Year of Call: 2011

Clerks: James Watson / Lee Fifield

Nicholas joined chambers in September 2019 following successful completion of his pupillage and he accepts instructions in all civil and family matters.

Civil

Nicholas regularly receives instructions in broad range of civil proceedings including breach of contract; sale of goods and supply of goods and services; personal injury; credit hire; and building disputes. Nicholas has experience of conducting both small claims and fast-track trials as well as representing clients at interim remedy hearings and within enforcement applications. Nicholas’s civil practice includes drafting pleadings and acting in an advisory capacity 

As part of his practice, Nicholas is frequently instructed housing cases by both housing associations and tenants. These cases have included injunctive and possession proceedings; contested committal applications; disrepair claims and homelessness appeals.

One of the committal applications in which Nicholas appeared for the housing association has been reported and can be found at https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/Misc/2020/17.html. 

In August 2020 Nicholas successfully represented a tenant in a homelessness appeal. The grounds of appeal included issues such as overcrowding and a failure by the local authority to make reasonable enquiries regarding a child’s health needs. 

Before coming to the Bar, Nicholas qualified as a solicitor (March 2017) within the Dispute Resolution Department of Hugh James giving him experience in a variety of commercial litigation matters as well as housing management cases. Nicholas is able to use the knowledge and experience gained as a solicitor within his current civil law practice.

Family

In relation to family matters, Nicholas has an expanding practice within financial remedy proceedings, an area in which he gained particular insight and interest during the second six months of his pupillage. Nicholas’s financial remedy practice has included acting in an advisory capacity and representing clients at interim application hearings.

Nicholas has extensive experience in private law children matters and has conducted cases before various levels of the judiciary. Such cases involve contested issues surrounding contact; applications for specific issue orders and prohibited steps orders and applications for non-molestation orders and occupation orders.

Nicholas is frequently instructed in multi-day fact-finding hearings involving allegations of domestic violence. In September 2020 Nicholas was instructed in a 10-day fact-finding/final hearing in a case which involved allegations of significant injuries having been caused to a child. 

Background

Nicholas was educated in Corpus Christi High School following which he attended Cardiff High School for sixth form.

Nicholas studied law at the University of the West of England before returning to Cardiff where he undertook the Bar Professional Training Course at Cardiff University. He was awarded the grade of ‘Outstanding’.