This recommendation is unsolicited but honest. Kevin “rescued me” from what would have been a complete disaster had I followed my initial instincts to represent myself.
We own an approximately 26-acre woodland estate including a small house. We were taken to court to determine the boundary and other claims. On the basis of commonsense and after looking at the conveyancing documents, I felt the case had no merit. I was concerned that the conveyancing was open to criticism. It was not a cut or dried case for either property but open to argument. There were differences between deeds and HMLR plans, with the disputed land on both parties’ registered titles.
I had been through five solicitors. The last one was excellent but, on seeing my file (the result of seven years of pre-court correspondence) backed out at the last minute just before I had to submit a defence. They said the case was too complex and they had no junior available. I decided that I was now more familiar with the case than any new solicitors and decided to act as LIP. I searched for a Direct Access barrister. I shortlisted three and interviewed two. One charged me £300 plus VAT for an hour’s conference. Kevin spoke to me for an hour free of charge. He was very direct and not afraid to tell me clearly and bluntly that some of the issues I described were not relevant to the claims.
On the basis of that conversation, I appointed him. I sent him my vast wad of files and other background documents. I included my ideas for a defence and waited for him to provide a draft for me to approve. I gave him an ultimatum to provide it to me at least 7 days before it was due. It eventually arrived late on the day before it was due! By this time, I had given up and started to search elsewhere.
The defence he provided was utterly brilliant and knocked the pants off any of the other solicitors to whom I had, in desperation, gone. His razor like penetration and simple demolishment of the claim was a masterpiece.
From that point onwards, I knew I had made the right choice with Kevin. At no time later did I ever regret that decision. However, in future, I was merciless in chasing him for deadlines.
Kevin has the following advantages that lead me to unhesitatingly recommend his services:
1) An ability to get directly to the heart of the issue and deal with it in a very small number of words.
2) An ability to absorb a huge amount of information and store it in his mind, waiting to pluck it out of his “mental filing cabinet” at will. His ability to do this in court had me gasping in admiration.
3) His very respectful manner in front of the judge and his canny ability to “inform” the judge of his own expertise when (as was the case with our trial) the judge, who was not a specialist in boundary disputes, knew less than him. It is obvious that a barrister should not annoy a judge where the barrister clearly has superior knowledge. Kevin managed this perfectly.
4) An excellent ability to make a good working relationship with opposing counsel.
5) An ability during the case to work all hours to get tasks done in time. It was not uncommon to get emails timed in the early hours of the morning.
6) A very direct personality – what you see is what you get. Nothing underhand or any smarmy smooth talking. I regarded that as a bonus even/especially when I was being stupid and/or stubborn!
7) I genuinely believed that he had my interests at heart in his advice on what costs or settlement was realistic in my case and he was not trying to maximise his own fees.
8) After the initial payment up front had run out, he allowed me credit over some months as the case ran on, rather than repeatedly asking for money to top up.
9) He was kind and personable. He was willing to stay overnight in my house for a five-day trial to save on my costs with what would have been a large hotel bill.
10) Lastly, as well as being very competent at his job, he was good company. I was more than happy with the end result which, as is the case in most boundary disputes, neither of the litigants “won”. Overall, I lost money but gained land and more importantly, peace of mind.
If you have a boundary dispute you would be well advised to discuss it with Kevin first. My next foray will be with planners. Kevin will be my first choice to deal with them in my planning case that is connected with the land boundary dispute.
From our very first meeting, it was clear that Kevin is a highly competent and dedicated planning/boundary dispute barrister.
Kevin’s approach is both considerate and no-nonsense, which provided us with a sense of security throughout the process. As we had not previously navigated this type of dispute, we were initially apprehensive, but Kevin quickly put our minds at ease. His thorough understanding of the law, coupled with his strategic mindset, made us feel confident that we were in safe hands.
What truly stood out was how integral Kevin was in driving the case towards a successful resolution. He personally visited the site, worked closely with our solicitors and took the lead in drafting final documents, ensuring that all details were meticulously handled. His ability to communicate complex legal concepts in a straightforward manner was invaluable, and he was always willing to address our concerns and listen to our requests.
Thanks to Kevin’s expertise and tenacity, we were able to resolve the case in our favor, restoring our peace of mind and rightful ownership of our property. We highly recommend Kevin Leigh to anyone facing a planning dispute or similar legal challenges. He is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with, and we are grateful for his support and guidance throughout this process.
Counsel picks things up very quickly & gives decisive advice taking into account commercial reality. I do not feel that the taximeter is just running for its own sake and I do not feel that I get charged for every minute of every discussion or email. I feel I get effective added value from his input and he is not afraid to lead from the front.
Because I knew nothing about courts or court procedure or the legal system I found this experience to be very upsetting and very frightening, but Kevin Leigh was extremely supportive throughout and he managed to put me at ease.
Kevin Leigh is sharp-witted and extremely capable advocate who exudes confidence and has an affable yet courteous approach to his lay clients.
Your approach at the seminar was refreshingly open, practical and business-like – not the dry lawyerly presentation they had feared.
I want to thank you for handling a most challenging case really well. Your cross-examination was perfect and your ability to absorb large amounts of new information impressive.
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