Michelle Caney

Practice Areas

Michelle Caney is an accomplished business and property litigator who can be trusted with cases of the utmost complexity. Her practice encompasses real estate litigation (including boundaries, easements, options, overage, restrictive covenants and trusts of land), commercial and residential landlord and tenant (including business leases, break clauses, dilapidations, forfeiture and service charges) and professional negligence claims involving property and social housing. Michelle is adept at handling matters involving issues of fraud and forged documents. In the social housing arena, Michelle is singled out for her expertise in cases involving disability discrimination, mental capacity, public law and human rights issues.

Career

Year of Call: 2004 (Middle Temple).

St Ives Chambers (2005-2023); Deputy Head of Housing Group (2012-2021); Deputy Head of Business and Property Group (2014-2021); Head of Business and Property Group (2021-2023).

St Philips Chambers (2023-present); Head of Real Estate Team (2023-present).

Recent notable cases: Wolverhampton City Council v London Gypsies and Travellers [2023] UKSC 47 - Landmark Supreme Court appeal concerning the Court’s jurisdiction to grant injunctions against Persons Unknown; Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council v Mailley [2023] EWCA Civ 1246 - Novel incompatibility challenge to the succession legislation (appeal to Supreme Court pending); The University of Birmingham v Persons Unknown [2024] EWHC 544 - High profile claim for possession arising out of Gaza protest encampments; Scalora v Clarion Housing Association Limited [2024] EWHC 1414 - £1.1m unlawful eviction claim involving allegations of cyber fraud - 9 day trial.

Professional Memberships

Midland Chancery and Commercial Bar Association (committee member); Social Housing Law Association Midlands.