Property and Estates News

James Davison and Charles Irvine appointed as Heads of Groups at 3PB

22nd January 2026

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) are delighted to announce the appointment (pictured here, left to right) of James Davison as the new head of the Construction and Engineering Group, and Charles Irvine who becomes the new head of its Property and Estates Group. Charles will be supported by Louise Worton and Andrew Nicklin who were elected as deputy heads of the Group. James' election follows the end of Peter Collie's tenure and Chambers wanted to...

Mathew Gullick KC and Matthew Cannings in Court of Appeal over the introduction of property licensing schemes

21st January 2026

On 20 January 2026, 3PB's Mathew Gullick KC and Matthew Cannings (pictured here, left to right) appeared before the Court of Appeal in R (on the application of Luton Landlords & Letting Agents Ltd) v Luton Borough Council, a dispute over the introduction of property licensing schemes in Luton. In the High Court, Mrs Justice Heather Williams determined that the Appellant company did not have standing to bring the claim under section 31(3) of the...

Ashley Blood-Halvorsen acts for the successful applicant in a rare former-spouse inheritance claim

12th January 2026

3PB's contentious probate, chancery and property specialist barrister Ashley Blood-Halvorsen (pictured here) acted for the successful applicant in a rare former-spouse, Inheritance Act 1975 claim. Judgment in the case of Kars v Brown and ors [2026] EWHC 31 (Fam) has just been handed down after a two-day trial in front of Deputy High Court Judge Naomi Davey. Ashley acted for the successful former spouse, Hulya Kars, in an application under the Inheritance Act 1975 with...

3PB brings in experienced international arbitration and commercial litigation barrister Lucy Keane

1st December 2025

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) announced today that senior international arbitrator and commercial litigator Lucy Keane FCIArb, who is qualified in five jurisdictions, has joined their London office in the Inner Temple as an associate. Lucy brings substantial experience in international commercial arbitration and litigation as well as extensive advocacy experience before the English (and other) courts, adding further senior advocacy firepower to the national chambers' global disputes practice. Lucy joins from 33BR, where she...

3PB welcomes specialist chancery barrister Jon Ward to its Property and Estates team

27th October 2025

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) is delighted to announce that Jon Ward has joined its seven-office Property and Estates team, further strengthening Chambers’ nationwide reputation and expertise for chancery, real property and agricultural law. Jon joins from Magdalen Chambers in Exeter, where he retains an affiliate membership and close links. Jon (pictured here) was called to the Bar in 2019 (Middle Temple) after practising as a solicitor from 2016 as a partner in a respected...

3PB breaks through the 100 rankings ceiling in Chambers and Partners 2026 edition

16th October 2025

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) have been awarded a record number of individual rankings in the 2026 edition of Chambers and Partners, reaching a total of 104 (96 last year) achieved by 86 of its barristers. The national set has doubled its number of individual rankings in 5 years (52 in 2021) and is rewarded with accolades in 22 areas of law across the London Bar as well as in the North Eastern, South Eastern,...

3PB’s national Property and Estates Group is delighted to have achieved 11 individual rankings in Chambers and Partners’ latest set of results. The rankings span the set’s Real Estate Litigation, Chancery, Construction, Planning and Social Housing expertise. The team maintains its ranking in Band 2 for Real Estate Litigation in South Eastern. While our barristers are lauded for their advocacy, technical skills and commercial awareness across the board, our clerks, headed by Chambers Director Mark Heath,...

3PB achieves record rankings in the Legal 500’s 2026 edition

1st October 2025

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings), one of the UK's largest chambers, is delighted to announce a record number of rankings - totalling 193 - in the Legal 500 2026’s edition which is published today, compared with 167 last year. A total of 123 3PB barristers are now ranked in the Legal 500, up from 108 last year. The set is ranked in 26 areas of law across 4 large UK Circuits (London, South Eastern, Western...

We are delighted to announce a total of 21 rankings (from 15 last year) for our property, estates and chancery specialists in the Legal 500 2026 edition. Retaining our member rankings in Property and Construction and Private Wealth, Probate and Tax on the South Eastern and Western Circuits, we are delighted to have also been recognised for Agricultural Property, Social Housing and Property and Construction on the Midlands Circuit. Our team has been quoted as...

3PB celebrates Deputy District Judge Appointments

2nd September 2025

3PB Barristers (3 Paper Buildings) is delighted to announce that property and chancery barrister Ashley Blood-Halvorsen and family law barrister Rachel Bloxwich have been appointed as Deputy District Judges, both on the Midlands Circuit. Ashley Blood-Halvorsen is a specialist property and chancery barrister, with particular emphasis in contentious probate, TOLATA and insolvency. Ashley was called to the bar in 2017 and qualified as a trust and estate practitioner in 2024. To contact or instruct Ashley,...

Oliver Nunn as an Honorary Associate Professor at The Leicester Law School

22nd July 2025

3PB property, housing and agriculture barrister Oliver Nunn was a member of the graduation procession last week as an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Leicester Law School. After the ceremony, Oliver met with Hannah Cheeseman (Law LLB), who was selected to receive the Jeffers- Nunn Award in 2023/ 24 to which Oliver co-founded. This follows Oliver’s recent success in being awarded the Mary Attenborough Volunteering Award at the Leicester University Alumni Awards Dinner in May at Middle...

Smoke and mirrors: shams and illusory trusts in divorce proceedings

7th July 2025

3PB Property, Chancery and Matrimonial Finances barrister Rachel Bale (pictured here) writes for the Financial Remedies Journal an article about ‘shams’ or ‘illusory’ trusts and the challenges they cause in divorce proceedings for family and chancery lawyers alike. Rachel provides guidance on the legal principles to follow to identify shams and illusory trusts and considers the steps to follow to navigate through the difficulties they create, including: Back to basics: key players in a trust...