Caroline Shea KC is listed as a leading silk for both Real Estate Litigation and Agriculture and Rural Affairs in both the Legal 500 and Chambers UK Guide. She is described by her clients as “clever, very forthright and commercial”, “extremely client focused … always makes time to deal with urgent matters”, “an iron fist in a velvet glove”, “decisive, technically impressive and pugnacious in the courtroom” and “excellent in her written work and flawless in court”. Known for robust court craft and strategic acuity, she is client orientated and user friendly. She was nominated for the Legal 500 Real Estate Silk of the Year in 2019, and appointed a Deputy High Court Judge, assigned to the Chancery Division, in 2021.
Caroline accepts instructions to litigate, advise in and arbitrate all aspects of real property and landlord and tenant practice, in commercial, residential, and agricultural disputes. She has particular expertise in complex proprietary estoppel claims; development agreements; easements/restrictive covenants; forfeiture/relief; agricultural tenancies including succession and notices to quit; Pubs Code work; dilapidations and service charge claims; and high value commercial and agricultural rent reviews/lease renewals.
Caroline writes for a wide range of specialist publications, appears frequently on the lecture circuit, and is co-author of the 15th edition of Muir, Watt and Moss, a leading practitioners’ text on the law of agricultural holdings.
Caroline is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and has been appointed in disputes involving commercial, agricultural, and general property law. She was nominated for the Legal 500 Real Estate Silk of the Year in 2019. She sits as a Deputy Judge of the High Court (Chancery Division), whilst continuing to advise and act in high value complex cases.
Recent instructions include:
- acting on an arbitration appeal in a case involving the Pubs Code 2016;
- acting for a major retail developer on a conditional lease claim;
- acting for a major social media company seeking an expedited trial of essential repair works to its flagship London premises;
- acting for a major retailer in considering the effect of a breach of a keep open covenant;
- defending a 1986 Act notice to quit;
- advising a major trust on agricultural Case B redevelopment strategy;
- securing a significant settlement for a leisure tenant suffering disruption to its business as a result of the landlord’s redevelopment of common parts;
- claiming injunctive relief preventing works performed in breach of restrictive covenant for a large Sussex rural estate; resisting claim that consent had been unreasonably withheld;
- establishing a number of households’ entitlements to rights of way over estate roads which were being denied by the residents’ association;
- acting for a major landowner forfeiting retail premises, resisting the tenant’s application for relief;
- defending a proprietary estoppel claim brought against the owner of an extensive portfolio of residential property;
- advising a developer on resisting injunctive relief brought by the owner of rights over development land;
- a claim against solicitors for failing to register an option, involving complex questions of causation and quantum;
- advising leading pubs company on the effects of the new Pubs Codes, including seeking judicial review of the Pubs Codes Adjudicator’s decisions and statements;
- advising a retail park owner resisting injunctive relief sought by tenants seeking to prevent improvement works to the retained parts ;
- representing two commercial/agricultural siblings in a complex trusts claim brought by a third sibling in respect of substantial commercial/agricultural family trusts;
- advising a landlord on an agricultural succession claim involving two potential applicants;
- advising a high profile commercial tenant facing nuisance committed by the landlord redeveloping retained property;
- advising agricultural tenants with HS2 rights on a misrepresentation claim.
"You want Caroline Shea on your side, your heart sinks when she is for the opposition."Chambers and Partners UK Guide 2024 (Agriculture and Rural Affairs)
"Caroline is always a pleasure to work with. She has a firm, fair manner, is quick to grasp the technical issues and then cut through them to move matters towards a pragmatic and commercial outcome."Chambers and Partners UK Guide 2024 (Agriculture and Rural Affairs)
"The most helpful and effective silk you can have on any case."Chambers and Partners UK Bar Guide 2024 (Real Estate Litigation)
"Caroline is incredibly sharp and very focused. She has a way of creating a team environment, and making all those involved in the case feel like a valued contributor to that team."Chambers and Partners UK Bar Guide 2024 (Real Estate Litigation)
"Caroline's ability is incomparable to any other counsel in her field; combining her technical knowledge with her commercial instincts and client likability is yet to fail to impress a client."Chambers and Partners UK Bar Guide 2024 (Real Estate Litigation)
"Caroline is one of my favourite advocates. She is both fierce and persuasive. She is also a delight to work with."Chambers and Partners UK Bar Guide 2024 (Real Estate Litigation)
"Caroline is very switched on and user-friendly. She is very good with the lay clients."Chambers and Partners UK Bar Guide 2024 (Real Estate Litigation)
‘Caroline is a very assured advocate who adopts a well prepared and methodical approach.’Legal 500 2024 (Agriculture)
'Particularly impressive in the courtroom – her cross-examination skills and courtcraft are second to none at the property Bar.’Legal 500 2024 (Property Litigation)
‘Caroline is a technically brilliant property silk. She is quick to turn work around and when you work with her it feels like an extremely collaborative team effort. ’Legal 500 2023
"Caroline is clever and tenacious. She is an excellent advocate."Chambers and Partners UK Guide 2023
'A real tour de force and ubiquitous in agricultural matters; Caroline is indefatigable, unflappable and a consummate performer in court. She somehow manages to be as tough as nails in the courtroom, while being a delight to work with on the client-side, a rare breed'.Legal 500 2023
