Guy Williams

year of call: 2000

GWilliams@landmarkchambers.co.uk

areas of law

Practice Summary

Guy Williams was called to the Bar in 2000. He specialises in Planning, Environmental, Transport and Infrastructure, Compulsory Purchase and Rating Law.

Guy appears very regularly at planning inquiries in relation to all aspects of planning. He acts for developers, local authorities, public bodies and interest groups and has a wide experience of appeals, called-in applications, enforcement matters and compulsory purchase inquiries.

Guy also specialises in judicial review and statutory challenges relating to planning and local government in the higher courts, and in  the past twelve months has appeared in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and as a junior in the Supreme Court.

Guy has an extensive practice in all matters relating to compulsory purchase, from advising acquiring authorities and developers on strategy and promoting CPOS, to all matters of compensation arising from compulsory acquisition.

Details of some of Guy’s recent cases and inquiries can be seen via the above links.

Guy practices in the following areas:

Planning and Environmental Law

Compulsory Purchase and Compensation

Rating and Local Government

What the Directories Say

Guy was the No. 1 ranked Barrister under-35 in Planning Magazine's Legal Survey 2009-2010, and ranked second in 2011.

Guy has been consistently listed as a leading junior in Chambers and Partners for the past 7 years, and appears as a recommended junior in the Legal 500 for 2011.

Chambers and Partners 2011:
Said to be "one to watch" by sources, Guy Williams has recently wowed observers with his inspired representation of Wolverhampton City Council in a judicial review to uphold the compulsory acquisition of some land owned by Sainsbury's. He is predicted to have a fine future ahead of him.

Chambers and Partners 2010:
Sources applaud Guy Williams for his "approachability, thoroughness, reliability, expertise and experience." He recently appeared at a planning inquiry in which he acted for Hart District Council in relation to proposals for Hartland Park, a major warehousing and distribution centre in Hampshire. He won the support of the market.

Chambers and Partners 2009
“consistently displays an ability to grasp complex issues”; “fast acquiring a glowing reputation; although relatively young his level of knowledge is outstanding”; "wins praise for his straightforward and helpful manner"(2009)).

QUALIFICATIONS

Guy read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Brasenose College, Oxford (MA Hons) before obtaining a Diploma in Law with distinction from City University.

Guy is a member of the Planning and Environmental Bar Association (PEBA), the Compulsory Purchase Association (CPA) and the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA). He is an assistant editor of the Encyclopedia of Planning Law.

CASES

INQUIRIES