Justin Bates KC

Call: 2003

Silk: 2024

Justin's practice covers all aspects of housing, property and local government law.

Contact Practice Managers

Practice summary

Property

Public and Administrative

Cross-practice

Practice Summary

Justin's practice covers all aspects of housing, property and local government law. He is the Deputy General Editor of the Encyclopaedia of Housing Law and is the author or co-author of a number of other books and annotated statutes.

In recent years, Justin has given evidence on housing law reform to the All Parliamentary Committees on both Legal Aid and the Private Rented Sector; the Welsh Assembly on the Renting Homes (Wales) Act; and the House of Lords on housing and the Equality Act 2010. He co-drafted the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 for Karen Buck MP and continues to provide legislative and policy support to the Shadow housing team. He has appeared on various BBC news and current affairs programmes discussing housing law. In 2019/20, he worked on the Right to Manage reform proposals produced by the Law Commission.

Justin is an active supporter of Advocate (the Bar Pro Bono Unit) and, in 2020, was nominated for the “Pro Bono Junior of the Year” award.

Property

Justin is recommended for property and housing law in both Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. He is a “Star Individual” in the present edition of Chambers & Partners and has been since 2016. He is a leading junior in the Legal 500 and has been since 2011. He is the Deputy General Editor of the Encyclopedia of Housing Law, the co-author of Leasehold Disputes and various other works. He is has written legislation, given evidence to Parliament and the Welsh Assembly and worked with the Law Commission on the leasehold reform programme.

He is particularly familiar with the work of the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal/First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) and has appeared in a number of reported Lands Tribunal/Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) and Court of Appeal cases concerning leasehold disputes, including most of the major Right to Manage cases.

Public and Administrative

Justin has acted in Supreme Court cases for both occupiers and landlords in major human rights cases. He recently gave evidence to the House of Lords Committee on the Equality Act 2010 and regularly appears in the High Court on Housing Act 2004 judicial review challenges. He is also regularly instructed in relation to judicial review claims against the Upper Tribunal. His public law work usually overlaps with property law.

Justin is also the co-author of Homelessness and Allocations.

Justin specialises in the regulation of housing, which inevitably covers both public law and property law issues. Recent work includes the intersection of asylum seeker accommodation and HMO regulation (both for providers of such accommodation and local authorities seeking to regulate the same); advising the Secretary of State on the regulation of costs under shared ownership leases; a judicial review claim in respect of a Part 2/3 Housing Act 2004 licensing scheme.

Public Interest Litigation

Specialisms

Building Safety

Housing

Leasehold Enfranchisement and Right to Manage

Public Sector and Local Government Property issues

Residential Leasehold Management and Disputes

Residential Tenancies

Specialisms

Judicial Review

Local Government including Local Government Finance

Property Judicial Review

Social Security

Housing and homelessness

Specialisms

Public Interest Litigation

"
Truly exceptional."

Legal 500

Bates Justin Uk leading juniors 2024 Pro Bono Pledge Logo No Background ERMAS 2023 WINNER Property and Housing Junior of the Year Chambers UK Bar 2023 shortlisted Real Estate Junior

Qualifications and achievements

Qualifications

  • BA (Oxon); LL.M (Toronto)
  • Pupil supervisor

Awards

  • 'Barrister of the Year' at the Enfranchisement & Right to Manage Awards (ERMAs) 2023
  • Shortlisted for the Legal 500 UK Bar Awards 2023 Property and Housing 'Junior of the Year'

Recommendations

Practice Managers

Contact our friendly and helpful Practice Managers for more information about our barristers and services or to make an enquiry.

Mark Ball new

Mark Ball

Practice Director

020 7421 1308

Harry Feldman

Harry Feldman

Practice Manager

020 7421 2485

Connor Mc Gilly new

Connor McGilly

Practice Manager

020 7421 1304

Ruby Sims new

Ruby Sims

Assistant Practice Manager

020 7421 1337

Download your shortlist

Download All Download icon