Practice overview

Joanne is a well-known and highly respected chancery silk. She has a broad commercial chancery practice with an emphasis on property litigation and related professional negligence. Named by Chambers and Partners as a “Star Individual” for real estate litigation, Joanne is described by Legal 500 as “the premier property silk”.

Joanne’s strength is the ability to combine intellectual rigour with a good understanding of her clients’ commercial interests and a determination to find the best way to serve them. She is “phenomenally intelligent” (Chambers and Partners, 2024) and “a real problem solver who can think outside the box and comes up with innovative solutions” (Legal 500, 2024). She is also recognised for the quality of her courtroom skills and her ability to deliver advice on the most complex of problems in a clear and client-friendly manner. “She is calm, collected and great with clients. Her advocacy is excellent.” (Legal 500, 2024) “Her level of client service and awareness is second to none” (Chambers and Partners, 2024).

As a Deputy High Court Judge sitting in the Business and Property Courts, Joanne deals with the full range of Chancery work. She has experience of courts and tribunals at every level, from the County Court to the Supreme Court. She also has very considerable experience of arbitrations and expert determinations, having acted in a substantial number of cases resolved by these means. She accepts appointments as an arbitrator or independent expert in her specialist practice areas and also advises non-lawyer arbitrators and independent experts. Joanne is an accredited mediator.

Joanne's expertise

Download Property CV

Property

Joanne has appeared in many of the leading cases in the real estate field. According to Chambers and Partners 2024, she is a “Star Individual” amongst KCs for real estate litigation with “a fine reputation as a top real estate silk” and “top of her game and a leading light”.  She is also ranked in Band 1 for property litigation in The Legal 500, which says of Joanne: “The premier property silk, a real problem solver who can think outside the box and comes up with innovative solutions. She is calm, collected and great with clients. Her advocacy is excellent.” A former Chair of the Property Bar Association, Joanne has won multiple awards for her work in property litigation.

Joanne’s practice encompasses all aspects of property law, including issues relating to:

  • Development, such as restrictive covenants, easements and joint venture agreements;
  • Contracts for the sale of land, their conditionality and enforcement;
  • Title to land, including registration and priorities;
  • Real estate finance documentation and securities;
  • Building safety liabilities;
  • All aspects of commercial and residential landlord and tenant law, including business tenancy protection, consents, break clauses, dilapidations, service charges and rent review.

Recent cases include:

  • Representing the successful tenant in the Supreme Court in S Franses Ltd v The Cavendish Hotel (London) Ltd [2018] UKSC 62, a landmark judgment which establishes that a landlord cannot object to its business tenant’s application for a new tenancy on ground (f) – the redevelopment ground – with a scheme of works which it would not carry out if the tenant left voluntarily.
  • Acting for the Secretary of State for Defence in R (Annington Property Ltd) v The Secretary of State for Defence [2023] EWHC 1154, now on appeal to the Court of Appeal, which concerns the MOD’s claim to enfranchise properties occupied by service families.
  • Representing the successful Appellant in Gill v Lees News Ltd [2023] EWCA Civ 178, a rare foray by the Court of Appeal into the grounds of opposition to new business tenancies based on tenant default.
  • Acting for Canary Wharf Group in successfully resisting the claim by the European Medicines Agency that the Agency’s 25-year lease of premises in Canary Wharf would be frustrated when the UK left the EU (Canary Wharf (BP4) T1 Ltd v European Medicines Agency [2019] EWHC 335 (Ch)). Joanne was named ‘Lawyer of the Week’ in the Times when the judgment was handed down.
  • Appearing in the Court of Appeal in TFS Stores Ltd v Designer Retail Outlet (Mansfield) General Partner Ltd [2021] EWCA Civ 688 to argue about whether a business tenancy was validly contracted out of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.
  • Acting in one of Estate Gazette’s Top 10 Cases of 2021: Capitol Park Leeds v Global Radio Services [2021] EWCA Civ 995, in which the Court of Appeal considered conditional break clauses.
  • Representing the developer of a super-prime development of luxury apartments in Grosvenor Square in proceedings about the termination of a sale and purchase agreement for the penthouse and whether it could retain a deposit and pre-payments of the purchase price: Lodha Developers 1 GSQ Ltd v 1GSQ1 Ltd [2020] EWHC 2356.
  • Appearing for the appellant in the Supreme Court in Duval v 11-13 Randolph Crescent Ltd [2020] AC 845, an important case concerning covenants which are found frequently in leases of residential blocks of flats. The Supreme Court held that landlords who agree with their lessees to enforce the covenants in other leases in the block limit their ability to licence structural alterations or other activities which would be a breach of covenant.
  • Successfully representing the appellant in Churston Golf Club v Haddock [2019] EWCA Civ 544 in which the Court of Appeal considered the anomalous “fencing easement” and whether such a right had been created by an express covenant to fence.
  • Obtaining the removal of restrictions on the land register to enable the financing of a major development at Canary Wharf to proceed: Quay House Admirals Way Land Ltd v Rockwell Properties Ltd [2022] EWHC 545.
  • Arguing successfully that the landlord of a £3m residential flat was acting unreasonably in withholding consent to assign: Gabb v Farrokhzad [2022] EWHC 212.

