Caroline Bolton

Date of call: 1998 Middle Temple

Caroline Bolton’s main areas of practice include Commercial and Chancery, Planning, Local Government and Housing. Caroline regularly appears in the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Caroline is listed in the 2007-2008 edition of Chambers and Partners as a leader at the Bar in the area of Social Housing, which records: “there are few barristers that have the same command of the Court as Caroline Bolton” and “One client enthused that ‘she is my first choice for cases that we can’t afford to lose, she always goes the extra mile’.”

Caroline is regularly instructed on a broad range of commercial and chancery matters including: breach of directors’ duties; shareholder disputes; derivative claims; financial services disputes; mortgage fraud and claims concerning undue influence and general contractual disputes. Caroline is regularly instructed to obtain injunctive relief on a range of commercial and chancery disputes, in particular injunctions in the Companies Court and freezing orders. Caroline is also instructed in cases concerning professional negligence.

Caroline is also instructed regularly on a range of property matters and land law disputes including cases concerning enforcement of covenants, easements and relief from forfeiture. Caroline frequently advises on commercial leases.

Caroline also receives instructions from other jurisdictions and in 2009 successfully represented a client from St Lucia before the Privy Council on an appeal from the High Court in St Lucia.

Caroline has appeared at Public Inquiries and in High Court and Court of Appeal challenges on planning matters. Caroline’s recent planning cases includes R (Buglife) v Thurrock Urban Development Corporation [2009] EWCA 29 where together with Timothy Straker QC she successfully represented the Thurrock Gateway Development Corporation, who faced an environmental challenge over the grant of a planning permission in respect of a brown field site by the Invertebrate Trust. Caroline is instructed by both local authorities and developers in a wide range of planning matters including large scale housing developments, development of GA aerodromes, marina developments, commercial developments and rights of way. Caroline also has particular expertise in enforcement matters, section 187B injunctions and cases concerning gypsies and travellers.

Caroline is instructed in all areas of Housing and Homelessness and is regularly instructed by local housing authorities, RSLs and Housing Trusts. Caroline’s successes include homelessness cases such as Lewis v London Borough of Havering [2006] EWCA Civ 1728. Caroline has particular expertise in homelessness and housing matters concerning gypsies, mental health, Disability Discrimination Act issues, nuisance and anti-social personality disorders. Caroline also regularly advises social landlords on matters of housing policy and housing finance.

Caroline is regularly instructed by local government in matters concerning statutory nuisance, EPA matters concerning noise and waste and anti-social behaviour. Due to Caroline’s experience in commercial law Caroline is also instructed by local government on contractual matters and lease agreements between local government and private enterprise, in particular participation agreements between local government and developers. Caroline has also represented the Local Government Ombudsman on several occasions and is instructed by local government in judicial review proceedings on a variety of issues but in particular cases involving homelessness, planning, mental health and other disabilities. Caroline is also instructed in election law issues including election fraud and election petitions.

Caroline also has experience in cases concerning applications for protective costs orders and successfully appeared with Timothy Straker QC for the Respondent in an appeal against a costs cap placed on a protective costs order in R (Buglife) v Thurrock Urban Development Corporation [2008] EWCA 1209.

Caroline has advised both government departments and the Metropolitan Police on issues of nuisance and anti-social behaviour. Caroline was also a member of the ASBO project (launched Jan 2005) which was organised by the Metropolitan Police in association with the Home Office. Caroline was awarded a Commendation by the Metropolitan Police for her legal expertise and role in delivering the ASBO Project.

Caroline regularly gives lectures and seminars on her core areas of practice both at national conferences and on an in house basis.

AFFILIATIONS
ALBA
PEBA

EDUCATION
LLB Hons (Southampton)
LLM Hons (University College, London)

LANGUAGES
German (basic)

CURCUITS
South Eastern

LECTURES/SEMINARS

• Demystifying the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003
• Assessing Homelessness an overview
• Homelessness and Immigration
• Anti-social behaviour —The Landlords Remedies
• Obtaining Anti-social Behaviour Orders
• A Step by Step Guide to Demoted Tenancies (25 January 2005)
• ASBOs- Shared Problems Joint Solutions (17, 18 31 January 2005).

DIRECTORY ENTRIES
Chambers & Partners, 2008:
Recommended junior in Social Housing Law “ seen as a good all-round practitioner. She is celebrated for her responsiveness and thoroughness.” (2007). "There are few barristers that have the same command of the court...she is my first choice for cases that we can't afford to lose, she always goes the extra mile" (2008).

CLERKS EMAIL
Mark Regan and Stephen Broom

Practice areas

t 020 7404 5252
clerks@4-5.co.uk

Print page | Text-only version | Disclaimer

4-5 Gray's Inn Square, London WC1R 5AH   DX No. 1029 LDE   Fax: 020 7242 7803