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Sophie Abley

She/herAssociate
About

Sophie is an associate in the Birmingham real estate litigation team and her expertise covers both commercial and residential property dispute resolution.

In Sophie's role, she has acted for both the Landlord and Tenant in dilapidation claims, rent arrears disputes, forfeiture proceedings, contractual disputes relating to land, advice concerning rights of way, injunction proceedings, protester and trespass matters and judicial reviews. She has experience of hearings before the administrative court and first tier tribunal through to the High Court, including matters before The Royal Court of Justice.

Sophie has spent her legal career to date at DLA Piper, having trained at the firm before qualifying into the real estate litigation team. Upon qualification, Sophie undertook an in-house secondment at High Speed Two (HS2) Limited to assist on matters related to the Secretary of State for Transport’s property portfolio.

Day to day, Sophie advises large property portfolios, national infrastructure clients, clearing banks, breweries, government agencies and receivers.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • Acting for a range of established clients including clearing banks and breweries in relation to lease renewals and breaches of the lease.
  • Acting on behalf of two large institutional property portfolios on dilapidation claims and settlement agreements, statutory demands and Torts Notices.
  • Advising a public body on Permitted Occupier Agreements, disputes in relation to Sub-Tenancy Agreements and unlawful alterations.
  • Advising an infrastructure client on rent arrears claims, including issuing Notices to Quit, possession proceedings, Trace and Means Reports and applications for charging orders.
  • Assisting a government agency on trespass matters
  • Advising an infrastructure client and a large institutional property portfolio on issues relating to the surrender of numerous properties.
  • Acting on behalf of receivers on dilapidations claims in relation to tenants under a Company Voluntary Arrangement.
  • Advising a public body on their position as Landlord in disputes arising from Crown Tenancy Agreements, Farm Business Tenancies and Commercial Lease Agreements.
Education
  • University of Law, LLM LPC, 2021
  • University of Northumbria, PGDip (Graduate Diploma in Law), 2020
  • University of Leeds, BA (EU) in English Literature, 2017