Ranked by the Legal 500 as a Leading Junior in both Property Litigation and Agriculture, Sam Laughton’s practice encompasses a broad range of Chancery litigation and advisory work, with a particular focus on both commercial and private disputes relating to property.
He is particularly skilled in multidisciplinary litigation, drawing on his expertise in: land contracts; restrictive covenants and easements; commercial and residential landlord and tenant; personal and corporate insolvency; commercial disputes and company law; family and corporate trusts; wills, probate and the administration of estates; and professional negligence arising out of these fields.
Private Client
Sam’s focus in this area is on contentious probate and trusts disputes, particularly where they interrelate with property or business matters.
Reported Cases:
- Choudhury v Choudhury [2006] All ER (D) 340: The court found that, subject to certain allocations, two brothers in a large Muslim family together dealt with certain family assets with a view to increasing their value for the benefit of members of the family faction that had interests in various properties, in proportion to shares agreed under mediation governed by Shariat law.
- Tyrell v Tyrell [2002] All ER (D) 134: A testator’s will left his residuary estate on trust to be divided equally among his grandchildren. However, only two of the names identified in the will were those of his four grandchildren: the other two were the wife and daughter of one of the grandchildren identified in the will. On the true construction of the will the testator’s estate would be divided equally among his grandchildren.
- Gibbons v Nelsons [2000] PNLR 734: A solicitor owed a duty of care to a testatrix to ascertain her specific intention in relation to property over which she held a general power of appointment, and to ensure that the terms of her will accorded with that intention.
Recommendations
Qualifications
- BA Hons, Cambridge University
Associations & Memberships
- Chancery Bar Association
- Property Bar Association
Publications
Author of Westlaw UK Insight entries on:
Easement; Quasi-Easement; Right of Way; Right to Light
Author of Lexis Nexis article on easements implied in favour of mortgagee over non-mortgaged land (Taurusbuild Ltd and others v McQue and another)
Speaking Engagements
Sam Laughton delivers talks at Ten Old Square seminars as well as in-house seminars for chambers’ clients.
Sam Laughton is a self-employed, independent barrister whose practice is governed by the Code of Conduct of the Bar of England and Wales. He is regulated by The Bar Standards Board [Bar Ref 29922] and is fully insured with the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund [BMIF Ref 2360/049] to provide legal services, please refer to the BMIF website for full details of the world-wide cover provided. He is registered for VAT under the reference 628116449.
