Samuel Okoronkwo Jr

Barrister

Call Date: 2010

His expertise is particularly strong in:

To contact or instruct Samuel Okoronkwo Jr please call 020 3034 0077 and ask for his clerk or e-mail enquiries@mercantilebarristers.com

Background

Samuel Okoronkwo Jr. practices as Public Access / Direct Access barrister and is proficient in chambers’ practice areas, including Company Law; Construction & Engineering Law; Litigation; Private Client Legal Advice; Property Law; SME Legal Advice; and Sports Law.

Since joining Chambers, Samuel Jr. has developed a busy and growing practice covering non-contentious advisory work. Also, his practice covers commercial litigation; construction adjudication and sports dispute resolution in various Tribunals, County Courts and the High Court.

 

Samuel Jr.’s practical experience of having worked in-house in a sports management company before being Called to the Bar has given him a wide breadth of understanding on a range of matters relating to private clients, SME’s and multinational organisations.

Professional Affiliations

Qualifications

Case Examples

Samuel Jr. has sound experience in drafting, preparing and appearing in a number of matters in the County Court and High Court (led and unled), ranging from breach of contract, breach of trust, insolvency, shareholder disputes and actions for the rectification of publicly filed records.


Samuel Jr. also advises small businesses on a range of matters, including business formation, directorship appointments, asset and business sale and acquisition including mergers.


‣ Perfect Fried Chicken

Settling Business Sale Agreement for franchisees of a fast food restaurant.


‣ Zafaran Limited v. Hosseini and others

Settling pre-action correspondence and pleadings in connection with interlocutory proceedings.


‣ French Eye (Stratford) Limited v. London Borough of Newham

Representing a national fashion brand in a trial in opposition to excessive Non Domestic Rates Liability.


‣ Kiernan v. Iceberg Client Credit

Advising a solicitor with respect to the terms of a legal costs finance agreement and the attendant liabilities.


‣ HMRC v. Kinetica Leisure

Settling pleadings and representing a specialist brewing company in contentious insolvency proceedings.


‣ Lever Brothers & Co v. The Registrar of Companies & The Treasury Solicitor

Advice, settling pleadings and representation to secure appropriate orders rectifying errors in publicly held records.


‣ Woozle Research Limited v. The Registrar of Companies & The Treasury Solicitor

Advice, settling pleadings and representation to secure appropriate orders rectifying errors in publicly held records.

Samuel Jr. has experience of drafting and preparing pleadings in Employment Tribunals as well as correspondence on behalf of employers and employees as well as liaising with ACAS and of their dispute resolution procedures.
Samuel Jr. has appeared in the County Court on personal injury matters and has had significant experience in drafting pleadings and advice to clients in this practise area.

Samuel Jr. has experience advising clients on a range of property matters including town and country planning, building, construction, landlord and tenant and residential and commercial property development. Samuel Jr. also has experience of conducting proceedings in the First-tier Property Tribunal.


‣ Robert John Cherry et al v. Aaron King and Zahida Khan
Real Property, Civil Litigation, Possession Proceedings, Order for Sale

The clients, RJC et al were owed money as a result of a breach of contract from AK. Prior to instructions RJC were able to obtain charging orders on some of AK’s assets but could not enforce the security as easily as they thought. It transpired that AK had sold the majority of the properties to third parties in order to keep them out of the reach of RJC et al.


Upon instructions, Samuel assisted a senior barrister in chambers to identify one of the properties as well as draft Part 8 proceedings; witness evidence; and interim applications to apply for an Order for Sale.


After two hearings, the application for an Order for Sale was successful and the property repossessed for valuations in preparation for its eventual sale.


‣ Salima Tengur v. AA
Civil Litigation, Party Wall, Real Property, Injunction

The client, ST, is a long lessee of the first floor of a mid-terraced dwelling house. AA is the ground floor lessee.


In 2016, AA carried out building works which included works on party wall structures. ST alleged that the works were in breach of AA’s lease covenants and the Party Wall Act 1996.


Samuel provides advice to ST on trespass, nuisance, and the Party Wall Act 1996 and drafted pre-action letters to the adjoining owner and freeholder of the property in an attempt to resolve the matter.


‣ Anna Malaeva v. Sean Hanna
Real Property, Landlord and Tenant, Boundary Dispute

The client, AM and her partner became assured shorthold tenants of a property in Wimbledon. The AST was for 12 months with no break clause. After moving in, they discovered that the next door neighbour had in March 2019 applied for planning permission to build another floor above their property which would cause a lot of noise and disturbance. The landlord failed to notify AM and her partner of this before they signed the AST.


