Keith Pearlman
Partner
Dispute Resolution and Commercial Litigation
Keith’s expertise includes landlord and tenant disputes; opposed and non-opposed lease renewals under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954; interim and terminal dilapidations; building claims; insolvency; covenant issues; service charge disputes; rent recovery and lease forfeiture; party wall claims; nuisance (including water ingress, to include and liability, causation and damages issues) and almost all problems affecting commercial or residential property.
Keith’s other primary areas of expertise include corporate and individual insolvency, where he acts for and against insolvency practitioners, company directors, creditors and banks.
Keith also continues to advise in relation to professional negligence; contentious probate and trusts, such as contested wills, intestacies, and 1975 Act claims; financial mis-selling; contested insurance claims; debt recovery; and business and trade disputes.
Keith represents substantial PLCs, property investors, developers and individual clients.
He has extensive experience in Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Keith works primarily in our London office but also collaborates closely with colleagues in our other locations.
Work highlights
Acting for major property developer in a multimillion-pound claim including substantial rent arrears, allegations of civil fraud, rectification, and professional negligence.
Damages claim
Representing overseas PLC company in successfully securing a £1m damages claim arising from terminal disrepairs to a well-known building near London Bridge.
Residential leasehold dispute
Following a lengthy mediation, successfully settling a long running (and emotive) residential leasehold dispute between a freeholder and several lessees, relating to liability issues and damages arising from historic water ingress.
Lease renewal
Opposing a commercial tenant (a well-known betting firm) obtaining a lease renewal under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, by advising a private Landlord in the preparation of extensive cogent evidence, to support our client’s intention to substantially redevelop its retail property, enabling agreement with a national supermarket chain to take a lease at a substantially enhanced rent of the newly developed unit.
Defending creditor claims
Acting for Joint Liquidators in defending challenges to their appointment and obtaining adverse costs orders. Thereafter successfully defending spurious creditor claims in excess of £300,000 resulting in enhanced realisations to genuine creditors.
Recent videos
REAL ESTATE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Covid-19: Contentious commercial property issues and future trends
Recent articles
Media spotlight
Keith Pearlman comments for The Telegraph on his top tips to help ensure your property is covered as much as possible when it is damaged by a storm.
Keith Pearlman04/08/2025
Media spotlight
Keith Pearlman comments for The Telegraph to explain what you should do if your home is damaged by severe weather
Keith Pearlman24/01/2025
Insights
The High Court has handed down its judgment this morning in South Bank Hotel Management Company Limited v Galliard Hotels & Ors [2024] following a 3-week trial.
15/10/2024
Media spotlight
Keith Pearlman comments for The Telegraph on the importance of collating detailed evidence of damage to your home when claiming from your insurers in extreme weather.
Keith Pearlman23/01/2024