Caroline Shea QC frequently handles commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes, many of which are complex in nature. She also has a great deal of expertise in the appellate courts. Her clients range from private individuals and family trusts to large corporates. Strengths: "She is an excellent all-round property specialist. She's quick to get to the heart of the matter and a very passionate advocate for her clients." "She is a top-flight advocate who is well known and respected."Chambers and Partners UK Guide 2022 (Real Estate Litigation)
Caroline Shea QC handles residential, commercial and agricultural property law and is widely praised for her rural credentials. She regularly acts in cases concerning agricultural succession, notices to quit and rights of way over private land. Her clients include private individuals, family trusts and agribusinesses. Strengths: "She gets deeply involved in every case." "Caroline is charming and affable on the outside with a granite core within."Chambers UK Guide 2022 (Agriculture and Rural Affairs)
"Pragmatic is the word that immediately comes to mind with Caroline. She is challenging to the whole team to deliver the best outcome for clients. She will not rest until she has every detail mastered. She is an excellent advocate and outstanding in terms of her ability to advise clients on complex issues but also in explaining the commercial realities and risks they face. Absolutely a team player with whom it is always a pleasure to work."Legal 500 2022
"Excellent commercial nous - Caroline gives decisive advice and does not sit on the fence. She is able to instill confidence in clients very quickly."Legal 500 2022
Caroline Shea QC is a "very punchy advocate" who regularly represents individuals, family trusts and large businesses in complicated real estate disputes. Who’s Who Legal UK Bar Report 2022
Frequently handles commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes, many of which are complex in nature. She also has a great deal of expertise in the appellate courts. Her clients range from private individuals and family trusts to large corporates. Strengths: "Extremely proactive and user-friendly approach. Very popular with clients." "Very good on her feet." "Gives sound advice in a pragmatic fashion."Chambers and Partners UK Guide 2021 (Real Estate Litigation)
Handles residential, commercial and agricultural property law and is widely praised for her rural credentials. She regularly acts in cases concerning agricultural succession, notices to quit and rights of way over private land. Her clients include private individuals, family trusts and agribusinesses. Strengths: "She is a very good advocate and one of the best cross-examiners I've seen." "She knows agricultural law from top to bottom." "She really tells it how she sees it - she doesn't sit on the fence and she comes up with technically excellent and commercially astute points."Chambers and Partners Guide 2021 (Agriculture & Rural Affairs)
"Definitely one of the brightest barristers out there."Legal 500 2021
"Caroline finds the angles and strategies in a case that other counsel miss. She doesn't get lost in the detail, her thoroughness focuses the detail to the clients' advantage. She has excellent rapport with clients who feel comfortable and confident in discussing the case fully with her. She is a forceful and effective advocate. The complete barrister!"Legal 500 2021 (Agriculture)
Frequently handles commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes, many of which are complex in nature. She also has a great deal of expertise in the appellate courts. Her clients range from private individuals and family trusts to large corporates. Strengths: "Very bright and commercial with a real depth of knowledge on agricultural matters." "An excellent all-round counsel who is passionate to get the best results for her clients." "She has an excellent ability to pick out key issues and huge commitment to the cause." Recent work: Appeared in the Court of Appeal in Moore v Moore, a case regarding the satisfaction of the equity in proprietary estoppel cases following the High Court's decision that a son had an equity over his father's entire interest in a farm co-owned with the son.Chambers and Partners UK Guide 2020 (Real Estate Litigation)
"Able to absorb large amounts of information and give salient and pertinent advice."Legal 500 2020
A "fabulous" real estate silk who is considered an expert in cases involving forfeiture, restrictive covenants and development agreements. Who's Who Legal UK Bar 2019 Guide
"Handles commercial and residential landlord and tenant disputes, many of which are complex in nature. She also has a great deal of expertise in the appellate courts. Her clients range from private individuals and family trusts to large corporates. Strengths: 'Very clever, forthright and commercial.' 'She is extremely client-focused and will always make the time to deal with urgent matters.' 'Excellent in her written work and flawless in court.' Recent work: Represented the claimant in a claim for damages under the indemnity for the reduced price achieved on the sale of an estate following an alleged leak from the defendant's oil pipe under the estate shortly before the sale." Chambers UK Guide 2019 (Real Estate Litigation)
"Handles residential, commercial and agricultural property law and is widely praised for her rural credentials. She regularly acts in cases concerning agricultural succession, notices to quit and rights of way over private land. Her clients include private individuals, family trusts and agribusinesses. Strengths: 'Very approachable, very friendly, and very good at relating directly with the client. She is able to pull out key points and home in on the specific problems in a case.' Recent work: Acted in a family farming partnership dispute which involved issues of proprietary estoppel." Chambers UK Guide 2019 (Agriculture & Rural Affairs)
"Decisive, technically impressive and pugnacious in the courtroom."Legal 500 2018 (Property Litigation)More published comments
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