Pauline Lewis

Pauline Lewis LLB (Hons) Barrister is a highly experienced barrister in UK law.  She is a civil lawyer with expertise in Property and Trusts Law, Family Law, Commercial Law, and Employment Law.  Her experience has spanned many areas of legal practice having worked both in private practice at the Bar of England and Wales and as in-house counsel for Mcdonald's Restaurants (UK).

Pauline’s clients range from individuals to SMEs to High Net Worth Individuals

Property and Trusts Law

Recent and current cases relate to:

• Property fraud-transfer of title from registered proprietor to company.
• Property repossession-fraudulent bridging loan.
• Joint house ownership – relationship breakdown – mortgage paid disproportionately between parties – successful claim for common intention constructive trust.
• Joint house ownership – relationship breakdown – mortgage paid equally – successful settlement 60% share in ownership.
• Freeholder recovering payments made for repairs from other joint freeholders.
• Property transfer to avoid care home fees.
• High net worth – financial Remedies detailed without prejudice offers.
• Fraudulent property transfer.
• Fraudulent repossession claim.
• Defending local authority repossession claim.
• Successful settlement of claim against local authority for breach of repairs obligation.
• Flood damage claim against local authority.
• Disputes about resulting trusts and whether trusts have arisen in the context of contributions to purchases of land by third parties other than direct financial contributions.
• Breach of fiduciary duty leading to the creation of an implied trust.
• Trusts created by statute or operation of law.
• Non-express charitable trust.
• Acquisition of property by local authority on behalf of community group.
• Charging order obtained in the absence of hearing and absence of defendant.
• Appeals.

Family Law

• Divorce - complex family asset ownership involving third-party family members – protecting the assets of third-party family members – disputing company resolutions where wife and mother were directors – company law dispute – relief from sanctions.
• Divorce - appeal from final hearing distribution of family assets.
• Divorce – appeal from final hearing child arrangements.
• Challenging consent orders made by victims of domestic abuse.
• Challenging financial order.
• Fact-finding hearings.
• Child arrangements orders.
• Consent orders.

Commercial Law

• Partnership Law – taking of partnership account.
• Solicitor’s Professional Negligence – conveyancing
• Commercial and residential conveyancing.
• High Court Representation – Law of Property Act (Miscellaneous Provisions) 1989 property contract not actionable.
• Partnership Law – taking of an account with multiple ancillary applications.
• Court of Appeal Representation -trustee in bankruptcy improperly served papers – application to set aside possession order.
• County Court Representation – loan of £300,000 converted to purchase contract for copyright and patent rights representing party recovering loan on basis of fraud/ breach of contract.
• Copyright claim for design of interior of business premises.
• Conversion of ownership of erected building due to long term use by dairy for bottling.
• Financial Factoring Debt Recovery (Ultimate Finance).
• Recovery of Funds from Interpleader Proceedings (HSBC Bank).
• Possession Proceedings (Commercial) (Gilmartin Surveyors).
• Commercial property acquisitions (Various High Streets including recently Brick Lane E1, New Barnet EN5, Stevenage, Hertford, Chancery Lane).
• Unique product contracts including prototype items for marketing and inventor items.
• Planning Enforcement Notices.
• Various Property legal matters including withdrawal of fire escape user permission by City of London Corporation for premises by Southwark Bridge SE1.

Employment Law

• Claim on behalf of a church employee for unfair dismissal at the height of the Grenfell Tower Fire – detailed costs application claim and defence.
• Claim for security officer dismissed for being asleep.
• Claim for disability discrimination – claimant became reliant on dialysis during employment.

Most areas are covered. Recent cases have included (Defendants in brackets):

• Unfair Dismissal (American Airways).
• Discrimination (Ballymore Properties).
• Fixed term employees (North Middlesex Health Authority).
• Constructive Dismissal (Coombes).
• Wrongful Dismissal (Property Company).
• TUPE regulations (Heathrow Cleaning Company).
• Gross misconduct (Four Seasons Health Authority).
• Employment Appeal Tribunal representation – Bias and Time Limits.
• Discrimination (St Georges Healthcare Trust).
• Employment Appeal Tribunal representation – knowledge of disability.

