Profile:

Melanie has a wide-ranging practice specialising predominately in Rating, Planning and Local Government work and is particularly adept at dealing with sensitive cases requiring high-level negotiations and well-honed advocacy skills.  Melanie has extensive experience dealing with expert evidence and also advises on complex property and regulatory matters.

Rating: 
All aspects of Non-Domestic Rating.

Planning and Environmental Inquiries: 
Green Belt, Special Landscape, Conservation, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Urban and Town Centre, Inappropriate Use, Highways and Compulsory Purchase. 

Planning Enforcement:
Inappropriate agricultural diversification. Caravans. 

Civil: 
All aspects of civil litigation, chancery and commercial work.

Other:
Human Rights, Family and Crime (Attorney General’s Unified List Criminal Panel C)

Reported cases and publications:
R v Kiernan [2003] EWCA Crim 1052;
Fairness is the key:  In Defence of the Cab-rank Rule and Independence of Barristers
– The Times 05/09/00 and Editor of  PEBA Handbook.

Seminars:      

• Planning Enforcement Update (February 2006)
• Planning Inquiry Workshop (May 2007).
• Rating Case Preparation (National Rating Day May 2010)

Memberships: 

• Planning and Environmental Bar Association (PEBA)
• United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA)
• Administrative Bar Association (ALBA)
• Family Law Bar Association (FLBA)
• Criminal Bar Association (CLBA)
• The South Eastern Circuit (SEE)