Jack joined Cornerstone Barristers as a tenant in April 2022.
Jack previously completed his 12-month pupillage under the supervision of Dr Ashley Bowes, Andrew Lane, and Edward Grant.
Throughout pupillage, he worked on various matters in a range of areas including Public Law & Judicial Review, Planning & Environmental Law, Housing Law and Licensing Law (see Practice Areas).
During his second six, Jack also appeared in the County Court and Magistrates’ Court in the context of small claims trials, possession hearings, access injunctions, closure orders and various other civil applications. He advised (both jointly and on his own) on planning matters, including for a local campaign group seeking to resist an application for planning permission. He also represented a public objector in an application to renew a sexual entertainment venue licence at a Council sub-committee meeting.
Professional background
Jack has previously acquired both public and private sector legal and policy experience.
Before pupillage, Jack worked as a researcher for a public law academic on a monograph exploring the constitutional relationship between central and local government, and as lead paralegal for government decision-making at the Infected Blood Inquiry.
During his legal studies, Jack was a legal volunteer in Islington Law Centre’s housing team, where he supported a solicitor’s advice clinics. He also represented school pupils in school exclusion hearings.
Jack was selected as Hanover Communications’ inaugural Mackay Award winner in 2016. He spent five weeks in Washington, D.C. during the presidential election and produced a report considering how electoral authorities might adapt to the latest innovations in political campaigning.
Jack worked within Hanover’s government and public affairs team advising various multi-national clients on political, regulatory, legislative, and reputational issues, including on major infrastructure, environmental, and public service outsourcing matters.
Expertise
- Public Law and Judicial Review
Jack is currently instructed by West Midlands Police in relation to parallel applications under the Policing and Crime Act 2009 for gang injunctions against two rival gangs operating in the Coventry Area. He has worked closely with other members of chambers and the Police’s legal services team to assist with active case management and has appeared as counsel in several case management hearings and interim applications to extend interim relief.
- Housing
Jack is currently working in a team with other members of chambers to draft new occupation contracts for use by social landlords in response to the imminent changes arising from the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.
Jack frequently appears in possession proceedings in the County Court, predominantly for local authorities and private registered providers of social housing. He has also appeared in the First-tier Tribunal in the context of an appeal pursuant to s.64 and Part 3 Schedule 5 of the Housing Act 2004 of a local housing authority’s decision to grant a licence for a House in Multiple Occupation.
During pupillage, Jack worked on numerous housing matters, including those relating to licensing and Houses in Multiple Occupation.
With Andrew Lane, Jack gained experience of a range of matters relating to housing, homelessness and allocations, and licensing, and he observed a wide range of proceedings from housing possession trials to appellate advocacy in the higher courts. His experience included:
- Drafting a skeleton argument for the Court of Appeal, which considered the proper approach to retrospective compliance with the public sector equality duty in the context of possession proceedings.
- Drafting advice on the legality of a local housing authority’s proposed amendment to its allocation scheme.
- Drafting a skeleton argument for a homelessness appeal under section 204 Housing Act 1996.
- Drafting representations to the Upper Tribunal in relation to an appeal against the First-tier Tribunal’s decision to uphold a penalty imposed on a landlord for its alleged failure to licence a House in Multiple Occupation.
- Planning and Environment
As a tenant, Jack has continued to build a planning practice. He has recently jointly advised on a proposed judicial review of a Council’s alleged failure to withdraw an enforcement notice under s.173A Town and Country Planning Act 1990. He is currently working in a team of barristers to provide pro bono representation for a Rule 6 party at a forthcoming planning inquiry relating to the proposed development of a new prison.
As a pupil, Jack worked on a wide range of planning matters with his supervisors and other members of chambers.
With Dr Ashley Bowes, Jack built awareness of the specific challenges facing developers, local authorities, landowners, and residents’ groups throughout the planning process. He engaged with many aspects of the development and use of land, including planning, property, public rights of way, and local government law, by:
- Drafting pre-action protocol response letters, Statements of Facts and Grounds, Summary Grounds of Resistance, and skeleton arguments associated with judicial review challenges in the Planning Court, including in relation to public rights of way, habitats, and environmental impact assessments.
- Drafting advice on matters engaging issues relating to highways, the interpretation and legality of planning conditions, environmental regulation, compulsory purchase, and boundary disputes.
- Assisting with the preparation of a party’s submissions in the DCO process for the major infrastructure project of a proposed twin reactor nuclear power station at Sizewell C.
With Edward Grant, Jack developed his understanding of planning law, including in an inquiry and enforcement context, through:
- Drafting advice on a range of planning and environmental matters, including on emerging issues relating to Habitats Regulations Assessments relating to phosphates and nutrient neutrality.
- Drafting skeleton arguments, including in relation to the Community Infrastructure Levy and Assets of Community Value.
- Assisting with research and preparation in relation to several planning inquiries.