Jonathan Seitler

Jonathan Seitler QC (b.11 June 1961) is an English barrister practicing from Wilberforce Chambers who has appeared in a large number of substantial property litigation claims, especially in relation to rent reviews, consent to assign and cases relating to the termination of leases, whether by surrender, forfeiture or the exercise of a break clause. he has also appeared in many professional negligence cases where the complaint against the professional relates to a complex commercial or property transaction.

Notable cases

Property litigation:

• Beegas Nominees Ltd v Decco Ltd [2003] EWHC 1891 (Ch) (principles of rent review)
• BLCT (13096) Ltd v J Sainsbury plc [2003] EWCA Civ 884 (rent review & human rights)
• Bride Hall Estates Ltd and another v St George North London Ltd [2004] EWCA Civ 141 (overage provisions in land development)
• Retail Variations v BLCT (Santa's Grotto at Shopping Centre)
• Safeway Stores Plc v Legal & General (rent review appeals)
• 3C Waste v Biffa (waste management lease)
• Grainger Trust plc v Micros-Fidelio UK Ltd [2003] All ER (D) 145 (property notices)
• Checkpoint Ltd v Strathclyde Pension Fund [2003] EWCA Civ 84 CA (rent review appeals)

Islington London Borough Council v Uckac and another [2006] EWCA Civ 340 Court of Appeal refused a housing authority's right to take away residential premises on the grounds of fraud

Professional Negligence:

• Moffatt v Burges Salmon (a firm) [2002] EWHC 891 (loss of a chance in solicitors actions)
• Howkins & Harrison (a firm) v Tyler and another [2001] Lloyd's Rep PN 1 CA (Civil Liability (Contribution) Act 1978 s.1(1))
• Credit Lyonnais SA v Russell Jones & Walker [2002] EWHC 1310 (Ch), [2002] All ER (D) 19 (solicitors duty of care)
• Eastgate Group Ltd v Lindsey Morden Group Inc, Smith & Williamson CA [2002] 1 WLR 642 (Civil Liability (Contribution) Act 1978)

In Scottish Widows plc v Stewart [2006] EWCA Civ 999, acting for Scottish Widows, Jonathan took a Judgment that the original Judge had made which cost Scottish Widows over a million pounds and reduced the liability to zero.

Memberships and Publications

As well as lecturing widely, Jonathan is co-author of ‘Property Finance Negligence: Claims against Solicitors and Valuers’ (FT Law & Tax 1996) and the looseleaf ‘Commercial Property Disputes: Law and Practice’ (Sweet & Maxwell 1999). He is a member of the Commercial Bar Association and the Professional Negligence Bar Association.

Professional reputation

The Legal 500 directory (2006) says that no barrister has recently caught the eye of instructing solicitors as much as Jonathan. In the 2007 Chambers & Partners UK Directory it is said that Jonathan is an "impressive courtroom advocate whose extreme cleverness and creativity are admired by friends and foes alike".