Camilla Chorfi

Camilla’s practice encompasses a broad range of real property and landlord and tenant-related advice, litigation and ADR. Camilla has particular expertise in the following:

• Infrastructure / utilities - with an emphasis on electricity (including wayleave inquiries)
• Development disputes
• Telecommunications
• Electricity compensation claims
• Land registration, title / priority disputes, alteration and indemnities
• Commons
• Commercial landlord and tenant, including forfeiture claims, all aspects of renewal, break notices, dilapidations and rent review
• Mines and minerals
• Restrictive covenants and easements
• Property-related professional negligence in particular issues of overvalution, negligent transactional advice, and failed developments
• Proceedings under the Building Safety Act 2022

Camilla has a particular interest in law reform and renewables (delivering her Blundell this year on the topic of securing land and rights for renewables projects, together with Leilah Rawle of CMS). She sits on the ADR Taskforce for Electricity Network Infrastructure (DESNZ).

Camilla regularly acts for and advises the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in connection with the Building Safety Act 2022, most recently in her interventions in Triathlon v SVDP & Others and Adriatic Land 5 Ltd v The Long Leasehold Leaseholders at Hippersley Point in the Court of Appeal, and BDW v URS in the Supreme Court. Camilla also accepts instructions from private parties in connection with, in particular, s.123, s.124 and s.130 applications and service charge disputes.

Camilla is on the B Panel of Junior Counsel to the Crown and undertakes an array of work in the High Court for a variety of departments and has extensive experience with matters which have a public law aspect. She is currently acting for the SoS for HCLG intervening before the Court of Appeal in the high profile Adriatic and Triathlon appeals, which both concern retrospectivity under the Building Safety Act.

Camilla was a part-time consultant on the Law Commission’s project ‘Updating the Land Registration Act 2002’, involved in the development of the Bill and Report. Whilst at the Law Commission, Camilla focused on issues relating to first registration, registration of mines and minerals, leasehold interests, and appurtenant rights.

Camilla is ranked as a leading junior in the Legal 500 UK Bar guide in three practice areas: Property Litigation, Telecoms Regulation and Professional Negligence. 

Recommended by Who's Who Legal in the UK Bar Real Estate - Juniors 2023  section. 

• Education
  • BA (Hons), (First Class) Exeter University (Classics with Arabic; two Dean’s Commendations and the Bertie Black Prize)
  • MA (Distinction), Exeter University. 
• Professional
  • Called 2008
  • GDL, College of Law
  • Winner of the Lincoln’s Inn Moot Hardwicke, Wolfson and accommodation scholarships, Lincoln’s Inn.
• Recent Cases
  • EE Ltd v 100 NOX SARL [2022] UKUT 130 (LC) application by operator for interim rights against unresponsive landowner, following service of defective notices.
  • Walker v Official Receiver [2021] EWHC 2868 (Ch) represented the OR in permission application under s.304 the Insolvency Act 1986 to bring a claim by a bankrupt for an alleged sale of development land at under value.
  • Ricci v Urbina Park (HHJ Townsend, Bristol) summary judgment application concerning service of a break clause, prompting 54 act proceedings. Concerned whether or not date for service of a break notice was as a matter of construction to be calculated from commencement of term or date of lease and whether conditions precedent for service could be satisfied where bad faith alleged.
  • Royal Parks Ltd v Bluebird Boats Ltd [2021] EWHC 2278 (TCC) Acted for the successful Claimants (ultimately the Crown) in proceedings concerning the ownership of the boathouse in Hyde Park. The building had been constructed by the Defendant concession holder, who contended it was entitled to remove the structure because it had not become part of the land, alternatively pursuant to  the terms of its concession, alternatively by virtue of an estoppel.
  • Dhillon v Barclays Bank [2020] EWCA Civ 619 Led by Mark Warwick QC. Considered exceptional circumstances for the purposes of paragraph 3(3) of Schedule 4 to the Land Registration Act 2002.
  • Covent Garden Tenants’ Association Limited & Ors v Covent Garden Market Authority (2018-2020) (High Court, Business and Property) Led by Jonathan Karas QC, David Blundell QC.  Impact of alleged breaches of public law duties on private law steps taken in the course of £2bn redevelopment of New Covent Garden Market, including termination of traders’ 54 Act tenancies.
  • The Food Standards Agency v Dale Valley Rossendale Ltd (2019) (Leeds High Court, Admin Div) Led by Claire Darwin of Matrix Chambers. Whether or not certain EU-derived regulations, entitling the FSA to recover fees for undertaking inspections of abattoirs, create a statutory land charge.
  • Lady Wackett v Docklock Limited [2019] UKFTT 625 (PC) 4-day trial adverse possession claim to unregistered land concerning encroachments, acknowledgements, rights of way.
  • Pacific Estates v OJ Residential & Ors (2019) dispute regarding inclusion of the lease of business premises in sale of D1’s assets. Title asserted on the basis of proprietary estoppel /constructive trust. Interim injunction and security for costs.
  • Luwum v Royal Bank of Scotland Plc [2019] EWHC 3994 (QB) extended civil restraint order made following long-running banking litigation
  • Attorney General v Johnson [2017] EWHC 979 (Admin) indefinite all proceedings order pursuant to s.42 Senior Courts Act 1981
  • Neil v Henderson [2018] EWHC 90 (Ch) Led by Romie Tager QC. Deployment of forged documents in court proceedings amounted to contempt.
  • Greenridge Luton One Ltd v Kempton Investments Ltd [2016] EWHC 91 Led by Mark Warwick QC. Misrepresentation in CPSEs inducing a contract for the sale of office block.
  • Sugarman v CJS Investments Ltd [2015] 1 BCLC 1 Led by Mark Warwick QC before CA. Concerned construction of articles of association of a management company and whether they granted one vote per member or one vote per share.
  • Bach v Davis [2013] EWHC 4459 (QB) appeal concerning registration of a German judgment for the purposes of enforcement under Regulation 44/2001 and CPR Pt 74, and whether enforcement capable of being time-barred