HELEN CLOSE

Helen has 27 years’ experience in property litigation. Helen provides support to both owners and occupiers on all contentious property matters. She has a proven track record in advising clients on complex Landlord & Tenant and real estate disputes as well as experience working with client Property Directors and their teams providing assistance with all their strategic and day-to day portfolio management.  Helen’s experience of property litigation management both in-house and in private practice has resulted in an astute commercial approach to dispute resolution and risk management.

Work Highlights

• Blockbuster v Leakcliff Properties [1997] 1 EGLR 28: An expedited Chancery trial (from issue to full hearing within 3 month) challenging refusal of the landlord to consent to an assignment due to diminution in value of reversionary interest.

• Perry v Day [2005] 2 BCLC 405: A successful and highly unusual/complex claim on behalf of shareholders against a fellow shareholder for reflective losses (This was a second court claim arising out of a joint venture property project that ended in significant dispute and losses).

• Jewson Holdings v Clydesdale Bank [2008]: A successful claim (which resulted in an unusual award of indemnity costs) on behalf of a property development client against the Clydesdale bank who wrongfully over-extended finance to a joint venture partner secured by guarantee given by the client.

• Work in the Telecommunications sector dealing with large scale project for site acquisition under the Electronic Communications Code and the issue of references in the Upper Tier Tribunal.