting their twelve-month pupillages, pictured left to right from the top, are: former Fleet Air Arm Officer James Hume who is focused on commercial litigation and arbitration as well as property and construction law; former paralegal in Slaughter and May’s Disputes and Investigation team Emily Hayward is focusing on civil law disputes, particularly commercial, property and personal injury and Victoria Holland, a former human rights paralegal with law firm Hickman & Rose,...
Continue reading -
3PB is delighted to announce a total of 15 rankings for its property, estates and chancery specialists in the Legal 500 2025 edition. The team retains its Tier 2 ranking for Property and Construction in South Eastern; and its Tier 3 ranking for Property and Construction in Western. New rankings have been gained for social housing; agricultural property work; and property and construction work. The team is acknowledged as "‘an excellent set’ with ‘a number of excellent...
Continue reading -
3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings), one of the UK's largest chambers, is celebrating this year again its rankings - totalling 167 - in the Legal 500 2025’s edition published today, a 15% increase on last year’s 145. The set is ranked in 23 areas of law, across 4 UK Circuits: London, South Eastern, Western and the Midlands. 3PB’s barristers are also ranked in the Middle East and Asia Pacific regions. The Legal 500 acknowledges 3PB...
Continue reading -
Former Solicitor General in England and Wales, the Rt.Hon. Michael Tomlinson KC (call:2002) is returning to 3PB (3 Paper Buildings) to practice as a barrister after more than 9 years as an MP and becoming one of UK’s top law enforcement officers. Michael was the first newly appointed King’s Counsel in 2022 and was sworn in as a member of His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council in February 2024. Michael will be based in the...
Continue reading -
Oliver Nunn (Call: 2011) has joined 3PB (3 Paper Buildings) from KCH Garden Square Chambers. Oliver specialises in real estate disputes and his busy practice covers Landlord and Tenant disputes in the private residential and social housing sectors, agricultural tenancies and commercial leases. Highly rated as a property and social housing barrister by both Chambers UK and Legal 500, Oliver has significant experience representing institutional investors such as housing associations and local authorities in property-related...
Continue reading -
Rachel Bale, one of 3PB's chancery and property barristers, provided an in-depth seminar to thirty members of law firm Pennington Manches Cooper's Real Estate and Family team on "All matters TOLATA". The interactive seminar involved a comprehensive overview of trusts arising in both domestic and commercial contexts, updates on key precedents such as Hudson v Hathaway [2022] EWCA Civ 1648 as well as a review of the court's approach to equitable accounting. Rachel also gave...
Continue reading
-
3PB's ToLATA 1996 Update - 10 December on Zoom
Date: Tuesday 10th Dec 2024 Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Venue: On Zoom 3PB Barristers are hosting a free ToLATA 1996 webinar update via Zoom on Tuesday 10 December at 11:00 for one hour. Members of both the Property & Estates and Family Group, Hamish Dunlop, Louise Worton and Rachel Bale, join together to consider co-habitee and co-owner rights, correct procedure under Civil Procedural Rules, pitfalls to avoid and other issues under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996. Our specialists will also reflect on how…
Recommendations
Chambers UK 2025
3PB Barristers has a strong bench of real property practitioners with a wealth of knowledge in commercial and residential matters. The members of the set have wide-ranging expertise covering all aspects of real estate litigation including leasehold matters, rights of way and breach of covenant disputes, as well as possession cases. The set is also well versed in TOLATA issues. A recent work highlight for the set is Hambling & Hambling v Wakerly & Wakerly, a High Court appeal relating to a right of way dispute. An interviewee comments: "The level of expertise is reflected in the novel and practical solutions suggested in complex and sophisticated litigation."
Client service:
"Joe Townsend, senior practice manager, is the model clerk. Easy to get a hold of, charming, diligent, fair with fees - everything to make the engagement with chambers easy and enjoyable."
"The clerks are always willing to work within the budgets set to find a solution that works for the client."
"Clerks at the set are very responsive and accommodating. They are attuned to the needs of clients and those instructing."
Legal 500 2025
3PB is ‘an excellent set’ which has ‘a number of excellent barristers’ who take a leading role across all aspects of entire real estate disputes.
Legal 500 2022
'3PB is a 'go-to' set of chambers for property litigation work', and houses 'a strong range of experienced barristers'.
‘3PB is a good set with a broad range of expertise. They are always willing to deliver training and seminars.’
‘It is a strong, approachable set.’
‘Always available to help, even on short-notice, 3PB is ready to assist even for urgent same-day instruction.’
‘3PB has a strong range of experienced barristers at all levels, meaning it is able to provide the correct level of barrister for a particular matter.’
‘3PB is a strong set with an abundance of experienced counsel‘.
‘There is a depth of knowledge within the property practice‘.
‘The quality of advice and advocacy never fails to impress. The set always has the right counsel for the job and counsel are very involved in providing regular training.’
‘3PB are an excellent chambers to work with and they will always find available counsel, even when issues crop up last minute that are out of anyone’s control. The barristers deal with matters in a timely and professional manner.’
Legal 500 2021
‘excellent counsel in the area of social housing litigation’
"Members of 3PB act across the entire sphere of property, from development to commercial as well as residential landlord and tenant disputes, but also boundary disputes, adverse possession claims, co-ownership and conveyancing disputes." - Property and construction - South Eastern.
"3PB's planning team is regularly instructed to advise and act on behalf of planning professionals in the public and private sectors and to appear at public inquiries or in enforcement proceedings." - Planning and environment - Western
Legal 500 2020
Chambers director Mark Heath is ‘the go-to man in a crisis - he is unflappable and can find a solution to any problem’
The combined clerks’ room across the set’s six offices is a ‘well-oiled machine’.
Legal 500 2020
Court of Protection - South Eastern Circuit: Louise Worton is the key name to note for Court of Protection matters at 3PB. She is instructed across the spectrum of work, including property and affairs matters.
Property - South Eastern Circuit: 3PB members practice across the spectrum of property law, with particular expertise in boundaries and easements, with Joshua Dubin helping several clients to secure rights of way for their properties, as well as social housing and dilapidations matters.
Property - Western Circuit: 3PB is active across the property litigation space, with members acting for a range of clients on boundaries and easements disputes, as well as social housing, restrictive covenants, and land registration disputes.
Commercial, banking, insolvency and Chancery law - Western Circuit: Cheryl Jones at 3PB specialises in Chancery work, and is recommended for her 'dedication and commitment to direct access clients'.
Legal 500 2018/19
'3PB's property team has solid expertise in commercial and residential landlord and tenant matters; boundary disputes and TOLATA cases are also prominent in the groups' workload.'
Chambers UK 2017
'Always willing to assist; the 3PB property team predominantly handles residential and commercial landlord and tenant disputes. Other areas of instruction include property disputes arising out of bankruptcy, housing association matters and dilapidations.'
Legal 500 2016
'3PB is well known for construction and planning law. Members have recently been active in the field of village green applications and appeals, where they have represented local authorities, inspectors and individual residents. '
my preferred set for many yearsLegal 500