Varous Courts and Tribunals

• Administrative Court Judicial Review Case to Answer NHS.
• Disciplinary Committee Appeal against ACCA.
• Local Planning Authority Enforcement Notice Challenge against London Borough of Southwark.
• Conduct and Competence Hearing Healthcare Professions Council (NHS Disciplinary).
• European Court of Human Rights (2013) – Claim for the right to a fair hearing – unfair dismissal tribunal found employer carried out reasonable investigation but client given no fair hearing.

Pro Bono Work

• Acted for various pro bono clients in employment law, bankruptcy, repossessions.
• Acted in the team of volunteers at the Personal Support Unit in the High Court Strand assisting and supporting litigants in person.
• Advising Windrush clients on obtaining access to state benefits and applying for compensation under the compensation scheme.
• Legal opinion on claims for compensation for Windrush wrongful treatment.

Interests

TV Appearances:  The Chase – May 2021

Author of various articles: BAME Beauty and the Covid Beast – the Ugly Truth; Harry & Meghan – a promise snatched or a legacy of hope?; Social Injustice & the Black Lives Matter movement.

Black History, US Civil Rights, Children’s and Young People’s Issues. 

Politics: Graduate of CCF Course Leadership in Public Life;  Conservative Women's Organisation – Diversity (CWODi); Conservative Councillor Candidate.

FEES:

Details regarding our approach to fees can be found at the following link:  http://www.clerksroom.com/content-html?cid=514

SERVICES:

Please see “profile” tab for a description of the legal services provided by this barrister.

We aim to complete and return all paperwork within 14 days (2 weeks) of receipt if no specific deadline is provided. We can work to much faster timescales if requested or we can agree a specific target date for each individual circumstance. We will always advise at the outset if counsel is unable to meet any deadline.

Each barrister has a standard hourly rate for their work. The individual hourly rate can be agreed when instructions are acknowledged if preferred. We welcome early discussion as to the suitability of a specific barrister for a specific case. The right barrister will have the relevant expertise to deal with the case but will not be too junior, or too senior depending on the complexities.

We aim to allocate all cases to the correct level of experience & seniority which we believe will prove most to be the most cost-effective solution for our clients.

If, due to urgency, we allocate paperwork to a more senior member of Clerksroom, we will charge the appropriate hourly rate for the work, not for the barrister. We welcome early discussion to ensure the correct fee is applied to the case at the outset.

REDRESS:

All our barristers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and hold a current practising certificate, details can be found at the following link Barristers’ Register

Complaints information

If you are not satisfied with the service provided, you can make a complaint to Chambers. Information on the chambers’ complaints procedure is available at the following link: http://www.clerksroom.com/content-html?cid=416

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from my chambers, you can make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman. You must contact the Legal Ombudsman either within 6 months following the conclusion of our handling your complaint, within 6 years from the date of the act/omission, or 3 years from the date that you should reasonably have known there were grounds for complaint (if the act/omission took place before the 6 October 2010 or was more than six years ago).

The Legal Ombudsman’s details are as follows:

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806
Wolverhampton
WV1 9WJ
Tel: 0300 555 0333
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

1.              This is a privacy notice that describes how, why and for how long I will process or keep your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’).

2.              The GDPR governs how an individual’s personal data is used, and your rights in relation to that data.

3.              I, Pauline Lewis, have been instructed by you or your litigation friend (usually a parent), through your solicitor or agent, or via the Bar Pro Bono Unit.

4.              It is necessary for me to process your personal data in order for me to provide you with legal services, for example:

·   Advise on the prospects of litigation;

·   Advise on the value of your claim;

·   Representation at a court hearing;

·   Representation at trial;

·   Advise, review or comment on legal issues or evidence.

5.              Processing means anything done to data such as: recording, organising, adapting, altering, copying, consulting, transmitting, combining, erasing or storing it.

6.              The processing for the purposes listed above will take place in accordance with either Article 6(1)(a) GDPR or Article 6(1)(b) GDPR, depending on how you instructed me.

7.              If you have instructed me on a direct access basis, or engaged a solicitor (or legal agent), to assist you in bringing or defending a claim then the processing is necessary to perform a contract to which you are a party (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR). To give effect to that contract (i.e. to bring a claim) it is necessary for me to process your personal data for litigation purposes.

