Gavin O'Donovan

Gavin is a Managing Associate in the Real Estate department, specialising in Property litigation. He has advised on disputes relating to commercial and residential property including break clauses, lease renewals (opposed and unopposed), forfeiture, possession proceedings and insolvency matters (including Administration, CVAs and Liquidation).

Gavin acts for corporate landlords, corporate tenants, retailers, investment banks and clients from the transport industry. He deals with all contentious aspects of Real Estate including landlord and tenant disputes, right of way, and insolvency and corporate recovery work. He is particularly experienced on property management (such as recovery of arrears, service charge disputes and consents), property related insolvency issues, quiet enjoyment, contract disputes and trespass claims (including squatters).

Gavin acted for the successful landlord in its application for summary judgment in the case of Bank of New York Mellon (International) Limited v Cine-UK Limited, which also included concurrent applications against SportsDirect and Mecca Bingo. In this case the tenants had withheld rent as a result of closures during the Covid-19 pandemic. The landlord was successful in its application for summary judgment, on the basis there was no real prospect of the tenants successfully defending the claims.

Gavin is also a member of the Property Litigation Association.