Download Property CV

  • Quote symbolThe premier property silk, a real problem solver who can think outside the box and comes up with innovative solutions. She is calm, collected and great with clients. Her advocacy is excellent.

    The Legal 500 2024

  • Quote symbolTop of her game and a leading light. Joanne is phenomenally intelligent, quickly masters even the most complex of facts and is extremely effective as an advocate.

    Chambers & Partners 2024

  • Quote symbolIncredibly detailed-oriented but never loses sight of the big picture.

    Chambers & Partners 2024

  • Quote symbolHer level of client service and awareness is second to none and she is always prepared to put herself out at short notice to deal with tricky issues that arise.

    The Legal 500 2024

  • Quote symbolJoanne is extremely client friendly, exceptionally bright and fantastic on strategy. Always measured and calm, her advocacy style is a real differentiator.

    The Legal 500 2023

Property insights & events View all thought leadership View all events

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    News

    Wilberforce Chambers features twice in The Lawyer’s Top 10 Appeals of 2024

    We are delighted to announce that Wilberforce Chambers appears in two of The Lawyer’s Top 10 appeals of 2024, identifying this year’s most-talked-about disputes in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Annington Property v The Secretary of State for... Read more

    Monday 5 February 2024

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  2. PlaceholderJoanne Wicks KC and Harriet Holmes

    External Conferences

    PLA 2023 Autumn Training Day

    Thursday 2nd November 2023
    The Royal Society of Medicine, London

    Speakers:
    Joanne Wicks KC | Harriet Holmes

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    Webchats

    Considering the recent Court of Appeal decision on the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954

    Listen to Joanne Wicks KC and Benjamin Faulkner on our latest #WilberforceWebchat as they consider a recent Court of Appeal decision on the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. The case provides helpful guidance about the grounds of opposition to the... Read more

    Joanne Wicks KC | Benjamin Faulkner
    Tuesday 17 October 2023

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    Recent Cases

    Judgment handed down in Gill v Lees News Ltd

    Property

    Joanne Wicks KC
    Thursday 12 October 2023

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Commercial disputes

Almost all of Joanne’s work is, in the broadest sense, commercial, involving business clients engaged in resolving disputes about commercial issues. The focus is always on achieving corporate goals, whether through litigation, alternative dispute resolution or transactional advice.

Joanne advises on and acts for clients in relation to litigation about commercial contracts, joint ventures and other business structures and issues arising out of the acquisition or disposal of corporate interests. Her chancery expertise and property specialism enable her to advise on banking and financial transactions and act in related disputes, particularly those concerning property finance, mortgages and guarantees.

Joanne’s business and commercial practice includes:

  • Banking and finance
  • Civil fraud and asset recovery
  • Commercial contracts, including share sales
  • Joint venture and partnership disputes

Recent/notable cases include:

  • A claim for misuse of confidential information and other wrongdoing arising out of the alleged hijacking by the defendant of a maturing business opportunity being pursued by the claimant: Ensign House Ltd v Ensign House (FEC) Ltd [2023] EWHC 1563.
  • Acting for Canary Wharf Group in successfully resisting the claim by the European Medicines Agency that the Agency’s 25-year lease of premises in Canary Wharf would be frustrated when the UK left the EU: Canary Wharf (BP4) T1 Ltd v European Medicines Agency [2019] EWHC 335 (Ch).
  • A claim for breach of warranty in respect of a sale of mortgage assets as part of a securitisation: Lehman Commercial Mortgage Conduit Ltd v Northern Rock (Asset Management) Plc.
  • Acting in a series of adjudications between a PFI contractor and its subcontractor in relation to disrepair claims totalling more than £10m in respect of a portfolio of 300+ properties occupied by government departments.
  • Advising a company on its potential liability to a prospective joint venture partner once the relationship soured.
  • Advising on the effect on creditors of conversions of limited companies to industrial and provident societies/co-operative and community benefit societies and transfers of engagements between those entities.