8.              If I am assisting you on a pro bono basis, it will be necessary for me to seek your consent to be able to represent you (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). In this scenario, you will be sent a consent form.

Recipients of your data

9.              I may also be required to share your data with others, depending on the nature of your case. This may include:

(i)                  Courts and other tribunals to whom documents are presented;

(ii)                Your solicitors, or agent representing you, through whom I have been instructed;

(iii)               Potential witnesses, experts and other persons involved in the case;

(iv)               Solicitors, barristers, or other legal representatives;

(v)                Ombudsman and regulatory authorities;

(vi)               Education and examining bodies; and

(vii)             Current, past or prospective employers.

Special Categories of Data

10.          In some cases I will have been given your personal data that is within the ‘special categories’ of data described in GDPR Article 9(1). For example, personal data that reveals your race, ethnicity, sexual preferences, political or religious beliefs, trade union membership or health. There are also restrictions for processing information regarding criminal convictions.

11.          This type of personal data will only be processed where it is necessary in order to represent you in your legal claim, or advise on the prospects of a legal claim.

Retention

12.          I will retain your personal data for no longer than is necessary, and where it is possible, I will anonymise your data.

13.          How long your personal data is kept will depend on a number of factors. The retention period will be reviewed when the service I am providing you with is complete. However in general, I am obliged by the Bar Code of Conduct to retain records of my cases, and by HM Revenue and Customs to retain records for 6 years.

14.          Once your case has concluded and fees have been paid, I shall retain only the personal data necessary for the following purposes:

(i)                  The legal and professional obligation to retain information relating to my cases;

(ii)                To check for any potential conflict of interests that may arise in the future when I am instructed on other cases;

(iii)               For use in the defence of potential complaints, legal proceedings or fee disputes;

(iv)               To refer back to in future cases which raise similar legal, factual, or procedural issues.

15.          The processing for the purposes listed in paragraph 14 (ii), (iii), and (iv) above, will take place in accordance with Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. That is, for the purposes of legitimate interests that are not outweighed by your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms.

16.          The processing for the purposes listed in paragraph 14(i) above, will take place in accordance with Article 6(1)(c) GDPR. That is, the processing is necessary for me to comply with a legal obligation. 

Your Rights

17.          Where processing of your personal data was based on your consent (see paragraphs 6 and 8) you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This does not affect the lawfulness of the processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

18.          Withdrawal of your consent to process such data will most likely mean that I am no longer able to provide you with the legal services you seek.

19.          You may request confirmation that your personal data is being processed by me and details about the personal data, the source, the processing, the purposes of the processing, the recipients and the retention period.

20.          You may request a copy of your personal data that is being processed by me. You may also request rectification (i.e. correction) where there are inaccuracies in the personal data.

21.          You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time, to processing of your personal data in paragraph 14 of this privacy notice. Should you object, the processing will only continue where there are compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your fundamental rights, freedoms and interests. 

22.          Where the processing or retention of your data is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims, it will not be possible to object. 

23.          You have the right to request that your personal data is erased where any of the following apply:

(i)                  The personal data are no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed;

(ii)                You withdraw your consent where the basis of processing was based on consent and where there is no other ground for the processing;

(iii)               Where your fundamental rights, freedoms and interests override the legitimate interests of processing in paragraph 14;

(iv)               The personal data has been unlawfully processed; or

(v)                The personal data have to be erased to comply with a legal obligation.

24.          You have the right to request that your personal data is restricted from processing, so that it is simply stored, for the following reasons: as an alternative to deletion; so that it can be corrected; for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; to verify if a legitimate ground exists (paragraph 14).

25.          Where it is necessary to correct your personal data, or you have requested the restriction or erasure of your personal data, I shall endeavour to contact the recipients of the personal data, unless this involves disproportionate effort. 

Security

26.          I take appropriate physical and technical procedures to safeguard your personal data to prevent it from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way. The I.T. systems used by Clerksroom are ISO27001 compliant.

Complaints or Queries

27.          If you have any questions regarding this privacy notice, or how I use your personal data please email me: [email protected], or my clerks: mail@clerksroom telephone 01823 247 247.

28.          I shall aim to respond as soon as possible, and within 30 days.

29.          You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe I have not handled your request in an appropriate manner. For information on contacting the ICO please go to: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/