Laura West
Barrister

Laura practises in all areas of housing and landlord and tenant work with a particular emphasis on public, administrative and local government law. She has experience of advisory work and advocacy in cases concerning possession, homelessness, succession, disrepair, right to buy, anti-social behaviour injunctions and orders, housing benefit and misfeasance in public office. She regularly acts for local authorities, housing associations and private landlords as well as tenants. Laura has a keen interest in all aspects of public law and accepts instructions in cases concerning housing, education, mental health and community care issues.

Laura was formerly instructed as second junior counsel in the appeal brought by Congleton Borough Council and Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council against the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with regard to the restructuring of local government in Cheshire and Shropshire into unitary authorities, R (Congleton BC and Shrewsbury BC) v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2008] EWCA Civ 148. In May 2007 as a pupil in Chambers Laura also had the opportunity to assist with the preparation of the Respondents’ successful case before the House of Lords in YL v Birmingham CC, Southern Cross, OL and VL [2007] UKHL 27.

Laura’s practice covers all aspects of housing law, including possessions, disrepair, allocations, succession, anti-social behaviour, right to buy, housing benefit and disability discrimination.

Laura is also familiar with all aspects of homelessness law, having been seconded to the housing department of a London Borough Council on a regular basis since April 2007.

Laura has had the opportunity to gain considerable experience in the field of public law via her work on R (on the application of Congleton Borough Council and Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council) v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and had the opportunity to observe a variety of public law and human rights cases as a pupil.

• R (on the application of Congleton Borough Council and Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council) v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in both the Court of Appeal; [2008] EWCA Civ 148, and in the High Court; [2007] EWHC 2279 (Admin).

• YL v Birmingham City Council, [2007] UKHL 27; [2007] 3 W.L.R. 112

• Watchman v Ipswich BC [2007] EWCA Civ 348; [2007] H.L.R. 33; (2007) 104(8) L.S.G. 37; (2007) 151 S.J.L.B. 260

"Deposit Dilemmas" Consideration of the problematic tenancy deposit scheme contained in Housing Act 2004 and the case law arising; NLJ 2009 159(7381) 1127-1128

"Trouble in the Shires" Reflection on the use of constitutional powers by the Secretary of State in the 2008 reorganisation of local government into unitary authorities; NLJ 2008 158(7335) 1214-1215

"What Price Equality?" An examination of “target” duties; JR 2008 13(1) 41 - 45

"Regional allocations, banding and choice after Lin: Stop, think, go" Considering R (on the application of Mei Ling Lin) v London Borough of Barnet;JHL 2008 11(1) 4-7

"Human Rights in the Domestic Courts" Case law commentary; [2007] JHL 10(4) 65-68 (Sweet and Maxwell).

"Watchman v Ipswich Borough Council" Case note in the Journal of Social Housing Law and Practice; (2007) 37 JSHLP 2 (Arden Davies).