Public

Clara has a particular interest in public law, equality and human rights, having gained a wealth of experience in these areas during her time at the Government Legal Service. At HMRC she conducted Human Rights Act analyses of new Finance Bill measures, provided legal advice on the department’s obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty, and dealt with discrimination claims made against the government by members of the public. She has also dealt with judicial reviews and legitimate expectation in the context of government policy and both internal and external HMRC guidance.

Local Government

Clara’s experience at the Government Legal Service provides her with a strong government background. She has dealt with a range of matters in a government context, including functions and powers, government policy, statutory instruments (SIs), statutory interpretation, state aid, the four freedoms of the EU, and judicial review. She has also advised the government on information disclosure in cases involving government data sharing, trusts, domestic court orders and cross-border enforcement of foreign judgments.

Housing

Clara represents both claimants and defendants in all areas of housing law, including homelessness, succession, assignment, unlawful eviction, subletting, disrepair, injunctions, discrimination and public law defences. She acts for both tenants and public bodies in judicial reviews and statutory appeals in matters concerning homelessness and the allocation of social housing. Clara has also been instructed in housing benefit appeals and is keen to further expand her practice in this area. Clara provides Court of Appeal case summaries for Lime Legal’s Housing Law Week and contributes to the Legal Action Group Housing Law blog.

Real Property

Clara accepts instructions from both social and private landlords and tenants in all matters relating to commercial and residential property. She is frequently instructed in possession claims involving residential tenancies, leasehold forfeiture, order for sale, deposit claims, trusts and guardianship. She also represents leaseholders and freeholders in service charge disputes, enfranchisement, adverse possession, and party walls and boundary disputes.

Clara has dealt with the transfer of freehold and leasehold properties, easements, and constructive and resulting trusts in the context of relationship breakdowns and probate. Clara has also advised in matters involving suspected property fraud and rectification and indemnity applications to the Land Registry.

Regulatory

Clara accepts instructions in all areas of regulatory law relating to chambers’ core practice areas. Clara has represented clients in the General Regulatory Chamber tribunal and undertakes regulatory work in the areas of selective licensing, HMOs, and statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. She appears on behalf of landlords, local authorities, and property management companies in regulatory prosecutions. During pupillage, Clara assisted in regulatory cases involving appeals against decisions of the General Medical Council.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Clara’s practice covers all aspects of anti-social behaviour under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Clara undertook a secondment at a large local authority where she regularly dealt with anti-social behaviour and gang injunctions, committals applications, public law defences, discrimination, and legal capacity issues. Clara also has experience of dealing with closure orders and Public Space Protection Orders.

Education

Clara accepts instructions in all areas of education law, including special educational needs challenges and school admission and exclusion appeals.

Public Access

Clara is qualified to accept instructions through the Public Access scheme.