John Sharples
Call 1992 (Middle Temple)
Qualifications BA (Oxon) 1st Class 1986, LLM (Cantab) 1987, LLM (University of Pennsylvania) 1988, Thouron Scholar (University of Pennsylvania) 1987-8, Attorney-at-Law New York State 1991, Queen Mother’s Scholar 1992, Sachs Prize & Campbell-Foster Prize 1993 (all Middle Temple)
Professional Memberships Member of Chancery Bar Association
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Areas of Practice
John has been a member of Chambers since 1993 and has specialised throughout his career at the Bar in all areas of real property.
He is frequently instructed on behalf of major land developers and owners, national house builders and large public authorities as well as private clients.
Before joining the Bar, John practised as an attorney-at-law in a Wall Street law firm from 1989 to 1991. His practice there included contentious take-overs and major litigation for international banks, insurance companies and brokerage houses.
Real Property Litigation
- principally commercial, including contracts for the sale of land and disputes relating to land development (title problems, conditional contracts, restrictive covenants and overage clauses)
- easements (rights of way, rights to light and water rights)
- nuisance and trespass
- boundaries
- mortgages
Landlord and Tenant
- principally commercial property but also agricultural and residential
- commercial lease construction
- 1954 Act renewals
- rent reviews
- dilapidations claims
- breaches of covenant, particularly covenants against as signment
- possession, including Housing Association possession actions?
Equity and Trusts, Wills and Probate
- co-ownership and trusts of land
- claims under Trusts of Land & Appointment of Trustees Act 1996
- construction of wills
- contentious probate
- administration of estates and trusts
- claims under the Inheritance Act
Professional Negligence
- ancillary to the above areas of expertise, particularly solicitors’ negligence
Reported Cases
- Westendorp & anor v Warwick [2006] EWHC 915 (testamentary capacity)
- Sweet v. Sommer & Neanor [2004] 4 All ER 288 cited in Gale on Easements (1st Supp 17th ed.) (existence and scope of rights of way arising by necessity)
- Solon South West Housing Association Ltd. v James [2004] 155 NLJ 410 (use of anonymous hearsay evidence in possession actions)
- Gonthier v Orange Contract Scaffolding Ltd [2003] EWCA Civ 873 cited in Emmett on Title (estoppels arising from ‘subject to contract’ negotiations and the ‘clean hand’ defence)
- Southward v Banham [2002] BPIR 1253 (set-offs for rent in partnership actions for an account)
Recommendations
- Legal 500 (2007) – ‘John Sharples is ‘the best junior for property/chancery cases in Bristol chambers; very thorough and helpful with a good court presence’.
- Chambers UK 2009 Chancery – John Sharples, who is noted for being ‘an accessible lawyer with a first-class mind who is good in a team’. Noted for ‘always giving a firm opinion and perpetually fighting the client’s corner,’ his highlights include acting for a wife who succeeded in setting aside a charge on the basis of undue influence.
- Chambers UK 2008 Chancery – A real expert on landlord and tenant matters is John Sharples, whose ‘impressively pragmatic approach’ is allied to a piercing intelligence.
- Chambers UK 2007 Chancery – ‘extremely thorough’ practitioner with a strong commercial and agricultural property leaning.
- Chambers UK 2006 Chancery – ‘one of the brightest juniors I have come across – great rapport with solicitors’
- Chambers UK 2005 Chancery – ‘first class on paper, he’s a superb opponent and someone you’d prefer not to be against’
- Chambers UK 2004 Chancery – ‘relentless in battle’
- Chambers UK 2003 Chancery – ‘serious minded and able performer’