AM consulted Samuel who provided appropriate advice in conference to resolve the matter.


‣ Jem Support Services Ltd v. Chris Fitt & Linda Matthews Lettings
Landlord and Tenant, Disrepair


The client, JSS Ltd, a care provider to young adults, signed a commercial lease with LML & CF. Prior to the signing, a number of issues with the property were discovered which LML & CF promised to rectify. Based on these assurances, JSS Ltd signed the lease.


Following JSS Ltd taking up possession of the premises, further issues were discovered. JSS Ltd repeatedly notified LML & CF of the defects and nothing was done to rectify the issue. JSS Ltd incurred in excess of £15,000 of its own costs in trying to repair the defects as well as loss of business.


After consulting Samuel on its rights under the lease and the Housing Disrepair Protocol, JSS successfully terminated the lease without incurring any further losses to date and reserved their position to pursue the other side for associated losses.


‣ Natalya Elenora Kepinska v. Bryan Robert Bennet & Zinayda Baranovskaja
Property Litigation, enforcement of judgment debt


NEK applied for an order for sale on BRB and ZB’s property for damages she was due from BRB in another matter. ZB sought legal advice and assistance from Samuel as to her property rights.


Samuel assisted ZB to prove to NEK the extent of her rights to the property and entered into settlement discussions with NEK’s solicitors to resolve the matter.


‣ Sarah Walters v. Robert Vince, Paula Yardy & Janet Vince

Landlord and Tenant, Property Litigation, Breach of Contract


SW, the client, entered into an Assured Shorthold Tenancy with JV, PY and JY in order to set up her business. SW sought the permission of RV, PY and JY to apply to change the use of the property so that she would be able to provide a residential care home to young people. RV agreed to the making of the application. In reliance on this representation, JY expended a great deal of time and approximately £40,000 to make an application.


The planning application was granted. At this time, RV sought to alter the terms upon which SW could continue to operate at the property. RV also told SW that he did not have the necessary mortgage for a commercial venture to operate at the property.

SW instructed solicitors to prepare a pre-action letter to RV claiming a breach of contract. RV responded, denying that he had ever agreed to the property being used as a commercial venture.


After advice from Samuel, he assisted SW with the settlement discussions, which led to her ending her AST without incurring any further legal costs in having to commence proceedings in Court.


‣ Dr. Sean Ronaghyon Estate
Drafting trust dissolution agreement for client.


‣ Ariyo v.Peabody Housing Trust
Advising client on the imposition of service charges in new build development.

Samuel Jr. is building a steady practice in drafting construction adjudication proceedings, particularly as a result of breaches from standard form and JCT Contracts for clients, as well as advising on the adjudication process.


‣ QBL v. Bentley-Leek Properties (JV3) Ltd

Drafting Pleadings for Construction Company in preparation for construction adjudication.

Samuel Jr. has significant experience and interest in Sports Law and has advised a variety of clients including athletes, football agents and agencies, sporting organisations and multinational corporations who are well established or seeking advice to ply their trade successfully in the sporting industry.

 

Samuel Jr. has advised on matters ranging from employment contract negotiations, commercial contract negotiations, disciplinary advice and representation and has appeared in sporting tribunals, including the Football League Tribunal.

 

Consequently, Samuel Jr. is developing a practice in Media and Entertainment Law, including advising clients on a range of matters, including sponsorship, endorsement and exploitation of intellectual property rights.

 

‣ PPL v. Azimi and Mojito Lounge (UK) Limited

Drafting correspondence for during settlement negotiations with music publishing company.

 

‣ H Company 2 Limited v. Shoreditch Cottage Limited

Advising business on commercial leasehold, premises licences, negotiating and settling proceedings.

 

‣ AFA v. A O

Advising football player on disciplinary proceedings.

 

‣ Nu Design & Build Ltd

Advising small business on Data Protection Rules and Regulations.

 

‣ CSM v. Ocran

Obtaining judgment for sports management company against player’s new adviser for breach of contract.

 

‣ Fayez

Advising filmmaker on worldwide television intellectual property rights.

Samuel Jr. has experience in drafting wills and trusts for private clients, as well as preparing and being led in probate matters in the High Court and County Court.


‣ Awaritefe and Ogugu v. Awaritefe

Drafting pleadings and attending court on a contentious probate matter.