Judith Smyth

Judith is an experienced litigator who helps property owners, occupiers and developers resolve a wide range of contentious commercial, residential and agricultural property issues.
She acts for both landlords and tenants in commercial leasehold disputes at all stages from pre-action negotiations through to settlement or trial. Her work includes lease renewals and terminations (including forfeiture and break notices), dilapidations, enforcing lease covenants, applications for landlord consents, arrears recovery, rent review and service charge disputes. She has substantial experience advising creditor landlords on tenant insolvency issues including company voluntary arrangements, administration and Part 26A schemes.

In relation to residential property, Judith advises both landlords and tenants on a wide variety of issues including possession claims, disrepair, service charge challenges, enfranchisement and obtaining orders for sale. She also advises regularly on other contentious property matters, including rights of way, restrictive covenants, trespass, boundary disputes, property-related professional negligence and enforcing or terminating property sale contracts. She has particular expertise in advising on nuisance claims.

As well as progressing and defending claims, Judith provides strategic advice to property owners preparing for and undertaking development projects and asset management, including vacant possession strategies, rights of light advice and assisting with transaction structuring and drafting to seek to minimise litigation risk.

Alongside litigation, Judith has experience of arbitration proceedings and a wide variety of alternative dispute resolution methods, including mediation and expert determination. She is a solicitor advocate with full rights of audience in the civil courts in England and Wales.