About Andrew

• Directory Quotes
  • Social Housing – “All round excellent barrister, always a few steps ahead, prepared for all eventualities, his high level of experience and knowledge.” Legal 500 2025
  • Social Housing: Star Individual – “Andrew Lane is an exceptional, excellent barrister.” “Andrew Lane is very good and a massively safe pair of hands.” “Andrew Lane has always provided excellent client care and sound advice, and is very easy to work with.” Chambers and Partners 2024 
  • Social Housing – “He is calmness personified and his attention to detail is fantastic, as is his cross-examination.” Legal 500 2024
  • Local Government – “A smiling assassin – his advocacy style is very effective” Legal 500 2024
  • Social Housing – “Andy Lane remains an outstanding barrister and a wonderful person.” Chambers and Partners 2023
  • Social Housing – “Andrew provides good, strong advice and speaks in a way clients understand easily.” Legal 500 2023
  • Social Housing – “Andrew Lane is a talented advocate who is praised for his unwaveringly dedicated approach, regardless of whether he is handling high-profile cases in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court or more routine County Court possession claims. His practice encompasses all areas of social housing law, including welfare reform, housing fraud and advisory work for registered providers. He is further known for his strength in handling disrepair claims. Lane also has a growing policy practice and is able to assist housing associations draft allocation and rent reduction schemes.” Strengths: “He is simply outstanding.” “He has an amazing ability to remember facts and he is hugely confident in court in a way that keeps the judges really happy.” “He has a fantastic brain and an encyclopedic knowledge of housing. He’s great with clients and makes complicated matters straightforward. He is one of the best social housing barristers out there.”
    Recent work: Represented Hackney London Borough Council in a challenge to the decision of Agudas Israel Housing Association to only allow allocations (via Hackney’s allocation scheme) of Agudas’s available properties to Orthodox Jewish households. The Supreme Court held this did not constitute unlawful discrimination. Chambers and Partners 2022
  • Social Housing – “Andy always gives direct and realistic advice and is excellent in cross-examination and putting submissions clearly and precisely.” Legal 500 2022
  • Social Housing – “Talented advocate who is praised for his unwaveringly dedicated approach, regardless of whether he is handling high-profile cases in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court or more routine County Court possession claims. His practice encompasses all areas of social housing law, including welfare reform, housing fraud and advisory work for registered providers. He is further known for his strength in handling disrepair claims. Lane also has a growing policy practice and is able to assist housing associations draft allocation and rent reduction schemes. Strengths: “His knowledge is exceptional, and his advocacy and written services have been consistently at a very high standard.” Chambers and Partners 2021
  • ‘Fiercely intelligent, a formidable opponent, yet friendly, down to earth and approachable.’ Legal 500 2021
  • “He really puts people at their ease and, beneath that, he is a steely market-leading expert.” “He has exceptional people skills and is a great advocate for the lay client.” Chambers and Partners 2020
  • “He only raises sensible points and is incredibly knowledgeable” Legal 500 2020
  • “He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of housing law, is very good on his feet and does an all-round fantastic job.” “A firm favourite of clients, he explains even the most complex of issues with great simplicity, putting clients at ease while realistically managing expectations.” Chambers and Partners 2019
  • “One of the most practical, down-to-earth and talented people at the Bar, he is completely unflappable and exudes confidence.” “He is really strong on housing management and leases, and has excellent client care skills.”  Chambers & Partners 2018
  • “He simplifies the law and court process and puts clients and witnesses at ease.” Legal 500 2017
  • “He’s got a very good presence in court, affable but very able.” Chambers & Partners 2017
  • “Excellent client skills and very good on his feet. He’s particularly good with vulnerable residents who require a more sensitive form of cross-examination.” Chambers & Partners 2017
  • “Without doubt, one of the best social housing juniors out there.” Legal 500 2016
  • “He has a great eye for detail.” Legal 500 2016
  • “When he’s in front of a judge, you are in awe. His management of the case and the way others defer to him is wonderful to watch. You’re always glad to have him on your side.” Chambers & Partners 2016
  • “Nobody disagrees that he’s brilliant; he always wipes the floor with the other side.” Chambers & Partners 2016
  • “Highly regarded for his expertise in tenancy fraud and nuisance actions.” Legal 500 2015
• Services

  Andy is a regular speaker at internal webinars and seminars, as well as at conferences organised by external providers, on a range of topics. Most recently he has spoken on allocation schemes, homelessness, domestic abuse and joint tenancies, and the public sector equality duty.

  He is always happy to co-tutor in-house and has long offered informal advice to clients where appropriate.

• Associations
  • Constitutional and Administrative Law Bar Association
  • Property Bar Association
  • Social Housing Law Association
  • Chartered Institute of Housing
• Publications
  • Court of Appeal and possession claims: what’s next for PSED?30 Jul 2019
  • New deal for social housing—accountability of social housing providers17 Sep 2018
  • Grenfell Tower Inquiry update05 Dec 2017
• Notable Cases
  • Banning Order upheld by Upper Tribunal12 Dec 2023
  • The Court of Appeal considers the issue of “late” review decisions and section 204 (homelessness) appeals06 Nov 2020
  • Positive News for Positive Action16 Oct 2020
  • R (Z and anor) v Hackney LBC and anor08 Jun 2019
  • The Court of Appeal provides helpful guidance to second possession claims and set aside applications20 Mar 2019
  • High Court upholds 10 years’ residence requirement to join social housing waiting list26 Jul 2018
  • R (on the application of Martina McDonagh) v Enfield London Borough Council (2018)24 May 2018
  • Breach of s. 11 Children Act 2004 does not necessarily preclude orders for possession06 Mar 2018
• Events
  • Renters’ Rights Bill and the Social Housing Sector07 Oct 2024
  • Public Law in 2024: Practical Insights and Trends04 Jul 2024
  • Housing Allocations – avoiding the challenge04 Jun 2024
  • Shared ownership: Possession actions06 Sep 2024
  • Housing fraud in the courts – getting the best evidence04 Dec 2023
  • Housing Needs Assessment: How to avoid challenge07 Jul 2023