Noel has experience of a broad range of property-related commercial transactions, but has developed particular expertise advising property developers following his success in the Court of Appeal case of Risegold Ltd v Escala Ltd [2008] EWCA Civ 1180, [2008] 1 EGLR 13, [2009] 1 P & CR D24.  He appeared on behalf of the Defendant developer in JS Bloor Ltd v Pavillion Developments Ltd [2008] EWHC 724 (TCC), which successfully resisted a claim by contractors in respect of improvements gratuitously carried out to a care home development.  He also recently appeared on behalf of the Defendant to a claim for a commercial constructive trust over an air-conditioning supply company in Merlo v Duffy [2009] All ER (D) 91 (Feb).  He very recently appeared in Panayiotou v  Nicolaou [2010] EWCA Civ 569 on behalf of the Respondent wife, whose constructive trust was upheld by the Court of Appeal.  In Parkinson v Hawthorne (2008), Noel appeared pro bono on behalf of a judgment creditor, establishing a right to inspect to the Index of Proprietor’s Names on enforcement.  Noel appeared as lead advocate in all the above cases.

Representative Cases

• Risegold Ltd v Escala Ltd [2008] EWCA Civ 1180, [2008] 1 EGLR 13, [2009] 1 P & CR D24
  
• JS Bloor Ltd v Pavillion Developments Ltd [2008] EWHC 724 (TCC)
  
• Parkinson v Hawthorn [2008] EWHC 3499 (Ch)
  
• Merlo v Duffy [2009] All ER (D) 91 (Feb)
  
• Panayiotou v  Nicolaou [2010] EWCA Civ 569
  
• Cusack v Harrow London Borough Council [2011] EWHC 460 (QB)
  

Noel regularly appears in and advises on disputes involving all aspects of commercial contract law, including asset finance, sale of goods and supply of services, consumer credit and financial services claims. Examples of recent experience include obtaining an urgent worldwide freezing injunction, acting for insurers in a subrogated claim for property damage arising out of a floods,  acting in professional negligence claims against solicitors and various Consumer Credit Act Claims.

Representative Cases

• In Rankine v MBNA [2007] EWCA Civ 1273, Gage LJ referred to the “attractive submissions” made in a skeleton argument produced by Noel pro bono on the Appellant’s behalf, in dealing with formal objections to the enforceability of CCA-regulated agreements.
  

Noel has worked on various large-scale pharmaceuticals-based claims including Sabril and Seroxat. He also has extensive expertise in vehicle-related product liability cases, including SUV roll-overs and allegations concerning defective car-parts, particularly tyres.
Noel has served as sub-editor in the Kluwer Encyclopaedia of Product Liability

Representative Cases

• The Sabril Group Litigation
  
• The Seroxat Group Litigation
  
• The Colombian Farmers’ Litigation
  

Noel has garnered wide-ranging experience as an advocate in employment-related work. He has advised and represented applicants and respondents in unfair dismissal and equal pay claims, claims of sex, race, disability, sex orientation and religious discrimination and has developed a niche in whistleblowing, TUPE and restraint of trade cases, particularly in the IT industry.

Representative Cases

• Coutinho v Rank Nemo DMS Ltd [2009] IRLR 672, The Times 8 June 2009 (Could non-payment of previous Tribunal award constitute post-termination victimisation?)
  
• Onwuka v Spherion Technology (UK) Ltd and ors [2008] All ER (D) 67 (Feb) (Perversity / Discrimination /TUPE transfers)
  
• Onwuka v Spherion Technology (UK) Ltd and ors [2007] All ER (D) 250 (May) (TUPE)
  
• Onwuka v Spherion Technology (UK) Ltd and ors [2004] All ER (D) 153 (Dec) (Tribunal’s Jurisdiction to order a joinder)
  
• Finney v Miles Platts Ltd, UKEAT / 0150 / 04 (Disparity between oral reasons and written reasons)
  
• Peacehaven & Telscombe Help Service and Volunteer Bureau, UKEAT / 0461 / 03 (Mitigation of loss)
  

Noel has broad experience in the Crown Court and in the High Court in cases involving a significant element of health and safety. He was instructed in commercial litigation arising out of the Ladbroke Grove rail disaster and he represented Multiplex plc in inquest proceedings arising from Wembley Stadium construction.
Noel has addressed a number of H&S groups, including the Kent Health and Safety Group on Corporate Manslaughter and regularly delivers lectures and seminars to industry.

Noel has been involved in a number of significant housing / Judicial Review cases, notably, R (Lin) v Barnet LBC [2007] EWCA Civ 132, [2007] LGR 454 concerning the housing allocations policy for homeless and other applicants and R(B) v Barnet LBC [2009] All ER (D) 294 (Nov) concerning the sufficiency of assessments under the Children Act 1989.  He also appeared on behalf of the appellant in K v G [2009] All ER (D) 128 (Oct), the first succesful appeal against a decision to reject an application under s.29 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
 
He also has extensive experience in the Human Rights field. In 2000, he worked as a stagiaire with Avocats sans Frontières in Brussels and, in line with Chambers policy, he spent a month of his pupillage in the Brussels-based law firm, Stanbrook and Hooper.During his tenure as Judicial Assistant to Lord Phillips, M.R., the majority of his research work was in areas involving significant European (Brussels and Strasbourg) influence, arising out of appeals from the Administrative Court or from Tribunals in immigration, environmental and social security cases. He also worked on cases falling with the exclusive jurisdiction of the Master of the Rolls in Law Society appeals.  He regularly carries out training in Human Rights and procurement to local authorities and other public bodies.

Representative Cases

• R (Lin) v Barnet LBC [2007] EWCA Civ 132, [2007] LGR 454 concerning the housing allocations policy for homeless and other applicants
  
• R (B) v Barnet LBC [2009] All ER (D) 294 (Nov) concerning the sufficiency of assessments under the Children Act 1989. 
  
• K v G [2009] All ER (D) 128 (Oct).