Guy Adams
Call 1989 (Middle Temple)
Qualifications MA (Cantab)
Appointments Junior Counsel to the Crown (2003-2007)
Professional Memberships Chancery Bar Association, Administrative Law Bar Association
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Areas of Practice
Guy has a broad commercial and chancery practice. Though he has particular expertise in company and partnership matters, he is regularly instructed in complex cases across a wide range of practice areas.
Guy’s practice extends from advising and acting for commercial clients in purely commercial contract matters, through shareholders disputes, disputes arising on the sale of a business, termination of office or the break up of a professional partnership to more traditional chancery matters such as disputes between landlords and tenants and property disputes including seller and buyer issues, restrictive covenants and easements.
Guy has a particular interest in equitable remedies for breaches of fiduciary duty, setting aside seemingly effective transactions for mistake, misrepresentation or undue influence or enforcing informal or flawed transactions by invoking the principles of constructive trust or estoppel.
He has also, since spending part of his pupilage in public law chambers, always maintained a niche interest in administrative law and in particular has acted for commercial clients, whose business interests have been adversely affected by administrative decisions.
Guy is regularly instructed in professional negligence matters and has a particular expertise in relation to limitation issues.
Reported Cases
- Charles Terence Estates Ltd v Cornwall Council and another [2011] EWHC 2542 (QB), [2011] All ER (D) 73 (Oct) – Housing, Local Authority powers and restitution
- Betterment Properties (Weymouth) Ltd v James Carthy & Co Ltd [2010] EWCA Civ 1401, [2010] All ER (D) 210 (Dec) – highways and contractual construction
- Roberts v Gill & Co – “ Supreme Court – [2011] 1 AC 240 [2010] 2 WLR 1227, [2010] UKSC 22, NLJR 768, (2010) Times, 28 May, 154 Sol Jo (no 20) 36, [2010] All ER (D) 180 (May) – derivative action, limitation, and procedure
- Kaye v Nu Skin UK Ltd [2009] EWHC 3509 (Ch), [2010] 2 All ER (Comm) 832, [2010] All ER (D) 177 (Feb) – arbitration/good faith in commercial relations
- Roberts v. Gill [2008] EWCA Civ 803, [2009] 1 WLR 531, [2008] WTLR 1429, [2009] PNLR 2, [2009] CP Rep 3, (2008) The Times, 18 August, [2008] All ER (D) 162 (Jul) – “ derivative action/procedure
- Pagliaro v. Thomas and ors [2008] WTLR 1417 – trusts and trustees
- Morris v Morris [2008] EWCA Civ 257, [2008] All ER (D) 333 (Feb) CA, [2008] Fam Law 521, 152 Sol Jo (no 9) 31 – “ constructive trust and proprietary estoppel
- Cawsand Fort Management Co Ltd v Stafford and ors [2008] 1 WLR 371, (2007) 48 EG 145, [2007] NPC 124, [2007] All ER (D) 296 (Court of Appeal) – landlord and tenant
- Roberts v Gill & Co (a firm) and another [2007] All ER (D) 89 (Apr) – professional negligence/procedure
- Cawsand Fort Management Co Ltd v Stafford and ors [2007] 1 EGLR 85 (2007) L&TR 13 (Lands Tribunal) – landlord and tenant
- Sanders and another v Buckley [2006] EWHC 3216 (Ch), [2006] All ER (D) 307 (Dec) – undue influence
- Proctor v Highways Agency [2006] RVR 26, [2005] EWLands ACQ 151 2002 (Lands Tribunal) – compulsory purchase/planning
- Mitchell v Potter [2005] EWCA Civ 88, The Times 24th January 2005 – easements
- Leeder v Stevens [2005] EWCA Civ 50, The Times 14th January 2005 – undue influence
- Lydbrook Parochial Church Council v Forest of Dean District Council (2004) 7 Ecc LJ 495 – public law/private law
- Lindsley v Woodfull [2004] EWCA Civ 165, [2004] BCLC 131 – partnership and fiduciary duties
- Goodman v Evely [2001] EWCA Civ 104, [2002] HLR 53 – landlord and tenant
- Minster Chalets v Irwin Park Residents Association [2001] EWLands LRX 28 2000 – landlord and tenant
- R v. Bristol City Council, ex p. Barrett (2001) 3 LGLR 163 – judicial review/public procurement
- Caradon District Council v Bussell [2000] 3 EGLR 57, The Times 17th May 2000 CA – restrictive covenant
- Nutt v Reed (1999) 32 HLR 761 The Times 3rd December 1999 CA – mistake
- Secretary of State for Trade and Industry v Ivens [1997] 2 BCLC 334 CA – directors disqualification
- Mitchem v Magnus Homes South West Ltd (1996) 74 P & CR 235 CA – real property/conditional contract
- Lee v Berkeley Leisure Group Ltd. (1995) 73 P&CR 493 (Mobile Homes)
Direct Access
Guy is qualified to undertake Direct Access work in appropriate cases, for further information, please visit our Direct Access page.
Publications
- There but for the grace of God: Roberts v Gill & Co [2011] 1 AC 240, Trusts & Trustees 2011, OUP; doi: 10.1093/tandt/ttr08
Recommendations
Chambers UK 2012
- Commercial Dispute Resolution: Guy is well regarded as a vigorous and commercially minded litigator. He draws praise for his prodigious expertise in partnership and company matters.
Chambers UK 2011
- Commercial Dispute Resolution: Interviewees praise Guy Adams for his “robust and commercial approach.” He has a broad commercial and chancery practice and is noted for his expertise in administrative law issues affecting commercial clients.
Personal
Guy enjoys walking, sailing and skiing with his family.