Download Commercial disputes CV

  • Quote symbolTop of her game and a leading light. Joanne is phenomenally intelligent, quickly masters even the most complex of facts and is extremely effective as an advocate.

    Chambers & Partners 2024

  • Quote symbolShe is calm, collected and great with clients. Her advocacy is excellent.

    The Legal 500 2024

  • Quote symbolIncredibly detailed-oriented but never loses sight of the big picture.

    Chambers & Partners 2024

  • Quote symbolHer level of client service and awareness is second to none and she is always prepared to put herself out at short notice to deal with tricky issues that arise.

    The Legal 500 2024

  • Quote symbolJoanne is extremely client friendly, exceptionally bright and fantastic on strategy. Always measured and calm, her advocacy style is a real differentiator.

    The Legal 500 2023

Commercial disputes insights & events View all thought leadership View all events

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    Events / Webinars

    Wilberforce Commercial Litigation Conference 2023

    Thursday 12th October 2023 | 12.30pm - 6pm, followed by drinks
    The Langham, London

    £130 + VAT | 4.0 CPD

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    News

    Wilberforce shortlisted in five categories at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2023

    We are delighted to announce that Wilberforce has been shortlisted in five different categories at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2023. Chancery Set Real Estate Set Chancery Silk – Tim Penny KC Professional Negligence Silk – Jonathan Seitler KC Real... Read more

    Monday 11 September 2023

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    News

    Wilberforce features in four of The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2023

    We are delighted to announce that Wilberforce Chambers appears in four of The Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of 2023, identifying this year’s most-talked-about disputes. Four cases is a record achievement for us, meaning that nine of our members are involved... Read more

    Monday 16 January 2023

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    News

    Wilberforce and Joanne Wicks KC win at The Legal 500 Awards 2022

    We are absolutely delighted to have picked up two awards at last night’s The Legal 500 Awards! Wilberforce Chambers was awarded ‘Chancery Set of the Year’, and Joanne Wicks KC won the ‘Property Silk of the Year’ award for a... Read more

    Thursday 6 October 2022

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Domestic arbitration

Joanne has very considerable experience of arbitrations and expert determinations, having acted in a substantial number of cases resolved by these means in recent years. She is familiar with all aspects of the procedures involved.

Joanne accepts instructions to act as an arbitrator or independent expert in fields in her specialist practice areas. She also advises non-lawyer arbitrators and independent experts, such as chartered surveyors, on legal issues and routinely acts as an advocate in arbitration or expert determination proceedings, whether conducted on paper alone or through an oral hearing. She is a member of ARBRIX and has spoken at the annual ARBRIX and INDEX conferences.

Joanne is also an accredited mediator and particularly familiar with mediation of property and professional liability disputes. She brings to this role her specialist legal knowledge, her understanding of commercial realities and a deep appreciation of the extent of the risks undertaken by those engaging in litigation.

Joanne is willing to offer early neutral evaluations, to assist parties in resolving their disputes without litigation.

Recent/notable cases include:

  • Acting as arbitrator on a partnership dispute.
  • Leading a large team of Counsel instructed on very large-scale rent review arbitration.
  • Being appointed as an expert to determine a dispute on the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 between two supermarket operators.
  • Acting as a legal assessor to a surveyor arbitrator on a rent review.
  • Acting as legal assessor to a surveyor expert on an overage dispute.
  • Representing a client in a multimillion-pound damages claim decided through expert determination, following the client’s termination of a development agreement.
  • Appearing in court to challenge an arbitration award on the price payable under a pre-emption clause.
  • Successfully mediating a commercial landlord and tenant dispute in which the relationship had completely broken down.
  • Acting as advocate in an expert determination as to whether the client had reasonably refused its consent to an agreement under s.278 of the Highways Act 1980.
  • Drafting written submissions to an independent expert in relation to an issue of contractual interpretation affecting the date by which building works on a retail park were to be started and completed.
  • Appearing in court to resist a tenant’s claim to set aside a rent review arbitration award on the grounds of serious procedural irregularity and on a point of law.

