Tell us a little about yourself and your practice.
“I am a property and commercial barrister with a particular focus on construction claims and disputes with a construction element, for example, a service charge dispute about fire safety measures or a party wall claim. Most of my work is in the County Court, First-tier Tribunal or the TCC.“
What is your first memory of wanting to be a barrister?
“I was in my early teens, and my mum and dad were going through a divorce. My mum was telling a friend about how her barrister was making the process less daunting. That got me intrigued about who this person was and what they were doing. I was then lucky enough to do a mini pupillage at a set in Manchester, the summer after my GCSEs. After that, I was hooked.”
Is there a certain case that stands out to you in your career? If yes, why?
“Well, I never thought I would litigate over the ownership of a dog, and I have done that twice now. On a more serious note, I ended up acting for a small renewable energy company for around eight years and through four sets of proceedings. We were able to clarify the law, in their favour, on the legal impact of a company converting into a registered society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. Plus, the point was part of a s.67 Arbitration Act 1996 claim, something you don’t get to act on every day!”
What’s your favourite thing about being a barrister?
“Perhaps a little cliché, but how every day is different. I still enjoy a moderately wide practice, which means I get to see cases across the spectrum of construction and property law. I also enjoy travelling to (most) courts and seeing parts of the county that I wouldn’t necessarily choose to visit, outside of work.”
What do you do to relax?
“With a three-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy at home, ‘relaxing’ is a relative term. I have a bad habit of booking fitness-related events; swimming the Strait of Gibraltar was probably the craziest, and Hyrox is the latest, to motivate me to exercise. I also love to read a good science fiction novel and play with mixing and making music.”
If you weren’t a barrister, what would you be?
“In a parallel universe, I have longer hair and work as a beach lifeguard in sunnier climes. In this one, I’ll stick with husband, father and barrister.”
To find out more about Edward, click to view his profile here.
