Natalie Pratt
Call: 2018
Barrister
Natalie has a broad chancery practice spanning all of Chambers’ core practice areas, and has appeared in the Court of Appeal, High Court, County Court and First-tier Tribunal. Natalie has developed particular experience in injunction proceedings against persons unknown (including in the context of protests, such as the recent ‘Just Stop Oil’ protests), and appeared as junior counsel in London Borough of Barking and Dagenham & Ors v Persons Unknown & Ors [2022] EWCA Civ 13, Thurrock Council & Anr v Adams & Ors [2022] EWHC 1324 (QB) and MBR Acres Limited & Ors v Free the MBR Beagles & Ors [2021] EWHC 2996 (QB).
Before joining the Bar, Natalie lectured the law of property and trusts. Natalie has published several articles relating to land law, and was awarded a PhD for a thesis titled ‘The Real Tragedy of the Commons: The Absence of Suitable Institutions in English Law to Secure Mutual Self-Interest Commons’.
Natalie has developed particular experience injunction proceedings, especially against persons unknown and also in the context of protests. In particular, she was instructed as junior counsel to Caroline Bolton in:
- Thurrock Council & Anr v Adams & Ors [2022] EWHC 1324 (QB)
- London Borough of Barking and Dagenham & Ors v Persons Unknown & Ors [2022] EWCA Civ 13
- MBR Acres Ltd & Ors v Persons Unknown & Ors [2021] EWHC 2996 (QB)
- London Borough of Barking and Dagenham & Ors v Persons Unknown & Ors [2021] EWHC 1201 (QB)
Natalie has experience of injunction matters as sole counsel, and recently obtained interim relief:
- In Reigate and Banstead Borough Council v Mitchell & Ors [2022] 6 WLUK 80, pursuant to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, s187B (both without notice and on the return date), and
- In the County Court, pursuant to the Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977
Natalie has also appeared in committal proceedings, both as junior and sole counsel, following alleged breaches of injunction orders, including in:
- MBR Acres Limited v Maher (aka Thibeault) & Anr [2022] EWHC 1123 (QB)
- Brentwood Borough Council v Moran & Ors (2022) (sole counsel)
- Brentwood Borough Council v Ward & Ors (2022) (sole counsel)
Natalie is instructed regularly in commercial claims concerning contractual disputes. Her recent work includes:
- Drafting proceedings in a high value claim in which the contract is governed by foreign law
- Drafting various claims, defences, counterclaims and replies in contractual disputes
- Advising on contractual disputes arising from the economic effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the contracting parties
Natalie is instructed regularly in wills, trusts and estate matters. Natalie’s recent work includes:
- Drafting part 7 proceedings for the revocation of a grant of probate
- Advising on the creation and validity of testamentary trusts
- Drafting part 8 proceedings seeking vesting orders, directions as to the administration of an estate and the removal of an executor
Natalie has appeared in the High Court and County Court on bankruptcy and winding up petitions, and other insolvency related matters. Natalie’s recent work includes:
- A trial of a preference, transaction at undervalue and misfeasance claim
- A trial concerning the enforcement of a personal guarantee
- Applications for the extension of administrations
- Application to re-use a company name
- Application for the removal of a trustee in bankruptcy
- Applications to set aside statutory demands
Natalie is instructed regularly in property related matters. Natalie’s recent work includes:
- Applications pursuant to the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996
- Lease forfeiture proceedings
- Advising on service charge disputes
- Application to appoint a property manager
- Various possession hearings, including proceedings against trespassers
Natalie was instructed as junior counsel to Caroline Bolton in:
- London Borough of Barking and Dagenham & Ors v Persons Unknown & Ors [2022] EWCA Civ 13
- London Borough of Havering & Ors v Stokes & Ors [2021] EWCA Civ 1129
- London Borough of Barking and Dagenham & Ors v Persons Unknown & Ors [2021] EWHC 1201 (QB)
- London Borough of Havering & Ors v Persons Unknown & Ors [2021] EWHC 2648 (QB)
Broadly, these proceedings concern the lawfulness of borough-wide and de facto borough-wide injunctions against persons unknown (including those granted pursuant to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, s187B and the Local Government Act 1972, s222), and various incidental matters.
