Emily Wood
Partner
Real Estate Dispute Resolution
She has more than 23 years of experience working on a wide range of complex and high value commercial and residential real estate dispute matters. She has acted for a variety of private and public sector clients including local authorities, developers, hotel operators, retailers, educational institutions, pension funds, investors and not-for-profit organisations.
Emily’s property management expertise encompasses providing strategic advice and dealing with contested breach of covenant claims, service charge disputes and obtaining vacant possession of properties. She also has significant experience in development related issues including advising on restrictive covenants, conditional agreements, rights to light, overage disputes, telecoms and enforcement of contractual obligations. In addition, Emily specialises in contested business rates appeals.
Emily prides herself on her commercial, responsive and measured approach to matters, and her ability to build a strong relationship with her clients.
Emily is Partner and Head of the Real Estate Dispute Resolution group.
Emily works primarily in our Gatwick office but also collaborates closely with colleagues in our other locations.
Work highlights
BUSINESS RATING
Acting for consortium of limited companies, operating in the field of the commercial production of heat and electricity through anaerobic digestion, in challenging the valuation offices’ methodology of calculating business rating in this green energy sector. A successful outcome will provide substantial savings to those operating in this niche and important arena.
RIGHT TO LIGHT
Advising National Housing to resolve a significant number of claims to compensation from a neighbouring community to a largescale development in relation to alleged interference with right to light, securing commercially acceptable settlements and releases for future development.
BREACH OF COVENANT
Acting for residential portfolio investor in relation to a claim against it for breach of covenant by the freeholder. We successfully resisted the threat of our client losing its interest in a very valuable property which it had sub-let to tenants who themselves were failing to comply with the terms of their tenancy
SITE REDEVELOPMENT
Acting for commercial landlord wishing to redevelop a site which was part occupied by two telecoms operators who had the protection of the telecoms code. The pursuit of applications to the Property Tribunal and subsequent strategic negotiations successfully secured vacant possession and released significant development value.
BUSINESS RATE REFUND
Successfully acted for PLC ATM operator in Supreme Court Case against Valuation Office’s decision to separately rate ATMs therefore securing business rates refund in the millions, and supporting much needed accessibility to cash on the UK’s high streets and in rural communities.
Recent videos
Women in Law
Recent videos
REAL ESTATE
Property and Planning - The Building Safety Bill and the changing high street
Recent videos
Recent videos
Recent articles
Announcements
We're excited to sponsor The Big Swim 2026 in Brighton, reflecting the firm’s commitment to both International Women’s Day and environmental causes.
11/02/2026
Insights
The Renter's Rights Bill aims to offer tenants more security in their homes by scrapping 'no fault evictions' through Section 21 notices.
07/10/2025
Insights
CEDR's latest audit provides insight into the significant cost savings and time efficiency that alternative dispute resolution can offer.
24/09/2025
Insights
There are not many cases which crop up on the tenants’ rights of first refusal under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987. Recently, one has, which touches on the question “what is a building”?
12/03/2025