New Silk: Janet Bignell
Falcon Chambers is delighted to announce that Janet Bignell has been awarded silk in this year’s QC appointments round. Janet’s full CV can be accessed here.
Notable Areas of Work
Janet has recently been instructed in a number of substantial cases, including Dorchester Project Management Ltd v. BNP Paribas Real Estate Advisory & Property Management UK Ltd (1) and Landprop Holding BV (2) [2014]. She was instructed for Landprop (with Sa’ad Hossain QC) by Ashurt LLP, defending a £¾ billion claim, believed to be one of the largest-ever issued in the Chancery Division. The case involved breach of confidence, valuation, planning and damages issues. Janet also acted in Stadium Capital Holdings (No 2) Ltd v St Marylebone Property Company Plc [2010] EWCA Civ 952 (Court of Appeal); [2012] 1 P &CR 7 (Chancery Division), on the proper basis for assessing damages for trespass. She has also appeared in one of the leading property insolvency cases of recent times – Sunberry Properties v Innovate Logistics [2009] BCC 164 and in well-known real property cases, including Bakewell Management v Brandwood [2004] 2 A.C. 519 (House of Lords, on the law of acquisition of easements by prescription).
Janet’s practice focuses on commercial landlord and tenant and development disputes, rent review arbitrations, all aspects of real property and property related professional negligence and insolvency.
Published Comments and Awards
Janet was the Real Estate Junior of the Year in 2013. She remains the only property specialist who is ranked in Chambers & Partners’ Top 100 Juniors. She is ranked as a Band 1 Junior in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. Janet is consistently noted for acting in “many of the leading, high value property disputes in the market”. She is described as a “fearsome fighter” and “superb advocate” who combines those qualities with “academic and technical excellence with commercial and tactical thinking and is excellent at client handling”. Janet has what has been described as a “strong litigation and arbitration based practice”. More editorial comment can be found on Janet’s website here.
Other Recent Appointments
Janet’s award of silk follows her appointment to sit as a specialist Chancery Recorder in the Central London County Court at the end of last year, having already been appointed a Recorder in the Crown Court in 2009. Also in 2014, she became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) and was appointed as a member of the President’s Property Panel.
Publications
Janet is the author of the 7th and 8th editions of “Lewison’s Drafting Business Leases”, and co-author of “Registered Land: Law and Practice” (amongst other books). Janet is also a member of the editorial board of the Landlord and Tenant Review.
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