Download Domestic arbitration CV

  • Quote symbolTop of her game and a leading light. Joanne is phenomenally intelligent, quickly masters even the most complex of facts and is extremely effective as an advocate.

    Chambers & Partners 2024

  • Quote symbolShe is calm, collected and great with clients. Her advocacy is excellent.

    The Legal 500 2024

  • Quote symbolIncredibly detailed-oriented but never loses sight of the big picture.

    Chambers & Partners 2024

  • Quote symbolHer level of client service and awareness is second to none and she is always prepared to put herself out at short notice to deal with tricky issues that arise.

    The Legal 500 2024

  • Quote symbolJoanne is extremely client friendly, exceptionally bright and fantastic on strategy.

    The Legal 500 2023

Professional liability

Joanne acts for claimants, defendants and their insurers in relation to allegations of professional liability. Her expertise in property law and litigation give her a sound understanding, and practical experience of, the issues which underlie the claim of liability. She is often asked to advise, not only on the claim against the professional, but also on how the problems which gave rise to the claim may be resolved or the losses mitigated. She deals with insurance coverage issues and gives guidance on professional ethics and conflicts of interest.

Her professional liability practice includes claims against:

  • Lawyers (barristers, solicitors)
  • Property professionals (surveyors, valuers, managing agents and other consultants).

Recent/notable cases include:

  • Advising a commercial tenant which lost the benefit of a valuable option to purchase the freehold of its property by virtue of its solicitors’ failure to register the option, including as to whether it should pursue litigation against the landlord to seek to reinstate the option.
  • Acting for solicitors alleged to be personally liable to an opposing party on a remortgage transaction by virtue of the answers given to pre-contract inquiries, including on hard-fought interlocutory applications: Mortgage Agency Services Number One Ltd v Cripps Harries Hall LLP [2016] EWHC 387 (Ch).
  • Advising individuals whose professional negligence action against former solicitors was itself struck out by reason of the negligence of the solicitors representing them in that action.
  • Acting for a mortgage lender on a surveyor’s liability claim involving a portfolio of over 40 properties and including complex contributory negligence allegations.
  • Advising on the professional liability of solicitors in relation to a defective leasehold enfranchisement process.
  • Acting for the Crown Estate in relation to a claim of negligence against managing agents arising out of a serious fire in a building on Haymarket.

Download Professional liability CV

  • Quote symbolTop of her game and a leading light. Joanne is phenomenally intelligent, quickly masters even the most complex of facts and is extremely effective as an advocate.

    Chambers & Partners 2024

  • Quote symbolShe is calm, collected and great with clients. Her advocacy is excellent.

    The Legal 500 2024

  • Quote symbolIncredibly detailed-oriented but never loses sight of the big picture. The perfect 'reasonable' advocate.

    Chambers & Partners 2024

  • Quote symbolHer level of client service and awareness is second to none and she is always prepared to put herself out at short notice to deal with tricky issues that arise.

    The Legal 500 2024

  • Quote symbolJoanne is extremely client friendly, exceptionally bright and fantastic on strategy. Always measured and calm, her advocacy style is a real differentiator.

    The Legal 500 2023

Professional liability insights & events View all thought leadership View all events

  1. Placeholder

    News

    Wilberforce shortlisted in five categories at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2023

    We are delighted to announce that Wilberforce has been shortlisted in five different categories at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2023. Chancery Set Real Estate Set Chancery Silk – Tim Penny KC Professional Negligence Silk – Jonathan Seitler KC Real... Read more

    Monday 11 September 2023

    View more
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    Events / Webinars

    Wilberforce Professional Liability Conference 2020

    Thursday 13 February 2020
    One Moorgate Place, Chartered Accountants' Hall, London EC2R 6EA

    £75 + VAT | 3.0 CPD

    View more

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Joanne's Details

BSB/VAT information

Registered name: Ms Joanne Wicks KC
VAT number: 524414766

Privacy Notice pdf

Qualifications and Appointments

  • First Class degree in Jurisprudence and Gibbs Prize in Law, Oxford University
  • Bachelor of Civil Law degree, Oxford University
  • Kennedy and Hardwicke Scholar of Lincoln’s Inn

Memberships

  • Chancery Bar Association
  • Property Bar Association
  • Professional Negligence Bar Association
  • Women in Property
  • ARBRIX

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