George
Woodhead

George is regularly instructed by commercial clients, often where there is a property or trust aspect to the issue in question.

He was instructed as junior counsel to Clifford Darton KC in:

• an appeal to the Court of Appeal (UK Learning Academy Ltd v Secretary of State for Education [2020] EWCA Civ 370) concerning non-oral modification clauses, estoppel, statements of case and the decision of the Supreme Court in MWB v Rock Advertising [2018] 2 WLR 1603; and
• a trial in the KBD, and consequential hearings as sole counsel (Martin v Posener [2017] EWHC 2320) concerning the validity and enforceability of a contract for the provision of funding for research into potential claims for compensation from German organisations in relation to the confiscation of Jewish assets by the Nazi regime, in return for reimbursement of costs and a percentage of any award.

George has experience in the following areas:

• Claims arising out of the sale of land;
• Contractual interpretation and rectification claims;
• Disputes arising from share sale and purchase agreements;
• Breach of warranty claims
• Freezing injunctions;
• Joint venture disputes;
• Partnership disputes;
• 994 / unfair prejudice petitions;
• director disputes and disqualifications;
• Sale of goods and services;
• Building and construction disputes.

George regularly deals with clients in disputes with directors, shareholders and partners and has experience in disputes between members of a family business.

He has recent experience in acting for clients in high value agricultural and rural cases between family members and business owners.

George acts for both claimants and insurers in professional negligence claims.

Most of his work in this area concerns (alleged) negligence by solicitors and property professionals, such as surveyors, architects and building contractors.  He has worked for and against most of the big insurers, and the firms which represent them and is presently instructed in a handful of claims for both claimants and defendants.

Property disputes form a substantial part of George’s practice.  A number of his cases have been reported in the national press and he has advised the Chief Land Registrar and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities as part of his appointment to the Attorney General’s B Panel.  He regularly deals with cases concerning:

• trusts of land: constructive trusts, resulting trusts, orders for sale, equitable accounting etc.
• proprietary estoppel;
• nuisance;
• restrictive covenants;
• easements and rights of way;
• boundary disputes and other disputes between neighbours;
• claims arising out of the sale of land;
• option agreements;
• property-related professional negligence;
• committal applications for breaches of property-related injunctions; and
• mortgages (including fraud and undue influence).

Some examples of George’s more recent property cases include:

P v P (2024) – farming proceedings concerning agricultural and commercial tenancies, occupation rent, orders for sale, and harassment.

H v A (2023): 4-day neighbour dispute (nuisance, harassment) trial, reported in the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, and the Evening Standard.

H v L (2023) – an interpretation of conveyancing contract claim concerning the admissibility of extrinsic evidence to help interpret a poorly drafted conveyance.  Settled at trial.

G v S (2022): trusts of land claim concerning >£3 million residential property; injunctions to prohibit unilateral building works; committal proceedings and order for sale.

R v R (2022): Rent Act tenancy possession claim, settled shortly before trial.

H & Ors v B (2022) – adverse possession claim concerning valuable land near Heathrow airport.

B v B (2022): a (successful) appeal concerning the interpretation of a settlement agreement between the parties.

A v S (2022): 3-day trial acting for a (successful) firm of surveyors suing an auctioneer for unpaid commission.  Issues concerning the construction of the contract and the basis for payment.

B v W (2021) – 3-day boundary despite trial concerning boundary agreements and contested surveyor evidence.

A substantial part of George’s practice falls within this practice area.  George has dealt with a vast number of trusts of land, family-owned property and cohabitation disputes, and is considered a specialist in this area.

George regularly represents clients in Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claims, applications to remove/replace/appoint executors/trustees, proprietary estoppel and contested will cases (including all the common challenges to a will’s validity).

Notable cases include:

• Islam v Islam [2024] EWHC 1082 (Ch): 2-week trial concerning ownership of family property portfolio, including allegations of sham, actual and presumed undue influence, and forgery.
• Stoney-Andersen v Abbas & Ors [2023] EWHC 2964 (Ch): costs in probate disputes.
• Pile v Pile [2022] 1 P. & C.R. 6: whether service of a notice to quit a joint tenancy was a breach of trust.
• Lohia v Lohia [2022] EWHC 2033 (Ch): rectification of deeds of trust (appeal).
• Lohia v Lohia [2021] EWHC 2752 (Ch): rectification of deeds of trust.
• Ralph v Ralph [2021] 4 W.L.R. 128: rectification of deeds of trust.  An important Court of Appeal decision concerning the test for rectification of deeds of trust in the property context.