Natalie also appeared as junior counsel for the Local Authority in Thurrock Council & Anr v Adams & Ors [2022] EWHC 1324 (QB), in which injunctive relief was sought to restrain nuisance and trespass on the highway arising from the recent Just Stop Oil protests.
Natalie has also appeared as sole counsel in committal proceedings arising from alleged breaches of s187B injunctions, including:
- Brentwood Borough Council v Moran & Ors (2022)
- Brentwood Borough Council v Ward & Anr (2022)
Natalie is experienced in charity litigation. In particular, she was instructed as sole counsel in:
- The Knightland Foundation v Charity Commission of England and Wales [2021] UKFTT 0365 (GRC) (a four-day appeal to the First-tier Tribunal challenging the appointment of interim managers)
- Judicial review proceedings, challenging the Charity Commission’s use of its power at the Charities Act 2011, s337(4)(b), and in which permission was granted on two of the four grounds of challenge
Natalie also gained experience in other charity matters during her pupillage, including:
- Shadowing counsel in Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust & Ors v Derby City Council [2019] EWHC 3436 (Ch) (a case concerning whether Foundation Trusts are charities and therefore entitled to mandatory rating relief)
- Drafting an advice concerning a fundraising appeal
- Assisting and shadowing counsel in various matters relating to charity governance
Natalie has advised on the effect of pre-May 2000 bankruptcies on the historic bankrupt’s pension entitlement.
Natalie also gained experience in pensions matters during her pupillage, including:
- Assisting Keith Rowley QC in Univar UK Ltd v Smith & Ors [2020] EWHC 1596 (Ch) (a claim for rectification of the governing documents of an occupational scheme)
- Assisting in the preparation of another claim for the rectification of a scheme’s governing documentation
- Attending the Association of Pension Lawyers Beginners Course
- 2014 – 2020 PhD, King’s College London
- 2016 – 2018 BPTC, BPP Law School (Outstanding)
- 2012 – 2013 BCL, University of Oxford (subject prize in Advanced Property and Trusts)
- 2009 – 2012 LLB Law (First Class Honours), University of Surrey
- 2018 Buchanan Prize, Lincoln’s Inn
- 2016 Lord Denning Scholarship, Lincoln’s Inn
- 2016 Hardwicke Entrance Award, Lincoln’s Inn
- 2014 Subject prize in Advanced Property and Trusts, University of Oxford
- The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
- Chancery Bar Association
- Property Bar Association
- Charity Law Association
- ‘Recreation easements after Regency Villas Title Ltd and others v Diamond Resorts Ltd and others [2018] UKSC 57’ [2019] 7 Journal of Planning and Environment Law 638
- ‘Community property claims in the personhood perspective: part II’ (2018) 30(1) Denning Law Journal 85
- ‘A proprietary right to recreate’ [2017] 4 Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 312
- ‘Community property claims in the personhood perspective: part I’ (2017) 29 Denning Law Journal 17
- ‘Confrontation, contentious use, and a West Yorkshire chip shop’ [2016] 5 Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 414
- ‘A trap for unwary developers? The operation of section 62 Law of Property Act 1925 following Wood v Waddington’ [2015] 12 Journal of Planning and Environment Law 1341
- ‘The by right defence in village green registration’ (2015) 7(2) International Journal of Law in the Built Environment 96
- ‘Analysing conservation covenants’ [2014] 12 Journal of Planning and Environment Law 1310
- ‘The setting of the sun on the village green era?’ (2014) 26 Denning Law Journal 234
- ‘Conservation covenants: a proprietary analysis’ [2014] 78 Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 328
- ‘The application of the equitable doctrine of laches to the rectification of the town and village green register’ [2014] 6 Journal of Planning and Environment Law 588
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