Nerissa is a Managing Associate in the Real Estate department, specialising in Property litigation.
With a particular focus on commercial property disputes, Nerissa has significant, and a wide range of, experience in contentious property matters, acting for property owners, developers and occupiers.
She regularly advises on rights of way, nuisance, covenant issues, adverse possession claims and ownership disputes (both in relation to residential and commercial property).
Nerissa regularly provides advice on a full spectrum of landlord and tenant matters including rent recovery, service charge disputes, forfeiture actions, applications for consent to assign/underlet and business lease renewals. She has expertise in relation to lease termination issues, such as break options, opposed leased renewals and terminal dilapidations claims, and has pursued declaratory proceedings at court in relation to the validity of the exercise of break options. Her expertise in this regard extends to advising developers and portfolio owners on optimum strategies for achieving vacant possession ahead of redevelopment and advising upon development constraints.
Of particular expertise, Nerissa regularly acts on forfeiture matters, including applications for interim injunctions for tenants whose landlords have forfeited their leases by peaceable re-entry for non-payment of rent. She has also dealt with a number of contractual disputes (for example in relation to overage agreements, agreements for lease, sale contracts and exclusivity agreements) against parties who have failed to comply with their obligations or unlawfully sought to terminate such contracts.
Nerissa has also acted in court proceedings relating to complex, high value property related professional negligence claims. She has experience in property related insolvency issues and in acting for lenders in high value possession claims.
Nerissa has handled disputes in the County Court, the High Court, the Court of Appeal and in the First Tier Tribunal. She also devises and implements tactical strategies to successfully achieve clients' objectives out of the Court forum, through negotiation, including at mediation.
Nerissa is an active member of the Property Litigation Association, has delivered seminars at external events and has published articles in the property press.