George is increasingly involved in cases in which capacity is an issue and handles such matters with care, sensitivity, and experience.  Some examples of George’s typical cases include:

E v T (ChD) (2023): acting for Claimant in same-sex cohabitee 1975 Act claim for reasonable financial provision.  Claim settled during closing speeches in 5-day trial.

Re. S (ChD) (2023) – acting for Defendant in multi-faceted will (capacity, knowledge and approval, undue influence)/constructive trust/proprietary estoppel dispute.   Claimant discontinued after the CCMC.

C v E & Ors (ChD) (2022): spousal claim under the 1975 Act for further provision from estate.

V v (1) W (2) Si (3) D (2021) (Brighton County Court) – acted for the successful claimant in a 1975 Act claim (cohabitant/living as spouse, small to medium-sized estate).  Award of £211,000 plus indemnity costs.

M-B v M-B & others (Central London County Court) (2021) – acting for Defendant in a claim challenging a will on grounds of testamentary capacity, want of knowledge and approval and undue influence.  Extensive medical and expert evidence from two well-known, leading experts.  Settlement shortly before trial.

A v C (ChD) (2020) – Part 8 hearing to determine claim to remove Defendants as executors pursuant to s.50 of the AJA 1985.  Agreement reached mid-way through the hearing for all parties to be removed and replaced by a professional executor.

M v (1) H (ChD) (2020): 1975 Act cohabitant and proprietary estoppel claim to estate of late partner, including issues of mental capacity, fraud, and allegations of homophobia.

G v S (2020): claim following breakdown of unmarried couple’s relationship and including issues of interpretation of a Deed of Trust, the purpose of the trust, and the timing and mechanics of an order for sale of jointly-owned residential property.

F v F (2019) – case concerning claim for a declaration as to beneficial interest, order for sale, account and inquiry in respect of a joint venture started between two brothers in 1995. The assets of the Joint Venture are now estimated to be worth between £2 million and £3 million and include residential property, securities, motor cars and cash. Issues including: Pallant v Morgan equity; partnership and joint venture; express trusts; constructive and resulting trusts; promissory notes; and accounting (over 20 years’ worth) with likely forensic accounting evidence.

S v S [2019] (High Court, ChD) WLUK 333 – successfully represented C in a Part 8 claim seeking the removal of his sister as an executor de son tort.  Successfully achieved an order in committal proceedings which led to the defendant’s compliance.

Islam v Islam [2024] EWHC 1082 (Ch)

Stoney-Andersen v Abbas & Ors [2023] EWHC 2964 (Ch)

Goldhill Finance Ltd v Smyth [2023] EWHC 362 (KB)

Pile v Pile [2022] EWHC 2036 (Ch) (26 July 2022)

Lohia v Lohia [2022] EWHC 2033 (Ch) 2033 (Ch)           

Ralph v Ralph [2021] EWCA Civ 1106 (22 July 2021)

Lohia (1) Lohia (2) Singh v Lohia [2021] EWHC 2752 (Ch))

UK Learning Academy Ltd v Secretary of State for Education [2020] EWCA Civ 370

Suckling v Suckling [2019] (High Court, ChD) WLUK 333

Martin v Posener [2017] EWHC 2320

Cavanagh v Witley Parish Council [2017] 2 WLUK 371

Hackney LBC v Smith & Ors [2012] EWHC 4531 (Ch)

Eastenders Cash & Carry plc and another company v Revenue and Customs Commissioners [2010] All ER (D) 52 (Nov)

• Leading Junior in Property Litigation (Legal 500, 2025)
• Leading Junior in Private Client: Trusts and Probate (Legal 500, 2025)
• Leading Junior in Property Litigation (Legal 500, 2024)
• Leading Junior in Private Client: Trusts and Probate (Legal 500, 2024)
• Leading Junior in Property Litigation (Legal 500, 2023)
• Leading Junior in Private Client: Trusts and Probate (Legal 500, 2023)
• Leading Junior in Property Litigation (Legal 500, 2022)
• Leading Junior in Private Client: Trusts and Probate (Legal 500, 2022)
• Leading Junior in Property Litigation (Legal 500, 2021)